The ease of setting up an internet business also makes it easy for some companies to be a less than reliable online provider, as seen by the December collapse of travel provider Bestjet. Here's what to do if you click “purchase” online and then never receive what you were promised. The Bestjet collapse, which has [...]

Some insurers have already started to pay claims to bushfire-affected businesses on the NSW South Coast, as their business interruption insurance policy provides for weekly payments. Having this support has been important for affected firms to stay in business. It allows them to maintain their cash flow and pay regular outgoings such as rent and wages. [...]

Sensible businesspeople try to avoid being blindsided by political events, technological changes or shifts in consumer behaviour. Here’s what they should be paying attention to for the next 12 months  Michael McQueen is one of the nation’s pre-eminent trend-forecasters and has a client list that includes AMP, Optus, Toyota and Westpac. Here are three [...]

Almost every day, news sites run stories about thieves who have been caught thanks to security cameras. Over the past year alone, bandits have been captured stealing Lego from retailers across Sydney, Halloween decorations in Adelaide and even baby formula. As this demonstrates, using surveillance devices in a business is a popular way to capture footage of criminal activity. [...]

Marketing your business in this increasingly digitally connected world is no mean feat. Here’s how social media can help you grow your business. Social media has become an integral part of a brand’s marketing push in recent years. The proliferation of platforms only adds to the number of possibilities for you to promote your [...]

Telematics technology has proven benefits when it comes to encouraging more responsible driving, with research indicating better driver behaviour is one of the main advantages in using this innovation. Black box or telematics technology is a way for businesses to collect data on how their employees are using company vehicles. Using telematics, businesses can [...]

Nike went from “Just Do It” to “just blew it” when one of its basketball shoes tore apart spectacularly on US national television, causing superstar Zion Williamson to hit the floor clutching his knee, before hobbling off the court.  The sneaker blowout wiped $2 billion off Nike's market value overnight and raised serious questions over who [...]

Australians are increasingly working from home, with the most recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicating at least a third of us choose to work from home at least past of the time. A study by future trends research house McCrindle shows there are lots of different reasons why people work from home. In total, 45 [...]

Many SME owners believe that they don’t have to worry too much about cyber crime. After all, why would Internet villains bother with small fry when they could go after heavy hitters such as Yahoo, eBay or Uber? Unfortunately, cyber criminals take an equal-opportunity approach. While they can and do target large organisations, they also [...]

If you don’t have your customers’ trust, you don’t have your customers – simple. Here’s how three Australian businesses’ reputations were recently damaged, and how you can minimise your risk. Your customers won’t want you renovating their family home, cutting their hair, photographing their wedding, sewing their toddlers’ pyjamas or keeping their office clean [...]