Want to evaluate your business? Take the test and get advice tailored to your situation!
The life of a business is not a long quiet river. Between health and energy crises, price increases for raw materials and energy costs, traders along with hotel and restaurant owners face numerous challenges.
In this respect, how can we maintain our direction on strategic objectives while meeting daily constraints? How can we ask the right questions, inform ourselves, and act to improve the situation? And all while taking into account the constraints on time and financial resources?
A quick and useful solution
Auditing one's business activity may be the first step to getting our heads above water and moving forward.
To help traders in this process, hub.brussels has developed a web platform, accessible by computer as well as on smartphone and tablet, which allows you to carry out an activity diagnosis based on 6 different themes. The tool's functionalities are simple and easily accessible.
The tool offers numerous advantages, including:
- it enables you to ask relevant, useful questions;
- it encourages you to take an objective view of everyday life;
- it's accessible online, 24/7;
- it doesn't require much time to obtain quick/rapid advice.
Evaluate the necessity of a permit
Among the topics available on the platform, a module devoted entirely to planning and environmental permits has been put online to help (future) retailers understand their obligations more clearly.
Here's a concrete example.
Jean would like to repaint the outside of his restaurant located in Ixelles and install sun blinds. A neighbouring trader tells him that administrative steps, and perhaps even obtaining a permit, are required before starting the work. He inquires with the municipality, which advises him to consult the retail.brussels platform.
Jean connects to the site through his smartphone. He goes to the Home page, and clicks on "My Permits". He then answers various questions that appear successively before him. Each question is supported with a brief explanation of the topic. By simply going through the questionnaire, Jean already has information that makes him think more deeply about his project.
After having answered about ten questions on the form, Jean completes his data (which is then anonymised) to access useful advice regarding the steps to be taken in terms of urban planning and the environment. He then receives recommendations that give him a clear idea of what he needs to do.
A clear objective
The platform's objective is simple: to guide traders so they can perform optimally and sustain their activity. To be as specific as possible, the self-diagnosis is offered thematically. The questions are adapted to the reality of the field and the trader's daily life, as well as to provide as specific advice as possible.
hub.brussels also aims to make access to information easier. Every tip posted on the platform is summarized and accompanied by links to relevant external resources. This allows traders to access more detailed information on the topic. Essentially, the self-diagnosis serves as a tool for traders to use when they have questions!