A new kitchen and food incubator initiative, the Food Incubator + Network Centre (FoodINC), aims to serve as a launchpad for Melbourne food business startups and entrepreneurs to boost the recovery and help hospitality industry.

Following the detrimental impacts of COVID-19, the organisations behind the initiative – Melbourne Polytechnic, Melbourne Innovation Centre and Melbourne’s North Food Group, with support from the City of Whittlesea – hope FoodINC will help those dreaming of joining Melbourne’s food scene to get their foot in the door. 

Located on Melbourne Polytechnic’s Preston and Epping campuses, the incubators are currently being refurbished to be fit-for-purpose. The launch of the Preston incubator is expected in early 2022, with Epping’s to follow shortly after. 

FoodINC offers users access to the highest food-safety grade commercial kitchen spaces to take their food ventures to the next level. From recipe experimentation to batch food production, the incubators aim to break down the barriers preventing small business owners from accessing premium facilities to expand their skill sets. 

The initiative provides pivotal opportunities for those looking to pilot or grow their food businesses. By receiving the support and guidance they need, small business owners can begin to take steps towards expansion. 

Melbourne Polytechnic will monitor the needs of FoodINC users and offer training opportunities as required across compliance, food safety and occupational health and safety. These specialist short courses and vocational learning will be led by the institute’s industry-expert educators. Melbourne Innovation Centre will also deliver small business and entrepreneurship professional development around strategy, digital solutions and business growth.

Coupled with the training on offer, commercial kitchen access will provide a pathway for new and existing hospitality workers to transition into launching their businesses. All Melburnians, including current and future Melbourne Polytechnic students, will have the opportunity to access FoodINC.

Kerryn Lester-Smith, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Melbourne Polytechnic, explains how the institute is supporting newfound passions coming out of the pandemic:

“We’re seeing a new wave of entrepreneurs as a result of COVID-19, with many Melburnians having that extra time to harbour an idea or consider making a career change.

“After a time of uncertainty, Melburnians are considering their true passions. Now more than ever is the time to invest in brighter career aspirations.

“The FoodINC initiative is tailored to support business owners at multiple stages in their journey to starting or growing a successful business,” comments Kerryn. 

“From those looking to explore an idea but unsure where to begin to people operating small businesses from home and looking to upscale, FoodINC nurtures many facets of small business recovery.

“For many, the option to invest in costly kitchen appliances and hospitality equipment is out of the question, but we don’t want that to stop budding entrepreneurs in their tracks. Access to commercial kitchens on our campuses will help provide the tools businesses need to flourish without breaking budgets,” Kerryn says. 

Lou Zarro, Manager of the Kitchen & Food Incubator from Melbourne Innovation Centre, reiterates the importance of the FoodINC initiative in light of the changing hospitality landscape:

“As the Melbourne hospitality and food manufacturing sectors come to terms with the disruption of COVID-19 – from staffing issues to the rise of food delivery services and the changing tastes of the community – the ability to readjust to industry trends is crucial.

“The collective strength of Melbourne Polytechnic, Melbourne Innovation Centre and Melbourne’s North Food Group will help ensure that aspiring and early phase food startups can access a wealth of training, professional development and industry expertise to fuel their business success,” Lou concludes. 

For more information on the FoodINC initiative and to register interest, visit

Also read Small Business Answers guide to Grants.

CO-FOUNDER of the Behaviour Report, Dan Gregory, has said that face-to-face meetings, company events, and conferences will be critical for business recovery as parts of the country begin to exit prolonged lockdowns.

The human behaviour specialist was a keynote speaker at Australia’s premier corporate industry event, Illuminate 2021, hosted by the Flight Centre Travel Group, and enlightened attendees with what drives beliefs, behaviours and belonging.

“Every generation has a formative experience, whether that be the Second World War or the Cold War, and right now, this global COVID-19 pandemic is ours,” Mr Gregory said.

“What we’ve seen over the past 18 months is a real culture disconnection with teams being split up and the splintering of workforces as most professional activities moved online – even children have suffered from the move to online learning and a real lack of social interaction.

“Businesses and employees are now at a crossroads when it comes to travel, but what I can tell you is people have been desperate for some sense of normality, and there’s a real desire for some form of human interaction and face-to-face meetings again.”

Mr Gregory said COVID-19 safety protocols and responsible travel were the keys to flights returning for businesses and giving employees the confidence to get back on an aircraft again.

“Face-to-face meetings are critical to business recovery because you need to be exposed to real people and their quirks – we don’t get the non-verbal cues via Zoom or Teams and you don’t get to hear the real timber in someone’s voice,” he said.

“Let’s be honest, multi-million-dollar deals aren’t going to be done virtually, people want to be comfortable with knowing who they are getting into business with before signing a contract. That’s where the casual chit-chat aside from official meetings remain crucial.

“Having said that, lockdowns have been long, and people will want to feel safe. That’s where COVID- safe communication and COVID safety protocols come in – they should be front and centre of any business’s plan to return to travel and that will remain the case for some time.

“Humans are resilient and history shows that we’re good at overcoming world-altering events and challenges put before us. If businesses and employees can work together then it won’t be too long before deals are done over handshakes, rather than Zoom, once again.”

FCM General Manager Melissa Elf said the green shoots for a return to business travel were growing by the day and predicted a big year in 2022 for corporate travel.

“I’m lucky enough to be on the phone to our current customers and prospects on a daily basis and the appetite to travel both domestically and internationally for business is clear to see,” Ms Elf said.

“Ensuring our customers and their clients have all the vital information available to them throughout the booking process is something we take genuine pride in and we look forward to providing various responsible travel options to businesses as borders across the country begin to reopen.” Corporate Traveller General Manager Tom Walley said it was an exciting time for SMEs with Sydney and Melbourne emerging from lockdown.

“We’ve seen from the queues outside Kmart in Sydney recently that people can’t wait to get out and about and we believe it will be no different for SMEs and travel,” Mr Walley said.

“Having a Travel Management Company by your side has never been more critical because it’s our job to provide you with the support you need and to undertake the heavy lifting so you can concentrate on getting your business going and growing again.”

Dan Gregory was part of a first-class speaker line-up at Illuminate 2021 on 21 October that also had keynote speeches from Flight Centre CEO Graham “Skroo” Turner, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, Virgin Australia CEO and Managing Director Jayne Hrdlicka, and Westpac Chief Economist Bill Evans.

It’s fair to say that D-Link is one of the leading forces ushering in a new digital home transformation with its slew of Wi-Fi 6 devices, including today’s launch of the DWA-X1850, the world’s first Wi-Fi 6 USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB 3.0) Adapter and a new Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Router – the EXO AX AX3200 DIR-X3260.

The new DWA-X1850 AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 USB 3.0 adapter and the DIR-X3260 AX3200 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Router are engineered to power the increasing number of high-bandwidth devices and support high-intensity data traffic for remote workers, students and families.
 
D-Link A/NZ MD Graeme Reardon said, “We live in a world where more is now the norm for home and business networks. More devices, more bandwidth, more speed and more range. These new Wi-Fi 6 devices enable streamlined and seamless mesh connectivity with efficient AX performance that, put simply, give you more.”
 
The DWA-X1850 is a slim and compact wireless Adapter that plugs into any USB port and provides instant connectivity to your laptop or PC.

Delivering a simple, affordable upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 performance for existing desktop and notebook computers, the DWA-X1850 is the world’s first Wi-Fi 6 USB 3.0 Adapter in the market. It features the latest 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 technology. It delivers smooth, reliable combined speeds up to AX1800 (574Mbps + 1200Mbps), ideal for large file transfers, online learning lessons, and gaming. The adapter also features 128-bit WPA3 encryption giving customers added peace of mind over network and device protection. 

This clever adapter also has other smarts with its Multi-User or MU-MIMO technology for better efficiency of upstream and downstream transmission and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) technology (where small data packets are destined for multiple devices are transmitted together and never have to queue up again). Combined, these advancements ensure that numerous devices receive high-bandwidth Wi-Fi at the same time to distribute data more efficiently over a wider area and provide you with faster Wi-Fi 6 speeds.

With software already preloaded on the adapter, installation is simple, and your older, slower devices can immediately enjoy the speed and range benefits that Wi-Fi 6 provides. The slim and compact design means the dongle can also easily be carried around when out and about.

The DIR-X3260 EXO AX AX3200 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Router is D-Link’s newest Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Router. Providing stellar performance (2400Mbps on the 5GHz and 800Mbps on the 2.4GHz) essential for applications such as high-quality video conferencing, VR, 8K video streaming and more, the AX3200 Router’s durable 1024-QAM boosts throughput to devices by up to 25%. Its 160MHz contiguous channel width gives even more bandwidth to support a greater number of devices.

D-Link Wi-Fi Mesh technology provides simple syncing with compatible D-Link Mesh Extenders. As a result, users can roam seamlessly around their homes on a mobile device without fearing signal degradation or a dropped connection. The new model also showcases an attractive design in addition to greater client support and enhanced performance benefits.

The D-Link DIR-X3260 EXO AX AX3200 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Router

So, it’s fast. Very fast. However, suppose you still want more and should you require them. In that case, it also has 4 Gigabit LAN ports and 1 Gigabit WAN port, which give you faster-wired connectivity whenever you wish.

If you’re a techie, then you’ll appreciate the high-gain antennas, built-in power amplifiers and beamforming technology that allow the DIR-X3260 to extend the reach of your Wi-Fi and focus a stronger signal in the direction of your devices to ensure a stronger, faster and more reliable Wi-Fi experience. Meanwhile, a long OFDM symbol provides an even greater Wi-Fi range, maximising coverage throughout the home. The DIR-X3260 works with Google Assistant and Alexa, so you literally don’t have to lift a finger.

As always with D-Link Routers, it’s simple and easy to set up via the downloadable free D-Link Wi-Fi app.

DWA-X1850 AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 USB Adapter Key Features

• Next-generation Wi-Fi 6 USB dongle for an instant PC or Laptop upgrade
• AX1800 Speeds up to 1200Mbps (5GHz) and 600Mbps (2.4GHz)
• OFDMA and MU-MIMO technologies ensure a fast and efficient Wi-Fi connection
• The latest WPA3™ Wi-Fi security helps protect your network
• Auto installation driver for Windows 10
• USB 3.2 Gen 1 dongle delivers maximum performance and reliability

DIR-X3260 EXO AX AX3200 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Router Key Features
• Wi-Fi 6 technology provides faster speeds, greater capacity and less network congestion

• Next-gen speeds up to AX3200 (2400Mbps on the 5GHz and 800Mbps on the 2.4GHz)

• Dual-band Wi-Fi with up to 6 simultaneous streams makes 4K streaming a breeze

• Create a seamless D-Link Wi-Fi Mesh network by adding DAP-X1860 Wi-Fi Extenders

• 4 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports and 1 Gigabit Ethernet WAN port provide optional wired connectivity

• Built-in USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports to create shared storage

• Intelligent Quality of Service prioritises network traffic to minimise the impact of busy bandwidth

• Backwards compatibility ensures support for previous Wi-Fi standards and all Wi-Fi devices

• Supports WPA3™ — the latest Wi-Fi security for more protection

• Voice Control for an even easier home Wi-Fi networking experience

• Works with the D-Link Wi-Fi App for easy setup and enhanced parental controls

The DWA-X1850 and the DIR-X3260 are available now from www.dlink.com.au (RRP $149.95 and $349.95) from authorised D-Link partners and retailers.

Also read Small business Answers Guide to improving your Wi-Fi network.

New survey results from Shopify show almost double the number of shoppers plan to shop online in some capacity (90%) when compared to those planning on shopping in-store in some capacity (54%)

The survey demonstrates the ways Australians are evolving their shopping habits and preferences in line with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Leading up to the Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) sales in late November, almost double the amount of Australian shoppers plan to shop online in some capacity (90%) when compared to those planning on shopping in-store in some capacity (54%). Increased online shopping is the main way that COVID-19 will impact BFCM purchases (mentioned by 60% of BFCM shoppers).

Australian shoppers plan to spend on average $769 (down from $908 in 2020) over the BFCM long weekend.

Macro disruptions to the retail industry, resulting in supply chain disruptions and shipping delays, have also contributed to Australian shoppers’ habits this year. Click and collect was reported as more popular among younger and middle-aged online BFCM shoppers, with 50% of 18-34 and 31% of 35-54 online BFCM shoppers planning to use curbside pickup during BFCM, compared to just 17% of those aged 55 and over.

In spite of the well-reported burdens on delivery services worldwide, Australian shoppers maintain high expectations of shipping, with a clear majority (69%) of online BFCM shoppers expecting their purchases will be shipped for free. 72% expect the retailer to cover the cost of shipping of any return items.

Shaun Broughton, Managing Director of Shopify APAC said: “Consumers are prepared to make adjustments in how they shop to accommodate COVID-19, but will not make concessions in certain areas, such as shipping or delivery options. The agility of the Australian shopper has been tested, and they expect rewards for their propensity to adapt.

“As merchants have evolved and reimaged retail in creative new ways throughout the challenges posed by 2021, shoppers too have adjusted their habits, preferences, and expectations in tandem. Shopping online will continue to be the dominant way for bargain-hunters to nab a deal this Black Friday long weekend.

“Whether it’s varied shipping options, better product discoverability, or the ability to buy directly from social media, merchants need to reinforce their technology and operations to avoid losing out in this highly competitive time of year.”

Brougton also remarked: “The fact Australians are planning on spending slightly less on BFCM sales this year could be because they’ve already shopped online so much this year, and perhaps are taking precautions around returning to physical stores too quickly.”

Local shopping was a big winner when it came to where BFCM shoppers plan on spending. 60% of shoppers plan on purchasing BFCM items from locally-owned stores, followed by department stores (53%) and big-box retail locations (40%). 

“With so many amazing and unique local retailers emerging around the country, keeping Australia’s entrepreneurial economy well and truly thriving, it’s no wonder consumers are keen to throw their support behind local businesses that may have done it tough in 2021,” added Broughton.

Other key findings from the survey include:

• Four in ten (44%) BFCM shoppers plan to spend about the same as last year with a similar number (40%) who plan to spend more.
• Men plan to spend significantly more than women ($900 vs. $651), as are those aged 18-54-years old ($940 among 18-34-year-olds, $743 among 35-54-year-olds, and $462 among those 55+).
• 36% of online BFCM shoppers mentioned wanting to avoid shopping in-store because of COVID-19.
• Younger and middle-aged online BFCM shoppers are generally more likely to purchase an item directly from a social media platform, primarily from Facebook (57% and 44% respectively) or Instagram (58% and 31% respectively).

Read Small Business Answers guide to building an online store.

 

Pandemic and related restrictions have worsened the ‘cashflow crunch’ for small businesses, super-charging demand for Cloudfloat B2B cashflow on-demand platform. Cloudfloat’s platform allows suppliers to get paid on time. Buyers get payment terms to suit their own needs, earn supplier loyalty and avoid reputational risk

COVID-related lockdowns have created unprecedented pressure on small businesses. Many will find usual suppliers and customers have not survived. With the cashflow crunch often extending along the length of the supply chain, many are struggling to get paid, even with a reliable sales pipeline. As restrictions ease and small businesses try to re-open, cashflow is more critical than ever.

Late payments and bad debts create enormous costs for small businesses and stifle growth. Chasing receivables is stressful and diverts owners from running their businesses. Lax processes, unethical business practices or cashflow problems elsewhere on the supply chain often force SMEs into becoming providers of free credit to their clients.

“Cloudfloat is their post-lockdown liquidity lifeline. It can be a significant force in getting Australian business back on its feet,” said founder and CEO Aleem Habibullah.

Cloudfloat’s innovative B2B cashflow management solution provides a digital float allowing businesses to pay their invoices over time by instalments. Businesses can smooth out their cashflow whilst getting the payment terms their business needs for an up-front flat fee per transaction.

Unlike traditional ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ (BNPL) models, buyers pay an upfront fee to receive an interest free period instead of suppliers being forced to absorb a high merchant fee for the payment service.

“Sellers gain smooth, reliable cashflow, reduced admin and stress and more time running their businesses. By paying on time, every time, buyers gain preferred customer status at a time when sellers need support and supply chains are tightening,” said Mr Habibullah.

“Cloudfloat’s inbuilt verification, anti-fraud and regulatory compliance systems provide businesses with the opportunity to reduce counterparty risk and minimise bad debts. This is critical at a time when online fraudsters and cyber-criminals have upped their game and begun seriously targeting small businesses,” he said.

Demand for Cloudfloat’s services in its first year of operation has far outstripped its current capacity to service it. With lockdowns ending and economies opening up, this will accelerate.

To meet this demand, Cloudfloat is accelerating a planned capital raise designed to bolster the balance sheet and secure substantial financing to service client transactions. Cloudfloat has already progressed discussions with potential equity and debt investors, including existing shareholders.

“Our experience shows that our B2B ‘BNPL’ model provides the opportunity for viral client acquisition, is highly scalable and can address a significant gap in the trade financing market. With demand for Cloudfloat’s solution far outstripping our current capacity to service it, the business is poised for aggressive growth”, Mr Habibullah said.

“It’s a very exciting time for Cloudfloat as we prepare for a step-change in scale.”\

Also, read Small Business Answers guide to raising funding.

It’s no coincidence that the explosion of people working from home, Epson becoming officially the number 1 ink tank printer vendor worldwide having now sold over 60 million EcoTank units globally and the launch of Epson’s new EcoTank printers for the Home Office are all being announced together. Critically, none of the new printers for the Home Office models use any ink cartridges at all, replacement ink bottles that provide thousands more printed pages start at just $14.99 and all models come with the new, intuitive and clever Epson Smart Panel™ app.

With two of the most challenging and unique years, the world has ever witnessed and experienced, the home has become even more important for living and now working more than ever.

To help people in their new work from home environments, Epson has released four new models in its EcoTank printer range, designed for the Home Office – the ET-2811, ET-3800, ET-4800 and ET-4850.

Epson has launched a new generation of their best-selling, award-winning and most popular EcoTank printers designed for Home Office use to continue meeting the day-to-day printing needs of working professionals whilst still reducing the ongoing worry of running out of ink and the high cost of replacement ink.

These efficient new printers for the Home Office are all high-yield, multi-function models, positioned at an attractive mid-level price point with additional productivity features that include a high-resolution flatbed scanner for crisp and professional scans, a colour display for easy navigation and wireless connectivity so users can easily print from smart devices with the intuitive Epson Smart Panel^® App.

The Smart Panel app makes working and printing from home so much easier and more efficient as it transforms most mobile devices into intuitive control centres for select Epson printers and scanners.

To view the Epson Smart Panel app in action:

So why should you buy an EcoTank Home Office printer rather than a standard EcoTank Home printer?

Good question and one that really comes down to what you’re going to use it for.

EcoTank Home printers are ideal for just that, home printing use. A great daily drive that also satisfies school and particularly home school requirements.

The new EcoTank Home Office printers are different, more advanced, has more features, prints more and does a lot more of the things you would associate with a printer found in a typical office, but at a far lower cost per page.

Some things are the same across the EcoTank range such as the fact that they are powered by Heat-Free PrecisionCore^® Technology which offers revolutionary cartridge-free printing with easy-to-fill, super-sized ink tanks.

The EcoTank Home Office models also include thousands of pages worth of ink straight out of the box² — enough to print up to 14,000² black and white pages with some models (see below) and equivalent to hundreds of individual cartridges²^.

Plus, the Home Office models use Epson’s “clean and easy” EcoFit^® auto-stop ink bottles with each colour uniquely keyed for easy filling of each tank, higher capacity paper trays, fax (yes, lots of people still use fax!), bigger colour touchscreens, auto document feeder (ADF), fast auto 2-sided printing and convenient wired and wireless networking.

In other words you can do more, using the ultimate wireless and networking technology and be powered by the latest Heat-Free PrecisionCore Printing Technology which delivers laser-quality black text using less power and fewer consumables so it’s far kinder to the environment.

For a Home Office printer that you don’t have to (or want to) worry about, the new Epson EcoTank for the Home Office range ticks a lot of boxes.

Okay, let’s have a look at some of those boxes that they tick …

EcoTank ET-2811

Main functions – Print, Copy and Scan

Connectivity – Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct

Print speed – 10 pages per minute black and white, 5 pages in colour

Number of printed pages out of the box – 8,100² Black / 6,500² Colour

RRP $399

EcoTank ET-3800

Main functions – Duplex Print, Copy, Scan and Ethernet

Connectivity – Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct and Apple AirPrint

Print speed – 15.5 pages per minute black and white, 8.5 pages in colour

Display screen – 2.4″ Colour LCD

Number of printed pages out of the box – 14,000² Black / 5,200² Colour

RRP $549

EcoTank ET-4800

Main functions – Print, Copy, Scan, Fax, ADF and Ethernet

Connectivity – Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct and Apple AirPrint

Print speed – 10 pages per minute black and white, 5 pages in colour

Display screen – 1.44″ Colour LCD

Number of printed pages out of the box – 3,600² Black / 6,500² Colour

RRP $499

EcoTank ET-4850

Main functions – Duplex Print, Copy, Scan, Fax, ADF and Ethernet

Connectivity – Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct and Apple AirPrint

Print speed – 15.5 pages per minute black and white, 8.5 pages in colour

Display screen – 2.4″ Colour LCD

Number of printed pages out of the box – 14,000² Black / 5,200² Colour

RRP $649

All four new models come with Epson’s world-class one-year warranty with a free bonus second year upon registration.

The four new EcoTank Home Office printers are available now at www.epson.com.au and from all authorised Epson resellers and retailers.

Also see Small Business Answers guide to buying a printer.

HP Presence is a portfolio of conferencing and collaboration solutions for people to truly work together and feel connected – especially when they’re not in the same room.

While the shift to hybrid has given people the freedom to work from virtually anywhere, the way people work together, both in and out of the office, is evolving. Eighty per cent of businesses are changing office spaces to focus more on collaboration.

“With hybrid here to stay, pre-COVID technology simply can’t solve for the new ways people work. Without the right technology, people aren’t being heard and their ideas are getting lost. Every voice deserves to be heard – whether they’re sitting in the meeting room or at their kitchen table,” said Andy Rhodes, Global Head of Commercial Systems and Display Solutions at HP Inc. “HP Presence fits the work world of yesterday, the world of today, and is future-proofed for tomorrow’s collaboration needs, so no matter where you work, no thoughts are left behind.”

HP Presence Meeting Space Solutions

HP Presence Meeting Space Solutions are curated into small, medium, and large space kits, and scalable to enhance meeting space needs. Every kit includes an HP Presence Mini PC, an HP Presence Control Center, colour-coded cables, and mounting equipment. The HP Presence Solutions arrive neatly packaged in the same box with a step-by-step setup application, making deployment a breeze. New components include:

• HP Presence Mini Conferencing PC – High-performance processing powerhouse PC that gives IT peace of mind with HP Wolf Security for Business and integrated management.
• HP Presence Control and HP Presence Control Plus – Intelligent room controls that put the meeting host in charge with sleek low-profile designs and adaptive AI-enhanced Audio by Bang & Olufsen. HP Presence Control is perfect for huddle rooms to medium-sized meeting spaces, while HP Presence Control Plus can accommodate medium to large meeting spaces. Connect up to three room controls to provide control to more people.
• HP Presence See 4K AI Camera- This 4K AI camera combines intelligent cinematic audio and video experiences with privacy so users can rest assured the camera is off when it mechanically rotates to face the floor.
• HP Presence Audio Video Bar – For larger meeting spaces that require more audio and video, this device combines intelligent cinematic video experiences with privacy, and audio custom-tuned by Bang & Olufsen, so people can be seen, heard, and hear clearly in the room, and when video isn’t being used, the privacy shutter closes and shuts the camera off.
• HP Presence Hub and HP Presence Talk Satellite Microphones- Make sure everyone can be heard in large room deployments with HP Presence Hub, and easily add up to two satellite microphones for additional voice pickup range with an easy-to-see status LED, so people know when mute is on or off.

It is clear people are feeling the effects of working remotely. As some companies move employees back into the office part-time, the change has left employees looking for collaboration experiences that give them a sense of connection. They want to be heard and seen and don’t want to experience system lags, delays, or other audio and video-related issues. HP Presence Meeting Room Solutions empower people to:

• Start meetings quickly. Upon entering a meeting room, HP Meeting Ready automatically wakes up the room control and brings the camera to life so people can begin meetings on time. Get started in seconds with one tap to launch a Microsoft Teams or Zoom meeting. “Guest Mode” makes it easy to launch meetings with any UC device.
• Be seen clearly. HP Speaker Frame, a picture-in-picture mode, spotlights in-room speakers so everyone feels like they have a seat at the table. HP Auto Frame puts meeting room attendees into perspective by framing out white space for a better conferencing experience for remote attendees.
• Move around the room without disrupting the meeting flow. HP Speaker Tracking allows speakers to move around the room while keeping them in frame. Three tracking modes – slow, cinema, fast – accommodate to different presentation styles.
• Be heard clearly. When the in-room crowd gets loud, HP Auto Volume adjusts the volume for remote attendee speakers so they don’t get drowned out and can still contribute to the discussion. If an in-room speaker talks quietly, loudly, or sits in the back of the room, HP Voice Leveling optimises the volume of the in-room speaker so they can be heard clearly by remote attendees.
• Request help quickly when you need it. Report a room issue in two seconds. HP Presence Room Assistant[xi] makes it easy to report room issues like device issues, missing chairs or markers, clearing catering from a room, and more to IT, facilities, or the café admin.

Advancing Technology Enhanced by HP Presence

Technology enhanced by HP Presence delivers key experiences that allow people to:

• Look their best on screen no matter the lighting condition. Upgraded camera hardware with integrated lighting enhancements automatically adapts to the lighting conditions of various workspaces. Backlight adjustment detects if there is too much light coming into the camera lens and adjusts to balance out the light. Lowlight adjustment detects if the room is too dark and brightens faces so people can be seen.
• Break free from their desk and move around while collaborating. HP Auto Frame focuses the camera on the user and keeps them in frame even if they get up to stretch their legs. Three modes – head only, head and shoulders, and upper body – let people choose how they want to be seen and whether they want to use their hands to help express their ideas. Dynamic voice leveling automatically adjusts voice volume so it’s consistent whether the user sits in front of their PC or moves around the room.
• Hear and be heard clearly no matter the distractions or background sounds. Integrated AI-based noise reduction filters unwanted background noises like doorbells, dogs barking, and sirens from the street, so people don’t have to worry about going off mute. To minimise distractions from background noises by other meeting attendees, the noise reduction technology also filters out their unwanted incoming background noises.
• Be heard clearly even when wearing a mask. HP AI-based Clear Voice uses technology to identify muffled voices and applies microphone gain to compensate and ensure your original voice is what is heard in a meeting.

For more information about HP Presence, visit www.hp.com/presence.

New data confirms the impact lockdowns have had on Tradies in the building and construction sector and shows the need for measures to support increased digital uptake and capacity building to accelerate recovery from COVID lockdowns.

The data released by MYOB in its Small Business Health Index shows lockdowns have immediate impacts on the building and construction sector. As of 22 October, total invoice creation was down 31%, gross pay was down by 23%, and employment was down by 16% compared to baseline.

Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia, said, “These insights are particularly important for our industry as we move forward out of lockdowns.”

This data highlights the impact that low levels of digitisation, particularly for SMEs, have on businesses. Invoicing is down across the board, with in-person invoicing rendered impossible during lockdowns. Businesses with low levels of digitisation have been exposed as less resilient.  

“COVID has been an accelerator of existing trends such as digitisation and has provided tangible evidence of how low levels of digital uptake hurt small businesses in our sector,” Denita Wawn said.

“As the Prime Minister highlighted before the Federal Budget, ‘one of the biggest challenges and opportunities turns on how we respond to the digital transformation’. We are working government on how they can support our industry to do so,” she said.

“MYOB modelling shows there are nearly 80,000 Tradies in the construction industry alone with no or very low levels of digitisation of their business processes. Businesses located in regional areas have less access to business and employee support services,” she said. 

“We know that the greatest current challenge for Tradies in construction is managing cashflows given the stresses caused by supply disruptions, COVID delays and a mini housing boom which has meant SMEs have had to take on more work than usual. MYOB data shows that one of the greatest benefits of digitisation for SMEs is better cash flow management,” Denita Wawn said.

“Digitisation will help small building businesses to better manage their projects so they can more accurately factor in the costs of building products and specialist tradespeople into their quotes,” she said.

“Digitally advanced SMEs are 50% more likely to succeed in growing*. Supporting SMEs to become larger businesses will be increasingly important if the construction industry is to expand and address structural shortages in housing supply and infrastructure,” she said.

“With the construction industry home to more SMEs than any other industry, meaningful digital adoption will have perhaps the greatest impact in business recovery and improving business resilience,” Denita Wawn said.

*Deloitte Access Economics 2017.