A north-east law firm has joined forces with a communications agency to offer support to cash strapped firms.
Aberdein Considine has launched a joint venture with Citrus:Mix which will blend a range services including HR advice, employment law and PR support available to clients on an hourly basis.
The new service, dubbed “empower”, is being launched in Aberdeen on Monday and will roll-out across Scotland later this year.
The service is being led by Aberdein Considine partners Rob Aberdein and Sally-Anne Ogilvie, who specialises in employment law.
Mr Aberdein said that with the depressed oil price continuing to put financial pressure on many companies in the north-east of Scotland, empower offers a lower cost alternative to in-house departments.
“In the current climate, not everyone can justify employing full time lawyers or HR professionals,” he said.
“Developing a heavyweight marketing function in-house can be expensive and when you have something you want to shout about most PR agencies will require a fixed recurring retainer.
“empower has been designed to offer a cost-effective and cost certain solution for growing businesses, or even those looking for an out-sourced solution.
“With flexible contracts, low cost and access to heavyweight HR, employment law and PR support from experts in their respective fields, it is a good fit for the tough financial climate many businesses in the north-east currently face.”
The firm said that the service will be “as transparent and simple to use as possible”. It will operate like a monthly gas or electricity bill. Clients can buy hourly credits – known as “emhours” – to use as they wish for employment law advice, HR support or PR and marketing. The structure means clients are not tied into long-term contracts and can stop using empower at short notice, offering flexibility as they evolve.
Paul Smith, Citrus:Mix managing director, said: “Innovation and collaborative relationships are high on the business agenda for 2016 and this is an excellent example of that theory being put into practice.
“We look forward to working with Aberdein Considine in the months ahead and to utilising the experience and expertise of the Citrus:Mix team for the benefit of empower subscribers.
“With investment earlier this year in an acquisition to strengthen our emergency response and crisis communication capabilities, we have demonstrated our commitment to the evolution of the agency and the empower partnership continues that theme.”
To find out more about empower, visit empoweryourbusiness.co.uk.
