ClearCourse

Every business is unique. That’s why, when bringing a new company into the ClearCourse group, we spend time really getting to know them. That’s what sets us apart – we want to understand the business, what their ambitions are for their product, and whether they are culturally and strategically the right fit for ClearCourse. A great example is our acquisition of Computers for Flooring Limited earlier this year. They chose ClearCourse as the new home for their business as they focus on the next phase of growth. By tapping into the industry-specific expertise, operational support and embedded solutions across ClearCourse, they aimed to expand their customer base while continuing to innovate and improve their flagship product, Carman. Sharing a personal perspective on this journey, Computers For Flooring Director Kristian Bailey said:  “ClearCourse’s overall team structure means there’s an expert on hand for each aspect of our company. Being able to sense check decisions and have day-to-day operations managed by ClearCourse now means we have more time and resources to concentrate on the thing we love most – developing ever-evolving software to run our customers’ businesses as efficiently and profitably as possible.” Visit our website to find out how our acquisition approach works. Link in the comments.

“Loyalty that lasts isn’t something that can be bought with discounts alone. It’s earned through consistency, care, and the right technology that helps growing retailers bring their visions to life.” A great new article from our Retail & Hospitality Managing Director, Josh Barling, highlighting how growing retailers can harness tech to build long-lasting customer loyalty. Exploring the changing retail landscape, Josh discusses the challenges and opportunities small businesses are currently facing. He underscores how “technology is levelling the playing field,” as sector-specific software empowers SMEs with data-driven insights to better understand their customers and stay competitive. Find out more in Josh’s article below ⤵️

Technology is levelling the playing field for tradespeople. That's the takeaway from our Managing Director of Field Services, Billy Price, in his latest article for Electrical Times (ET). Trades businesses are eager to scale, but they’re being held back by rising costs, maintaining processes and customer experience at scale, and the cash flow impact of delayed payments - The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) estimates small trades businesses lose approximately £22,000 annually to late payments. The solution? Technology. Read the full article in the comments below.

Football’s influence shows no sign of slowing down - many businesses have seen sales of football shirts skyrocket, with Depop seeing a massive 151% increase in searches for football shirts ahead of the Women’s Euros.   Fan culture on social media, fashion brand collaborations, and celebrity association means the global sales of football shirts are projected to reach $4.05bn in 2025 from $3.82bn in 2024, according to Business Research Insights.   So, what does this mean for the clubs and businesses which sell the humble football shirt?   In short – they need to be equipped to capitalise on these trends – and our world-class sports software solutions with intuitive stock management and personalisation capabilities are one way to do so.   Find out more in the comments.

Small business owners, entrepreneurs and founders: the AI business landscape is advancing and evolving at pace – but sometimes it’s hard to separate meaningful insights from noise and fluff.   None-the-less, bringing practical AI tools into ‘business as usual’ can help to solve the common challenges and pain points that keep you up at night.   As said in a recent article for Elite Business “Faced with rising costs and cautious customers, small business owners are discovering that artificial intelligence is less about replacing them, and more about freeing them to do the work they love.”   Below, we’ve shared three practical and straightforward ways that AI can add real value for businesses in different industries: 1️⃣ Retail: AI tools act as an "everyday assistant" by optimising product descriptions or generating targeted email campaigns. 2️⃣ Leisure: AI can help optimise membership pricing structures and predict demand patterns, e.g. when the golf course will be at its busiest during summer. 3️⃣ Sports: AI can analyse fan behaviour to provide personalised recommendations for food, merchandise and upgrades.    With data from the British Chambers of Commerce and Intuit revealing that only 35% of SMEs are using AI, there is genuine opportunity being left on the table here. It’s not about fancy tech – it's giving you time and resource back to grow your business and serve your customers.   Find out more in the article and report in the comments below.

Looking to grow your software company?   At ClearCourse, we offer a home for your business, proudly acquiring over 40 successful software brands since 2018.   We help you build on your legacy, grow your customer base, and gain access to branded, embedded payment products, all with the support of an expert team alongside you.   As Sellerdeck Founder Josh Barling shared: “As a founder I was stuck. ClearCourse approached me with a clear strategy that created real value for our business and our customers... Nearly three years on, I couldn’t be happier with the decision.”   Find a home for your business. Grow your customer base. Create more value for customers.   Find out how our acquisition approach works on our updated website. Link in the comments.

Small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of our economy, driving innovation and supporting communities. Our vision is to be a leading engine powering them to grow through our sector-specific software, embedded payments, and business growth tools - giving them the time and confidence to focus on what they love.   Sector-specific software. Built-in payments. Proven success. Find out more on our updated website. Link in the comments.

ClearCourse is delighted to announce the appointment of Simon Black as our new Chair of the Board!    Appointed at an important momentum-building moment for ClearCourse, Simon will support the management team in leading our next phase of growth – building on the company’s proven vertical software expertise and strength in embedding payment solutions for SMEs.   Bringing a deep understanding of the software and payments landscape to this role, Simon has a clear mission to help small UK businesses grow and compete with enterprise-level technology.     Before joining ClearCourse, Simon was the CEO of PPRO, which became a global leader in alternative payments via international expansion and multiple successful funding rounds; he was also the CEO of SagePay, where he led the business to 10x revenue growth.    “I am delighted to become the Chair of the Board of ClearCourse, supporting the team to deliver on the mission to help small and mid-size UK businesses to grow - an incredibly tangible and motivating goal, and one that I greatly relate to,” says Simon, adding:    “SMEs are the backbone of our economy, and in these challenging trading times, technology can be the difference between surviving and thriving. I look forward to supporting ClearCourse’s management team in unlocking opportunity for their customers to scale and prosper, by adopting ClearCourse’s mission-critical sector specific software and embedded payment products.”    Find out more via the link in the comments.   #ClearCourse #Software #Fintech 

We’re excited to share the news of another brilliant acquisition within our thriving Retail & Hospitality vertical: Davidson Richards.    Davidson Richards provides an EPOS and retail management solution to garden centres and other retailers under the OpSuite Retail Operations Software.    Based in Derby, OpSuite from Davidson Richards helps its customers manage their omni-channel operations from one central location. The software is perfect for single stores, multiple sites, destination centres or franchises and is packed with features built to help drive efficiency and create frictionless consumer experiences.   We’re very pleased to be working closely with the Davidson Richards team in this next phase of their business expansion and look forward to seeing this business go from strength to strength as part of our group.    Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/e83fRHXE