Fruits of Success: Solution Selling Summer Time SDST

Sunday 25 March 2012

Solution Selling Summer Time SDST

British Summer time in UK is upon us. Our clocks went forward on Sunday 24th.
Since the 1980s, all parts of western and central Europe have co-ordinated the date and the time of their clock changes.

Once again the issue about adopting SDST (Single Double Summer Time) is raised in the media.

Views from Businesses in London were researched some while back by GLA Economics who published in October 2010.

Do you believe that such a change would be beneficial to your business?

Yes 36%

No 8%

Sundial designed by David Harber on Putney High Street London
March 24th 2011 No hours hand to put forward the Gnomon is "correct" for BST from Today

It would make no difference 51%

Don’t know 5%

Total 100%

For companies dealing with clients abroad, moving in line with other European countries has obvious benefits.

The report done by the Greater London Authority said changing the clocks would provide 40% more business time overlap with the continent for businesses in the City and enable people to attend morning meetings in Europe without staying overnight. This also applies to many businesses outside London as well.

It would also provide more working time in the morning for trading with Asian markets

But pushing the UK an hour eastwards would narrow the opportunity to speak to companies in the US, especially the West Coast, which would be nine or 10 hours behind the UK.

Much of Scotland's trade is also with Europe and is worth £15bn to the Scottish economy annually.. The time difference reduces efficiency for companies.

These Summer time changes on standard dates throughout the EU mean Britain and Ireland constantly remain an hour behind most of Central Europe

Whether it is exports or imports that are the focus, or whether it is goods trade or services, the UK’s main trading partner is Europe and not the US or Japan or China. Multinational companies commonly have a European hub, an Asian hub and a US hub. Typically the European Head Office is responsible for the European regional offices and not for Asian or US offices. If the European Head Office is in London, it is therefore much more important for its working day to overlap with the rest of Europe than with Asia or North America.

If the UK moved to SDST (Single Double Summer Time) then the overlap with Asia in the morning would increase while that with North America in the afternoon would diminish (the opening of the New York stock exchange would move to 3pm London time).

This also affects business travel. UK businessmen make 8-9 times more business trips to Europe than to North America.24 A move to SDST would help business travel and communications with European partners, customers and suppliers and could therefore boost trade.

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On a lighter note-Springtime is well underway in London

Londoners have been enjoying sunny weather and all the sundials have been working. Some photos of Holland Park in central London