Latest News
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SMEs embrace social media: survey
Helen Hull | July 20, 2011
The use of social media by SMEs has increased substantially over the last 12 months according to research released by Melbourne IT.
The Melbourne IT eBiz Review 2011, which polled 2,264 Australian small and medium sized businesses with an online presence (eSMBs), saw 50% of eSMBs now using social media as part of their customer-facing operations, compared to only 34% last year. -
Goal Attack
NAB - Business View | July 20, 2011
You have a grand business vision; an idea that you’d love to get off the ground to help your SME expand or to ramp up cash flow.
But how do you make it a reality? Goal setting and breaking your idea down into manageable chunks can help it come to fruition. -
Carbon theory at odds with SME business reality
Peter Anderson | July 12, 2011Most business owners are like the rest of us. We’re not political insiders, preferring politics in small doses. We’re interested in getting things done that make a difference, instead of political argument and bureaucracy.
This is why I don’t blame business people being confused about the carbon tax announcement. There are so many mixed signals from the government, with claim and counter claim dominating the headlines.
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Boom or bust, key sectors for 2011-12
Helen Hull | July 12, 2011
It’s good news for Oil & Gas Producers, with the sector topping the list of industries set to boom in the 2011-12 financial year.
On a more somber note, research from IBISWorld also predicts a poor year for Gaming & Vending Machine Manufacturing. -
Ethnic Business Awards entries open
Helen Hull | July 11, 2011Nominations for the annual Ethnic Business Awards, which recognise Australia’s diversity in business, close on 25 July 2011. First 5000 members are eligible to enter the Medium to Large Business category.
Winners will share in cash and prizes including $10,000 for individual category winners from the founding partner and major sponsor – National Australia Bank.
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Trimming costs in the food and beverage industry
Michael McCash | July 6, 2011Food and beverage businesses are facing more pressure to reduce costs than ever before.
The rising Australian dollar combined with fierce international competition has created uncertainty in the industry – especially when it comes to predicting how much stock needs to be produced and/or bought in.
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Quickflix to grow off Telstra referrals
Helen Hull | July 4, 2011Online movie rental company Quickflix has signed an agreement with Telstra which will see the company refer its BigPond Movies DVD customers to the First 5000 member when it closes on 30 September 2011.
As part of the deal Quickflix will also acquire BigPond’s library of DVD and Blu-ray discs and equipment which is expected to help boost its customer base.
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Paid Parental Leave Scheme kicks in
Jo-Anne Hui | June 29, 2011
As of Friday (1 July), the Paid Parental Leave Scheme will be mandatory for all businesses – now is the time for all employers to register their business with the Family Assistance Office.
According to Adrienne Unkovich, executive director at Workforce Guardian, regardless of whether or not you may have employees about to go on parental leave, it’s important to register your business to prepare for the future. -
LinkedIn: key business tool
Helen Hull | June 28, 2011The business focused social media website LinkedIn is a quick, easy and highly accessible way to manage your contacts and business leads.
Tom Skotidas director and founder of B2B social media lead generation agency Skotidas believes LinkedIn is a very effective and efficient way to identify and connect with decision makers.
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CIO great says “Get rid of IT”
Sally Rose | June 27, 2011On 24 June 2011 at the Global Access Partners (GAP) Workshop on Cloud Computing, a joint initiative with the Department of Broadband Communications and the Digital Economy, I had the chance to hear the keynote address from Prof Paul A Strassmann.
Prof Strassmann has truly earned his place in the CIO hall of fame; joking that he is not really a Professor, in the sense that his interest in IT is by no means merely academic. He has authored many articles and books and holds a number of trademarks. He seems to have been even busier since retirement.
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Have your say: Mining industry
Helen Hull | June 22, 2011Would you like to be involved in the development of government policy?
The Business Consultation website allows you to keep on top of potential changes to business and industry and have your say on issues that affect you.
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How often is too often?
Geoffrey McDonald Bowll | June 22, 2011When is the right timing for business or personal contact? If you meet a possible customer at a function, do you ring them desperately the next day and look pathetic, friendless and pushy, or do you wait a good six months and hope they remember you, like you’re as memorable as Barack or the Dizzy Lama?
It’s a mystery to many of us. Who wouldn’t love the timing talent that knows exactly when to push the button and when to hold off, teasing the audience, putting them more in love with your words of wisdom, because they have received them right when the coffee arrived, or the second glass of wine kicked in.
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APTS recognised as WA Telstra Business finalist
Helen Hull | June 21, 2011First 5000 member, Australian Pressure Testing Services (APTS) has been named as a finalist in the 2011 Telstra Western Australian Business Awards across three categories.
The service provider to the oil and gas industry, which pressure tests pipelines and vessels to prove their integrity, is a finalist in the Panasonic Medium Business, Yellow Pages Social Responsibility and AMP Innovation categories.
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Difference between Add-Ons and ERP
Michael McCash | June 20, 2011
Today’s IT market is crowded with credible and non–credible players, each offering an instant ‘band-aid’ fix to the pain-points of your existing accounting software.
The question is: when does this add-on software stop providing the promised benefits and start hampering your growth? -
Prepared for the end of financial year?
Michael Derin | June 14, 2011
From taking care of the year’s profit and losses to reviewing your balance sheets and maximising your tax deductions, this checklist from accountant Michael Derin at the Azure Group is everything you need to take care of before the year is out.
