Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 1
Let’s Talk Business Back To Basics Business Solutions - Support for Small Business
Australian Small Business
and the Budget
Inside this issue
The 2015 Budget ..….............2 Small Business Solutions ….3 Five Conversations Leaders
Must Have Dr Tim Baker …..….............5
Biz Snippets …………….......6 Understanding Your
Customer’s Needs Dennis Chiron………...........7
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 Self-
Managed Superannuation Funds Jo-Anne Chaplin …………12
Is This the END of Brick-and-
Mortar 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 LTB Objectives …..........…..21
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015
BU
DG
ET
2015
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 2
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.
Smartcompany goes on to indicate some
of the Winners and Losers in this
Budget:
Winners
1. Small Business
2. Retailers
3. Retirees with loads of
superannuation
4. Families using childcare
Losers
1. Parents claiming parental leave from
their employers
2. Netflix users and digital downloaders
3. Wealthy pensioners
4. Welfare recipients
96 per cent of all Australia’s businesses
are small businesses, employing over 4½
million people and producing over $330
billion of our nation’s economic output
per year.
There is no doubt that Australia’s small
businesses are the main drivers of our
economy, and it is Australian small
business that drives growth and creates
jobs.
The Coalition Government claim “The
new $5.5 billion Jobs and Small Business
package is the biggest small business
package in our nation’s history. It builds
on what we have already achieved for
small businesses and will help small
businesses invest more, grow more, and
employ more.”
The Government’s web site claims that
this is now “The right time for business
to invest” and point out the most salient
features of benefit to small business as
being:
Accelerated depreciation
Tax cuts
Cutting red tape
Wage subsidies to support
employment
Work experience for young job
seekers
Youth employment strategy, and
Moving job seekers into work
However, Mark Kenny, chief political
correspondent for the Sydney Morning
Herald issues a stern warning:
Budget 2015
Will It Really Benefit Small Business?
“Joe Hockey's centre-piece budget
plan to hand cash back to small
businesses could be so popular it
causes its own drain on the budget as
unexpected millions scramble to take
full advantage of the two-year scheme.
The Fairfax-Ipsos poll released on
Monday showed 81 per cent of voters
applauded the initiative and a
sizeable 22 per cent intend using the
accelerated depreciation provision
also known as instant asset write-off.
That's great news for the struggling
Abbott government politically but not
such great news for the deficit-riddled
budget as the 22 per cent take-up
represents as much as a 19-fold
increase of the estimated usage
number in the budget.”
Bank of America Merrill Lynch's chief
economist Saul Eslake said the
poll findings suggested many voters
may not understand the scheme and
have assumed it to be both wider in
its eligibility criteria and more
generous.
Rather it is a tax deduction which,
although it can be used on multiple
sub-$20,000 item purchases, merely
reduces the taxable income of a given
business by $20,000 each time.
"I find it hard to believe 22 per cent of
the adult population is eligible," Mr
Eslake said.
He said many of these respondents
may not even be eligible for the write-
off.
"I would suggest that there'd be a
portion of that 22 per cent who are
apprentices for example, not
understanding that just because they
have to buy tools etc, that they could
get the concession," he said.
"One of the first questions really is are
you eligible to claim, are you a small
business owner, before you get to the
question of will you claim."
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 4
WORKSHOPS BEING RUN IN:
CABOOLTURE
BRIBIE ISLAND
NORTH LAKES
SUNSHINE COAST
For Further Information please call Dennis Chiron on 0451 184 599
Or simply complete the above Expression of Interest and send it to
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 5
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
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-at-
WORK Pty Ltd.
Dr Tim Baker
Managing Director
WINNERS AT WORK Pty Ltd
www.winnersatwork.com.au
www.about.me/tim.baker
Telephone. +61 7 3899 8881
Five Conversations
Leaders Must Have
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 6
The new employee
stood before the
paper shredder
looking confused.
“Need some help?”
a secretary asked.
“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.”
The friend replies
“How so?”
“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!”
The banker fell
overboard from a
friend’s sailboat.
The friend
grabbed a life
preserver, held it up, not knowing if
the banker could swim, and
shouted, “Can you float alone?”
“Obviously,” the banker replied, “but
this is a heck of a time to talk
business.”
HUMOUROUS
BUSINESS SIGNS
Corporation: An ingenious device for
obtaining profit without individual
responsibility. Ambrose Bierce
A bank is a place that will lend you
money if you can prove that you don't
need it. Bob Hope
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
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
Behind every successful man lurks a
truly amazed ex-mother-in-law. John
Chrusciel
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
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
HUMOUROUS
BUSINESS SIGNS HUMOUROUS
BUSINESS QUOTES
HUMOUROUS
BUSINESS JOKES
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 7
Understanding Your Customer’s Needs
Dennis Chiron Marketing Means Business
0451 184 599 www.marketingmeansbusiness.com
[email protected] Skype: dennis.chiron2
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.
As a starter step in your marketing plan, ask yourself the following
questions:
Who are my customers?
Who are my potential customers?
What kind of people are they?
What are their incomes? What
are their needs?
Where do they live?
Can they buy? Will they buy?
Am I offering them real benefits,
when and how they want them?
Is my business in the best place?
Is my pricing right?
How do customers perceive my
business?
Who are my competitors?
How does my business compare
with my competitors'?
Every customer’s satisfaction (and
dissatisfaction) comes from what they expect and anticipate expectations – and what your customer thinks he or
she should experience – and the reality of what you deliver, or endeavour to
deliver to them.
If the experience you deliver exceeds
those expectations, you can expect customer loyalty, customer lifetime
value, and brand equity to flourish.
Meeting (or exceeding) customer expectations is the most valuable aspect
of customer satisfaction. A satisfied customer is one that has had their
expectations met.
Over the past 10–15 years, businesses are placing a renewed focus on customers. They’re doing this because
they see that customers have more choice than ever before, particularly with the dynamic growth in Internet sales. If
customers don’t perceive that what your business is offering is worth what they’ve paid for, they’ll take their money
to a competitor who offers better value. That competitor may be right next door
or on the other side of the world.
What is definitely lacking in most organisations is a real understanding,
empathy and focus on their customers, and a genuine understanding of what value they can provide to their
customers.
However, the goal here is to not just meet customer expectations; it should be
to ‘wow’ customers and exceed them. When you exceed your customer’s expectations, you create an experience
that the customer remembers. This experience is often passed onto friends which generates word of mouth referrals
and can help create a positive impression
of you and your business.
Understanding the needs of you customers is the key to giving them outstanding service. To give good
customer care you must deliver what you
promise.
But outstanding customer care involves getting to know your
customers so well that you can exceed
their expectations.
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.
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!
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 8
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…
TimeEqualsMoney
Angie 'Speedy' Spiteri Business Efficiency Specialist
www.timeequalsmoney.net.au
Ph: 0403 970 732
http://www.facebook.com/time.equals.money
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 visit
www.timeequalsmoney.net.au
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
How to get back in control… when you are out of control!
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 9
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
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.
Geoff Butler FAIM AP, MAITD MACE
Principal/Business Improvement &
Implementation Specialist
Business Optimizers
Mobile: 0414 943072
Fax: 3036 6131
Email: [email protected]
Skype: business.optimizers1
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 10
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 re-
calculates 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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
Dan Buzer
Profit Mechanics
0414 567 188
www.profitmechanics.net/ [email protected]
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 11
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 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.
Are you ready for
“Mobilegeddon”?
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
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/
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.
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.
What happens if my
website is not mobile
friendly?
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'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.
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
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 12
Jo-Anne Chaplin
Tax & Superannuation Professionals Pty Ltd
PH 07 3410 8116 / Mobile 0457 960 566
Email : [email protected]
Web: www.taxandsuperprofessionals.com.au
I am a qualified Accountant and I have celebrated my 20th 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.
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.
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.
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.
necessarily a bad investment. So,
choose wisely, and
consult your Advisor for a specialist
opinion.
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.
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.
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
End of financial year considerations for
Self Managed Superannuation Funds
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 13
Is This the END of Brick-and-Mortar Retailing?
Amy Roche, Director
Retail Rockstars
m: 0410 815 852
w: www.retailrockstars.com.au
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.
Meanwhile Ben, chose to purchase his
washer online and was at home on his
lap top with his lovely wife sipping a
warm tea.
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)!
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 brick-
and-mortar store experience. In fact,
we used to see a lot more of this,
“bricks-and-mortar is dead” several
years ago.
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
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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, pure-
play, 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!
Facebook picture from Shoes of Prey
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 14
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:
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!)
Paul GILLMORE DFS
Founder and Director
Southern Cross Financial Services
07 5429 5561
0402 685 032
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
At Risk – something you must know
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 15
Peter Nicol Wisdom Marketing & Management Services
0417627097 www.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.
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
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.
No, it is not nice but it can be a plan to
work your way through the complex
issues facing business owners today.
The new quaint term for Hard Times is
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.
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, re-
working their website to better
levels of leads or online sales or
just being more proactive with the
markets they serve.
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.
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 16
Denis Keating
Everest Resources
Brisbane, QLD
HR and WHS Protection for Your Business
Mobile: 0419 029 606
Fax: 07 3112 4072
Email: [email protected]
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.
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
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.
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 co-
workers. 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.
Workplace Improvement
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 17
Betty Zsoldos CRISES COACH
Trainer, Master Coach, NLP Master
email: [email protected]
web: www.diymindsurgery.com
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, long-
running 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.
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 left-
hemisphere 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!
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?
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.)
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!
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 “no-
through-road” sign of Growth, it's
time to build path to a higher
dimension.
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 “MORE” the goal is built
around “BETTER”
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!
1 + 1 < or > 3
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.
Be careful with this message.
It contains information that
might change your life.
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 18
Andrew Csaszar
AUROPE Enterprises
0402942402
www.aurope.com.au
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.
On the other hand, recognition is a
secondary drive. It is taught: we are
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.
I heard from a staff member of a non-
profit 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!
Motivation: The Real Challenge
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 19
Jeanette Mundy
Coaching Practitioner, Business Consultant
and Facilitator Authentic Foundations
0404 003 096
www.authenticfoundations.com.au
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.
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?
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
drives them towards or away from us.
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.
Three things are going on when you and
I have a conversation
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.
Empathy and Responsiveness to Customer Needs
– A Core Business Process
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 20
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.
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.
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.
Dennis Chiron Marketing Means Business
0451 184 599 www.marketingmeansbusiness.com
[email protected] Skype: dennis.chiron2
Let’s Talk Business
Volume 3 Issue 30 - May 2015 Page 21
“Let’s Talk Business” Small Business Publication
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