Financial Mistakes To Avoid In Your First Business
After spending months thinking about it, you finally decided to quit your 9-5 job and start your very first business. You think that this will be a win-win situation for you because you get to do what you love and be your own boss.
8 Eco-Friendly Packaging Alternatives for Your Shipping Needs
If you’re shipping your goods out to your customers, it’s essential to ensure your freight costs are as low as possible. At the same time, we all know how important it is to reduce our impact on the environment.
Working From Home – Managing the Risks to Reap the Rewards
Working from home is becoming increasingly common as many employees look for flexibility and work-life balance.
Where Do Your Customers See Value?
Most small businesses are trying to grow their market share and revenue. This typically means thinking deeply about one of the major factors affecting inventory management: pricing strategy.
Social Media Lessons for Retailers
The 3 Best (and 3 Worst) Things You Can Do On Social Networks. Successfully managing your social media efforts takes more than just creating an account and posting a few updates every now and then.
3 Deadly Sins of Inventory Management
Sales numbers are not the only factor that influence a business’ bottom-line. Inventory management is just as important, and managers need to be wary of a few common inventory management mistakes to avoid.
Is Peer to Peer Lending the Best Funding Option for Your Business?
Over the last five years, peer to peer lending has become a popular alternative to traditional bank lending for individuals.
How to Get Media Coverage for Your Retail Business: A DIY Guide
There are several advantages to getting some good PR for your business. In addition to generating buzz, getting covered by the press can drive traffic and sales while boosting your credibility in the process.
Do You Need to Up Your B2B Marketing Game?
Business to Business (B2B) marketing practices are changing. Here we identify the latest trends and best practices of 2017.
6 tips to help you create compelling content for your website
Is your New Year's resolution to update your website? Use our tips to help you create engaging content! Is your New Year's resolution to update your business website?
4 Essential employee engagement trends for 2018
Creating a highly-engaged workforce and a thriving workplace continues to be a major focus for all HR managers. And the reason is simple.
3 Great Examples of Retailers Reinventing Their Stores to Reach Modern Consumers
If you’ve been keeping abreast with the latest trends then you’ve likely heard about the shifting shopping habits of consumers.
6 Factors You Need to Know When Considering a New Supplier
The best suppliers will provide the most suitable goods or services at the right prices and within the right time frames for your business needs. Below we give you six factors you need to know when considering a new supplier.
Virtual Currencies: Bitcoin and other Virtual Currencies
Many virtual currencies, such as Bitcoin have emerged over the last 10 years but just how safe are they? We explain how virtual currencies work and the risks you take buying, trading or investing in them.
The Value of Workplace Training
Training in the workplace is a very valuable and important component of running a successful business.
The Dance of Technology and Business
Conducting business is no longer as simple, and dare we say primitive, as being present in the store at the point of sale, making said sale, recording said sale and replenishing inventory stock – all in a very hands-on manner.
Shipping Musts and Must-Nots
Online purchasing has not-so-slowly and very surely become the way people shop. It is efficient, convenient and best of all can be done without any concern for traffic or trying to find dreaded car-parking at a mall.
5 Retail Store Design Upgrades That Won’t Break the Bank
Take a moment to put yourself in your target customer’s shoes. Now, pretend you’re someone who’s walking into your store for the first time.
The Happiest Time of the Year? Holiday Pressures for Food Manufacturers
Holiday seasons are often just as exciting for food manufacturers as they are for consumers. Holiday seasons are big business for food manufacturers.
The Five Elements of a Lean Business
If your business is doing well and you’re looking to expand, that can be a sign of success. However, moving to the next stage of business development can be a risky endeavour.
Making a Case for a Time and Attendance System
Having reliable rostering software, like goRoster, means that you know who is working in your business at any given time. It’s a great tool to help you manage your staff without having to be on site 24/7.
Happy Customers, Thriving Company: The Role of Inventory Management
If there were no customers, there would be no business. And with no business, there is no income. So, it would be safe to summarise that customers should be the point of business, would it not?
Buy Now, Pay Later Services
Buy now, pay later payment services allow you to delay payment or pay by instalments (often fortnightly) over a period of time.
Automation: Changing the Face of Inventory Management
Inventory control and supply chain management has evolved on a near continuous basis since the 1980s.
4 Questions to help you assess HR software costs
To manage people in fast-growing small businesses like yours, you need to streamline all areas of HR administration – which would be hard to do without HR software.
10 Tips to Help You Meet (and Beat) Your Retail Sales Targets
If you’re reading this, then you’re likely: a) not meeting your retail sales targets; or b) meeting your targets but want to find ways to blow past them.
What Retailers Should Know About Selling to Millennials (a Chat with Jasmine Glasheen)
Millennials. They’ve been called everything from entitled and lazy to fearless and empowered. But whatever you think about this generation, one thing is clear: Millennials (aka Gen Y) continue to have a significant impact on the economy and society in general.
The Basics of a Good Business Plan
Business plans help define goals and help you achieve them. If you take time to set concrete and achievable goals, you can then chart a plan to reach these goals successfully. Having tangible goals can make a business thrive.
Late payment reduces small business confidence to grow
Three quarters of small and medium sized UK builders say that late payment has directly hampered their business growth according to a recent Federation of Master Builders survey.
6 tips to help you create compelling content for your website
Don't cut corners when creating content for your website. So you’ve decided to start an online business—congratulations!
Tackling your cashflow challenges this Christmas
Most of us look forward to Christmas as a time for fun, festivities and spending time with the family. If you’re a small business owner though, it’s not always the carefree holiday you might hope for.
Millennials Changing the Landscape of the Alcoholic Beverage Industry
Millennials have a significant influence in consumer trends in a wide range of industries. The alcoholic beverage industry, for example, is becoming increasingly conditioned by trends among millennial consumers.
Lean manufacturing and the coffee roast
The coffee category of the hot beverage industry is thriving, with the number of coffee drinkers growing each year. Cafes and coffee vans are everywhere, meeting our seemingly unstoppable need for a regular caffeine fix.
5 Types of Sales Promotions in Retail (and How to Implement Them)
Promotions are almost always part of a retailer’s sales and marketing mix, and for good reason — they can drive sales and help you move inventory.
7 Ways to reduce your impact on the environment
Managing your business’s impact on the environment is not only good for the environment but it can also help to improve your business’s reputation and reduce business costs.
5 Current cloud computing trends in business
For most businesses the question is no longer whether it is appropriate to adopt a cloud service, but rather when is the right time and what services to move.
13 practical ways to make your job ads stand out from the crowd
Writing great job ads is often more difficult than it looks. As well as selling the key requirements of the role, and presenting your company in a positive way, the job ad has to attract the right talent, and drive a response from suitably qualified candidates.
Why, How and When To Use a Fixed Term Contract
Many businesses in the building, civil and mining and professional services industries in particular, underestimate the benefit of a well-constructed employment contract.
Make sure you don’t overlook this critical step in your employee onboarding process
So, you’re doing your homework on employee onboarding and preparing new starter kits infused with your company’s values. You also want to mastermind an onboarding process that even the tech giants would be proud of.
How Small Businesses Can Use Peer-to-Peer Lending
A new trend is rising, changing the way people can are securing financial needs. This new trend gives both individuals and businesses an alternative source of financing.
9 Tech Trends That Are Rapidly Changing How Businesses Do Business
As technology and digital marketing tools continue to improve, businesses will have to adapt to trends in marketing and consumer behavior.
Workplace training – what’s in it for the company?
Workplace training is an important part of company work life which, as expensive as it may be, is a necessary means to a skilled workforce.
You gotta dig the No Dig method
Dennis Yarrow began Yarrow Plumbing back in 2003. Before that, he cut his teeth in the plumbing industry working in Papua New Guinea where he learned how to manage a team of 50 (and some other life skills he hadn’t bargained for).
Why profit isn’t the problem and cashflow is king
What is cashflow management? In its simplest form, cashflow management is doing everything possible to ensure that money flows into your business as quickly as possible, and leaves the business as slowly as possible.
Should Your Business Give Trade Discounts?
Many businesses use trade discounts to simplify variable pricing, protect a market recognised price point, stimulate sales or reward customer loyalty.
Encourage teamwork in the workplace to enhance stock control
In any business, large or small, good teamwork is essential for morale, productivity and efficiency.
Brewery Inventory Management Up In The Cloud
Brewery inventory management can be done in a variety of ways. Often, companies will rely on a combination of methods, including web apps, written notes and spreadsheets.
Action Planning for client success
When I designed the first Spotlight Reports, I usually included an Action Plan to close the circle between great data analysis and goal-setting.
5 Subtle Signs That Your Retail Store Is in Trouble (and What to Do About Them)
Have you ever heard about the parable of the boiling frog?
Teamwork: A Key Ingredient For A Successful Business
Aside from efficient inventory management, teamwork is an incredibly important component of the ‘successful business’ recipe and if left out, the result can be a real flop.
4 Tell tale signs that you need a new HR system
These days, managing HR in a growing business is a constant task. As an HR manager, you’re probably overloaded with work and you never seem to get to the bottom of it all.
3 Forecasts Your Business Needs To Succeed
Forecasting is the process of estimating the effects trends, costs and external factors will have on your business in order to give yourself time to prepare.
The Best Xero Add Ons for Business Funding
Whether you’re trying to bridge a cash gap or secure funding to grow your business, the Xero marketplace offers a suite of apps that can help
Is Ecommerce Really Killing Brick and Mortar Retail?
Let’s get straight to the point: ecommerce is NOT killing brick-and-mortar retail.
3 Simple signs your business is ready for a payments platform
At a certain point, every growing business needs to take a leap and invest in new technology. It can be daunting and expensive, but the rewards can greatly outweigh the costs and stress.
9 Expert Tips To Instantly Improve Your Business’ Cash Flow
There are many reasons why you may want to improve cash flow in your business. Maybe you’re looking to free up some cash to put towards growth, or maybe you’d like to build up your cash cushion to protect yourself from any bumps in the road.
The Best Xero Accounting Add Ons For 2017
How do you know which Xero Accounting Add Ons to use?
How to take your business to the next level
You’ve done the hard work by setting up your business and establishing solid foundations with a good client base – congrats! So how do you expand, and do so profitably?
Common Inventory Management Mistakes: A Closer Look
Inventory management can be overwhelming. There can be an incredibly large amount of tangible inventory, which can translate to a huge amount of responsibility and pressure to manage this inventory properly.
Using data to drive innovation
We live in a data-driven age - so why not use data in your business to solve problems, be more efficient and invent new products?
Should Your Business Consider Discount Pricing?
Choosing a pricing strategy is a difficult decision, but one that every business needs to make. Pricing strategy affects most aspects of a business, including its revenue, market share and profitability.
Penny pinching? Here are some ways to reduce costs
With global recessions, increasing oil prices and increasing competition, saving money wherever possible and thereby maximising profits is the name of the game.
How Cloud Technology Has Transformed the Role of Accountants
The role of a tax accountant has been continuously changing over the course of the last 50 years, and it is currently undergoing yet another transition period with the growing popularity of cloud accounting.
Four signs it’s time to systemise your staff roster
To be successful in business, you need to be organised, have a clear plan for where you’re headed and be confident with the processes you have in place.
Work from Phone: 5 Ways to Use Your Mobile Device to Run Your Retail Business
Mobile technology has revolutionized the way modern society does business and permanently changed the retail landscape.
Supply Chain Risks and Inventory Management
There are a multitude of things that can go wrong throughout the supply chain, exposing the firm to different kinds of risks.
Handheld devices in field service
More than just dispatching machines, handhelds have become as ubiquitous to field service as the screwdriver and wrench.
Get ready! The millennials are coming…
Millennials – young people born between the 1980s and early 2000s – make up an increasingly large proportion of drinking-age customers. It’s important that good hospitality businesses understand that.
Five ways to build a happy team
We have spoken to hundreds of business owners and thousands of their employees over the last twelve years.
6 warning signs that your business is outgrowing your ecommerce platform
There are many factors to consider when you’re selecting an ecommerce platform, and when you first start selling online, it can be hard to find one that’s the right match.
4 tell-tale signs you need an HR manager right now
No one ever starts a business with the intention of spending most of their time tied up in the administrative tasks that come with operating one.
The Benefits of Cloud-Based Software for Manufacturing Businesses
More and more manufacturing companies are beginning to use cloud-based manufacturing systems to improve the way their business functions.
SMEs and Globalization: A Changing Landscape
Advances in technology over the last two decades have shrunk the world; travel is inexpensive, cross border payments are fast and businesses communicate in real-time.
Let’s make it clear – Good mobile staff communication is vital
Many small business owners don’t give a second thought about the need for clear communication.
How to ensure your jobs are profitable
If you’re in business, making decent money is important. Sometimes, though, it doesn’t always work out the way you’d planned...
6 Tools Businesses Need to Get Their Finances in Shape
You need to keep track of transactions for the tax office, lenders, but most importantly for yourself, as a business owner.
6 Retail Books You Need to Read
Helpful and informative retail books abound everywhere you look these days.
4 employee wellness ideas that your employees will love but don’t cost a fortune
The thing is, employee wellbeing and happiness isn’t just about nap rooms, onsite massages, and cafeterias serving healthy food and snacks (though that would be nice!)
No dedicated hr team? You need these essential hr tools and solutions
Every business owner knows that as soon as you start hiring people, there’s a whole heap of important and must-do HR related tasks and compliance requirements that goes with them.
Machine learning in field service
Machine learning has the power to change how we look at field service – what it means to contractors and customers alike.
Inventory Management: Five Key Tips for Distributors
Due to the nature of the distribution model where distributors profit by selling inventory to their customers, failing to manage inventory well can be a major liability for distributors.
Goal: Successful supply chain management
Have you ever sat back and wondered how giant companies such as Apple, Walmart and Ikea became so successful both in their reach and their inventory turnover?
Empower your ecommerce customers with a branded mobile app
Over the past five years, mobile devices have begun to dominate the consumer landscape around the world.
Are you getting the most out of digital working practices?
Businesses today are quickly adopting cloud software as the benefits become more apparent and even necessary to keep a competitive edge – benefits like less paperwork, greater efficiency, and time savings.
Accurate Inventory Costing: Why It’s Critical for Success
Even if a business has some other, high value, assets such as factory plant, inventory is likely to essential to the business’ ability to trade profitably.
9 ways to squeeze more profit out of every business day
It’s the Holy Grail of business: increasing the number of profitable hours in a day.
5 Brick and Mortar Stores That Prove Physical Retail Isn’t Dead
Have you been following the news about retail recently? If you have, then you may have noticed that the retail news outlets have been filled with doom and gloom lately.
Why Accurate Costing is Vital for Success
Inaccurate information about your company’s expenditure can greatly inhibit your capacity to make and maintain a successful business.
Three Lessons Retailers Can Learn from Craft Brands
Retailers have historically dominated the commerce landscape. Several years ago, industry trends and top products were set by the stores selling them.
THE SIMPLE WAY FOR CUSTOMERS TO BUY NOW AND PAY LATER
When a visitor spends time browsing your online store or bricks-and-mortar outlet, they’re looking for something. And when they find it, they’ll be tempted to buy it.
THE HAPPINESS FACTOR: 6 TACTICS FOR IMPROVING WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY
Remember the old (and slightly misogynistic) phrase Happy Wife, Happy Life! ? Well, it turns out there is a workplace equivalent: Happy workers, productive business! (and no – we couldn’t make it rhyme).
The Best Xero Accounting Add Ons For 2017
How do you know which Xero Accounting Add Ons to use?
Small-Man-Syndrome: How SMEs can be successful on a global stage
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) are companies that are independently owned and managed with less than 250 employees in their ranks and bringing in less than 50 million euros per year.
REDEFINING YOUR POINT OF SALE WITH A MODERN POS PLATFORM
It doesn’t matter how large or small your store is, or how many of them you’ve got—if you’ve got a point of sale (POS), you’ll see big benefits in switching from a simple cash register to a full-featured, cloud-based POS platform.
Investing in staff training is an investment in your business
Staff training is one of the best investments you can make for the future success of your business.
How to Upsell and Cross-Sell in Retail: 6 Pointers to Implement in your Store
Picture this: You’ve just about closed a sale, and the shopper made up their mind to buy a product. What do you do?
How to Prevent and Handle Robberies and Theft in Retail
Are you equipped to handle retail theft and robberies? Whether you answered yes or no to that question, keep reading.
HOW IMPROVING EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT CAN BOOST YOUR BOTTOM LINE
Look at a company with a reputation for strong employee engagement and you’ll find a high performing business. We’re not making this up.
How Elon Musk’s neural lace could change your business
In April this year, Elon Musk (CEO of Tesla and SpaceX) publicly announced that his company, a startup in California, Neuralink, is developing a neural lace technology that will enable human beings to communicate with devices through their thoughts alone.
