Australian Business News and Times

Business News ,Reports and Times of Australia

Business

Custom Banners – Key Benefits for Your Business

by Leave a Comment

outdoor advertising and banners for marketing

Although the world is increasingly becoming digitalised, traditional methods of marketing and advertising still play a major role in the overall broader marketing mix. Custom banners are no exception. Advertising your business with custom banners at your office, an event or tradeshow can separate you from the crowd. Here are a few benefits of why you should consider a printed banner at your next business event.

It’s Affordable

It isn’t expensive compared to other traditional advertising methods where production costs are much higher. Small businesses in particular can benefit from banner advertising due to the minimal marketing budgets often associated with new businesses trying to find their feet.

Gain More Reach

Although other forms of marketing and advertising offer more targeted solutions, custom banners present your business with a much higher reach to a wider range of potential customers. Depending on your overall business objectives, this usually suits a business looking to gain more exposure rather than direct sales (although often going hand in hand). It is also a great way for you to cement your branding and identity in the minds of these potential customers while you’re at it too.

Repetition & Consistency Establishes Identity

In most businesses overall marketing strategy, a key element is to establish their branding and identity. This is achieved through repetitive and consistent branding. Custom banners a great way in achieving this as they are not only affordable, but also very versatile too. You can hang your custom branded banner out the front of your building or office as a permanent set-up, while also having a couple of back up ones that can be taken to events and trade shows should the opportunity arise. Either way, the more potential customers see your brand the more your business will jump to mind when potential customers are ready to buy what you are offering.

They Are Effective

A well designed and printed custom banner is a proven advertising tactic. Because signs and banners are such a natural part of our daily environment, many people pay attention to signage, either directly or indirectly. When coupled with design principles that grab customers’ attention – such as inclusion of graphics, a recognizable logo or colour scheme and concise copy – custom advertising banners are a very effective means of getting your message across to potential customers.

Treasurer Scott Morrison slams banks for not passing on full interest rate cuts

by Leave a Comment

ScreenHunter201560 Aug. 03

Australia’s Reserve bank has reduced interest rates to a record low, cutting its cash rate from 1.75% to 1.5%. while the reserve bank board and government hopes the further cut will boost the labour market and economic growth, the banks are not entirely supporting this.

Banks in recent times have either not been passing on the interest rates reduction fully or delaying passing on reduction in mortgage rates , in the process making millions of dollars while they delay.

The big four banks caught most people off guard by actually lifting some key deposit rates and increasing their revenue.

Commonwealth Bank will cut its standard variable interest rates for mortgages by 0.13 percentage points. The biggest major bank reduction was Westpac’s 14-basis-point cut for some of its home loan customers

· Commonwealth Bank  by 0.12 percentage points

· ANZ by 0.12 percentage points

· National Australia Bank 0.10 percentage point

· Westpac Bank  by 0.14 percentage points

Treasurer Scott Morrison Yesterday told Sky News "we would like to see them pass all of these things on".

"What we’ve seen from at least the two that have made a decision is not the traditional response," Mr Morrison said.

"It’s not like they didn’t pass it all on and did nothing else. What they’ve done is they’ve cut their mortgage rates and they’ve increased their deposit rates."

Mr Turnbull said the cuts were not enough. Addressing media in Canberra, he said the banks should pass on the rate cut in full or explain the decision "fully and comprehensively" to their customers

RBA governor Glenn Stevens said in a statement recent data suggested growth was continuing at a moderate pace, despite a big decline in business investment.

Tuesday’s board meeting was Mr Stevens’ second last. He will be succeeded on September 18 by his deputy, Philip Lowe.

6 Compelling Reasons to Start a Photo Booth Business

by Leave a Comment

clip_image002

The photo booth is one of those recreational items that has earned an iconic status over the years. It has been seen in blockbuster movies and many of our favourite television shows too. In fact, the photo booth has kind of become shorthand for ‘hijinks with friends’ and ‘romantic trysts’ with new beaus. And, its appeal lies with the fact that, even though time spent in the booth itself may be fleeting, it leaves you with something special to take away.

You can keep your photo booth snaps as a memory of a happy time in your life, whether they are taken at a wedding, a family party, or a high school formal. This is something that all of us find appealing, in one way or another, because such permanence can be fleeting in our fast paced, digital world. For all of these reasons, setting up a photo booth business is a guaranteed way to earn cash and have fun at the same time.

Keep reading for more great reasons to think about establishing your first photo booth business.

1. Getting Started is Simple

Contrary to popular belief, this is one of the simplest business models around. You don’t need to invest in a whole lot of stock and because photo booths are portable, you won’t necessarily need a dedicated premises to operate out of either. The main thing that you need to do is buy a custom photo booth that is built in accordance with your needs.

2. Photo Booths Are Lots of Fun

The best way to make money as a photo booth vendor is to make your services available for hire to parties and celebratory events. So, you’ll get a chance to be around happy people, who are keen to have a good time. This is the kind of work atmosphere that few business owners get the chance to be around.

3. The Start Up Costs Are Low

It really doesn’t cost much to set up a photo booth business. In fact, most of the initial expense is invested in marketing and promotion. If you are on a tight budget, you can even thinking about leasing a booth until you’ve got the capital to buy one outright. As discussed, there are few early stock costs and you don’t need a dedicated premises.

4. You Get to Be Your Own Boss

For a lot of people, there is nothing better than the dream of owning an independent and self-sustaining company. It allows you to determine your own working hours and you don’t have to answer to a boss who doesn’t understand your needs. With a photo booth business, you are in charge and can decide the direction, theme, and objectives of the company.

5. It Could Be a Tax Benefit

In some cases, running a small business comes with certain tax perks. This is not assured and the only way to know for definite is to talk to an accountant, but it is certainly worth a little consideration. You must always be clear on your tax status before you make any decisions about when or how to pay.

6. Photo Booths Are Always Popular

The great thing about choosing a photo booth service for your first business is the fact that these items are timeless. Yes, they have a retro appeal, but it is a vibe that never goes out of fashion. Photo booths are iconic and always relevant, no matter what popular trends are saying. If you can work out how to appeal to the best market, you’ll always have a lucrative business model.

How to Capitalise on the Popularity of Photo Booths

The wonderful thing about photo booths is that they are almost an instant business all by themselves. To be a success, you do need marketing tools and an efficient form of transportation, but technically, the company is all in the booth itself. You could purchase one tomorrow and start making money right away; it really is that easy. So, if you want to get a business off the ground quickly, this could be the right choice for you.

Important factors to consider before buying a Hosted PBX phone system

by Leave a Comment

 

EPABX Telecom System

With global internet speeds increasing & dependability on communications so prevalent, many organizations are considering making the move to a VoIP phone system. Hosted PBX is a type of VoIP system that allows a business to eliminate expensive, on-site phone system hardware and utilize cloud PBX infrastructure to run their phone system. Moving to this type of service has many benefits along with its associated risks. When implemented correctly, a Hosted PBX phone system can significantly improve the way an organization communicates & reduce expenditure by up to 50%.

Below are 5 key questions to ask your supplier when you are evaluating the transition to a Hosted PBX phone system.

 

  1. How secure is the VoIP system?

As Hosted PBX phone systems are located on servers on the internet, they can be prime targets for hackers. If the system is not properly protected, an intruder is able to make calls from your phone system and run up massive costs in a very short period of time by calling international premium phone numbers. If you are considering a Hosted PBX solution, it is essential to make sure the security measures of your VoIP provider are up-to-date and that they have state-of-the art hardware and software firewalls in place to protect your system from unwanted intruders.

 

  1. Are your current phone requirements supported?

Even though VoIP phones have more features that traditional phones, sometimes the VoIP phones will not support simply functions that you use on your current PABX phone system. Ask your supplier if their Hosted PBX platform supports functionality such as call parking, BLF (Busy Lamp Field) indicators on phones, intercom functionality and call queuing. These are basic functions that 20-year-old PABX phone systems can support, yet some Hosted systems cannot replicate. Request a demo of the proposed phone system so you can try before you buy.

 

  1. Is faxing supported on VoIP?

Sending & receiving faxes over VoIP technology can be both challenging and erratic. Fax technology was only designed with analog networks in mind. If faxing is essential in your business make sure you have a fax service that will work over VoIP and work the way you need it to. Some suppliers provide an ATA (analogue telephone adapter) that works with your existing fax machine while others provide full cloud fax solutions. Understand how faxes work over VoIP with your provider prior to switching.

  1. What happens if the system goes down?

If the Hosted PBX provider’s system is not available, your phones will not be able to access the system at all. This means you will not be able to make or receive calls. Missed calls can cost an organization millions of dollars of lost revenue depending on how long the system may be down. However, in the event of a system outage Hosted PBX systems have unique & flexible abilities to automatically forward calls to another network, such as a mobile phone or backup PSTN service. It is important to find out what backup measures are offered by your provider for in the event of an outage. A total internet network outage maybe be when there is a local power failure, or a physical on-site hardware fails or potentially when the provider’s system/server goes down. Automatic failovers are essential for continued operations when running a Hosted PBX.

 

  1. Can the system be scaled or upgraded?

One huge benefit of a Hosted PBX system is that there are often no restrictions to how big or small your system can scale to. Providers will structure their plans and infrastructure differently so ask them what restrictions there are on extensions & simultaneous calls. Make sure you think ahead because how you communicate today is completely different to how you communicated 3 years ago, and it will be completely different in another 3 years’ time.

6 ways biking can boost your productivity, creativity, and bottom line

by Leave a Comment

by: Hunter Walsh

biking in cycle city
Encouraging employees to ride a bike to work is growing in popularity not just because of cycling and employee wellness trends, but because it makes sense for both employers and employees to take advantage of the many benefits cycling has to offer. Today only about 1% of Australian workers cycle to work while about 66% drive, according to data from The Heart Foundation. Motivating and supporting active transportation can make a significant improvement in the health and wellbeing of your employees and your business.
1. Inactivity is a killer.
Physical inactivity like sitting at a desk all day and driving to get around instead of walking or cycling takes a toll both physically and financially. Johns Hopkins Medicine reports that physical inactivity is a known risk factor for high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, anxiety, depression, cancer and obesity. KPMG – Econtech data reports costs of physical inactivity in Australia to be $719 million in healthcare costs, and $9.2 billion in productivity cost. Cycling to work is an excellent solution because it’s efficient – combining exercise and transportation. Healthier workers make a healthier workplace, and cycling makes people healthy and happy…
2. Cycling makes employees happier.
A study conducted at the University of Sydney surveyed 846 urban commuters in Sydney and found that commuter cyclists are happier than drivers, pedestrians and people using public transport. About two times happier, to be exact, which leads us to reason number 3
3. Biking to work boosts productivity.
Happy employees are about 12% more productive, according to a study by economists at the University of Warwick. “When I bike to work I’m refreshed and relaxed,” said Lia Weston, partner at Bio-Mechanics Cycles & Repairs in Adelaide who has been cycling to work for 7 years. “The movement wakes me up.” Many people who cycle to work liken their morning ride to a cup of coffee, and the data backs up that feeling. A study of 100 employers conducted by Cyclescheme found that two-thirds of employers surveyed reported that employees who cycle to work are more energetic and productive.
4. Cycling improves mental health.
A long-term commuter study (10 years) looked at workers who commuted by car, public transportation, foot and bicycle. Thestudy, conducted by University of East Anglia’s Norwich Medical School and the Centre for Health Economics at the University of York, evaluated all types of commuters and took a closer look at those who had switched from commuting by car or public transport to active transportation like cycling. They found that those who made the switch had improved concentration and less stress.
5. A ride a day keeps the doctor away.
Employees who regularly cycle to work take one day less sick leave per year on average than their non-cycling colleagues, according to study findings from Dutch Research and Testing organization the TNO conducted on behalf of Tineke Huizinga, the deputy minister for traffic and works. The same report says that every 1% increase in the number of employees that cycle to work saves their employers nearly €27M per year due to lowered costs due to illness and absenteeism.


6. Parking cars is expensive. Parking bikes, less so.
A parking space can fit a single motor vehicle and cost about $22,000 to build. In comparison, that same space can fit as many as 20 bicycles in a bike rack, which costs only about $400 to install.
Bike shops Bio-Mechanics Cycles & Repairs in Adelaide and Ivanhoe Cycles and Melbourne Bicycle Centre in Melbourne have teamed up with global public health alliance My City Bikes to create beginner biking resources that assist entry level riders learn where to bike safely in their city.

These resources can help employees who are new to cycling find safe routes and need-to-know safety and maintenance information so they can start biking to work. For more information about beginner biking and organized workplace wellness programs to encourage cycling to work, visit mycitybikes.org/australia-work.

What can You Expect from a top Commercial Cleaning Company

by Leave a Comment

Choosing a cleaning company that can meet all your commercial cleaning requirements is not easy. The reason for this is that every commercial establishment has its own specific needs.

cleaning

For example cleaning of an auto workshop will be completely different to that of an office and that of a restaurant will be not be similar to that of an industrial complex. This is why you can be sure that a firm offering comprehensive commercial cleaning services will have the required expertise to tackle any related activity and has definitely acquired a high degree of specialization and professionalism in this field.

When choosing a cleaning company carry out some research and look for companies that have made a name for themselves in this specific type of work. The Internet has made the task easy for you. Instead of going through the yellow pages and calling companies without knowing about the quality of services offered by them, pick a few companies operating in your area from the local online listings. Browse their websites, get a detailed idea about their infrastructure and their capabilities, know their top clients and most importantly, read the testimonials of some of their previous and present customers. This exercise will make your task of choosing a reliable company that much easier and you can be sure that you are hiring one of the best.

What does a top commercial cleaning company have to offer and what are the points that you should emphasize before hiring one. The most important of course concerns the security and safety of your establishment. Select a company that is fully insured, bonded and licensed so that any liability or claims made by you will be taken care of. Pick a cleaning company that has the antecedents of the cleaners verified by the police before taking them on board. This is an extra protection especially for the non domestic sector as any office or similar organisations have trade secrets to protect.

The second item to be ticked off on your priority list concerns the cleaning solutions used. In today’s business environment there is a growing awareness about the need to protect the health of the workers to prevent absenteeism and downtime. Use of conventional cleaning products that have harmful, toxic and harsh abrasive chemicals should definitely be avoided as it can adversely affect the health of your employees. The company you hire must use only natural, mild and safe products for their cleaning activities.

A unique trait of commercial establishments is that most do not have fixed timings. Consider an industrial complex that works in shifts. The cleaning task has to be finished in the time one section of the workers leave and another set arrives so as not to get in their way. Top cleaning companies will be able to structure their cleaning routines in a manner that ensures that the work is finished without causing any inconvenience, whatever may be the time of the day or night. If you run a similar establishment, this is another aspect that you should make sure of before signing on the dotted line.

Once you have selected a top of the line commercial and office cleaning company to take care of your cleaning requirements, always offer them a long term maintenance contract. Your safety is assured as almost the same set of people will be attending to your job every day. You can also work out a discount on the rates generally charged by them.

The key benefits of a Virtual Office

by Leave a Comment

clip_image002

Innovation is crucial to the continuing success of any Australian business. Therefore, it is important to adapt to the requirements of your clientele and the market your business is operating within. Creating and supporting flexible working hours allows the people who work for you to log on wherever they are, whenever they’re required. A virtual office not only allows for flexible working hours, but it also increases the comfort level of your staff members as there is no commute associated with logging on remotely. Additionally, this enables your business to communicate to global markets with reduced disruption to your employees.

From an overheads perspective, virtual offices also drastically reduce your business’s costs. As the business doesn’t have to pay for a brick and mortar lease, but can still have access to all the benefits if it so requires. In addition, your business will also see that there is a reduction in energy and technology costs.

Not only can you still have a fixed prestigious business address, but also provide co-working spaces worldwide and access to boardrooms with high-tech facilities made available at your request. Therefore, it allows your business to really have the edge, whilst also having the flexibility and cash flow to innovate accordingly.

Outlined below are the key benefits:

Zero Travel Time

Not only will your staff benefit from not having to commute, but also your clients. As they can take advantage of remote access to conference calls or meetings, particularly since travelling to and from any office can be extremely unproductive. As such, this time could be better spent on focusing on a specific task rather than wasting time sat in traffic.

Being Flexible Works

Flexibility can be a wonderful asset to boosting morale, as by being flexible to your employee’s needs creates a positive association with your business. Therefore, by allowing your employees the option to start earlier or later, they will be more likely to appreciate your understanding and work harder. As such, it is more than likely that your business will experience increased productivity from your employees.

Overhead Reduction

Without any brick and mortar lease, or the associated utility bills, the business overheads will considerably reduce. Furthermore, this will have a direct affect on your business’s profit and provides you with the option of investing in your employees, whilst training courses or incentive schemes could be developed to reduce employee turnover.

Larger Talent Pool

Without having the constraints of a fixed office address, it allows you to employ people who would normally have been out of reach, which opens up a number of opportunities for the company to employ the best staff for the job. Alternatively, if the business is global it may well be beneficial to employ a designated staff member in each major city that the business is working in, or where your clients reside.

Productivity Push

A major positive is the increase in productivity your business will see. Without the commute to work, paired with the flexible working hours, employees will be more likely to work harder in exchange for these benefits. Moreover, as you physically cannot monitor what your staff members are doing, there will be an increase in their productivity by your employees showcasing how hard they are working in this new environment.

Productivity will also increase due to the lack of distractions from having a busy office environment, as interruptions from other staff members can cause people to stop and start projects, which can be when errors occur.

Experts top stories that allowed them to create a winning logo.

by Leave a Comment

promo products australia

If you are serious about taking your business to the next level, you need to look at developing a branding strategy that makes use of your business’s logo. The logo is the branding stamp that will quickly communicate the values and benefits that your brand represents. Whether you use the logo on product designs, in your marketing materials or on promotional products, the right logo will allow your business to scale awareness to the wider audience in your market. Below are a few tips from logo design experts that you can use to develop a winning logo.

Caroline Davidson – Creator of the Nike ‘Swoosh’ logo in 1971.

Caroline Davidson is credited with creating one of the world’s most easily recognisable logos. She helped Nike founder Phil Knight with the rebrand of his ‘Blue Ribbon Sports’ business to the ‘Nike brand’ when he and his business partners were also looking for a new logo concept. Caroline was offered the opportunity to create the logo and after coming up with several designs, she fell in love with the Swoosh. She said that she never got tired of looking at it. Harvard Business School professor Stephen A. Greyser was quoted saying, “The Swoosh has become a living, vibrant symbol of the firm.” She aimed to develop a static design that appeared fluid. She would draw her designs on tissue papers and lay it over the shoe to make sure it would look good on the product.

Milton Glaser – Creator of the ‘I love New York’ logo in 1977.

Milton Glaser was able to use the influence of pop culture and art to develop the logo, which was also used as a slogan for New York’s State Department of Commerce. The idea evolved from a ‘one-line’ concept to ‘stacking’ to develop a higher impact on the audience. The logo became closely associated with New York City and was even modified by Glaser following the 2001 September 11 attacks, with a black dot in the heart representing the World Trade Centres.

Rob Janoff – Creator of the Apple logo in 1977.

The Apple logo was created by Rob Janoff who was the art director at advertising and PR firm Regis McKenna. One of the thoughts behind his design was how iconic it was for people to take a bite out of an apple, since it was something that anyone could experience. The design is said to have used the ‘Golden ration’, which has been used since the 16th century to create harmonious, aesthetically eye-pleasing designs.

Ruth Kedar – Graphic design artist for the Google logo – 1999-2015.

The original Google design was conceptualised by Larry Page, one of the original founders of Google. However, the formal design was completed by Ruth Kedar. The Google founders liked the playful elements and typeface that she used in the design. Another element was the use of colours in the typeface that reinforced how Google “Doesn’t follow the rules.”

Bill Cleary – Graphic designer for the first EBay logo

Bill Cleary was a part of the CKS Group, a Californian design agency. One of the key factors to the original design was how ‘baseline shift’, which displayed the characters in a zigzag manner. The colours were used to convey entertainment, enthusiasm and energy. There was also an abnormal use of capital letters to enhance the display. The logo was used for 17 years before undergoing a revamp in 2012.

The right logo design can enhance the recognition and brand recall for the business. Every business wants to have a logo design that is memorable, easily recognisable and that easily communicates the core values of the brand. Get inspired by these experts today!

Setting up an office in Australia and what you need

by Leave a Comment

finding office space in australia

Looking to start your own office, but don’t know where to go. Luckily there are office solutions that exist that can help you in this area and find you the right office space for your business. Australia is a growing economy with companies in many sectors like oil and gas, mining, start up and tech companies emerging every day. The bustling economy is supported by the rapid pace of its growing population.

With the rapid growth comes the needs for more space for small offices, big offices and also serviced or executive offices where a business does not have to do much but just find or rent out a fully equipped office.

Finding the right office space can be a tedious job, because different kind of offices has different kind of requirements, a clinic office would have different requirements to a start-up technology office or an offshore oil and gas setting up a local office in your country. Different factors need to be taken into account like locations of the office, transport to office, parking availability, disabled access, security etc.

Office spaces can often also vary in prices with its proximity to the capital CBD or if it is then based in the suburbs. CBD office spaces normally tend to be higher in rent compared to office space in the suburbs. Real estate brokers or custom agents for office space would be able to give you an idea of what is most suitable to your budget and find you the right listings to choose from.

Modern office agents not only find the right space for you knew office but also manage/organise the leasing and finance to get your new office started up quickly. Top commercial office agents like CBRE, Knight Frank and Collier International often provide office space for sale or on an auction , but are not focussed on setting up an executive office as per your needs or then a serviced office for a small or medium business.

They are different commercial websites that provide listing of office space available in auction and for sale. But what do you do if you want a serviced office or then a fully functional executive office where you can just move in. This is where www.officespace.com.au comes in, they are a Australian company that can provide arrange of offices from executive offices in Sydney, serviced office space in Perth, a sophisticated location in Melbourne, furnished space in Brisbane or Adelaide or service pretty much all of Australia.

They do the work of finding the right location for you, setting up a lease with the most appropriate term suitable to you if long or short term and also doing all the paperwork – making it easy for you to just move in and start work.

If you are looking for office space in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth in Australia, you can check out the office space website to find a suitable space for your new office.

Outdoor Living & Furniture Trends 2016

by Leave a Comment

It goes without saying that Australians love spending time outdoors. As a result, outdoor living areas are now considered a crucial extension of the home, as more Aussies utilise the great weather all year round for entertaining close friends and family. Here we’ll discuss best practices to maintain the integrity of your home while creating that perfect outdoor area for you and your guests.

Seamless Flow

Although not a completely new idea, blending your indoor area with the outdoors is definitely gaining in popularity amongst Aussie homeowners. The idea is to create that seamless transition by choosing the right outdoor furniture, accessories and landscape to compliment the interior design and overall theme of your home. It’s important to try an enhance the connection between the two by fusing the natural beauty of the outdoor garden with the theme and comfort of your indoors.

Kos-Teak-Tables-New-599x435

Furniture Materials

As more Aussies opt for entertaining outside, modern outdoor furniture manufacturers are doing their best to develop new designs that meet our needs; both practically and aesthetically. It’s therefore no surprise that mixed material designs are growing in popularity as they enable a unique contrast, promoting a smoother dynamic blend, and therefore ensuring a smoother transition between your indoor and outdoor living area. Popular combinations include; resin and wood, iron and wood, or teak and stainless steel.

Tip: Materials like stone, wood and wicker – which give off a more natural vibe – go particularly well with vintage and eco inspired designs.

The mixed material approach truly offers greater flexibility, allowing people the freedom to experiment a little and roam from typical and exact matching styles, providing a diverse range of stylish alternatives for a seamless integration. As a result, this trend is firmly making its stance amongst Aussie homeowners around the nation.

Cloud-4-599x435

Accessories

Adding plants and other accessories is a simple way to make your outdoors feel homely and add that extra dimension of natural beauty, to further blur those lines between your indoor and outdoor space. By adding some visually appealing pots, a wall feature or even some artwork can have a dramatic impact on the overall feel of your space. With regards to outdoor furniture, adding a few colourful weather-resistant cushions here and there can cost-effectively breathe new life into existing furniture, meaning you don’t have to spend a fortune for noticeable impact.

1382421724_tribu-deco-580x435

This is post was brought to you by Cosh Living, Australia.

If you’re looking for the latest in modern furniture designs, inspired by the latest global trends, then be sure to contact one of the in-house specialists at Cosh Living at one of their beautifully presented stores around Australia.

For more info, please visit www.coshliving.com.au