News
After the recent turmoils in financial markets, small businesses are still feeling unloved by the big banks. So when it comes to securing a loan for that next equipment purchase, it is more important than ever to play the field. The margins on lending to small businesses have blown out in 2009. With the RBA’s […]
With more and more staff using social network sites like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace from work, plenty of businesses are asking the question, “If social networks are such a risk, shouldn’t we just block them?” When social networking web sites such as Facebook and MySpace first emerged, some businesses viewed them as a distraction from […]
The effects of the global financial crisis are lifting, with the National Australia Bank posting unaudited cash earnings for the first quarter of approximately $1.1 billion, an increase of more than 20% on the fourth quarter of the 2009 financial year. In a further promising sign for the economy NAB’s charge for bad and doubtful […]
The Technology Industry Association (TIA) President, Peter Charlesworth, and South Australian Premier Mike Rann have signed a landmark sector agreement aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with the electronics and ICT industry. The agreement was signed on the second day of the CleverGreen Conference & Showcase at the Adelaide Convention Centre. The agreement has […]
New research has found that employees choose to work for an organisation based on the job description, but leave because of poor relationships with management. Over a million employees participated in the survey conducted by Gallop on behalf of the Chartered Management Institute. Coach trainer and communication expert, Maureen Pound of Performance Toolkit anticipates that […]
Optus Business App Store launched today, promising applications for almost every make and model except the iPhone. Encompassing products such as security applications for sensitive data, budget planning and expense trackers for managers and currency and language applications for business people on the go, the store provides an all-in-one resource, tailored to the needs of […]
April 1st 2010 may mean something different to many Australians, but it’s the day when health insurance premiums go up and the annual debate on how deep our pockets are heats up. However, there is a way for businesses to save their employees money on health insurance – and gain valuable employee engagement on the […]
Following positive signs of an economic recovery, business owners may be tempted to reclaim the sacrifices they made during the downturn. Former CEO of retail icons BiLo, Radio Rentals and Chair of The Executive Connection (TEC) Brendan Killen, urges businesses to resist the temptation to recoup lost expenses in order to stay strong during the […]
Research commissioned by Kyocera Mita, one of the world’s leading document imaging companies, has revealed that the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of a printer fleet for a typical Australian mid-market business is between $151,000 and $287,000 over three years. The study, conducted by local industry analyst firm Longhaus, also identified that the typical print […]
With signs of an economic downturn appearing in late 2008, TEC Chair Brendan Killen asked a group of business owners who were members of TEC to offer their tips to each other on what they should do to survive and thrive during a possible significant economic downturn. With the GFC easing, Mr Killen ran a […]
If you are hoping to obtain media exposure for your brand, one thing that journalists love to do is to talk to somebody who has used your product or service first hand and to learn how it changed their life. This might sound rather dramatic but at the end of the day, what interests readers/viewers/listeners […]
After finishing off 2009 on a high, the median superannuation growth fund industry average retreated 2.2% in January. This was largely because listed share and property markets went into reverse. The Australian share market was down 6.2% for the month, while international shares retreated 2.9% (unhedged) and 3.5% (hedged). Australian and global REITs (listed property) […]
This month’s issue of EFIC’s newsletter, World Risk Developments, discusses an interesting tension that has arisen in the world economic outlook. Many leading and coincident indicators of national and by extension world economic activity are delivering moderately pleasant surprises, prompting forecasters to upgrade their guesstimates of growth for 2010 and 2011. Yet at the same […]
Two whinges in two days? There must be something in the water! However… I’m not sure how I haven’t blogged about cabs in Sydney before because today certainly isn’t the first time I’ve been disappointed. Perhaps having lived in London for five years before moving here, I was spoiled? Did you know every black cab […]
Wotflight, an airline aggregation and online flight booking service sister site for Wotif.com, has launched today across Australia. With the ability to compare airfares in one window, as well as book and receive immediate confirmation, Wotflight is an online search engine for business and leisure travellers. Megan Magill, General Manager Brand, Wotflight, said no other […]
Global recruitment consultancy Robert Walters this week launched its eleventh annual Global Salary Survey, with the year 2009 seen as two distinct halves in terms of recruitment trends. The first half of the year saw many companies in Australia continue to implement the cost- cutting strategies that began in late 2008. A large number carried […]
Citrix GoToTraining, a purpose-built online training solution for business use, was launched today by Citrix Online, a division of Citrix Systems, Inc. With GoToTraining, businesses of all sizes will be able to easily move their curriculums online and instantly host interactive training sessions with participants from any location, enabling them to save time and travel […]
Research In Motion (RIM) today introduced BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express – free new server software that wirelessly and securely synchronizes BlackBerry smartphones with Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft Windows Small Business Server. The new BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express software will be provided free of charge in order to address two key market opportunities. First, the software […]
Bakers Delight has been recognised in the Oracle World Retail Awards 2010, taking out finalist honours for in-store merchandising designed and executed by sales acceleration agency, MediaTag. Voted one of the leading global retailers in the ‘retail advertising’ category, the bakery franchise engaged MediaTag in early 2009 to look at innovative creative point of sale […]
Google launched their Australian real estate search in July last year, and today they announced that in less than a year they have linked with over 1000 real estate sites across Australia and New Zealand. Fully integrated with Google Maps, the real estate search brings up rental or sales listings, and can also handle multi-layered […]
