We’ve put together a list of frequently asked questions about the Deal for Business so you have all the information you need.
If you have a question about the Deal for Business that isn’t covered below, you can contact the business engagement team online and an officer will get in touch shortly.
Pick a question
I'm so busy running my businesses that I haven’t had time to look at what opportunities I may be missing. How will this help me?
Time is precious when you run a business and you can sometimes miss out on fantastic opportunities right on your doorstep, such as opportunities to collaborate on a project with another local business, support a local community group, offer a pupil from a local school / college vital work experience in a field their interested in, or receive support from another business who has experienced the challenges you’re facing. Whatever your need is, we want to support you.
Once you have signed up to the Deal for Business you will receive a link to complete a self-assessment form, which will produce an 'Area of Focus' document identifying where additional support could be provided to help your business grow further. An engagement officer will then get in touch to talk you through available support.
I don’t have the time to fill out long forms
We know as a business your time is precious and with that in mind, we have made the process as quick and easy as possible. Signing up to the Deal for Business is quick and simple. There are two parts:
- The Deal for Business registration form which takes no more than 5 minutes to complete
- The self-assessment form which takes less than 15 minutes to complete.
I have signed up to the refreshed Deal for Business but cannot see my business on the online business directory
Not all businesses want to be included on the online business directory, so we're asking businesses to confirm whether they want to be included or not when they complete the Deal for Business sign up form.
If you have signed up to the Deal for Business before our refresh, we will be contacting you over the coming months to get your confirmation. Look out for our email or alternatively you can complete the Deal for Business online form, selecting the consent box for the online business directory. Your details will then be added to the database.
What is the Business Consortium and how can I get involved?
The Business Consortium is a group of local businesses. It was formed in early 2021, focusing on the borough’s long-term recovery, post COVID-19, seeking to build economic resilience using the themes of Community Wealth Building. The refreshed Deal for Business has only been made possible due to the commitment of local businesses. They co-designed this updated Deal for Business with Wigan Council.
If you want to find out more about the Business Consortium, you can contact the business engagement team online and an officer will get in touch shortly.
I need to concentrate on my business, I don’t have time to take on more
Your business and your employees should come first, we don’t want to add unnecessary pressure to you or your business. The Deal for Business has been co-designed by local businesses to work for you and to support the development of your business. Our engagement officers would be happy to have an informal chat if you have any concerns prior to signing up.
You can contact the business engagement team online and an officer will get in touch shortly.
How much will it cost me?
It's FREE to become a member of the Deal for Business. Businesses signing up to the Deal for Business are showing their shared commitment to help tackle economic inequality locally and create a fairer borough with greater opportunities.
I'm a sole trader who hasn’t been trading long and I can sometimes feel isolated, how can the Deal for Business help me?
You put your heart and soul into your business and want it to succeed but sometimes it can be a lonely place for many business owners, especially sole traders. The pandemic has shown that your health and wellbeing is so important and just having someone there to talk to who understands what you are going through is invaluable. That’s why we want to develop a mentoring service, the more businesses that sign up and commit to supporting others the more opportunities we have to make the right connections so you can get the invaluable business-to-business support you need. You will find questions relating to this on the self-assessment form you will receive when you register for the Deal for Business.
I am a small business, trading less than 12 months. Will this only benefit established businesses?
The Deal for Business has been co-designed by a range of businesses from sole traders to larger companies with different requirements, to benefit businesses of all sizes. We want to support more businesses to succeed no matter what stage of their business journey. By signing up to the Deal for Business and completing the self-assessment form it will help our engagement officers understand what support may best suit your business requirements over the coming years. As the Deal for Business membership grows so will the opportunities for local businesses to work together and collaborate.
I run a business from my home, what are the benefits of being part of the Deal for Business?
Many businesses in Wigan are run from residential premises. These business owners, like yours, may work alone or employ local people, but all will face various challenges just as those working from commercial premises do. No matter where you are operating your business from in Wigan Borough, we can help connect you with likeminded businesses, identify opportunities and support your business to grow.
I signed up to the Deal for Business a few years ago and didn’t see any benefit from it, why should I sign up again?
We are always looking at how we can improve our service and are continually adapting to ensure we meet the needs of businesses. That’s why we are committed to working with the Business Consortium, whose membership consists of and is run by local businesses like yours. The consortium have worked with the council to co-design a refreshed Deal for Business to ensure that it engages businesses of all sizes, meeting the needs of businesses now and in the future. As a council we want to provide you with the support needed to succeed, which benefits not only your business but our residents, communities, and the environment.