14 Jan 2013 07:00
News Release
For immediate release
London, January 14th, 2013
blur (Group) plc
("blur," the "Group" or the "Company")
Launch of two new exchanges
blur Legals and Accounting now taking briefs
blur (Group) Plc (BLUR), operators of the world's leading Global Services Exchange at blurgroup.com, today announced that its two newest exchanges: blur-legals.com and blur-accounting.com are fully live and ready to brief.
Since they were announced last year, legal and accounting firms from 43 countries have joined the exchanges and these experts are now live for briefing. To use the new exchanges, customers follow blur's standard Exchange process - from briefing to project delivery and payment online - to source and deliver corporate legal and finance requirements. These include projects like IP and patent filing, employment contracts, arbitration, tax planning, financial planning, compliance and tax. For legal and accounting firms the exchanges offer the perfect platform for the generation of new business opportunities that can grow from the delivery of an initial project to valuable ongoing customer relationships.
Last year 776 briefs were submitted to the Global Services Exchange with a total value of over $16m, including 23 to blur Technology, which was the most recent exchange to go live. There are now eight exchanges on the Global Services Exchange.
Lesley Gregory, Chief Executive of independent London law firm Memery Crystal, commented, "By joining the Exchange, law firms will see new opportunities, but also a new way to interact and deliver services to their clients. It's a must for those firms who want to embrace innovation and new practice."
Philip Letts, CEO of blur Group commented "The launch of blur Accounting and blur Legals marks another key stage in our growth as we build a world-beating services commerce (s-commerce) platform. The success of our other exchanges is having a clear positive effect in encouraging other businesses to join our expert communities, meaning a reduced time for the announcement of an exchange to launch. Businesses from around the world are wanting to be a part of this new approach to services delivery. "
Follow the activities on the new exchanges on Twitter @blurlegals @bluraccounting
ENDS
blur (Group) plc | investors.blurgroup.com |
Philip Letts, CEO/ Belinda Wrigley, Group FD | Tel: +44 20 3176 0548 |
N+1 Singer | |
Shaun Dobson / Matt Thomas | Tel: +44 20 7496 3000 |
Newgate Threadneedle | |
Caroline Evans-Jones/ Josh Royston/ Hilary Millar | Tel: +44 20 7653 9850 |
About blur (Group) plc at blurgroup.com
blur owns and operates s-commerce exchanges where businesses in any country can buy, sell and pay for services like marketing, advertising, technology, legal and accounting. Businesses brief projects and expert service providers pitch for the project and the entire process runs online right through to project delivery and payment.
In early 2010, when the Exchange formally launched, just over three briefs per month were submitted. In Q4 2012 this had risen to around 80 per month from companies like Broadridge, Coral, Exceed, Fantasy World, Red Commerce, the Financial Times, Berlitz, Butlins, GE Healthcare and Tyco. Over the same time, average brief value has grown from approximately $1,500 in 2010 to an average of $16,050 in Q4 2012. Now more than 1,400 briefs have been submitted with a combined brief value of over $20 million, with these briefs coming from the US, UK, Europe, Africa and Asia.
Today, blur Group has approaching 25,000 experts, agencies and service provider firms in over 133 countries on eight crowd platforms who benefit from networking, peer advice as well as new business opportunities. All are reviewed and approved by the Group's Exchange Support executives before joining.