Management Matters

Digital giants like Amazon and Netflix have changed customer expectations dramatically. No matter the size of your business, standards have shifted, and consumers are demanding personalisation, choice, 24/7 responsiveness, and a good user experience from all of the brands they engage with, regardless of size.

We don't have any control over customers, but we can invest in our front line. When you focus on nurturing your staff, then everything else comes together and that in turn increases the chances of attracting and retaining customers.

Winning a contract with a major retailer as a SME is often a cause for celebration. Along with the prestige of being associated with a big brand, it can often mean a higher and more secure revenue stream. There are, however, a few downsides to dealing with a much bigger client, so you need to handle the relationship correctly so the advantages outweigh any negatives.

Mondayitis. The Monday Blues. Manic Monday. Call it what you like, but that feeling of dread that sets in on a Sunday night is not a figment of your imagination. Mondayitis is very real, and while a mild case can result in a struggle to get out the door on time, extreme cases can result in not being able to get out of bed at all.

In fact, of the 38 OECD countries Australia was ranked 30th for work-life balance with 13.2% of our population working very long hours. That may not sound like much, but when you compare it to the 0.5% of the Netherlands, it puts things in perspective.

Services firms are finding themselves needing to adapt - or risk being left behind. Reacting to the situation, services leaders are designing new operating models that allow them to better connect, orchestrate and optimise their businesses.

Businesses like Uber, Deliveroo and Airtasker are booming thanks to more and more people choosing to gain a second income. Some will pursue the gig economy as a full time option and a study predicted that by 2020, 43 percent of American workers would be independent contractors.

Even businesses that conduct all their transactions online are not exempt from the law. With more companies looking to compete with giants like Amazon, there is a large retail market appearing on the Internet. The government is constantly enacting new laws and rules to adapt to the evolving environment.

Working ON your business involves the development of growth strategies through planning, goal-setting and process automation. Whereas, working IN your business comprises those day-to-day activities such as paying invoices, meeting clients and answering queries.

Many companies invest more money in customer acquisition as they perceive it to be a quick and effective way of generating profit. However, this opinion has been disproven by multiple studies which have shown that it is in fact customer retention, and acquisition, that lays the groundwork for long-term, sustainable growth.

When the Cambridge Analytica data scandal broke, many jaws dropped in disbelief, people raced to close their online social media accounts, saying, ‘Never again!’

In Australia, there’s a population of just under 25 million and of that there are 3.3 million women aged between 25-45 that are underemployed due to taking parental leave. They are struggling to return to work or have gainful employment due to the lack of flexibility.

With the rise in peer to peer business and the growth in the gig economy, it is unsurprising that the ATO is increasing its attention in this space. Just after the Federal budget was handed down, it updated its page on the sharing economy, signalling its intention to monitor this growing industry closely.

Appointing a board of directors is one rite of passage startups need to consider as they mature. Serial entrepreneur and Juggle Street founder David James offers advice on when to do it and how to appoint the right people.

Without good people supporting you, it's very difficult to scale and pursue every opportunity presented, whether that's through winning loyal customers who refer you to others, or maintaining your market edge through innovation.

On the 25th May, the European Union (EU) brought into force the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), with the aim of harmonising data protection laws across Europe as well as giving greater protection to individuals. It is one of the biggest changes to data protection rules over the last two decades.

When Tim Ferriss first released his book and mantra The 4-Hour Workweek, I was inquisitive enough to buy the book and give it a...

It will take more intuitive, fluid forms of leadership that can leverage the power of human connections and the ability to inspire and envision others. If you want to build anything great, you’re going to have to get it the hard way. 

Cashrewards has seen tremendous success in creating an entirely new industry in Australia, achieving spectacular growth in less than four years. The company has grown from nothing to a 50+ person company, with a 2% share of the total national online shopping market.

The psychology of business can be used in your favor no matter which side of the metaphorical negotiating table you are on.