Late Payers Beware, AI Gets Serious and Tariffs Loom: Your Mid-August Business Tech Brief

The past couple of weeks have thrown up more headlines than a soap opera. Late payments, tariffs, AI take‑overs… It’s enough to make your head spin. But don’t panic, stick the kettle on and let me walk you through what’s worth knowing. I promise to keep it simple(ish).

A government plan that actually gets what it’s like to be paid late

Have you ever sent an invoice and felt like it disappears into the void? Same. Late payment costs small businesses £11 billion a year and shuts down 38 firms a day. On 5 August the Labour government rolled out a Small Business Plan aimed at stopping big companies from stringing us along. It gives the Small Business Commissioner the power to fine repeat offenders, introduces maximum payment terms of 60 days (dropping to 45) and brings in spot checks and a 30‑day verification period. There’s also £4 billion on the table for start‑ups, including 69000 new loans and a boost to the British Business Bank.

Sound good? Industry groups certainly think so. Some pundits are less convinced and they’ve got a point, rules alone won’t magically put cash in your account. In my world, using decent invoicing and accounting software is just as important. It sends reminders for you, tracks who owes what and takes a big chunk of stress off your plate.

Jobs are down but start‑ups are up

The latest QuickBooks Small Business Index isn’t cheerful reading: small‑business employment fell by 49 600 jobs since April and there are still 100900 vacancies. But apparently over half of adults want to start a business next year and the entrepreneurial bug is even stronger among 18‑ to 30‑year‑olds. That’s a lot of new cafés, web shops and creative agencies waiting to happen.

The downside? About one in five small firms say they’re hovering at survival level, and the smallest businesses feel it most. Only 43 % feel confident about their tech skills, and many are holding off on upgrades because of cost. If that sounds like you, trust me: picking the right software can be cheaper than you think, and it frees up time to work on what you actually love. Cloud tools and automation aren’t just buzzwords; they can be real lifesavers.

Tariffs, tariffs, tariffs… yawn? Not quite

Just when we’d all learned the US shipping rules, Trump decided to scrap the tariff‑free limit on goods under $800. That means extra duties and more paperwork for small exporters. Unsurprisingly 56 % of SMEs say this makes them hesitant to sell to the States, while 72 % would rather focus on the EU.

It’s not all doom and gloom though! The UK struck relatively decent terms and if you’re willing to tweak your prices, get a good customs broker and look at other markets, America can still be part of your business story. Think of it as diversifying your customer base, your gran didn’t put all her jam in one basket.

B2B services: more people, less bots

Currys Business: humans still exist!

In the age of chatbots, Currys has decided that real conversations matter. It’s rebranded its B2B arm as Currys Business and expanded to 57 physical hubs, with more on the way. They know that 5.5 million SMEs are worth £2.8 trillion and many of us still want to look someone in the eye before buying tech. Hubs offer business pricing, 30‑day terms and on‑site installations. They’re also banging the drum about AI‑powered productivity: £78.1 billion could be up for grabs by 2035.

O2 Daisy: telecoms goes supersize

If connectivity makes you want to scream, meet O2 Daisy. It’s the product of Virgin Media O2 Business and Daisy Group joining forces. With about £1.4 billion in yearly revenue, this giant becomes the UK’s second‑largest provider of business connectivity. They’re promising everything from 5G private networks to cloud services and they claim their mission is to “make every business better”. So, if your broadband has been making you tear your hair out, maybe it’s time to shop around.

AI: it’s not all robots taking over

AI adoption: more than a buzzword

A recent survey by SumUp shows that 52 % of UK SMEs have adopted or plan to adopt AI in the next year, and another 18 % are thinking about it. More than a quarter see it as a way to grow or streamline. Staying ahead of digital trends is important to 35 % of owners, while only 14 % say tech isn’t a priority. Top goals for the next year include improving profit margins (42 %), diversifying income (34 %), cutting costs and debt (33 %) and developing new products. AI can help with all of those if used sensibly.

Generative AI’s big promise

According to a report by WPI Strategy and Microsoft, speeding up AI adoption among SMEs could unlock £78.1 billion in productivity gains by 2035. They suggest appointing local AI champions and offering incentives to encourage uptake, while regional leaders warn that skills and infrastructure have to keep pace. Translation: there’s money on the table, but we need to learn how to grab it.

Real AI stories that aren’t science fiction

On 12 August, US firm Click Labs bought London start‑up Evermile, which has created a virtual operations manager for independent retailers. Evermile has already handled hundreds of thousands of orders and serves thousands of shops. It automates everything from packing to delivery. That means staff spend more time with customers and less time chasing couriers. Pretty cool, right?

Meanwhile, Edinburgh‑based smartR AI scooped Best AI Implementation of the Year at the UK Business Awards for its SCOTi platform. Judges loved its secure, explainable analytics, showing that AI can be helpful without being a black box.

Wrapping up: your action plan

Phew! Who knew August could be so eventful? Here’s what I’d do next if I were in your shoes:

• Use tech to get paid quicker.
  Good invoicing software sends reminders automatically, so you don’t have to be the nag.
• Check your export costs.
  If you’re selling to the US, have a chat with your shipping partner about the new tariffs and adjust prices if needed.
• Talk to providers.
  Currys Business and O2 Daisy are competing for your business. Use that to negotiate better deals.
• Experiment with AI.
  Start small and build confidence. AI isn’t a fad; it’s a tool. Let’s use it.

And remember, if you ever need a second opinion or just want to chat about the latest tech trend, give me a shout. I’m here to make sense of the madness and help your business thrive.

Ashley Adkins, Founder @ Adkinsio | Helping Business Work Smarter