As a difficult year draws to a close, we’ve been discussing what has been focusing the minds of the local business community. The biggest issue has been finance – finding finance, planning for changes, plus reviewing and reducing costs. At the start of the year, most of us expected significant job losses, but Bradford has done better than elsewhere in the region. Difficult decisions have resulted in pay and hours cuts, but many firms have retained skilled staff for when the economy picks up.

Everyone has been looking for new customers and the main investment has been in websites and e-marketing. IT’s importance has increased and the aim has been to achieve more through technology.

The focus of training seems to have been on management development and equipping people to manage change. For many, this is the first time they have had to work with flat or decreasing sales trends. It’s hard to motivate a team when they can’t sell, not because of quality, price or customer service, but because the market just isn’t there.

It’s sad that we’ve lost some good businesses in the last year, but reassuring that the majority have adapted, maybe not made much – if any – profit, yet are surviving. There is some evidence that home producers are getting enquiries from those who had previously been importing.

Let’s hope that trend continues and that 2010 will be a more prosperous year for Bradford businesses.