BMF Membership Services

BMF provides a wide range of business support services:

BMF Apprenticeships Plus

As we enter a new era of training and upskilling, BMF Apprenticeships Plus has been formed to offer a unique approach to the recruitment and management ofapprentices. This newly created initiative is specifically designed and regulated tosupport both large and small members who wish to take advantage of the many benefits of an apprentice.

Having taken extensive advice and undertaken wide ranging research it is widely reported,across all industries, that employers wish to engage with the far reaching and positive opportunities available through the apprenticeship reforms but do not wish tostruggle with the complexities, risks andrecruitment and management costs inherent in the new processes. By acting on behalf of members in the recruitment processes, employment, contracts of employment,HR, payroll, sourcing and contracting with training providers and funding agencies; BMF Apprenticeships Plus will enable all members to get the very best out of apprenticeships.

Members access the benefits of BMFApprenticeships Plus by simply contacting BMF Training on 0333 305 7657 or bmfapprenticeshipsplus@bmf.org.uk.

BMF Credit Insurance Plus

 
The BMF have sourced a solution for our members to help mitigate the risks of trading on credit terms such as customer insolvency, overdue accounts and bad debts. The BMF now offers a robust credit insurance policy from Bluefin Insurance Services Limited, a very experienced broker providing credit insurance solutions to small, medium and large businesses. 

Bluefin can provide members with:

• Protection against the effects of buyers’ insolvency and late payment
• Assistance with targeting sales efforts, focusing on profitable buyers & markets and avoiding financially weak customers
• Access to world-leading credit opinion and limit services
• On-going risk monitoring of buyers’ financial health
• Policies to work alongside existing Factoring or Invoice Finance arrangements
  

The new BMF Credit Insurance Plus brochure provides further details and to find out how Bluefin will work with you in order to make a credit insurance programme designed to suit your business specifically so please call them on 0113 394 2280 or Email trade.credit@bluefingroup.co.uk

BMF Cyber and GDPR Audit Plus Service

BMF Cyber Audit Plus provided by RDS Global is designed to help BMF members prepare for the May 2018 General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).  

What are the new General Data Protection Regulations coming into force in May 2018? GDPR is the name attributed to the new data protection laws which will be fully implemented by May 2018. GDPR will change the way in which businesses obtain, store, use and delete data and will make designated internal data controllers, board members and directors more accountable for the existing business processes around data protection.   The Information Commissioners Office (ICO), which is the government body behind GDPR have stipulated that non-compliant companies will be penalised and will have to pay a fine equating to 4% of global turnover.  

Free Cyber Risk Assessment for BMF Members RDS will provide all BMF members with a free Cyber Risk Assessment where a series of questions will be completed by the business and RDS will then provide some feedback in regards to next steps. They will also provide more information on the policies and processes the business needs to have to be compliant and avoid any fines following May 2018.  

Benefits of Cyber Security from RDS:  

• Complete Cyber Security from one provider
• Safeguard against various types of cyber attack
  
• Reinforce information security
  
• Demonstrate safety of customers’, supplier’s and employees’ valuable personal data
  
• Reduce business insurance premiums
  
• Full understanding and implementation of Cyber security technology & GDPR
  
• Full technical support  
  

To book your free Cyber Risk Assessment contact RDS Global on 0330 2211244 or email sales@rds.global.

BMF Cyber Insurance Plus

Nearly every business today is reliant on electronic systems and networks, and merchants are no exception. This reliance is giving rise to new risks which are not generally covered by traditional insurance policies. Cyber insurance protects your business against these new risks.

The best way to protect against cyber-attacks or breaches is to prevent them in the first place - but as is so regularly reported in the press, failures do occur. If the first line of your defence is breached, a cyber insurance policy will help protect the business from financial loss, plus manage and control the impact. The BMF Cyber Insurance Plus service has access to cost effective cyber products which are designed to help merchants get back to business as usual.

BMF Cyber Insurance Plus is supported by Bluefin, one of the UK’s leading insurance brokers and a specialist in the builders merchants industry. Among the insurance solutions they can arrange include competitive cyber insurance products, with some of the widest cover currently available in the insurance market.

For more information on BMF Cyber Insurance Plus and/or BMF Insurance Plus, please contact Juliette Honnor at Bluefin: juliette.honnor@bluefingroup.co.uk. Tel: 020 8781 9289

BMF Insurance Plus

BMF Insurance Plus is a service designed specifically for BMF members to access insurance solutions from an insurance broker with more than 25 years’ experience of working with builders merchants and suppliers. With large volumes of stock, staff and customers to worry about, it’s vital you have the insurance you need in place to protect your business. Because every business is different, you need a policy to suit your particular requirements, giving you the peace of mind that should the worse happen, you are protected.

BMF Insurance Plus is supported by Bluefin, one of the UK’s leading insurance brokers and a specialist in the builders’ merchant industry. Bluefin can arrange insurance solutions that allow you to choose the levels. 

How can Bluefin help your business? BMF Insurance Plus can provide cover for the following:  

• Property damage and business interruption
• Full theft including theft of diesel stock in the open
• Employers’, public and products’ liability
• Directors’ and officers’ liability
• Negligent acts, errors and omissions
• Specialist risk control and risk management service
• Motor fleet
• Negligent acts, errors or omissions
• Transit
• Credit insurance
• Environmental liability
• Cyber liability
• Key person protection
• Crime  
  

As a BMF member you can benefit from a 10% discount on your property and liability insurances. This discount is offered by Aspen Insurance and will apply to all BMF members.  

For more information on Insurance Plus, please contact Juliette Honnor at Bluefin juliette.honnor@bluefingroup.co.uk Tel: 020 8781 9289

BMF Intelligent Employment Plus

Do you want to take the pain out of workplace problems? The BMF have partnered with Halborns a specialist employment law firm and launched a new employment and hr advice service called BMF Intelligent Employment Plus.  

For 12 months BMF Intelligent Employment Plus allows you to focus on building your business rather managing difficult employment issues by providing you with

• Unlimited access to over 130 employment law documents, guides and Human Resources Forms
• Advice from a dedicated and experienced employment lawyer 24/7
• A review of your contracts of employment and employee handbook
• Updates to employment policies and legal documents when the law changes.  

Running a business is challenging enough but staffing issues can take more time than they should. Take BMF Intelligent Employment Plus advice at the right time and you’ll manage the employment situation and the risks efficiently and professionally.  

BMF Intelligent Employment Plus offers you the support that you need to be able to address employment issues with confidence ensuring that you

• Manage employment risks effectively
• Stay on top of legislation
• Deal with poor performance and absences successfully
• Protect your business from employment claims.      
  

The BMF Intelligent Employment Plus advisers are experienced employment lawyers who understand you

• Want advice that is bespoke to your business
• Don’t want to be confused by legal jargon
• Want straight-forward, straight-talking solutions
• Want to achieve your objective whilst understanding the employment processes and risks in doing so.  
  

What does being a BMF Intelligent Employment Plus member mean?
You have annual support to deal confidently with employment issues within your business. Your employment documents will be up to date and professionally drafted. You know that changes in employment law will be notified to you without you having to spot them and your documents updated to ensure that you remain current and compliant.  

How does BMF Intelligent Employment Plus work?
If you are interested in becoming a BMF Intelligent Employment Plus member, then you will be given a password to access over 150 employment documents. You will be assigned employment lawyers to deal with any issues you have. In addition, your contracts of employment and employee handbook will be reviewed so you know what you need to change to ensure that you’ve minimised risk and remain up to date.  

Free review of employment contracts and handbooks
We know it’s difficult to ensure that your employment contracts and handbooks remain current and protect your business. On that basis, we offer a free review of those documents to help you to ensure that your business is futureproof and ready to tackle any challenge. To book a free review call Halborns on 0115 7180333 or email Halborns at info@halborns.com. If you decide not to access BMF Intelligent Employment Plus after the review, that’s fine. At least you’ll know what, if anything, needs to change within those documents.

BMF Safety Plus

The BMF have teamed up with Southalls who work with over 100 merchant clients over 500 locations to offer BMF Safety Plus.

This service offers practical and tailored health and safety support for BMF members with up to the minute health and safety advice designed to keep you and your employees safe. There is both telephone and online support.  

BMF Safety Plus offers a Free Health and safety review for BMF members. A consultant will survey your business, review documentation, understand current practices and advise on possible areas of improvement. This will be relayed back in a written report format and has a market value of £595.  

To book your free health and safety review contact Southalls on 0345 257 2015 or email hello@southalls.com

BMF Transport Plus

 BMF Transport Plus is designed to help you manage one of your biggest company cost centres-your vehicle fleet. Not only are vehicle operations a major area of expenditure but they are also one of the most heavily regulated areas of your business. BMF Transport Plus will ensure your company’s vehicle operations comply with road transport regulations, driver hours and employment legislation and also with the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) compliance requirements. The service is operated by Prompt whose team of advisors are industry qualified and vastly experienced within the transport industry. Their guidance, advice and recommendations will help you become compliant, remain compliant and protect your operator licence.  

In our new BMF Transport Plus brochure Prompt are offering a FREE eight-point transport compliance health check for our members which covers the following:

• Goods Vehicle Operators Licence
• Responsible Person
• Safety Inspection Planner
• Safety Inspection Records
• Driver Defect Reporting 
• Drivers Hours Records
• Working Time Directive
• Driver Licence Checks  

To book your free transport compliance health check contact Prompt Training on 01773 850428 or email sales@prompttraining.co.uk  

The BMF Transport Plus Service assists members in every aspect of compliance with Goods Vehicle Operators Licence Undertakings and Legislation. Prompt Training Ltd are pleased to provide this service on behalf of the BMF. Contact Prompt Training on 01773 850428 or email sales@prompttraining.co.uk

BMF Legal Helpline 0870 420 7373  

The BMF legal helpline is provided for Members by carefully selected employment and commercial lawyers at law firms Halborns and DCH Law.

The helpline provides high quality legal advice, quickly and conveniently. The first 15 minutes of your call to the helpline will be free of charge.

The helpline is available for use between 9am to 5pm on weekdays (excluding bank holidays). Outside of those hours you can leave a message for the legal team and your call will be returned within two hours of the start of the next working day.

The helpline will provide advice on any employment, commercial, civil or criminal matter (excludes health & safety) relating to your normal business activities.

For any query which cannot be resolved within your 15-minute free call, your lawyer will ask you if you wish to take the matter further. No further work will be undertaken without your consent or agreement to the additional cost.

Benefits to you:

• Commercial and employment law advice from straight-talking lawyers
• Solutions focused advice
• Lawyers with a practical understanding of our sector
• Clear and concise communication
• Outstanding client care

BMF Business Guides

Business Guides covering subjects such as Health & Safety, Transport, Environmental, Employment, IT and Security are also available for members. Please visit Business Guides for more information