Year in review 2023
We have written many blogs to advise our customers with the financial highs and lows of this year. Let’s revisit and highlight our top five blogs of the past twelve months.
This year has been another remarkable year for us at UTP and all our customers. 2023 marked our 10-year anniversary. An amazing milestone for the company and symbolic of how far we have come. We also successfully launched tapeeno in the Republic of Ireland as well as Netherlands. tapeeno is our latest product to support small business and comes in the form of an app downloadable to Android phones. This latest launch means we are now operating across five countries.
In 2023 the cost-of-living crisis has affected many of us. There was a drastic fall in non-EU country imports. As well as energy bills predicted to further increase by up to 5% as we enter 2024. But despite it all, we have also seen mortgage rates decrease to the lowest they have been in six months. We’ve also seen a total of 5.5 million small business thrive in spite of the turmoil.
5 – The importance of an eCommerce payment system for your business
Year on year the number of online shoppers increases, with 2023 already reporting that one out of every three people will shop online.
eCommerce is proving increasingly popular, with consumers opting for the ease, price and review systems that online shopping offers. Consumers no longer prefer to travel to purchase goods. They want to compare products and have them shipped to their door, which in this ever-competitive market, is vital to meeting consumer wants and needs.
Having both a physical and online presence reaps the benefits of both business models and is therefore increasingly popular. This blog explores the importance of having an eCommerce website for your business, but it is not to discredit the significance of physical stores. Read more…
4 – Hidden gems surrounding UTP’s offices
UTP has offices in three different locations: Hastings, Manchester and Reading.
Each location has its own history, characteristics and beautiful attractions. After researching and asking for staff recommendations, we have compiled a list of visitor favourites, restaurants, and hotels that we believe are a ‘must-visit’ when you are nearby.
If you are resident in any of the mentioned locations, and are interested in working for UTP, check out our Careers page! Read more…
3 – Opening a restaurant: your guide to selecting the best card machine
We detail the best card machines for restaurant usage and other payment methods to consider within your new business venture!
Opening a business in the hospitality industry can be both a daunting and exciting experience. Whether it be your first introduction to being a business owner or you’re increasing your capital’s a chance to express, explore and create a whole new lifestyle, designed by you. Deciding on the location, cuisine, and menu are usually at the forefront of people’s minds and tend to be the more creative and stimulating side of business planning.
However, in this blog, we discuss another key factor in managing your business: taking payments. We want to ensure that you make the right decision when it comes to card machines and payment solutions, enabling your business to flourish as planned. Read more…
2 – The rise of microtransactions
Microtransactions have long been an aspect of gaming where users can purchase virtual items and products for a small fee. Companies encase microtransactions within games and apps to improve and offer an exclusive experience to users. Often appearing in free games and apps, it is a way for companies to make money in-game. These can often be spending money on extra lives and additional features. Microtransactions, however, have leaked outside of the gaming sphere and have become commonplace in other online services. Read more…
1 – Will the UK become a cashless society?
Drastically exacerbated by the pandemic, the UK is reporting a decrease in the use of cash, with notes and coins accounting for only 15% of payments last year. If estimations are correct, within the decade cash will only amount to 6% of payment types, whilst debit, credit and digital wallet are due to continue to skyrocket.
Last year, it was reported that over 23 million people in the UK barely used cash in their day-to-day lives, which begs the question of why? Read more…
We hope our colleagues and customers enjoy the remaining weeks of 2023. We wish you all the very best for the year ahead.