Let’s Talk Business
Let’s Talk Business Back To Basics Business Solutions - Support for Small Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
Australian Small Business and the Budget Inside this issue
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BU 20 15 Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
The 2015 Budget ..….............2
Biz Snippets …………….......6
How to Get Back in Control When You are Out of Control Angie “Speedy” Spiterie ….8
Top Quotes From Peter Drucker Geoff Butler ………………..9
Have You Ever Imagined What it Would be Like to Have a GPS forYour Business? Dan Buzer ……..………….10
What’s the Deal With the “Mobile Friendly” Sites? Karen Ahl ……..………….11
EFY Considerations for SelfManaged Superannuation Funds Jo-Anne Chaplin …………12
Is This the END of Brick-andMortar Retailing? Amy Roche …………….....13
At Risk – something you must know Paul Gillmore……..............14
Failing Takes No Planning Peter Nicol ………………..15
Workplace Improvement Denis Keating …………… 16
1 + 1 < or > 3 Betty Zsoldos …..………...17
Motivation: The Real Challenge Andrew Csaszar …..….…..18
Empathy and Responsiveness to Customer Needs – A Core Business Process Jeanette Mundy.……….….19
Editor’s Biz Tips ………….20
Small Business Solutions ….3 Five Conversations Leaders Must Have Dr Tim Baker …..….............5 Understanding Your Customer’s Needs Dennis Chiron………...........7
LTB Objectives …..........…..21
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Let’s Talk Business
Budget 2015 Will It Really Benefit Small Business? Will the 2015 Budget really benefit Australian small business? Is the outlook for the Australian economy looking positive? The Federal Small Business Minister Bruce Billson believes it will and refers to it as “rocket fuel for the small business tank”. Billson said that this Budget is designed to give small business owners and budding entrepreneurs the confidence to invest more, grow more and create more. “They are about giving the two million small businesses in Australia the tools to succeed, which in turn will create jobs and boost our economy.” However, Smartcompany reports: “Businesses that sell things to other businesses were among the biggest winners from this year's budget.” That is because any company with a turnover of less than $2 million can claim a 100 per cent taxable income deduction on any asset purchase worth up to $20,000, and they can claim the write-off on as many items as they like. But, there are doubts about whether the Federal Government's $20,000 instant asset tax write-off for small business will have the hoped for economic benefits and many accountants are urging small business owners not to rush into new purchases.
Losers
“Joe Hockey's centre-piece budget 1. Parents claiming parental leave from plan to hand cash back to small businesses could be so popular it their employers causes its own drain on the budget as 2. Netflix users and digital downloaders unexpected millions scramble to take full advantage of the two-year scheme. 3. Wealthy pensioners The Fairfax-Ipsos poll released on 4. Welfare recipients Monday showed 81 per cent of voters 96 per cent of all Australia’s businesses applauded the initiative and a are small businesses, employing over 4½ sizeable 22 per cent intend using the million people and producing over $330 accelerated depreciation provision billion of our nation’s economic output also known as instant asset write-off. per year. That's great news for the struggling There is no doubt that Australia’s small Abbott government politically but not businesses are the main drivers of our such great news for the deficit-riddled economy, and it is Australian small budget as the 22 per cent take-up business that drives growth and creates represents as much as a 19-fold jobs. increase of the estimated usage The Coalition Government claim “The number in the budget.” new $5.5 billion Jobs and Small Business Bank of America Merrill Lynch's chief package is the biggest small business economist Saul Eslake said the package in our nation’s history. It builds poll findings suggested many voters on what we have already achieved for may not understand the scheme and small businesses and will help small have assumed it to be both wider in businesses invest more, grow more, and its eligibility criteria and more employ more.” generous. The Government’s web site claims that Rather it is a tax deduction which, this is now “The right time for business although it can be used on multiple to invest” and point out the most salient sub-$20,000 item purchases, merely features of benefit to small business as reduces the taxable income of a given being: business by $20,000 each time.
Accelerated depreciation
Tax cuts
Cutting red tape
Wage subsidies employment
Smartcompany goes on to indicate some of the Winners and Losers in this Budget:
Winners
1. Small Business
2. Retailers 3. Retirees with superannuation
loads
4. Families using childcare
of
"I find it hard to believe 22 per cent of the adult population is eligible," Mr Eslake said.
He said many of these respondents support may not even be eligible for the writeoff. Work experience for young job "I would suggest that there'd be a seekers portion of that 22 per cent who are apprentices for example, not Youth employment strategy, and understanding that just because they Moving job seekers into work have to buy tools etc, that they could get the concession," he said. to
However, Mark Kenny, chief political "One of the first questions really is are correspondent for the Sydney Morning you eligible to claim, are you a small business owner, before you get to the Herald issues a stern warning: question of will you claim."
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
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Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
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Let’s Talk Business
WORKSHOPS BEING RUN IN: CABOOLTURE BRIBIE ISLAND NORTH LAKES SUNSHINE COAST
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
For Further Information please call Dennis Chiron on 0451 184 599 Or simply complete the above Expression of Interest and send it to enquiries@smallbusinesssolutions.qld.gov.au Page 4
Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Talk Business
Dr Tim Baker Managing Director WINNERS AT WORK Pty Ltd
Five Conversations
www.winnersatwork.com.au www.about.me/tim.baker
Leaders Must Have
tim@winnersatwork.com.au
Telephone. +61 7 3899 8881
Organisations are conversations. At its heart, the life of any business exists in and is sustained through the conversations that are taking place inside, around and about it. But I hear people tell me that their organisation is not ready to have meaningful conversations. Or, to have meaningful conversations, they need training (Imagine telling your parents that you are being trained to have conversations at work. Or, we don't have time for meaningful conversations, we are too busy. I think we are fast losing sight of the power or conversations and their importance. Here is a framework I have put together of five conversations that I think every manager ought to have with each of his or her team every year. In fact I argue that the Five Conversations Framework is a replacement for the archaic performance review. Climate review conversation A climate review is about determining the current atmosphere in a particular workplace. It is mainly concerned with employees' job satisfaction, morale and communication. Although people's opinion about these matters can - and often do - fluctuate over the course of a year, it can be useful to take a snapshot of the business occasionally. Listening and responding to this feedback is a good place to start. Strengths and talents conversation Most appraisals are fixated with what is going wrong; in other words, they focus on weaknesses and by-pass strengths and talents. Tom Rath in the # 1 Wall Street Journal bestseller: Strengths Finder 2.0 underscores the value of a conversation on this subject: Society's relentless focus on people's Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
shortcomings has turned into a global obsession. What's more, we have discovered that people have several times more potential for growth when they invest energy in developing their strengths instead of correcting their deficiencies. Building upon strengths has a higher payoff then working on overcoming weaknesses. Opportunities for growth conversation This conversation invites an opportunity for employees to consider how they can improve their own work performance in key result areas. By doing so, the potential for both to gain a common perspective on areas for improved performance is possible. A dual understanding of current and expected standards performance is an important first step. The second step is to discuss and agree upon some tangible ways and means of improving the employee's performance to match expectations. Thirdly and finally, this conversation is important in aligning performance expectations will the strategic direction of the business. Some opportunities identified can be put into practice straight away. And others can be adopted with more learning and development support later. Learning and development conversation Conversations about learning and development capitalise on the previous two conversations. What learning experiences can assist in build upon strengths and lift performance in critical areas. Learning experiences can be technical, personal development, or problem-based. All three dimensions are important for an eclectic approach to HRD.
Innovation and continuous improvement conversation This conversation is about practical ways and means of improving both the employee's own efficiency and effectiveness and the business in general. What can I - and what can we - do to improve? is the focus here. Imagine for a moment the power of this conversation occurring across an organisation during a particular month. Each of these five conversations ought to take about 15 minutes. Some go longer. Being thematically-based, they are focused and therefore need not take a considerable amount of time. Being more relaxed and conversational compared with the rigid appraisal regime, this new approach minimises the power dynamic of the manager-employee relationship. But in this framework, the manager's role is converser and facilitator, not appraiser and assessor. This approach shifts the emphasis from appraising to developing people at work. This is an extract from Dr Tim Baker's book - The End of the Performance Review: A New Approach to Appraising Employee Performance You can purchase the book through Amazon or my website. Dr Tim Baker is a thought leader in organizational change and leadership development, bestselling author, and international consultant. Having consulted across 21 industries in 10 countries over 18 years, Tim has discovered what makes people tick. To find out more, go to WINNERS-atWORK Pty Ltd. ď&#x192;ž
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Let’s Talk Business
HUMOUROUS BUSINESS SIGNS
HUMOUROUS BUSINESS JOKES
HUMOUROUS HUMOUROUS BUSINESS BUSINESSQUOTES SIGNS
Corporation: An ingenious device for obtaining profit without individual responsibility. Ambrose Bierce
The new employee stood before the paper shredder looking confused.
A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don't need it. Bob Hope
“Need some help?” a secretary asked.
The two most beautiful words in the English language are 'check enclosed' Dorothy Parker Success is simply a matter of luck. Ask any failure. Earl Wilson
“Yes,” he replied. “How does this thing work?” “Simple,” she said, taking the fat report from his hand and feeding it into the shredder. “Thanks, but where do the copies come out?” A businessman is walking with his friend. He says to this friend, “I’m a walking economy.”
Advertising is legalised lying. H. G. Wells Don't worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you'll have to ram them down people's throats. Howard Aiken If you owe the bank $100 that's your problem. If you owe the bank $100 million, that's the bank's problem. J. Paul Getty
“My hair line is in recession, my stomach is a victim of inflation, and both of these together are putting me into a deep depression!”
Behind every successful man lurks a truly amazed ex-mother-in-law. John Chrusciel
The banker fell overboard from a friend’s sailboat.
Catch a man a fish, and you can sell it to him. Teach a man to fish, and you ruin a wonderful business opportunity. Karl Marx
The friend grabbed a life preserver, held it up, not knowing if the banker could swim, and shouted, “Can you float alone?”
I used to sell furniture for a living. The trouble was, it was my own. Les Dawson There are an enormous number of managers who have retired on the job. Peter Drucker Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
The friend replies “How so?”
“Obviously,” the banker replied, “but this is a heck of a time to talk business.” Page 6
Let’s Talk Business Dennis Chiron Marketing Means Business 0451 184 599 www.marketingmeansbusiness.com
dennis@marketingmeansbusiness.net.au Skype: dennis.chiron2
Understanding Your Customer’s Needs
Most business owners have an intuitive understanding of their customers needs -- but that intuitive understanding becomes a much more powerful tool if you articulate and analyze it. Only then can you fully understand how to most effectively build the kind of customer relationship that will help your business succeed over time -- this principle is central to the very heart of the formulation of marketing.
If the experience you deliver exceeds those expectations, you can expect customer loyalty, customer lifetime value, and brand equity to flourish.
But outstanding customer care involves getting to know your customers so well that you can exceed their expectations.
Meeting (or exceeding) customer expectations is the most valuable aspect of customer satisfaction. A satisfied customer is one that has had their expectations met.
To really understand your customers well, you need to always make them feel welcome, and illustrate that you look forward to helping them whenever you are in contact with them.
Over the past 10–15 years, businesses are placing a renewed focus on As a starter step in your marketing customers. They’re doing this because plan, ask yourself the following they see that customers have more questions: choice than ever before, particularly with the dynamic growth in Internet sales. If Who are my customers? customers don’t perceive that what your Who are my potential customers? business is offering is worth what they’ve paid for, they’ll take their money What kind of people are they? to a competitor who offers better value. What are their incomes? What That competitor may be right next door are their needs? or on the other side of the world. Where do they live? What is definitely lacking in most Can they buy? Will they buy? organisations is a real understanding, empathy and focus on their customers, Am I offering them real benefits, and a genuine understanding of what when and how they want them? value they can provide to their Is my business in the best place? customers. Is my pricing right? However, the goal here is to not just meet customer expectations; it should be How do customers perceive my to ‘wow’ customers and exceed them. business? When you exceed your customer’s Who are my competitors? expectations, you create an experience that the customer remembers. This How does my business compare experience is often passed onto friends with my competitors'? which generates word of mouth referrals Every customer’s satisfaction (and and can help create a positive impression dissatisfaction) comes from what they of you and your business. expect and anticipate expectations – and what your customer thinks he or Understanding the needs of you she should experience – and the reality customers is the key to giving them of what you deliver, or endeavour to outstanding service. To give good customer care you must deliver what you deliver to them. promise. Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
The potential rewards are huge: You can dramatically increase customer loyalty, and they in turn, will help create a strong referral system through positive word-of-mouth feedback and recommendations to their friends. Two of the easiest (and best) activities that you can undertake that will definitely help you to understand your customer better are as follows: One way is to simply put yourself in their shoes (after all, as well as running a business, you are also a customer to many other businesses) and try and look at your business from their point of view. The second way is simply to ask your customers what they think … Are they happy with the service you provide? What do they think you can do to make their experience better? Would they recommend you to others? Many of your regular or loyal customers are complimented when you ask them for genuine feedback to help you improve your business. TRY IT! Page 7
Let’s Talk Business
TimeEqualsMoney Angie 'Speedy' Spiteri
Business Efficiency Specialist www.timeequalsmoney.net.au Ph: 0403 970 732 http://www.facebook.com/time.equals.money
How to get back in control… when you are out of control! Here are 4 tactics you can apply that will help you instantly take back control and get a grip on what is going on… 1. Your first job is to “Get square”. Regain control of what direction your life is headed in. Do this first step quickly, with urgency! Clear ALL the rubbish first, and be RUTHLESS. Answer quick requests quickly. As you are doing this take advantage of how you are feeling and unsubscribe from stuff you have been meaning to, decide to delegate, and if you see a pattern set up filters/rules so that low priority mail is automatically sorted for you. 2. Bring yourself Up To Speed. What’s happened or is happening in your business/company/work place. Who do you need to speak to (AFTER you have read their e-mails) so you are on the front foot with the discussions that matter? 3. Once you are clear and are up to speed, what do you really need to do? What must get done and when are you going to do it? What really needs to be completed today, this week, and what can wait? Make appointments and tasks for yourself to do your own work. Make sure you schedule sufficient time to do the job to the standard you require. Feel free to “hide” from the world to get things accomplished if you need to. However, be sure to set realistic time limits on how long you “hide.” And while hidden, work on your most important NOT emails! 4.
Leave Clear. Clear on what you
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
are going to be doing the next day and rest of the week, clear desk and clear mind (focus). A place for everything, everything in its place so you focus on what you need to do, you look in control and you are. Imagine if you could get an extra 2.3 hours per day and increase your productivity by up to 67% without working any more or spending any more of your time. Or imagine working half the amount of time and getting the same amount done as you’re accomplishing right now. Again, freeing up the other half of your time to do what you want with. How would it change your life to actually double your productivity? What would it mean to your business? What would it mean to your income? What would it mean to your time off? What would it mean to your social life? When we feel in control of our time, when we feel we are getting ahead, using our time well, we know that what we’re doing is succeeding. I’d like to share the blueprint I discovered that I’ve made that made me become a lot more productive and made me a lot more money in the process. I'd like to invite you to join me for the best ever no fluff, practical program you are ever going to come across, I want to invite you to join me for my newest class of Instant Time Mastery. If you are exhausted… Waking up tired… working long hours and not getting anywhere… feeling overwhelmed by all you need to do…
wishing you had more time for your family… putting on weight… wishing you could quit and just get a job… just wishing the problems will go away but not knowing how to make them go away then then join me in Instant Time Mastery. This program has been used by thousands of people to succeed in growing their businesses and improving their personal lives, growing their success, and getting more time off. So this program is absolutely perfect if you own your own business … or several businesses like me and you frequently have to wear many hats.. It's also perfect if you consider yourself tech challenged… It will give you a powerful set of tools to focus and get things done in your busy day-to-day environment. It comes with a no risk money back guarantee and trail period. Test us out, you will wonder why you were never taught this information in school. To find out more go to: http:// bit.ly/1Av1pyK **Angie Spiteri, works with time poor, tech challenged entrepreneurs who need to calm their administrative challenges and eliminate unnecessary chaos so they can make more money with the limited time they have. To connect with Angie www.timeequalsmoney.net.au Page 8
visit
Let’s Talk Business
Geoff Butler FAIM AP, MAITD MACE Principal/Business Improvement & Implementation Specialist Business Optimizers Mobile: 0414 943072 Fax: 3036 6131 Email: geoff@businessoptimizers.com.au Skype: business.optimizers1
Top Quotes from Peter Drucker – The Father of Management Young entrepreneurs and business owners unfamiliar with Drucker would do well to study his insightful commentary on the world of ‘management.’ Millennials mired inside a traditional corporate environment and people living life inside lean startups will find his thinking particularly spot on. He has been one of my favourite commentators on how business should be run, as opposed to how it really is in most cases. He has a no nonsense and logical approach to leadership in business, and while he deals with many corporate issues, his thinking is equally applicable to the small to medium business sector in which most of us live. I hope you find his words inspirational and relevant, if not somewhat confrontational, and it prompts you to think about what you spend your time doing and whether or not this is indeed the right thing to do in the first place. Here are some of my favourite quotes from this great man: 1. ‘Doing the right thing is more important than doing the thing right.’ 2. ‘If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old.’ 3. ‘There is nothing quite so useless, as doing with great efficiency something that Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
should not be done at all.’ 4. ‘What gets measured gets improved.’ Or alternatively ‘What you measure you can manage.’ 5. ‘Results are gained by exploiting opportunities, not by solving problems.’ 6. ‘So much of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to work.’ 7. ‘People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.’ 8. ‘Meetings are by definition a concession to a deficient organization. For one either meets or one works. One cannot do both at the same time.’ 9. ‘Long-range planning does not deal with the future decisions, but with the future of present decisions.’ 10. ‘Management is doing things right. Leadership is doing the right things.’ 11. ‘Culture isn’t part of the game, it is the game.’ What I suggest you do is to look at each of these quotes individually, and critically assess how it applies to your business. More importantly, ask you staff and possibly a few key clients to do the same, so you can begin to look at your systems and processes to determine
whether you are indeed doing the right things without sullying your thoughts about how well you do them. The results could be quite surprising and could provide a turning point in both your personal and business lives. Another action I suggest you consider is the development of a ‘Culture Statement’ which from a business perspective is a document that sets out who you are and not what you do. An agreed set of statements that firms sets out your values and beliefs, which will assist you with recruitment, review and even termination of staff as you grow. We all know there are people out there who are technically good at their job but wouldn’t be a good fit in our businesses because of a cultural mismatch, but how will we know who they are unless we can assess them against a written standard, they have read and committed to before engagement. What you do in relation to the information in this article is completely up to you, and most will do nothing. However, those who take at least some action will notice a difference in their thinking, and hopefully that of their valuable team as well! Good Luck. Page 9
Let’s Talk Business
Dan Buzer Profit Mechanics 0414 567 188 www.profitmechanics.net/ dan@profitmechanics.net
Have You Ever Imagined What It Would Be Like To Have a GPS For Your Business? I LOVE my vehicle GPS! Isn’t it great to set a destination in your car GPS and just follow the directions? Some models give advanced warning of traffic on the route, alternative routes, time to destination and more. They even make detours to a fuel station, shopping centre and other points of interest and the GPS recalculates and tells you the additional time it will add until you get to your destination. Amazing! Even better, you can go off the track the GPS plots for you and the computer will identify your unplanned position and continually direct you to the closest, safest and quickest route from where you’ve gone to still arrive at your goal. Believe it or not, some Business Owners have a similar set of measuring tools that let them know exactly what the position of their business is at any time. For example … when you walk into the office of one of our Clients you can see at a glance all the jobs they’re working on at that time, all the jobs booked in for the following 3 months (and those months are full), the total turnover for the business for the previous month as well as the average dollar sale value, number of referrals received, net profit percentage, gross profit percentage, labour expenditure percentage and the amount the business is either up or down on the results from the same time as the previous year. Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
what he needs help with to solve. This very wealthy Business Owner always has a challenge to put to the Team and has the ‘Champion’ a solution. Surround Yourself With People Smarter Than You
Impressed? Well, here’s the most impressive bit. All this information is hand written up on a whiteboard, bought off ebay.com for $40! This Client is not computer or technology savvy. They use paper, folders and a whiteboard to run a million dollar business. How does he do it? Great question.
Every month this Client has their trusted, carefully selected and closely listened to Team get together and discuss ways to improve the business. Their accountant, book keeper, Field Team Leader, Business Development Manager (yours truly) and sometimes other members of the Team if required. These ‘external’ service providers range from web designers, marketers, PR professionals, industry representatives and others.
KISS (Keep It Simple Silly) The above description shows how simple this business keeps things. You don’t have to remove the computers from your office or drop your subscriptions to those handy apps and software solutions. Just consider what the most important information to monitor is and how easy you can make it for you and people in your business to see business performance. Share Your Problems With Your Team This Client has a ‘Tool Box’ Meeting every Monday morning. He has an agenda (on paper of course) and shows all of his Team what is planned, what has worked well, what has not worked well and most importantly
Everything Is Measured Not only does this business measure ‘quantity’. They also measure ‘quality’. This takes practice, experience and perseverance. It’s also the answer to the headline of this article. Make a list of everything that can be and should be measured in your business. Then make it easy to collect the information on a routine basis and make it easy to understand. If you can’t explain it to a 12 year old, it needs to be simplified further!
Call Dan Buzer 0n 0414 567 188 for your complimentary Profit Mechanics Diagnostic Phone Meeting. Page 10
Let’s Talk Business Karen Ahl Bac. Bus (Mark, Man), TAE40110, Cert IV IT Caboolture, Queensland Ph 0415 142 178
www.web-sta.com.au
What’s the deal with "Mobile Friendly" sites FROM GOOGLE'S MOUTH:
"“Starting April 21, we will be expanding our use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. This change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and will have a significant impact in our search results. Consequently, users will find it easier to get relevant, high quality search results that are optimized for their devices."
Google have implemented in years so it is a big deal, however, it's primary objective is to simply make "Googling" on mobiles and tablets more user friendly. So, if your site is NOT Mobile Friendly, you may see a drop in your mobile/tablet rank results (note: mobile/tablet Google search results were already different to google searches conducted on a desktop computer. This just got fancier).
Is my site mobile friendly? To find out, go to this link: https://www.google.com/webmasters/ tools/mobile-friendly/
Google is always changing! It is their job to evolve to ensure the integrity of their search results so that they remain the No. 1 search engine. However, it up to us, as businesses owners, to keep up.
This will do test of your site's homepage to see if Google does view it as mobile friendly. Websites older than 1 year are most likely not totally mobile friendly, according to Google's latest standards.
Are you ready for “Mobilegeddon”?
You can also do a Google search on your phone to see if the words "Mobile -friendly" appear before your websites description. Keep in mind that Google is still rolling this out this week so it may not appear until next week.
This is the number one topic and it is not one to be ignored. “Mobilegeddon” is the name SEO pros are calling Google’s latest change. It is a pretty massive shift on Google’s part and will effect everyone website at some stage.
So what does Google's latest changes mean? Basically, Google decided to tweak its search algorithm in favour of sites that look good on smartphone screens. It is the biggest change Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
Failing the test doesn’t mean your site will automatically fall out of Google’s rankings on smartphones and tablets. It doesn't mean that you won't either. It depends on what your competition are up to as well as how your website performs against Google's other search engine ranking criteria. Simply put, your site does not meet Google's latest standards.
What happens if my website is not mobile friendly?
What's next? For some websites, it requires a few setting changes or a plugin update, for others, it requires a full rebuild. Make sure you shop around. There have been some extremely crazy quotes floating around out there. There are some web designers and developers taking advantage of Google's latest changes, and while yes, we need to make some money implementing these changes, some companies are increasing their prices just because the demand is so high. Read my previous article about "12 Questions your should ask your Web Designer" to help you choose who would like to work with. For further information, please feel free to email Karen ~ The Webgirl.
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Let’s Talk Business Jo-Anne Chaplin Tax & Superannuation Professionals Pty Ltd PH 07 3410 8116 / Mobile 0457 960 566 Email : taxandsuperprofessionals@gmail.com Web: www.taxandsuperprofessionals.com.au
I am a qualified Accountant and I have celebrated my 20 th anniversary as a Registered Tax Agent this year. During my time in Public Practice I have assisted clients to achieve business growth and prosperity. My earlier career included positions in banking, manufacturing, construction and retail. My particular interest is in promoting a culture of using local industries and business in order to build a strong community.
End of financial year considerations for Self Managed Superannuation Funds
This time of year is the best time to review you SMSF to ensure you're acting within the regulations, and also that you and your fund are gaining the best tax advantage.
necessarily a bad investment. So, choose wisely, and
Check your contributions. Putting too much into super could cost you extra tax. Remember to include amounts contributed to all your funds - even those which are there only to pay a life insurance premium.
If your fund is in pension mode, check the minimum amount if pension has, or will be paid, by the end of June. In the case of a transition to retirement pension, not more than the maximum amount.
The contribution caps are 'per person”, not “per fund”. Make sure that your contributions are in the funds bank account be June 30. If you find you have contributed too much, consult your Advisor as soon as possible. So what is the maximum you can contribute for 2015?
Concessional Contributions (Claimed as a tax deduction) $35,000 Non-concessional Contributions (not claimed) $180,000 3-year Bring Forward amount for aged under 65 years $540,000
Remember that contributions can sometimes be made “in-specie”. This means that you can contribute certain assets instead of cash. Listed shares are among the allowable types of assets that can be transferred this way. These types of assets are generally liquid, and easily transferred. Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
consult your Advisor for a specialist opinion.
If you do transfer investments held in your own name, be aware that there may be a capital gains issue In your personal name. Contact your Advisor before undertaking any in-specie transfers. Check you have paid all the funds expenses from the funds bank account. Do you need to be reimbursed by the fund for last year's accounting & audit or tax bills? If so, reimburse now, in the exact amount - not a cent more! Not a cent less. Check the position of your investments so far this year. Have you sold an investment at a considerable capital gain. Then review your portfolio for investments where there is a loss. Consider the appropriateness of selling down these before year end so the loss can be offset the capital gain. Remember though, that this is an investment decision first, and a tax planning decision second. That is, an investment which is currently in a loss situation is not
Review your strategy. Are your investments aligning in value to the strategy? Does the strategy need changing? If you have a portfolio of listed shares and managed funds in your SMSF, it will greatly assist in the preparation of the Annual Reports if you obtain a portfolio holdings report form your broker at close of trading on 30th June. If you use an online broker, these can be easily obtained from the reports section of the broker’s website. Check your compliance. The fund’s assets need to be in the correct name – ie the name of the Fund, or The Trustee (as trustee of The Fund). If you find an error, then consult your Advisor for the best action to take. These are a just a few of the end of year considerations. If you would like a more in depth review, or if you would like to discuss further any strategies or issues about your fund, don't hesitate to contact us. Page 12
Let’s Talk Business
Amy Roche, Director Retail Rockstars m: 0410 815 852 e: amy@retailrockstars.com.au w: www.retailrockstars.com.au
Is This the END of Brick-and-Mortar Retailing? Amy is a self-confessed appliance nerd, customer experience advocate and author of the book, "Retail Rockstar, the 5 game changing steps to becoming a highly profitable, memorable & locally famous retailer"to be released June 2015. She has over 18 years experience in the appliance and retail industry and a real passion for technology, marketing and experiential retailing.
I watched an entertaining video on Appliance Retailer the other day. It was a slam poem video about two blokes, “Ben” and “Ken” who both needed a new washing machine. Poor Ken decided to buy his washer from a brick-and-mortar store and had all kinds of problems including; his car broke down, rain, traffic, not to mention he opted for no delivery so more hassles there – mainly self inflicted ones.
Facebook picture from Shoes of Prey
customer, not just what’s best for their bottom line. Jodie Fox, Co-founder of Shoes of Prey, was just in the media last week talking about the transformation of her business from it’s humble beginning in shoe-design office parties.
Meanwhile Ben, chose to purchase his washer online and was at home on his lap top with his lovely wife sipping a warm tea.
After transitioning into online, they later adapted to a standalone boutique inside David Jones in Sydney, then opened their own boutique in Westfield at Bondi Junction.
He decided to get delivery with installation and of course had time for extra smooches with his partner, while dopey Ken was surely not getting ANY (kisses of course)!
Fox explained Shoes of Prey’s expansion into bricks and mortar was just a part of the natural growth of the company, what customers were asking for.
It was a very cute and clever attempt to show the up-side to selling appliances online and somewhat exacerbate the down-side of the brickand-mortar store experience. In fact, we used to see a lot more of this, “bricks-and-mortar is dead” several years ago.
“We started going offline because the customers wanted to know what the shoes looked like in real life, and that meant they wanted to know what the leather felt like on their feet and all those sorts of things,” she said.
While Ben and Ken might be a little slow, big e-tailers like Amazon, ebay and Shoes of Prey have realised they were losing opportunities because people couldn’t see, touch, feel, and try on their products or simply didn’t want to wait/pay for them to be shipped. Bottom line is, successful retailers are adapting to what best suits their Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
Tim MacKinnon, eBay merchant development director says, “We know that the eBay shopper in Australia spends more as percentage via mobile than any other eBay market, meaning they are always shopping on the go. If they can purchase something on the train on the way to work and pick it up in their lunch break we are taking some of the friction out of the shopping process and creating more opportunities for our retail partners to best service
their needs,” he said. So is bricks-and-mortar dead? Not by a long shot! Seems what is dead however, is a nicely packaged description of what retail now is. Constantly adapting, clever retailers are not concerned about labeling themselves as one or the other, they are simply listening and making changes. Let’s face it, we too ARE consumers. Sometimes WE want to buy online, sometimes WE want to touch and feel and get a sense of what it is we are buying. It’s not the titles of; bricks-and-mortar, omni-channel, multi-channel, pureplay, e-tailer that we need to be concerned about. It’s really about connecting and providing a remarkable experience for our ‘ideal customer’. It’s not the end of bricks-and-mortar or e-tailers, but the beginning of a retail revolution.
I’d love to hear what YOU think about it? Happy Retailing! Page 13
Let’s Talk Business
Paul GILLMORE DFS Founder and Director Southern Cross Financial Services 07 5429 5561 0402 685 032 paul@sc-fs.com.au
At Risk – something you must know Life insurance sometimes invokes images of old style ‘foot in the door’ life insurance sales persons. Frightening imagery, I agree but rest assured, I am not denigrating sales people nor Life Insurance. Far from it, as a financial adviser, I believe that well structured life cover is a necessary part of protecting your potential downside. You can protect your family, your business, your income or your estate if something happens to you. Life cover will pay a lump sum as will TPD. Trauma cover will pay a lump sum if any of the insured conditions befall you. This is often used for medical and other expenses, loan payments or even pay someone to replace you at your business if you desire. Income protection (IP) will pay 75% of your base salary (+ 9.5% super) – this is crucial because IP cover will continue your income . . . so you can continue to pay the bills. There are questions of definitions within policies that I won’t bore you with here. However there IS something that you MUST know ! It revolves around WHEN the life company assesses risk. Called underwriting, there are two times when an insurance company will assess or underwrite the risk of a claim:
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
At Inception You apply for risk cover, the insurer asks a questionnaire and may ask for further info such as a doctor’s report or a blood test. This method can be a little drawn out but once done, you know that you’re covered whilst ever you pay the premiums. At Claim Time (commonly called ‘Auto Acceptance’) You can sign up and pay for life cover with minimal questions, no doctors report, no blood test – just pay the money and you are right to go . . . .BUT beware the sting in the tail . . . It seems so easy to just sign up to a TV commercial or even easier, have automatic Life cover in your industry super fund - that you didn’t ask for, you might not know of, but you pay for ! If you are underwritten at claim time, the claims department will take into account everything as of NOW. So what, you say! It means that health or lifestyle issues that have occurred since you started paying for cover are factored in at claim time. Naturally there is a greater likelihood of an obstacle to claim payment. It’s simply because as we age, there are more health and lifestyle issues likely to arise and therefore a greater likelihood of running into exclusions AND a greater likelihood of a claim NOT paid. (pssst ! That’s why it’s cheap!)
Alternatively, if you take cover which is underwritten at inception, the underwriters use statistics to assess the risk in the future and so long as you pay your premium, you are covered. This is a crucial distinction. Reducing Sum Insured Many are not aware that insurance in your industry super reduces with age. For example, you might take $1m cover in your thirties but because of reducing sum insured, your cover will reduce to tens of thousands by the time you are in your fifties. You can buy more units of cover which will also reduce until age 60 to 65 where most industry fund covers cease. Industry funds rarely inform their members of these things unless you ask. Personal Risk Cover is obviously a broad and detailed field. Take time to research and place effective cover for you and your family. There are ways to make it more affordable for young families. SMSF’s can utilise risk cover very effectively for members. It is intelligent and prudent to protect your downside especially if you have a family, loans, are in business. Have it structured to your best advantage by contacting : Paul Gillmore DFS Founder and Director Southern Cross Financial Services 07 5429 5561 0402 684 032 paul@sc-fs.com.au
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Let’s Talk Business
Peter Nicol Wisdom Marketing & Management Services 0417627097 www.wisdommarketing.com.au manager@wisdommarketing.com.au
Failing Takes No Planning In the coming months the automotive industry will no doubt pick up pace in the planned closures of various plants around the country.
Economic Headwinds listen to what the Government is saying. Yes, there is money around but, it is harder to get and, your job is to work out how to keep your business going and indeed growing.
The trickle-down effect on the economy will take time to seep into our everyday lives. Change is everywhere on the planet. The mining boom has now hit many parts of once thriving townships. Vacant houses in the dozens and even hundreds abound in many once mighty swaggering townships. It is a time for great reflection on what to do next. Of course the drought will also be a nice double whammy for our country kin. They are tough folk, but this time it is really a nightmare for many. Now is the time for all business owner to work out “where to next”. So where do you start? This is always the tricky part of any exercise like this but all options this time have to be on the table. However, a trip to the past is a good starting point. What do I mean by that? See what trends your revenue has been taking over the last few years. Segment out your sales by groups to see what is still working and what is not. Be prepared to cut some products or services that are costing you to be kept
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
alive. Be careful when you do this as some non-performers can be a leveraging point into other more profitable existing products. Only you know. Whilst it might sound a bit cavalier, be prepared to raise prices and get better margins. Yes you can and probably will lose sales but the increased profit could be enough to give you the margins you need to keep going. I say this only if sales are weak and transactions are contracting. Many will say “I can’t do that”. However if the resultant price increase translates out into a few dollar or cents more, all you have to do is “find a few dollars or, cents more value”, not the whole lot of the transaction.
Keep costs low, inventory at levels that can meet demand yet keep you liquid. Moreover work out innovative ways to sell and market your products. Innovation does not need money thrown at it. Money to spend wisely is good however, in many cases innovation can be the result of a lot of hard thinking. Sometimes, the idea can be so good it costs nothing to implement. I have seen many businesses increase sales by a coat of paint, moving the stock around, taking up a low cost social media campaign on Facebook, reworking their website to better levels of leads or online sales or just being more proactive with the markets they serve.
No, it is not nice but it can be a plan to work your way through the complex issues facing business owners today.
Remember a good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow. Take a long hard look at your business now and you will reap rewards.
The new quaint term for Hard Times is
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Let’s Talk Business
Denis Keating Everest Resources Brisbane, QLD HR and WHS Protection for Your Business Mobile: 0419 029 606 Fax: 07 3112 4072 Email: denis@everestresources.com.au Web: www.everestresources.com.au Skype: denis.keating1
This month we conclude our series based on the National Standard HRF 101:201 Human Resources Framework, with a brief look at the fifth stage – Workplace Improvement. Having identified the strengths and weaknesses of your employees and teams through the performance management process, you will know what areas of skills, knowledge, experience and productivity are in need of improvement.
Workplace Improvement
staff members and teams. Training You should have identified training needs, and now is the time to develop your plans to deliver suitable programs to address these, whether it be through the use of internal resources, or from outside providers. There are so many options available these days: it is important to tailor the programs to the needs of your organisation, and to select a delivery means that works for you. Consider online options which are often the most cost effective and can be undertaken in the employees’ own time, thus reducing interruptions to the normal flow of workplace activities. Behaviour profiling Undertaking some form of staff behaviour profiling really helps you to understand how each staff member operates and how they can optimise their interactions with each other. We generally use DiSC for this purpose – it is simple to administer, while the outputs are comprehensive, practical and easy to understand.
There is a range of strategies that can be considered in order to make positive changes to the workplace, and to maximise the contribution of all Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
It also highlight areas in individuals’ behaviour where the most benefit can be gained by employees modifying their approach when working together. Being effective at work is about building relationships with coworkers. Knowing how to adapt one’s
behaviour in order to improve relationships with others creates better communication and win/win solutions. Clusters High performing organisations create a cluster of the like-minded around them. Look for opportunities to work more closely with your suppliers, clients, staff and advisors. Tap into the combined experience and knowledge of close associates, no matter what their role for your business. And don’t be afraid of your competitors. Clusters of businesses in the same field can be very powerful. We see this in retail and restaurant precincts for example, whereby a geographical area becomes known for its specialist expertise. The cycle repeats Once you have completed a full cycle of the HR Framework, you start all over again. You had an initial benchmark when you undertook earlier measurements. Now you can go back and measure the improvements you have achieved in all 5 areas of the framework, and then commence planning again for the next cycle.
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Let’s Talk Business
Betty Zsoldos
1 + 1 < or > 3
CRISES COACH Trainer, Master Coach, NLP Master email: bettyzsoldos@gmail.com
Be careful with this message. It contains information that might change your life.
web: www.diymindsurgery.com
Being a breadwinner and a mother of 4, I have worked as an English teacher, a global educator, a personal development trainer and a coach for 20 years. Taking a closer look on the nature of barriers delaying goals, working out a better and faster way to get to the destination excited me most. This professional history of mine, my husband?s early death, the challenges of my four daughters’ upbringing and my original curiosity drove me into passionate studies of various communicational and personal developmental methods.
Yes, yes, you could call to urge me to gather my wits, or to teach me that 1 + 1 = 2, if I happened to miss the lesson at school. Then, if you called me we could have an amusing, longrunning debate about this simple equation as I would say that you are right but I would go on insisting on this solution: one and one is less or more (or equals) three. How come? And what does this question have to do with business? The brief answer is linearity versus complexity, that appears in every field. And now here is the not-so-brief answer, putting more focus on what it means in your life and business: Linearity is true in the mechanical world: you can calculate lots of things, measure quantities, attach numbers to things and even to living beings, double or divide the amounts, put the
expectations and results onto charts – and in this way 1 + 1 = 2, but then … then comes another dimension – the realm of “quality”: Organic complexity represents the finely woven, rich tapestry of life, which is full of mysterious, chaotic, abrupt and abstract happenings.
However, there are distinct, undeniable and urgent signs that call out for change in business, too. After focusing on the “more”-s, like: more investment, more stuff, more profit, more growth, more GDP, we got there: something has been lost. What is missing? The gist, the point, the meaning of Life… the Heart of Life!
As we love reliability, stability, calculability, predictability in our personal life as well as in business, we rush to hedge our bets and to get guarantees for everything. The left hemisphere of our brain continuously prompts us to think in terms of numbers to be rational, that is, to be clever, analytic, strategic. This way we can fit into the boxes that our lefthemisphere dominant society is so much in favour of. So, what to do? Make plans, set goals, compete, fight, prove you are the best, find self-justification, tell yes or no, believe that your world-view is the only true and real, be active, be the first, be the best!
Sport coaches know well, after achieving the zenith of the physical conditions (that is when the muscles and stamina are at peak load with balanced diet and sufficient sleep), the point is not on physical growth any longer but on another kind of energy-utilisation. Life / Business Coaches knows well, when the individual has got to a “nothrough-road” sign of Growth, it's time to build path to a higher dimension.
Apparently, everything else is dangerous, because it is unsafe. Let's take, for instance, your business: what would happen if you started to think holistically, timelessly, and in terms of unity?
Instead of “MORE” the goal is built around “BETTER”
What would happen if you gave up competitions, plans, strategies? Chaos would brake out – in our “developed world”. (It's very much to the contrary in the “developing world” where it means living in harmony with nature.)
On this new path one can learn the new rules of the new territory. Would you like to know one or two of them? Here they are:
Instead of squandering energies, profound changes take place in mental models Instead of 1 + 1 = 2, we understand 1 + 1 < or > 3, which means that we will learn to use our environment, abilities, values, identity in a synergistic way that makes real abundance. You can still call me!
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
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Let’s Talk Business
Andrew Csaszar AUROPE Enterprises 0402942402 www.aurope.com.au andrew@aurope.com.au
Motivation: The Real Challenge Pay rise. Promotion. Bonus. Award. They are all synonyms of the “old school” motivational tool: recognition. Its establishment disappears in the mists of ancient times and its modern institution emerges when the rise of the industrial age replaces feudalism. But does it still perform as good as expected? Or is there something else, probably more effective that you as business owner seriously need to take into consideration? As a first step, let’s just see what recognition really is. It is a strong motivational force. It’s based on our inter-personal needs. The good old Maslow pyramid pretty highly ranks the urge for acknowledgement: it sits on the fourth level just below the top in the classical pyramid. And just like all the others except the top level, it is deficit based: impairment of your self-esteem will result in serious existential crisis.
conditioned during a lifetime to expect others’ praise. First comes our family, then school teachers, friends and colleagues and of course our own spouse, and yes our boss is also there in the contest to satisfy our pressing needs. We are so hungry for this extra charge, yet it’s often forgotten that compliment becoming habitual deteriorates its driving force! Recognition is an extrinsic drive. As it comes from the outside, typically builds lifelong dependence on this Sword of Damocles: “Am I good enough?” We are so thirsty for others’ compliment and feel depressed by being criticised. So, let’s go for the reward? Well, a strange relationship requires attention here: extrinsic motivation has a negative effect on its counterpart, intrinsic one. Experiments show that “carrot and stick” motivators either don’t work with creative tasks, or even block the innovative process. The all-time champion of contingent motivator can have negative impact on performance. Now the question is this: if not money, then what? What is the ultimate force that drives higher performance year after year, brings satisfaction and builds loyalty? I believe this surplus is coming from the inside. It is your employees’ innermost motivation that once tuned to your corporate mission, can make the magic.
On the other hand, recognition is a secondary drive. It is taught: we are
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
I heard from a staff member of a nonprofit organization that “No way to seek employment at for-profit oppositions.”
Why they have this negative view? What’s wrong with profit? Actually, nothing – this is the different attitudes that cannot be matched. Think of your marketing: what is the image it communicates about your company? And how about the atmosphere in the office? Do you mind the values of your staff? Do you ask them why go, when they leave you for another organization? Standing out of the crowd, not only requires an ambitious plan, but also a charismatic leader and a committed crew that can implement it. The fine balance of this trinity is what makes up a great company. Unfortunately, the third party of the equation is often neglected. Business owners are careful of selecting top managers, yet the same attention is rarely given to those who have fundamental role in service and do form the corporate culture. Do you want an outstanding company? Make it admirable to the best people! Hire the ones who excel by their talent. Be meticulous about their intrinsic drives, but match them with your goals. Don’t care too much about decades of experience sticking out of the resume. Most probably they all have it. Chances are that those long years have made them bored anyway. Challenge them with the impossible, and let them liberate their inner potential. Let them fly up to the top! Page 18
Let’s Talk Business
Jeanette Mundy Coaching Practitioner, Business Consultant and Facilitator Authentic Foundations 0404 003 096 www.authenticfoundations.com.au Jeanette@authenticfoundations.com.au
Empathy and Responsiveness to Customer Needs – A Core Business Process drives them towards or away from us.
As we move into the 21st century in ever changing, highly demanding business environments, where Internet has taken over the world, small to medium business are left questioning their approach, their value and position in the market.
How can we positively influence the emotional experience of our customers? It starts by having more effective conversations that go beyond product knowledge. Language is probably the most powerful method of social influence, and is an essential business skill. The words we use are critical, and just as critical is how we listen and what we are listening to.
The world has changed. There is no constant, there is no certainty and no guarantees. Customers have a multitude of choices, and with the click of a mouse they can choose someone else. Businesses are constantly under pressure to produce, which places a strain on every day operations and has a flow on affect on personal life. With the best intentions we can find ourselves constantly slogging and competing to position ourselves in the market as reputable and reliable in our field of expertise. But what do we need to be experts in? In 34 years of business I have experienced time and time again, forging business relationships by tuning into what really matters most to clients trumps processes. We can have outstanding products and services, great technology and carefully developed processes, but implementation often falls short of the mark. Implementation needs people, and nothing happens in business without people. While this may sound like the bleeding obvious, it’s not as simple as people turning up and simply doing their job. How often do we hear customers complaining about service or employers complaining about employees? Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
Three things are going on when you and I have a conversation We have to ask ourselves; “What’s going wrong?” Competitive advantage, market share and profit require a focus on ‘people values’, and demonstrate empathy and responsiveness. This means developing the skills and competencies to effectively take care of customer concerns. Ineffective human interaction translates to dissatisfied customers who will look elsewhere, especially with the unlimited choices in the market today. Customers not only want to be assured of quality products, but that we show genuine empathy and care, and they want us to demonstrate this in action. Customers continually assess whether we understand their needs and that we listen to what’s important to them, not what’s important to us. When they walk through our doors or make a phone call or pop onto the Internet to research a product or make an enquiry, they create a story about their experience. Their story is an interpretation of how things are for them, and their emotional reality and what
1) the conversation between us, 2) the silent conversation in my head, 3) and the silent conversation in your head. It is likely that as you are reading this article you are listening to your silent conversation of a personal experience from earlier today or some other time in the past. We all have a history and we can’t help but bring our history into every conversation. It is our history and our life experiences that shape our interpretations. It is a critical competence to fine-tune our listening and reserve our judgments and personal influences. To truly empathise and be responsive to client needs we must not allow our silent conversations and our emotions influence our words and actions. Only then will we demonstrate empathy in action, and take care of what really matters to our customers. Page 19
Let’s Talk Business Dennis Chiron Marketing Means Business 0451 184 599 www.marketingmeansbusiness.com
dennis@marketingmeansbusiness.net.au Skype: dennis.chiron2
Retrenched Older Workers Have No Other Alternative It may seem strange, but many people are forced into their own business. The choice to set up a business is not so much an ambition as something that is thrust upon them; says financial expert Ross Greenwood It’s a fact of life that older workers are often jettisoned from their jobs when companies restructure or merge. In most cases they will leave with accumulated benefits, superannuation and experience. But finding a new job can be a struggle. Many older Australians, who are placed in this position, are discovering that the only way to get a job is to create employment by starting their own business; and the dangers are immediate and obvious. Business often requires serious financial guarantees and undertakings from its owners and operators. Putting the house on the line is an altogether different prospect for a 50-year-old with kids compared with a younger person just starting out. Do You Encourage Innovation In Your Business? One of the world’s best known entrepreneurs, Richard Branson, has said that throwing yourself into a job you enjoy is one of life's greatest pleasures. Businesses that are able to harvest a culture of innovation can reap many benefits including increased productivity and engagement, higher staff retention rates and greater employee satisfaction. Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
By encouraging an entrepreneurial culture, companies also ensure employees' brains are switched to look for opportunities. Companies that promote an innovative culture give clients access to a unique talent pool with a broader business mindset than simply the role of an employee Do You Have a Customer Service Policy In Your Business? I’m confident that we would all agree that continually providing outstanding customer service definitely helps build customer loyalty and generates repeat customers. But do you provide this service “by the seat of your pants” or do you and your staff work to a coordinated Customer Service Policy or Plan? Do you have specific policies in place and have you identified your customer service objectives? One definite way to ensure that you and your staff are always “on the same page” with your customer service is to create a Customer Service Plan and Objectives. However, the first step, before you begin, is to ask your customers, suppliers, and your employees for their feedback on your current customer service, and encourage them to provide honest and open feedback. Once you know your customer’s expectations and perceptions, you can then create customer standards for your business, document it, train your employees on that standard, and make a commitment to operating the business with exceptional service as its standard.
Does Australia Need a Small Business Political Party? One man believes the answer to this question is yes and he is aiming to secure a presence in the Senate at the 2016 election. John Codrington is the National President of the Small Business Party of Australia Inc. (SBPA), a non-profit association that does not yet have the 500-550 founding financial members needed to obtain Australian Electoral Commission approval. However, since starting a marketing campaign to grow its membership in April, Mr Codrington said close to 100 members had already signed up to the SBPA and he remains confident of reaching the AEC target by September. The SBPA is a right leaning association but which hopes to capture a broad audience, including left leaning business owners. It is driven by a firm belief that the interests of small business owners are not being effectively represented in the national parliament by the major parties. Mr Codrington said: “We don’t care which political party is ruling the roost. We want to make sure the interests of small business are not forgotten.” After a 12th successful National Small Business Summit in Melbourne, delegates and attendees were left feeling encouraged about the small business environment here in Australia.
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Let’s Talk Business
Objectives of “Let’s Talk Business” Small Business Publication One of the primary objectives of “Let’s Talk Business” (LTB) is to provide a regular, monthly information service to support the Small Business Community. Our goal is to provide a publication offering a wide and diverse range of topics and information which may assist business owners and their teams to gain more insight, knowledge and skills in the overall running of their business, thereby assisting them to build a strong, viable and sustainable business.
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Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
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