Internet Plan and Provision

Posted on July 8, 2020 by Angus Jones

Just like at home you need to choose an internet provider for your business. The exception to this is if you run your business from home and can use your existing Internet account. This guide will help you understand the lingo and suggest what to look for in an internet broadband plan.

An Internet or Broadband Plan is a service agreement you have with an internet retailer to provide you with access to the internet. The plan is normally paid by the month.

WHAT are my choices in connecting to the internet?

How can you physically connect to the internet? Either by a fixed connection (a wire) via the NBN – National Broadband Network – sold to you via a retailer like Telstra, TPG, etc. or via a wireless solution, most likely over mobile phone networks like Optus. For example, Optus offers mobile data (internet) to a mobile phone or by a wireless broadband modem.

Generally speaking wireless solutions are more expensive but give you more flexibility in access from anywhere there is coverage.

HOW do I choose which internet plan from retailers?

Internet retailers will offer you various connection plans and these will include the following terminology:

How to choose an Internet provider?

Data usage
This is how much data you may use in a month and is usually expressed in a measure of GB or GigaBytes. 1 GB of download would be equivalent to watching 1 movie on Netflix or about 13,000 emails. How much you need will depend on how many are using your connection and what they are sending and receiving. The good news is most providers offer an unlimited plan.
Speed
This may be represented as NBN50 or NBN100. This refers to how quickly you can send and receive data. The bigger the number the faster. Remember in your small business you may be sharing this connection with others so what might be fine at home may not be enough at work. There is also a difference between download and upload speeds. For example, if the plan is represented as 50/20 it means you will get 50 download speed but only 20 upload speed. The implication here is if your business sends many large files to clients that 20Mbps (million bits per second) may not be enough. For those technically minded there are 8 bits in a byte. So to send a 1GB file on a 20Mbps link would take a minimum of almost 7 minutes. Most small offices should be considering a 100/40 plan and even a 250/100 plan if you will use a lot of cloud-based services and video conferencing.
Dynamic vs static IP address
Think of this like always putting your keys in the same spot (static) versus variable locations (dynamic). You always find your keys but if you always put them in the same spot they are easier to find. It is more cost-effective for internet providers to offer a dynamic address. However, as a business, if you have an onsite email, web server, or are transferring files out to others a static address is better.
Phone service
Most providers will either package a phone service or have various options. In this world of mobiles, you need to consider if that is important to you and at what sort of functionality you require like group hunting (ability to try different numbers till someone answers)
4G/5G Backup
This is a service offered by some providers where in the unlikely event the fixed internet goes down you will still have access via the mobile phone network most likely at a slower speed.
Contracts
Some will offer no lock-in contracts others will offer contracts. Generally if you lock into a contract you may get a better upfront deal however you cannot change easily if a better deal comes along. Some providers will also allow you to change plans as your circumstances change.
Customer service
All is good until something goes wrong. What hours can you get support? Is the service prompt (some offer businesses a priority). What country will the call be answered in?

WHEN should you consider a wireless solution?

If you run a small business out of a truck or small van this would be the obvious choice. You could do this by either using a hotspot from your phone or have a dedicated mobile broadband device with a separate sim card. If you run an office that has difficult access for a fixed connection or you move regularly you can also consider a wireless broadband solution. This is a modem that uses either the 4G or 5G mobile phone network but is designed to support more users and has a more cost-effective plan than wireless broadband.

HINT

How do you work out what deals are available? The good news is there are some great websites like Finder and Whistleout that will allow you to set parameters around what you need and they will present back to you the best deals available from various internet providers.
https://www.finder.com.au/broadband-plans/business-broadband-plans
https://www.whistleout .com.au/Broadband

There is a lot to consider, but our advice is to evaluate the impact of a slow speed connection, unreliable connection, or time to resolution and what cost/impact that will have on your small business when choosing your provider. Ask others or check internet forums if they have had bad or good experiences with internet providers especially in the area your business is located. Experience can change by location.

If you already have an internet provider don’t hesitate to shop around for a better intern plan as many businesses are on old uncompetitive plans.

SUMMARY – Reliable Internet plan deal

Reliable internet at a speed and capacity that suits your small business is your goal. A few minutes comparing deals may save you hundreds of dollars.

Internet Security protects from cyber threat

Posted on July 8, 2020 by Angus Jones

What is the most valuable item in your small business? Is it a piece of machinery or perhaps the data on your computers. How do you protect that valuable item? With thick steel bars or a thin sheet of glass? This guide will discuss Internet Security protecting you from a Cyber Threat.

A Cyber Threat is the possibility of a malicious attempt to steal information, damage or disrupt a computer network or system. This threat will come via the internet , but you can protect yourself via security software and good practise.

WHY should you care about internet security?

All the benefits of being able to connect with the world via the internet also mean that all the criminals of the world can target you.

Not only do you want to protect your reputation and secure your private information you also must protect any customer data you have and can be fined for a breach.

WHAT are the types of cyber threats?

Malware

Refers to viruses, spyware, trojans, and worms. Malware can allow someone to take control or spy on an individual’s computer. Key information stolen includes bank details, credit card numbers, and passwords.

Phishing (pronounced fishing)

This refers to receiving an email from someone pretending to be familiar with you. They quite often pretend to be a well know Australian brand and encourage you to click on a link. You will then be asked to provide information like passwords, birth dates or to pay a fake bill. For example, you receive an email from your bank but it is actually a phisher. They ask you to confirm your banking details including password. The phisher then uses these details to log into your real account and steal money.

Phishing may occur via email, SMS, instant messaging or social media

Ransomware

This is where your computer is essentially hijacked and you are asked to pay a ransom. Do Not Pay a ransom as they may never give you access even if you pay! It works by you clicking on a link or opening an attachment that installs software which denies you access to your computer or files. A message is displayed indicating if you pay money they will give you access back.

How do you protect yourself against internet security threats?

To protect your small business from cyber threats you should consider implementing the following:

Antivirus software – Also known as anti-malware software, this is computer software used to detect, prevent, and remove malware. Bought as a per year subscription you should ensure all PCs are running it and subscriptions are up to date. See Gadget Guy for reviews of the latest antivirus software solutions.

Automatically update your operating system – The likes of Microsoft and Apple are continually providing software updates to counter new threats. Most modern operating systems are set to automatically update by default but ensure this has not been deactivated.

Automatically update your software applications – Just like your operating system, applications like Microsoft Office need regular security updates. Since the release of Microsoft Office 10, this is automatic by default (from office click file then account to check).

Regularly back up your business’ data – This is a digital copy of your data from your PCs and shared storage devices preferably kept externally to your place of business. Back up is a critical strategy to restore your business and we cover this in a separate essential guide on Backup.

Multi-Factor Authentication – This is a security measure where two or more proof of identity must be provided to gain access. It would include some combination of password, pin, secret question, physical key (card or token), SMS, and a fingerprint.

Be cautious – If you are asked for money, your password, account details, or login details don’t provide them.

HINT

Implement a password strategy within your business which requires passwords to be strong. The key aspects of a strong password are length (the longer the better); a mix of letters (upper and lower case), numbers, and symbols, no ties to your personal information, and no dictionary words.

Make sure you have a strong password set up on your wi-fi

Decide who you will give access to what data

Teach your staff about the importance and predetermine a plan if you are affected.

Consider taking out technology and cyber crime insurance (see our essential guide on insurance)

SUMMARY – Secure your business against a cyber threat

Do not believe it will not happen to you. TAKE PRECAUTIONS AGAINST A CYBER THREAT TO YOUR COMPUTERS. Implement simple internet security steps to protect yourself like having virus software, keeping software up to date, ensuring you have secure passwords, and backing up your data will ensure your reputation and continuity of business.

Computer Network for small offices

Posted on July 8, 2020 by Angus Jones

Chances are you have a network at home but you don’t understand what you have. In this case we are referring to a computer network. Let’s chat about the different types and factors you should consider in making your decisions.

A computer network or data network is a set of computer or network devices connected together to share resources. This is how we allow several devices to connect to the internet in our offices or at home. Other shared resources can include a printer or a file server. Devices we may find connected on a network might include PCs, notebooks, tablets, mobile phones, printers, surveillance cameras, smart devices, NAS shared storage, a backup device, POS terminals, and EFTPOS terminals.

WHY do I need a computer network?

It makes a lot of sense to be able to share resources. Without a network you might need a printer on everyone’s desk. A network will enable everyone to have the internet and collaborate on shared documents or files.

WHAT are the components of a computer network?

Clients – devices we connect to the network that share the resources, for example, a PC or tablet connecting to a shared printer.

Wi-Fi Modem Router – This can be all in one box or separate devices. If these are separate devices you would connect them to each other by an ethernet cable.

Modem – This is the device that connects to the Internet from the street. Most likely it is the box provided by the NBN to connect to the NBN internet network.
Router – you must have at least one router. It is a cross between a traffic cop and a power board. It takes one internet connection and turns it into many, directing the traffic around your internal network to make all the magic happen.
Wi-Fi access point – If you don’t want to run ethernet cables you can connect your devices by wi-fi. This makes everything wireless except for electricity. A wi-fi point does have a limit on how many devices can connect, how far they can be from the access point, and the speed the data can be transferred. Thus is convenient but maybe not as reliable.

Ethernet Cable – this is a physical cable that will connect your various devices so they can talk to one another. An ethernet cable could run to your PC then to the router then the router to a printer thus allowing you to print. An electrician may run cables in ducts or behind walls so your office does not have visible wires running everywhere. An ethernet cable has the advantage of being a more reliable and faster connection.

Switch – Your router is likely to have a small switch in the back allowing multiple ethernet cables to be attached. Also, you may have additional switches to give you additional ports to connect more devices via ethernet cables (think of it like how a power board gives you more sockets)

Transfer speed on your network is shown as Mbps (mega bits per second). The bigger the number the better. As with any system the speed is governed by the weakest link which can be your internet plan speed, your method of transfer being wi-fi or ethernet cable, or the devices such as the router which the data transfers through. Most modern products are designed to support up to 1Gbps (1000 Mbps). In summary, speed is how fast you can transfer a file from A to B.

HOW to make your own network – Which Wi-Fi (wireless) Modem Router?

Without a doubt, the easiest, most economical, and fastest way to get up and running is to buy a wireless router. It will enable you to have a connection with both wi-fi and ethernet cable. Before you go out and buy one you need to understand the options and features:

Mesh Network – This is a recent wireless networking architecture that allows you to gain greater coverage by offering the main router and a satellite unit. The wi-fi network name remains the same and as you walk around your premises with your device connected wirelessly the connection will be seamlessly handed between the satellite and the main unit dependant which has better signal strength. This is a more reliable way of offering greater coverage in a larger area. Some units also use a dedicated wi-fi channel to ensure the best possible speed to the satellite.
Wireless extender – This is an optional extra device. As the wireless signal has a limited range you can use an extender box to increase the distance away from the original wi-fi router. Note that an extender will require you to connect to a different wi-fi network name and enter a password.
2.4Ghz vs 5Ghz –Ghz (gigahertz) refers to the radio frequency. A 2.4Ghz connection will travel further and better through walls but at a slower speed. 5Ghz will be faster but not have a good range (distance between PC and wi-fi router) and cannot support as many connections per channel. A dual-band router would normally mean 1 x 2.4GHz and 1 x 5Ghz channels available to connect to.
Processor and Ram – Remember we talked about a router being like a traffic cop. Well the stronger and more intelligent the router is the better it will handle moving all the traffic around. You should choose a device with a multi-core processor and a quantity of RAM for example, 128MB
Wi-Fi router speed – Be aware the top speed quoted on the carton is theoretical and you are unlikely to duplicate it in real life. If speed is a primary concern you should use an Ethernet cable to connect to your wireless router.
Smartphone App – Networking has traditionally been the domain of experts. However most modern units are easy to be set up and can easily be monitored and controlled from a smartphone app.
USB port – allows direct connection of a hard drive, printer or back up modem
VPN – a feature on high-end routers that allow you to set up a secure connection remotely (from home) back into your office environment.
Security – common on all routers that by default ensures only those with the appropriate passwords and permissions can connect to your network or devices on your network. You don’t want your competitor stealing all your ideas by simply parking their car out the front.

HINTS – 3 Tips to help with your setup

Some form of mobile phone modem is a great backup to keep your business running if the fixed service goes down (some internet providers offer this as standard in their package).
Be sure to read our essential guide on Backing up your Data. Always back up your data and store it at a secure external location.
Be forward-thinking – Buy quality hardware that will last for many years and allow for expansion in your business when you implement your network. For example, if you get an electrician in to do some ethernet cabling, maybe get some extra points installed.

SUMMARY – Visit Gadget Guy for the latest products

A good quality mesh wi-fi router will meet most small business needs and give you a simple and reliable way to share.

If you require something more complicated or you simply need help be sure to read our essential guide on IT Support.

Our sister publication Gadget Guy has reviews of the latest products to suit your small business. They also have more information on the technology https://www.gadgetguy.com.au/mesh-wifi-need-know-tutorial/

How to buy a photocopier

Posted on July 8, 2020 by Angus Jones

title of this topic is a little misleading, as, although you might be interested in a photocopier for your office, these machines do much more. They scan documents, print documents, collate documents and potentially even do some editing. In this guide, we will look at how to get the right photocopier machine in your office by looking at the considerations you should make in your decision.

A photocopier is a machine that makes copies of documents and other visual images onto paper or plastic film quickly and cheaply. Most modern photocopiers use a technology called xerography, a dry process that uses electrostatic charges on a light-sensitive photoreceptor to first attract and then transfer toner particles (a powder) onto paper in the form of an image. Heat, pressure or a combination of both is then used to fuse the toner onto the paper.
Wikipedia

WHY do I need a Copier?

Photocopier versus a printer?

If you are a small company and don’t print or copy much, chances are that you don’t need a dedicated photocopier. Instead, you can manage with an all-in-one printer, which you can read all about in our essential guide to printers.

If however, you print large volumes on various sized paper, need-collated documents such as a brochure, or make regular copies of documents, then a photocopier is a good option.

WHAT you need to know about ways to buy a photocopier?

A copier in its simplest form will cost between $500 to $1,000 but as you start adding multiple sized paper, this can easily climb from $3,000 to $40,000 for a high-speed colour machine.

There are generally four ways you can procure a machine for your business:

Buy or rent a photocopier

Buy a new machine outright
Take advantage of tax incentives, no contracts or leasing fees
Buy a 2^nd hand machine. Note a machine from new will often last 5 to 10 years
Cheaper but may have reliability issues
Lease a machine. Be sure to read our essential guide on leasing.
Low upfront cost, latest technology, and bundled maintenance
Managed print services. All-inclusive where you pay by the page
Only pay for pages printed and includes all consumables

Some vendors will combine these options such as a lease including an agreed number of pages after which you pay by the page.

Photocopiers (including printers) require regular maintenance to ensure reliability. It is normal to pay for a service contract to cover this.

HOW to make a decision on which copier

Once you identify that a photocopier is right for your business, consider the following features in your decision-making process:

Multifunction – a machine that will do one or more of the following
- Photocopying
- Printing – from you PC via the network
- Scanning – photocopier can directly send the scan to your email or computer
Black & white vs colour – ability to produce mono and/or colour. Cheaper machines will be mono only
Network – Can have a Wi-Fi and/or Ethernet port to connect to your network
Paper size – Support single or multiple paper sizes. A4 (standard), A3 (2xA4), A5 (1/2 of A4)
Copy speed – the number of copies that can be printed in one minute expressed as ppm (pages per minute). Consider how much the machine will be used per day, and if a lot of large brochures, flyers, or brochures need to be printed
Paper capacity – based on your expected usage, how much paper it holds in its trays
Auto doc feeder – instead of placing each page on the glass, a feeder does the work for you
Sorter – If printing a 10-page document 5 times it will collate the 5 documents for you
Stapling – Ability to staple a collated document for you
Reduce or enlarge – the ability to shrink or enlarge text/image on a page from the original
Envelopes – If needed can you mass print addresses on envelopes
2 sided – This could be 2 sided scanning or 2 sided printing. 2 sided printing will save paper
Toner saving – Toner can be applied at a lower percentage thus saving toner and money at the expense of quality
Standby – The machine can go into standby mode to save electricity when not being used
Staff identification – allows usage/costs to be identified by individual or job
User interface – Consider how simple it is to operate for everyone in the office
Security – A feature that enables printing from a PC to be delayed until the user is at the printer to collect confidential documents
Manufacturer and support – Ensure the reputation of the vendor and the repair staff. How quickly will they come to repair a machine? Do they have the technical ability to keep the machine reliable?
Managed machine – By being connected to the internet, the machine will send alerts to an internal employee or maintenance company to indicate an issue or even restock toner

Ongoing costs that should be factored in:

Paper
Toner
Service
Drum replacement (every 2 to 3 years)

HINTS

When talking with a photocopier salesperson it’s good to have an idea of the following:

Do you need black & white (mono) or colour printing?
How fast do you need your machine to print (copies per minute)?
How many copies will you print per month?
What size and type of paper will you need to print?

Questions you may ask the dealer/vendor include:

How long have you been in business and your staff been working for you?
Do you sell multiple brands or only one? Which do you recommend and why?
What happens if it breaks down? What are your service agreement T&C’s
Do you have a replacement guarantee?
Am I responsible for sending a machine in for repair or will it be collected?
What is your service response time?
How many in-house technicians are available for this model in the local area?

SUMMARY – Reliable Photocopier

For a small business that relies on a lot of printing and copying, a dedicated photocopier will ensure good performance and that you’re not spending too much per page. However, don’t be oversold on what you need and make sure that the machine can be quickly repaired in the event of a breakdown. More information on Photocopier pricing can be found here https://www.copierchoice.com.au/

POS system or terminal

Posted on July 8, 2020 by Angus Jones

In the old days we had a cash register which is a cross between a calculator and a cash box. These days we have a POS System to transact a sale or order and take cash or credit card payment. In this guide, we will look at why you might need a POS terminal, what you kneed to know and how to buy the right one for your retail environment, cafe or restaurant.

A Point of Sales system (terminal or machine) is an electronic device that allows a physical transaction to occur between a merchant and a customer for a product or service. This is much more than an EFTPOS terminal which we have covered in a separate guide. Put more simply it’s the device they use at McDonald’s to enter your order and take your money.

WHY do I need a POS System or Terminal?

A POS system will automate your process of completeing a transaction rather than writing on paper, using a calculator or simple cash register.

Retail POS software brings many benefits to retailers aside from simply completing transactions. These include:

Sales reporting and analytics: Provides retailers with insight into their sales, helping users make informed decisions that strengthen the business.
Inventory management: Automates stock control and helps retailers determine optimal product counts and when and how to reorder top-selling products.
Customer management capabilities: Help retailers automatically record and track valuable customer information, enabling stronger relationships, and encouraging repeat business.

WHAT do I need to know about POS systems?

They come in various flavours and can be from simple to very complex. You could have a solution as a stallholder, a restaurant, or a retail store. In a retail store with such a system you could scan a bar code to have the item automatically added to a sale, take payment, adjust instore inventory, and pass sale information through to your accounting system. Additionally, in a restaurant you could take an order via a smartphone, add a table number and have the order print out in the kitchen.

Many POS solutions today will help you run and grow your entire business, with information such as detailed sales reports and analytics, employee management and tracking software, inventory management, and gift cards.

HOW to choose the right POS system?

As a small business, it will make much more sense to try to find an off the shelf system rather than going for a custom solution that will have large upfront costs. The benefit of using a POS system is that it can simplify and automate many of your administration tasks freeing your time up to spend growing your business rather than maintaining it. These cloud solutions will also integrate with your accounting package (see our essential guide on accounting packages and cloud solutions) prepopulating all the data so no manual input is required.

Even though this solution is cloud-based it will still require some hardware at the point of sale like a smartphone, tablet, PC, or dedicated terminal which you will interact with. A cloud-based solution is one where the computing and software sit external to your business and for a monthly fee, you get the functionality without having to invest and maintain expensive backend computing hardware and dedicated software.

When choosing a POS system you should consider

Stand-alone system or Cloud-based?
Does the package suit Australian conditions, for example GST?
Will it work offline? You need it to still function if the internet goes down.
Does the provider have appropriate security in place to stop others from accessing your data?
Does the solution come with hardware or do I need to buy separate hardware like a tablet?
Cost – how much per month per terminal/store?
Usability – Can it easily be used day to day with minimal training?
Fast & efficient – How quickly can the operator complete a transaction? Nothing worse than keeping a customer waiting
Will it meet your future needs? Can you easily add extra terminals?
Does it support value add functionality that might assist your business? For example, inventory tracking
Will it integrate into your existing or planned accounting package?
Does it support EFTPOS or can EFTPOS be integrated?
What reporting is available and how easy is it to interrogate and interpret?
Is customer support available and during what hours?

Some of the companies providing cloud POS solutions in Australia today include Hike Up, Kounta, Retail Express, Square, and Vend.

HINT

Now that you have selected a POS system you also need to consider what additional physical hardware you might need beyond the terminal, tablet or smartphone, such as a cash draw, printer, EFTPOS terminal, bar code scanner, tablet mounting bracket, or contactless credit card reader.

SUMMARY – Off the shelf POS solution

A bit of time invested in this solution will pay dividends in years to come, streamlining your business and freeing up manpower to work on other parts of your business. An off the shelf solution will meet the needs of most small businesses.

Server – do I need one?

Posted on July 8, 2020 by Angus Jones

A server sounds a bit like a person who will bring you food at a restaurant but it is sort of right as it is a device that brings information to other devices. In this guide we will discuss why a server versus using the cloud and what you need to consider when buying one.

A server is a computer solution or a device that provides functionality for other programs or devices, called “clients”(Your PC is a client). This architecture is called the client-server model, and a centralised server running special software designed for it will provide data to client PC’s.

WHY do I need a Server?

The most common solutions a server would provide in a small business are to store and share large files that multiple people work on, including video. You may host your email on your server or even your own internal or external website. If you need a specialist machine to help you run your business to help control and monitor machinery. You may have a database that is like a massive computerised filing cabinet. You may use it to secure your business including managing secure logins (passwords) and to back up all your PC’s so in the event of a failure, you can restore your information.

WHAT is the benefit of a Server vs the Cloud?

The decision you must make upfront is whether you will use the cloud or an internal server. We have an essential guide specifically discussing cloud computing. The reality of this is the cloud is only a bunch of servers as well, owned by someone else. The advantage of the cloud is someone else is buying and maintaining the servers and as long as the internet is working you get access to them.

Reasons I would not use the cloud?

Cost. A server may have a large upfront cost but overtime will be cheaper than renting capacity on cloud servers. Note many software solutions (applications) are now only available on the cloud. You own your server you don’t own the cloud.
Speed. If you are working on large files that you need to access constantly the internet may not be fast enough. Internally you might be able to serve files at 10Gbps, via the internet this might be 100Mbps thus 100 x faster. Having some sort of file sharing server internally makes sense if your employees are sharing files.
Internet Bandwidth. If you data allowance is not unlimited moving files to and from the cloud can quickly consume your allowance.
Privacy and jurisdiction. While most cloud service providers have excellent security operations that protect your privacy, there is nothing more private than having all of your data located on-premises. The cloud can also be anywhere in the world, meaning your data could be sitting in America or China.
Local Applications. Some server software is not available on the cloud so you must run it locally.
Management. You must maintain your servers which means paying someone to do that, you must power them and give them space. You do however have control of them and at any time you can add more storage or memory and if there is spare capacity have them do another job without additional hardware investment.

HOW do I make a decision on what hardware I need?

A server is not something you buy off a shelf and it is normally tailored for your needs.

Where would you put a server? A server needs a spot that is clean, secure, is unlikely to get knocked over, has power, and network access. You may consider a dedicated rack or room.
A server needs someone who can set it up and maintain it. Great if you have someone on staff but otherwise you will need to hire external help. See our article on IT support.

Below are some of the basics in understanding various options involved in a purchase:

Brand. We recommend you purchase one from a reputable brand that has years of experience producing a reliable solution and the warranty network to keep parts available. Servers are designed to run 24×7 unlike your PC but moving parts do fail.
Redundancy. So if moving parts do fail, servers allow redundancy to be built in. You can have redundant fans, redundant power supplies, and redundant disk drives. All components with moving parts and the most likely to fail.
Expansion. Servers are normally built with the ability to expand. You can add more memory, more disk drives, and even additional processors. Thus you might consider your future needs up to 3-4 years and if you believe you will need to add capacity. After this time you will need to consider buying a new one to ensure reliability.
Drives. Disk drives store your data and come in different sizes and speeds. Speed relates to how fast you can read and write to the disk. Size relates to the amount of data/files you can store on the disk. The physical size will be no different.
Rack or tower. Servers come in a tower configuration that looks like a large PC box or rack which is like a big pizza box that can slide into a standard rack enclosure. A rack enclosure will also host other computing infrastructure like network switches.
Operating System. This is like windows but in the case of a server you have the choice of either a windows server operating system or a Linux based one. If you do not understand this talk to an IT specialist.
Application Server. This is a box that is pre-built and configured to do a job and can be switched on and running in minutes. An example would be a file sharing solution that by connecting to your network allows everyone in the office to share the same files.

HINT

Unless you are super confident it is best to discuss your needs with IT specialists who can help you on your journey. Be sure to read our essential guide on IT Support.

SUMMARY – Server effort vs benefit A server is a big undertaking for small businesses and must be managed and maintained well. It does however give you control over your solution including the security of your data and is the most cost-effective solution in the long run

Website domain and email

Posted on July 8, 2020 by Angus Jones

As a small business, you have the option to have your own website and email address and the cost of doing so is not excessive. This guide will help direct you on how to obtain your fist website domain name.

A domain name is your website name. Domain name is the address where Internet users can access your website. A domain name is used for finding and identifying computers on the Internet. Computers use IP addresses, which are a series of numbers.

I hope that when you registered your business name you also considered if the name you chose was also available as a domain name on the internet. One of the disappointing processes of starting a business is someone is already using or has registered the name you want.

WHY do you need a website domain?

In this internet age most businesses will benefit from having a presence or being able to be contacted via the internet.

As a minimum we recommend you have an email address you can be contacted on. This could be as simple as registering an email address free via Google or Hotmail. For example on Gmail you can visit https://accounts.google.com/signup and choose a name like mybestnewbusiness and end up with an email account mybestnewbusiness@gmail.com which will enable people to email you and you to receive them and reply.

WHAT is involved in getting a Domain name?

The most common method for businesses to have their web presence is to set up your own website domain. For example, Small Business Answers bought their domain sbanswers.com and then subsequently used that domain to establish a website and create multiple email accounts. There are many websites that allow you to register your domain and some of the more popular in Australia include godaddy.com and crazydomains.com.au . The easier your domain name is to recall the better but unfortunately most of the good ones are taken. Your chosen name should ideally be easy to remember, short, and represent your business.

You will find you will be presented with a search box to enter your proposed name. After you enter it you will be presented with the cost if it is available, the option to backorder, or some suggested alternatives. The first thing, you will notice is the extension can be different after your name. It might say xxxx.com or xxxx.com.au, xxxx.org, or xxx.net. .com is the most common and is the global extension, .com.au is the Australian equivalent. Our advice is to try to get .com or .com.au if you only do business in Australia. If for example you have .net someone might hear about you type .com instead of .net and you do not get the business. Note that if you use a com.au domain name you must also have registered a business in the same name.

If you cannot get the name you want, do you have any options? Yes, someone who simply wanted to make money from it may have bought the name you want. In other words, they bought it in the hope one day someone would pay more money to own it. Thus, you may be able to either pay extra if they are willing to sell it, or wait for their subscription to that name expire and hope they don’t pay to hold it anymore.

HOW do I put my new domain name to work?

You want your customers to reach you via email and the company that sold you your domain is most likely also going to offer you email and website solutions for a set amount each month. The cost of this is not expensive and they own all the equipment to facilitate the process. This means you do not need expensive computer hardware running behind the scenes to make it all work and do not have to worry about reliability and security. Once you have subscribed to an email solution you will have a simple-to-use administration screen to set up the appropriate email addresses for your business like boss@yourbusiness.com or enquiries@yourbusiness.com then associate a password. Your provider should also make available support services and tutorials that will guide you through the process of setting up your email on your PC or mobile phone.

The next step is to create a website for your business. The easiest way to do this is to select a template from your provider and fill it out. The even easier way is to pay someone to design a website for you, which is a great option if you have the cash and lack confidence. See our essential guide for building a website. Remember this site for many will be how your business is seen, so its design, pictures, and content is all critical to your success.

HINT

Your website is now built and published on the internet but do not expect people will swamp it on its first day. It will take some time before search engines like Google find it and as nobody knows your new domain name yet, they won’t find it organically. In a separate guide we will cover SEO Search Engine Optimisation and SEM Search Engine Marketing. Put simply these are ways to make your business found more easily on the web and tactics you can use to promote your business on the internet.

SUMMARY – A domain name is your website address

Having a domain name gives your small business an address on the internet where customers can find you and communicate with you by email. You will need to register your domain name and then build out a site as appropriate.

Courier options for small business

Posted on July 8, 2020 by Angus Jones

Lots of small businesses are not in the delivery business indeed most don’t even sell a product, but from time to time you may need to get a document or parcel across town or interstate. This guide will look at courier type options you have to get a document, a parcel or even a large machine from A to B.

A Courier company is one which delivers messages, packages and mail and is known for their speed, security, tracking service and specialisation.
A Taxi truck is a truck with a driver that can be hired.

If you are looking for an ongoing logistics solution see our guide on freight solutions– delivering to the customer.

WHY should I use a courier or taxi truck?

Your time can be better spent than doing a one-off delivery. Although freight charges in Australia keep going up it can still be quite inexpensive to have an item delivered.

WHAT are my choices to have something delivered?

First, you need to know two things:

How urgent is the delivery? Is the delivery time critical like a blood delivery or an important contract? If it is not critical is delivery ok in a couple of days? Put very simply, the faster the service the higher the cost.
How big and heavy is the item? If you want to move a shoebox-size parcel then you will have lots of easy choices but moving something the size of a car can be a little more complicated. Note that some restricted items like most liquids require specialist transport and if something is highly valuable you may wish to make special arrangements.

Your simplest choice is to visit Australia Post where you can organise a few days or next day delivery for standard items.

In most capital cities in Australia, bicycle couriers are available to deliver documents and small parcels quickly, such as zoom2u.

Your next choice is to use a courier company who will arrange pick up and delivery of items either locally or interstate. The big advantage here is they will come to your premises.

Larger items can be ferried using a taxi-truck business whom will have various sized trucks to move your freight from A to B, such as Allied Express.

Valuables can be moved by a Precious cargo specialist who should also offer full liability, like Armaguard.

International freight can also be done through Australia Post including priority envelopes otherwise talk to an international specialist like DHL.

HOW do I pick a courier company?

Australia Post has a handy postage cost and delivery calculator https://auspost.com.au/parcels-mail/calculate-postage-delivery-times/#/. They also sell parcel post and express satchels in 10 packs to save visiting the post office every time.

To compare courier costs, you can visit these comparison sites to get instant quotes
Compare couriers
Parcel 2 courier

HINTS

Couriers charge by both volume (dimensions added up) and weight. If you have a light bulky item you will pay based on the volume. If you have a tiny heavy item you will be charged by the weight.

Parcel tracking is a great way to understand if the receiver has received that urgent package.

SUMMARY – delivery on time

Your time is not well spent delivering a parcel to the other side of town. Delivery costs increase the faster you want something delivered with overnight being a sweet spot between cost and time. Competition means you can get the best price simply by visiting a comparison website.

Electricity deals to save money

Posted on July 8, 2020 by Angus Jones

We all dread that quarterly electricity bill at home and unfortunately, in the business environment it is probably only going to be larger. In this guide we look at ways to save power and how to get a better deal.

WHY should I compare electricity companies?

Once electricity supply was from the state governments now we have a deregulated market and different retailers can compete for your business. (Note WA is still Government-owned).
Competition should lead to better pricing and save you money!

WHAT can I do to save power?

We need the power but at least there are ways we can reduce our bill saving us valuable money. We can:

Shop around for the cheapest deal
Install solar panels which can reduce your bill with either a payment upfront or monthly overtime to pay for the panels.
Use more energy-efficient lighting, devices, and machinery.
Ensure devices etc. are turned off when not being used.
Use power-hungry devices when rates are cheap, for example, at night
Use an energy broker or consultant to negotiate a deal.

HOW can I get a better deal on my power bill?

The best method of quickly saving money is to review what prices you can get. Being a small business, it is unlikely you will get a special deal based on massive usage but energy retailers are keen to get your business if you are in the market. The great news is there is an easy way to compare prices. You will see providers quoting a reference price/point (benchmark electricity price set by the government) and a discount. This enables easy comparison between companies to make a quick decision.

Other terminology you should understand:

Discount– reduction expressed as a % below the reference price. Always check to see for how long the discount will last, as price may increase after this period.
Rates – This is how much you pay per Kilowatt-hour Kwh (a 100watt lightbulb on for 10 hrs uses 1 Kwh). Rates may be flat or expressed as peak or off-peak or based on time of day billing (charges go up during busy times).
Sign up discount – normally expressed as a $ amount discount off your first bill
Exit fees– a charge to move to a different energy retailer
Payment options– you may be offered a fixed monthly charge which gives you predictability of costs or variable usage charges payable by all the normal methods, for example, credit card
Combined discounts – you may get a better deal if you sign up to gas as well as electricity
Contracts– some offer no lock-in contracts others sign you up for a period but normally based on a deal
Accuracy of billing – When calculating your electricity usage, your retailer can either estimate your usage, potentially overcharging your business, or measure it. It is worth investigating the technique employed by your retailer or package.
Availability– If you have locations in different states you may have to have multiple retailers.
Green Power – Normally more expensive but derived from renewable energy sources such a wind. Sometimes referred to as carbon offset.
Locked-in pricing – sometimes expressed as peace of mind or fixed. Here a retailer will lock in the cost per Kwh for a set time. The benefit of this is you are protected from any price increase.
Late payment fees – charge if you do not pay your bill on time
Customer service – Either online only or telephone as well. Hours may vary.
Solar feed-in tariff – how much you will be paid per Kwh to give electricity back to the grid. Most solar panel solutions allow you to use your solar power first before feeding your excess back into the grid.

HINTS

A good thing to know is that if you have a blackout in your town it is not the electricity retailer who is fixing it rather the energy distributor. https://www.energymadeeasy.gov.au/frequently-asked-questions/who-is-my-energy-distributor

To compare energy retailers pricing you can visit:
Energy made easy
Finder

SUMMARY – Small Business Electricity

No one plan will be right for all small businesses so shop around and you might be surprised how much you can save for a bit of research.

Office supplies made easy

Posted on July 7, 2020 by Angus Jones

Visiting an office supplies store is a bit like visiting Bunnings. You go in for a pen and you walk out with a pen, a new printer, and a chair mat. What you may not know is these stores can help small businesses with so many other services. This guide will show you these stores can be a one-stop-shop for many of your small business needs.

Office supplies are consumables and equipment regularly used in offices by businesses and other organisations, by individuals engaged in written communications, recordkeeping or bookkeeping, janitorial and cleaning, and for storage of supplies or data.

Wikipedia

WHY should I use an office supplies store?

Having the ability to buy a lot of the items you will need to set up or run your small business is an advantage as it will reduce the running around and ad-hoc nature of procuring items. You will also find the major chains are competitive and offer some type of price matching or beating offer.

Opening a business account with one of these stores could offer the following additional advantages:

faster checkout – as your details are already in the system
view order history – easy to find something you liked before
manage shopping lists – reorder your most used items easily
credit account – a single invoice to pay with credit terms every x number of days

Considering an office supply company for some of your services may also reduce the number of vendors you need to deal with.

WHAT can I buy at an office supplies store?

You may be surprised by the breadth of products and services that can actually be available:

Staples

Stationary – pens, paper, scissors
Office Furniture – chairs desks storage cabinets
Bulk and specialised printing – business cards, brochures, posters, signs
Office supplies – diaries, financial books, laminators, paper, ink & toner
Cleaning supplies – toilet paper, detergent,
Kitchen supplies – coffee, bottled water, tissues
Office technology – Laptops, printers, monitors, Hard drives, software
Telecommunications – Smartphones, phone plans, cordless phones
Workplace safety – safety glasses, workwear, ear protection, signs
Office security – video surveillance, locks, safes
Moving supplies – boxes, tape, trolleys

Services

Technical support – help get your IT problems fixed
Business IT solutions – consulting on what you need
Software licensing – packaging software to suit the number of users
Safety solutions – consulting on your needs
Managed print services – See our guide on printing
Promotional products – giveaways with your logo printed on them
Parcel delivery – freight services you can use
Office fit-out solutions – consulting on office fit-outs
Furniture assembly – building flat-pack
Business financing – small business loans
Product Insurance – cover for devices like smartphones, Laptop, etc
Graphic design – logo design and layout services
Alcohol deliveries – ready for Friday drinks
Milk and fruit delivery – perishables delivered to your door

HOW do I get office supplies?

Most organisations will allow you to

Shop in-store
Online orders
Phone orders

For your online or phone orders you can click and collect or have the items delivered.

Delivery may even be the same day if you order before a certain time and some even offer free delivery when you spend over a price threshold.

Online orders also offer tracking so you can get a good indication if the item you desperately need is on its way.

If you require the services on offer such as one of the consulting services you will need to go instore to discuss or enquire online.

HINTS

Have some controls on how much can be spent and by whom otherwise you may find office supplies cost a bit more than expected.

A shared stationary cabinet stops each desk containing boxes of spare biros.

SUMMARY – One-stop small business shop

An office supplies store is so much more than a place to get a pen or some paper and can indeed become a trusted business advisor. If nothing else it is a store that you can conveniently get most items needed to run a small business office.