Eixample commercial establishments can receive free professional advice using Barcelona Activa's 'Comerç a punt’ service

Barcelona Activa's 'Comerç a punt’ (Commerce is Ready) service offers 12 hours of free, personalised professional advice on sales strategies, window dressing, customer loyalty, marketing, customer management and accounting, among other subjects. The deadline for applications is Friday 7 September, through the Eixample traders' associations.

The advice is offered in the establishment concerned at a time agreed between the establishment and the professionals providing the service. The programme is due to start at the end of September and end in December. The 12 hours are given in weekly two-hour sessions.

'Comerç a punt’ is a Barcelona City Council programme aimed at strengthening neighbourhood commerce in Barcelona. It is being promoted by the Department of Commerce Barcelona Activa's, in collaboration with the city's districts.

Programme characteristics

• It's free.
• It is adapted to the time that retailers have available, at times of day that are best for them, including Saturday mornings.
• The programme is for local commerce and service providers (excluding franchises and large chains).
• The establishments do not need to be association members.

The programme offers advice that is similar to, but much more extensive than, the advice businesses receive when they do a minimum of three training capsules in the 'Obert al futur' (Open to the Future) programme, which includes 4 hours of specialised advice. With 'Comerç a punt’, the service provides retailers with a total of 12 hours over a period of six weeks. The evaluations from businesses that have already taken part have been excellent.

Once Barcelona Activa has received the applications from establishments that have shown an interest, a selection will be made.