Small Business savings tips

Posted on September 23, 2022 by Angus Jones

Sofiane Ainine, General Manager Enterprise for Mid-Market, ANZ, SAP shares with us his Small Business savings tips that owners should follow.

Small businesses have had a challenging number of years with regular business interruptions and market volatility impacting workforces and supply chain operations. With so much economic uncertainty ahead and ongoing inflation, its important small businesses take the time to review their position.

Here are three Small Business savings tips to plan for disruption and position your business for success.

Maximise supply transparency to minimise cost

According to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the most common supply chain issue for 88 percent of businesses was domestic and international delivery delays, while 75 percent faced increased supply processes, including rising transport costs.

While delivery delays and increased costs are undoubtedly challenging for small businesses, it has highlighted the need for traditional supply chains to be diversified.

Business networks can be used by organisations to access a range of trading partners, such as suppliers, carriers, and service providers both locally and in other markets. This means that when faced with supply challenges, they can stay agile and switch suppliers as needed to ensure consistency across the supply chain.

This is currently a difficult lesson that many businesses are learning from and is sparking a movement towards reshoring, onshoring and nearshoring, and the relocation of manufacturing sites closer to consumption. For instance, the US government recently signed new legislation that includes a $52 billion investment in grants and incentives for manufacturing semiconductors in-country, in an effort to encourage companies to unwind dependence on foreign semiconductor manufacturers.

Invest in external management to drive long term savings

Ongoing labour challenges may be unavoidable, but companies can help themselves by applying greater due diligence to their workforce planning, including examining the role of external labour.

A report by Harvard Business Review Analytic Services, sponsored by SAP, revealed that 96 percent of respondents have made or are making alterations to workplaces because of recent business disruptions, while 92 percent said organisations need to adopt new workplace strategies to remain competitive.

With companies relying on external labour to fill gaps, streamlining how these workers are managed not only helps small business owners drive administration costs down, but it also means workforce operations can be rapidly scaled up or down as market conditions change. In some industries, especially highly regulated ones, outsourcing certain tasks to a third-party service provider enables organisations to pass risks on to an entity better equipped to handle them.

External employees can also enable small businesses to manage their workforce by giving them access to sought-after skills and knowledge without the additional complexities and costs by bringing staff on full-time.

Determine where automation can be implemented

Since the federal government adopted e-invoicing in July, it is now a non-negotiable for businesses to rely on manual financial processes, such as email or PDF invoicing. A Deloitte study estimates that e-invoicing can save Australia’s SMBs up to $40,320 annually.

Manual spend management can cost businesses valuable time and money; eliminating these repetitive processes through automation frees employees and owners to focus on high-value tasks that generate revenue and drive innovation.

Ultimately, greater visibility across the supply chain equips businesses with the insights to overcome market disruption and improve the efficiency of their procurement operations. The increased use of technologies such as predictive or advanced analytics, video and audio communications platforms and automation into largely paper-based processes will also push small businesses to make better-informed decisions as they leverage data to gain critical business insights.

Digital technologies have also helped companies introduce more flexible remote working options and enable faster collaboration with suppliers. With hybrid and remote working here to stay, optimising external workforce management and business operations mean companies can reduce full-time staff management overhead, improve operations safety, and quickly scale up or down to stay ahead of competitors.

Business growth and security this financial year will require an investment in the digitalisation of operations. By embracing technology to streamline processes, small businesses can improve their resilience and deliver the value required to stay competitive.

More Small Business savings tips can be found by topic on our website

Next generation EPOS ADAPT 500 headset

Posted on September 21, 2022 by Angus Jones

As workers progressively return to the office and hybrid workspaces, so does noise. Users need to be equipped with the right tools to hear clearly, be heard and focus in today’s modern workplace. To meet the versatile needs of the modern workplace, premium audio brand EPOS has announced the second generation of its popular ADAPT 500 series headsets, making it easier than ever for users to work their way. With improved wear, a rich feature set built on EPOS BrainAdapt™ technology and compatibility with the EPOS Connect App, the ADAPT 500 series offers perfected comfort and the tools to boost productivity.

Enjoy all-day wearing comfort

For users who wear their headsets at home, in the office, or on their commute, the second generation ADAPT 500 series introduces a new, low-impact headband and softer ear pads for long-term wearing comfort. The fit of the ear pads has also been improved with high-friction, textured fabric, elevating the user’s experience when on calls, activating ANC or listening to music.

Productivity-enhancing ADAPT 500 features

The ADAPT 500 series features four ANC microphones to boost audio clarity when in calls and help users focus any time, anywhere. To ensure users are always heard in meetings, a discreet boom arm optimises voice pickup with two advanced microphones. The boom arm can then seamlessly fold away into the ear pad when not in use. And thanks to UC optimisation and certification for Microsoft Teams, users can be confident they’ll have clear call quality for every meeting.

Seamless connectivity

For those who use their headset both in and out of the office, the ADAPT 500 series makes it easy to connect to both your phone and laptop with multi-point connectivity to any two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. To complement their work set-up, users can also choose between a Bluetooth® USB-A or USB-C dongle.

The ADAPT 500 series is also compatible with the EPOS Connect App, allowing users to take control of their sound environment with personalised audio features.
The recently updated EPOS Connect App offers improved connectivity and compatibility across the EPOS ADAPT line including the 600, 500, 400 and 300 series headsets. Companion app features and updates are now also available across several models in the range.

“Improving the experience of our users has always been a primary goal at EPOS. The new-generation ADAPT 500 series builds on the success of the original range, providing increased comfort and usability to an already rich feature set. These on-ear Bluetooth® headsets make it even easier to focus in open offices and on the move.,” Theis Mørk, VP Global Product Management at EPOS.
Click here to find further information

Rex Airlines partnership helps SMEs

Posted on September 21, 2022 by Angus Jones

In a move that demonstrates a strong and game-changing commitment to the Australian SME sector, Flight Centre Travel Group’s flagship SME business, Corporate Traveller, has partnered with Rex Airlines, Australia’s largest independent regional and domestic airline.

The partnership will give Corporate Traveller’s customers access to exclusive SME business travel fares, new corporate travel offers, and easy access to an Australian carrier dedicated to servicing regional and high-demand CBD routes as well as Australia’s domestic fly-in fly-out (FIFO) market.

With its head office in Sydney and a domestic network that includes 58 destinations predominantly across the north and south-east of Australia and south-west into the key hubs of Western Australia, Rex Airlines is fast becoming a refreshingly different choice for business travellers.

In July 2022, the airline announced it had completed the acquisition of National Jet Express (NJE), the regional services arm of Cobham Aviation Services Australia (Cobham).

NJE is a leading provider of FIFO services in Western Australia and South Australia. NJE also operates freight services from Sydney to Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and the Gold Coast (Coolangatta), as well as air charter services in Papua New Guinea.

Corporate Traveller’s Global Managing Director, Tom Walley, said the partnership with Rex Airlines was a new and exciting development for SME business travel.

“SMEs are the backbone of the Australian economy and our vision for their continued post-COVID comeback closely aligns with Rex’s exciting plans. We’re thrilled with the partnership as an addition to what’s already on offer in the national airline space for Australian travellers,” Mr Walley said.

“This deal is game-changing and can’t be understated. Not only will the partnership deliver exclusive benefits for our customers, but it will also help SMEs to become more familiar with the products and services Rex offers for destinations that many of our clients are travelling to.”

The new partnership will ensure that all Corporate Traveller’s customers have access to special SME business travel fares through their online booking tool and travel consultant.

Rex Airlines has lounges for business travellers in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney airports, with a new lounge in Brisbane expected to open in 2023 and a flagship lounge currently under construction in Sydney Airport, providing breath-taking views over the airfield.

Ann Elliott, Rex’s General Manager, Sales, said, “as we continue to grow our network, innovative offers and partnerships are critical to our success. We look forward to building our SME network through this exclusive scheme created by Corporate Traveller and the Flight Centre Travel Group.”

Small businesses confident about growth

Posted on September 20, 2022 by Angus Jones

7 in 10 Aussie small businesses confident about growth and feel healthy

● 80% expect revenue to increase or stay the same over the next 12 months.

● 25% are worried about unpredictable or unstable revenue, a significant reduction compared to April 2022.

● 26% expect to access external funds over the coming 12 months.

Small businesses are feeling confident about the future with 70% rating the health of their business as good or very good, according to recent research conducted by YouGov.

This reveals that the positivity exists among small businesses despite the tough operating environment. Business owners are displaying hard work and creativity, which is being rewarded with reduced concerns around revenue compared to April 2022. As a result, 8 out of 10 small business owners are expecting increased or stable revenue over the next 12 months.

One of the ways small businesses are thriving is by investing in future growth, with 1 in 4 business owners planning to access funds to achieve their future business goals over the next 12 months.

Beau Bertoli, Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer at Prospa said:

“It’s incredible to see the grit of small business owners, who are proactively taking action to ensure their business is thriving within the current environment. The insights from this research clearly show that their determination has been effective in keeping businesses healthy and profitable.

“There’s also no doubt that access to fast, flexible funding is playing a key role. We’ve observed how our products and solutions are allowing small business owners to smooth out irregularities in their cash flow, or fund growth opportunities.”

Matt Fraser, Owner and Founder of Northern Sports & Remedial Myotherapy in Melbourne, has increased his client base by 30% in 12 months after using a Prospa Line of Credit to fund advertising.

“It’s brought customers from not just the local area but surrounding suburbs and the Melbourne CBD too. Without the Line of Credit, this wouldn’t have happened,” Matt said.

“I was determined to steer clear of banks and credit cards as there’s a lot more interest with credit cards and the repayments are not flexible like with a line of credit. The application process was seamless and straightforward, and within a day I had funds in my account.”

Jabra Elite 5 review

Posted on September 20, 2022 by Angus Jones

Back in January, we reviewed the Jabra Elite 7 Pro. We were impressed by how these earbuds could be used as a hybrid solution for work and pleasure. Jabra has recently announced a cheaper set of earbuds that we find superior in a few areas.

What are Jabra Elite 5?

The Jabra Elite 5 are wireless active noise cancelling (ANC) earbuds allowing you via Bluetooth to make calls and enjoy media in a small discreet package. Two separate devices can be connected to your Jabra Elite 5’s, such as your smartphone and your PC. The earbuds and case are of superior build and come with a 2-year warranty.

From visual inspection and the information from Jabra, it would appear that these earbuds have a greater number of microphones. These microphones improve noise cancellation across a wider range of frequencies. These same microphones are also used to improve voice calls back through your smartphone and also help to block out wind noise.

A new feature that we have not seen before is support for Spotify Tap. A key feature on Jabra earbuds is a physical button that you can press versus a tap sensor. When Spotify Tap is enabled via your smartphone Jabra App. You can double press the left earbud to start playing Spotify, and double press left again to browse content specific to you.

The Elite 5 continues to support playback of media and interaction via the buttons. Support for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa continues and is activated by a long press to the right earbud.

Another new feature is better integration with Google. It includes support for Google Fast Pair, which my Android phone immediately recognised and connected the new earbuds. Another feature I noticed is a graphical image of the earbuds on my Android smartphone. The graphic shows the battery status of each earbud and the case, which is handy to know.

The earbuds are water and dust-resistant (IP55) and will support up to 7 hours of playback with ANC on. If you have ANC off, the playback increases to 9 hours. Case charging takes the listening time to 28 hours with ANC and 36 hours without ANC. In reading the manual, you will find the charging case needs to have a 30% charge or more to charge the buds and that 10 minutes in the case will provide enough power for the buds to operate for up to 1 hour.

The charging case can be charged via USB-C or by placing the case on a Qi-certified wireless charging pad. Charging wirelessly will take around 3 hours from flat. Visually you can see the battery status on the case and the earbuds via a LED, which will flash green for high, yellow for medium and red for low.

What is in the Jabra Elite 5 Box?

The Jabra Elite 5 can be bought as either Gold Beige in colour or Titanium Black. I tested a pair of Gold Beige while I initially preferred Black but soon realised the Beige acted more as camouflage when placed in your ears which has its positives and minuses around people realising you have earbuds in.

Also in the box beyond the 2 buds and the case is a USB – A to USB – C charging cable and a small and large ear gel set to replace the medium set already fitted to best suit your ear canal.

Users can download the Jabra Sound+ app, which gives you control over settings to personalise your Jabra’s. The app will also give you an indication of the battery state and facilitate firmware upgrades.

Using the Jabra Elite 5

These earbuds were a surprise in how well they performed against the more expensive ones at $299.

The Jabra Elite 5 can be purchased directly from Jabra or Amazon for $219. The good news is Jabra offers a 100-day free return. This is key when buying headphones, as normally, you cannot return an item you put in your ear. This returns policy gives you peace of mind because you cannot try these in a store.

The better features of the Elite 7 pros are faster charging, better water and dust resistance and longer battery life.

However, to my ear, the Elite 5 sound better for both voice and music media playback. I was not expecting this, but the Elite 5 has the advantage of a further year of development over the Elite 7 pro.

The biggest difference I found with the Elite 5 was how well the buds worked for phone calls, not from a listening perspective but from a talking perspective. The new 6-mic call technology makes a noticeable difference to the other party by providing an enhanced wind reduction and background noise reduction. I test earbuds week in and week out in noisy street environments. I have a particular associate who critiques my voice quality and does not hold back if it is not good.

Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is my favourite earphone/headphone technology allowing you to block out the outside world. Jabra enables you to decide how much background noise you block out, and I tend to always use the maximum as it just sounds better. The downside is people start talking to me, not knowing I am wearing earbuds which causes a issue. I should also point out that from a safety perspective, this can also be problematic. One click of the left earbud activates hear thru, allowing you to hear ambient noise clearly. I use the earbuds on my bike and overcome this by only wearing one earbud. Speaking on being on the bike, I find the wind noise is noticeably reduced when listening to podcasts with this new model.

For those wondering how well a Jabra earbud sits in your ear. After using them for 10 months, I have never lost an earbud or had it fall out whilst on my bike, and I have had one occasionally fall out when bumping my ears at home. So far, they have bounced and not broken. You can feel when they become loose and quick whilst in your ear re seats them. Suppose you remove a bud from your ear. In that case, this action will automatically pause any media you are listening to or mute a phone call.

Our Take

For an $80 saving versus the Jabra top-of-the-line, these earbuds outperform where it counts in listening to media and making phone calls. Any small business person will benefit from the versatility of these buds, allowing you to have a clear business conversation one minute and listen to your favourite media the next. The push button click of the earbuds is a feature I like confirming the action to touch of the feature you have just activated.

Selling Online For Dummies and Shopify For Dummies

Posted on September 20, 2022 by Angus Jones

Paul Waddy, eCommerce expert and strategic advisor to some of Australia’s most successful online retailers, has announced the release of two new books, Selling Online For Dummies and Shopify For Dummies, a set of handbooks designed to give brands and entrepreneurs the expertise to transform eCommerce ideas into a profitable reality, grasping a share of the global multi-trillion dollar industry.

With a systematic approach to eCommerce, Paul has worked with some of the most recognisable brands in the country, including Showpo, The Horse, Baby Boo Fashion, Miss Amara, Oz Hair & Beauty, Geed Up Clothing, Go Vita, Riff Raff & Co, Muscle Republic, eShopping Group and Maison De Sabre, bestowing actionable advice that accelerates profitability, commercial growth and disruptive advantage helping his clients turnover collectively more than $500M annually. Now, with the launch of his international edition books, one of retail-tech’s brightest minds is accessible to anybody looking to change their path, start and scale an online store, attract and retain customers and more.

“Over the past 15 years, I’ve done more than just dabble in eCommerce; I’ve lived and breathed it, from all types of lenses. What I’ve learned is that no matter the size or saturation, opportunities and gaps in market exist regardless of global factors. The reality is, Australian retail is still very much in a healing phase and customers are armed with new expectations; now more than ever businesses need to ensure they’re equipped with the knowledge to effectively invest in their future and grasp the lucrative possibilities eCommerce presents. My goal with Selling Online for Dummies and Shopify For Dummies is to give everybody the best chance for success via actionable, easy-to-digest processes and insights”, said Paul Waddy.

Selling Online For Dummies, $39.95

Perfect for anyone who’s ready to take advantage of the commercial opportunities waiting for them online, Selling Online For Dummies is a must-read that will help you turn your great idea from virtual to reality, discussing topics like:

– How to find hot products to sell, and what to do if you don’t have an idea for one yet

– Building a website from scratch by choosing the right developer and platform

– Marketing your site by email and on Google, Instagram, Facebook, and more

– How to deal with payments, currencies, taxes, and duties

Shopify For Dummies, $39.95

Perfect for anyone who’s ever dreamed of getting their own online store off the ground, Shopify For Dummies will help you unlock the full potential of the most popular eCommerce platform in the world today. The book will help you:

– Manage and market your inventory, including how to create collections and upload multiple products and images with a single click

– Learn to market to the right people at the right time in the right way with Facebook and Google

– Set shipping prices and rules, and even create shipping accounts with Australia Post

Coinciding with the release of Selling Online for Dummies and Shopify For Dummies (available at all major bookstores and e-tailers globally), Paul Waddy has also launched Learn eCommerce (www.learnecommerce.com.au), an educational platform featuring e-training courses such as Shopify for Beginners and Ecommerce for Beginners, designed to help both beginners and established companies navigate the complexities of eCommerce in an easy-to-digest format.

Paul Waddy is a leading eCommerce executive, adviser and speaker with 15 years’ experience. In 2020 Paul was named Number 2 in the Top 50 People in eCommerce in 2021, and in 2022 Paul received the Industry Recognition Award at the Online Retail Industry Awards.

Paul is the former CEO at The Horse, former Head of Operations at Showpo, and an adviser to some of Australia’s most successful online retailers, ranging from start-up to $500M. Paul’s expertise is in helping companies scale profitably, through improved processes and structure, as well as identifying growth opportunities, and assisting companies with execution of key projects. Paul is also an advisory board member of the National Online Retail Association (NORA) and the Director of Ecom Nation, a full stack digital marketing agency.

soft sell is crucial to sales conversion

Posted on September 20, 2022 by Angus Jones

The soft sell sometimes gets a bad rap. In an era of aggressive marketing, particularly in the technology-driven e-commerce sector, there is little room for prevarication. One needs to convert, convert, convert – drive sales and grow, in an ever-competitive, ruthless marketplace.

The debate over hard versus soft sell approaches is as old as the hills, but the truth is that our customers are often just as overwhelmed by the whirring speed of overt blanket marketing as we are.

We need to redefine the soft sell. It is no longer its predecessor, the ‘softly, softly’ approach of yore. A soft sell today is a sophisticated, strategic, multilateral machine that builds customer trust and loyalty. It converts browsers to buyers, casual visitors to converts.

While the soft sell comes with risks, so do all sales strategies and the key to getting bang for your buck with any strategy is authenticity. In a crowded market and at a time of consumer fatigue towards insincere platitudes in promotions, you can guide your customers down the sales funnel with marketing content that provides value and builds trust. For those in business for the long game, it’s worth investing the same time and careful consideration into nurturing your customer base for the longer term.

Traditional businesses that have a website and e-commerce in place can sometimes see it as an ancillary, a necessary evil. For most of them, 95% of visitors will leave without engaging. However, if managed well it can be one of the major pillars to your business success and longevity.

You can’t see your website browsers the way you see your customers. They are less tangible than watching the foot traffic in your shop or showroom. If 95 percent of the latter walked in and out of your shop without purchasing or enquiring or even acknowledging, you would be very quickly putting strategies in place to increase customer service, increase targeted traffic, and retain the loyalty of your core customer base. So why not treat your online customers the same way?

Personalisation and segmentation

It is important to not generalise your customers. They are unique individuals, and beyond that can belong to various demographic groups, cultures, age groups and other areas of differentiation. This is important because they want different things from your business or product for different reasons.

In simple terms, don’t send the same email to your entire database. Systems are now geared to allow you to easily send a different message to different people in your database via segmentation and automation. Authenticity and care in your communications are key. Consider culture, language, demographic and the relevant targets of your offering when crafting your automated messaging, use your database wisely – segmentation is critical to relevant communications.

Email marketing automation allows you to send personalised messages (based on segments) automatically, as well as based on any trackable engagements that your customers take. Retailers can create very personalised emails that will resonate with their customers, to the point where selling doesn’t feel like selling, it’s valuable information that relates to their needs.

Give them a destination

Although soft selling via social media is crucial for growing brand awareness and building your audience, a call to action is crucial. There is little point in spending your valuable time and money on content to engage your audience if it contains no pathway or journey for the user to continue.

Encouraging your customers to do something after sharing information with them is known as a call to action. Calls to action might include ‘Click here’, ‘Learn more’, ‘Get started!’, ‘Download here’.

Without a clear call to action, conversions will remain low. If you’ve got somebody who’s already engaged with your content, give them somewhere to go. Content is never more powerful than when it encourages your consumers to act.

Communicate on their terms

Your online presence should let your customers communicate with you on their terms. How do your customers prefer to communicate? Do you have these channels clearly visible on your website? To bridge this divide, consider solutions such as live chat or Facebook Messenger as a chat option, along with a clearly visible clickable phone number on all pages of your website. If your customers are international, you could encourage them to use WhatsApp.

You should also include an email address, since people generally do not like the impersonality of filling out contact forms. Finally, ensure you’ve got links to your Facebook, Instagram and any other relevant social platforms on all of your webpages.

The golden rule here is this: when your customers initiate a conversation, via any of their chosen channels, do NOT direct them to another one. For example, there is no point in using your live chat capability to direct a customer to call a help desk. Utilise available technology to either resolve their query or undertake to return the correspondence directly, within their chosen channel.

Quid pro quo – value for contact

The number one missed opportunity on small business websites is that they do not offer visitors something of compelling value in exchange for their email addresses. This seems fundamental, but value, perceived or in real terms, is vital in verifying and converting your potential lead.

Not everyone is ready to immediately book/buy from you when they visit your website. They may be ‘browsing’ or are at an early stage of their purchase lifecycle. They are interested, but not ready to invest in detailed reading or immediate obligatory costs. But an offer that pops up, at the right time, promising to deliver them something of value is more of an exchange, and less of a database trawl.

This looks different for every business depending on your customers’ needs. Give your potential customers something special in exchange for their email addresses. They are already considering your product. How can you educate, inform, entertain, and ultimately convert? It might be free content such as a document or e-book download. It might be an appealing discount on their purchase when signing up to be a potential customer. Whatever it is, in this exchange, you get the email address and can nurture your potential customer with an email sequence tailored to them.

Soft and steady wins the race

It can sometimes feel that a soft sell is a bit like treading water, and not enough is happening. All of these tips and considerations will go a long way to strengthening your soft sell strategy, and remember the customer journey is not always linear, so everything you do to develop trust on your customers’ preferred channels can contribute to them becoming a warm lead.

The tapestry of techniques, capturing the interest and loyalty of those potential customers, and your authenticity and commitment to them, are all part of a sophisticated strategy that, if done right, will reap sustainable rewards. And it’s much easier to implement, when you have the right knowledge, support and digital tools, than you might think.

Article contributed from Liz Ward, co-founder and CEO, Navii:

Liz Ward is the co-founder and CEO at Navii going digital. With more than 20 years’ experience helping businesses build their digital capabilities, Liz is a committed advocate for tech innovation.

Navii is an Australian government-backed, independent organisation that helps small and medium-sized businesses thrive in the digital economy. The team behind Navii has helped thousands of small businesses in Australia and around the world with unbiased digital advice, courses, one on one consultations and industry training.

Alongside a team of 11 in-house employees, Navii also boasts a wide network of trusted digital professionals, educators, and mentors who are on hand to provide specialised help and advice. Navii is always practical and jargon-free, with all materials written in plain English.

Online customer experience tips that guarantee repeat business

Posted on September 15, 2022 by Angus Jones

With great customer service comes great power. Every interaction with a brand is an opportunity for a customer experience that develops trust, reinforces brand loyalty and supports the consumer’s purchasing journey, whether it is a product or service that is being offered.

Here’s how to tune up your online customer service to ensure repeat business and a loyal customer base for years to come.

Value customers’ time with genuinely useful information

Customer experience online boils down to one key strategy: imagine the best possible experience that you could provide in the offline environment and emulate that in the online context, with consideration of consumer expectations for quality, personalised information and service.

Ultimately, it comes down to valuing your customers’ time. Your customers are busy people with access to what seems like an infinite choice of information and products. Every interaction you have with them must benefit them – not just you and your business. Avoid any marketing that feels like a ‘hard sell’, and instead show you value your customers’ time with content that genuinely makes a difference.

Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. What do they need from your company? What could you help them achieve? Ask yourself what you’d need from a company to have a memorable and enjoyable experience.

Ask yourself: How can you go that little bit further than your competitors? What could you do that would stick in their mind for longer than the time it takes them to browse your website? What could you do that would encourage them to tell their friends about it – even if they haven’t actually bought anything? For example, you may offer them a valuable educational PDF or video, or a diagnostic tool.

Show a genuine interest in the experience of your prospective buyer by offering value without asking for a sale. Always give them space and time to decide, and never put them in a position where they feel they’re being forced into anything.

Offline thinking, online

Online customer experience is not so different from the offline context. Think about them walking into your shop and leaving without making any purchase, or enquiry. If you ‘saw’ this happen, as a business or marketing manager, you would immediately put something in place to change this behaviour, wouldn’t you?

Unfortunately, as a website visitor is less ‘tangible’ than seeing people physically walking in a shop, small business owners rarely think about the opportunity to increase website conversions from their website browsers. The truth is, they’re not just a number on your Google Analytics account, they’re a real customer with real wants and needs.

The key is to tackle online experiences just as you would offline. If you would like to offer your customer a chance to receive the outfit so they can try it on, ensure you have a robust returns policy in place. If you would like to give out tasters or testers in your online store, why not pop a small something extra like a discount voucher, in their order confirmation to encourage a larger purchase in the future? If you would have great in-store sales associates, why not install a chat function on your website that is managed by helpful, sales superstars?

Don’t miss out on customer experience after the sale

After-sales customer experience is an often-missed opportunity for building true customer loyalty. Don’t miss the opportunity to solidify the relationship, generate great word of mouth and reviews, and create that virtuous cycle that leads to new and repeat business in the future.

The customer experience doesn’t end at a sale. Even if your customers have already gone ahead with a purchase, you can still act as a useful font of knowledge and information, for example, sending a follow up email including a helpful video with information about how to maintain the product they’ve bought from you

The cost of acquiring a new customer is always greater than the cost of selling to an existing customer who values what you do. It makes sense to nurture loyalty with existing customers and develop win-win relationships that can assist you to achieve your goals – all while rewarding your customers with great customer service at the same time.

Aim to provide them with exceptional and outstanding customer service through your pre, during and post communications. Even a sincere ‘thank you’, will help keep the lines of communication open for repeat business and opportunities to continue your relationship.

Article contributed from Liz Ward, co-founder and CEO, Navii:

Guide to better mobile broadband

Posted on September 15, 2022 by Angus Jones

Having fast and reliable internet is a utility we all now expect in Australia, just as we expect water to come out of a tap. In 2009 Australia’s National Broadband Network (NBN) was announced to provide better internet speeds for all Australians. Ten plus years on, the debate continues around delivery technologies and competition. This guide will look at how mobile broadband competes with the NBN and how you can improve your mobile broadband whether you live in a big city in a poor coverage area or use mobile data on the road.

NBN vs 5G mobile broadband

NBN versus 5G mobile data is about price, competition, speed and reliability. An internet provider such as Telstra can sell you a fixed line or wireless NBN solution or offer a service of their own. There are rules around this, but for simplicity, let’s compare an NBN fixed line connection versus a Telstra 5G home broadband solution. Equally, we could substitute Telstra for Optus, Vodafone or any of their service providers.

If Telstra sells you an NBN service, a portion of the monthly subscription goes back to the NBN. If Telstra sells you 5G home internet, then Telstra keeps all the money. So, which is better?

A 5G mobile broadband solution is cheaper and faster than an equivalent NBN fixed line solution. An NBN fixed line solution should be more reliable. Like your home network, an ethernet cable-connected computer will be more reliable than Wi-Fi. If too many devices try to use a wireless signal or something blocks or interferes with a wireless signal, this leads to reliability issues. However, wireless technology is going forward leaps and bounds, and there are ways for you to improve reliability.

How does mobile broadband work?

We expect mobile phones to work everywhere, but unfortunately, they don’t. If we are in a city elevator, which is a steel box, that will interfere with the phone reception. Mobile Broadband is data carried over the mobile phone network. In theory, you will have mobile broadband anywhere you have mobile phone coverage.

This diagram shows the basic principle behind mobile broadband. A mobile base station is connected to the internet. This cell tower then shares that internet via a wireless mobile data connection to a smartphone or mobile router. The speed and reliability of this solution are only as good as its weakest link (NBN also has weak links).

Factors affecting the speed and quality of mobile broadband:

Internet speed to tower – A 5G tower in Sydney CBD may have 2Gbps, whilst a remote town in central Australia may only have access to 25Mbps.
4G or 5G tower – Assuming your device can receive 5G, and you are connected to a 5G tower, this will offer the fastest speed. A 4G tower is quite capable of speeds of 300Mbps or more.
Reception to a tower – The further away you are, or if you have obstacles like trees, walls, windows etc., will affect the speed and quality of connection. Note the number of bars you have on your phone is a measure of signal quality. The bars are not a direct indicator of mobile data speeds, which will vary.
Interference- Wireless signals from other cellular devices, microwave ovens, hair dryers, storms and even radiation from the sun can cause interference, reducing speeds.
Sharing of bandwidth – If the tower you are connected to has lots of other people connected either on a call or using data, you have to share the available resources
Plan – The monthly plan you are subscribed to may include limitations around connection technologies or speed limitations. Mobile plans normally have download limits vs unlimited.
5G/4G Modem technology – Various technologies are employed in a modem to determine its maximum speed (see below). All smartphones have a built-in modem. If you subscribe to a 5G or 4G Home internet package, the service provider will provide you with a modem. You may also buy dedicated modems, sometimes called hotspots.
Wi-Fi quality- If your PC, tablet, TV etc., is hot spotting from your phone or modem, its speed will be affected by the quality of the Wi-Fi connection.

The outtake of this is you could have the best modem available but still get slow speed.

How to improve 5G mobile broadband

How much speed do you need should be your first question? A download speed of 25Mbps will meet the needs of the average individual 50Mbps for a family. (Netflix or a video call needs 5-15Mbps). Most NBN users have 50MBps, but both NBN and 5G are capable of more than 1000Mbps in the right conditions.

As we saw above, several factors will affect the speed and quality of your data connection. Most of these are out of your control, but there are two things you can do to improve your quality of service. The type of phone or router/hotspot you use and the addition of a high gain antenna.

Which mobile broadband router is best?

This is going to get a bit technical. The simple answer is a 5G modem will give you the best speed.

A cellular network can increase the speed of a mobile data connection by combining channels and having more antennas. This is done using the following technologies:

SISO vs MIMO

Only one antenna is used to transmit and receive in a Single Input Single Output (SISO) system. Multiple antennas are used in the Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) case. MIMO is faster. MIMO combines the signal from two antennas to provide substantially increased data speeds. Furthermore, modems will be rated as 2×2 or 4×4, meaning they have 2 or 4 antennas. Four is better than two. Note that these antennas are normally internal. Attach an external antenna to a 4×4, and you will downgrade to 2×2. You still increase your speed due to signal gain depending on your distance from the tower. (I did say this would be technical) GadgetGuy tested a D-Link 2×2, and we are currently testing a Netgear M6pro 4×4.

CATxx

As our demand for data speed increases, mobile phone technology must also increase to meet this need. The Dlink mentioned above is CAT4with a maximum download speed of 150Mbps, and the Netgear is Cat20, capable of 2000Mbps. See the table below for different supported speeds.

This technology works by combining available slots between the tower and the modem. If the tower is congested, you will not see this speed benefit as the slots are being used by others.

High Gain antennas to improve mobile broadband

Ian Ferrett of RFI” Good reception is about antenna height and line of sight”. Ian also corrects one of our previous articles on connecting to the internet anywhere. He indicated that a mobile base station can communicate with a phone or modem further than 35km and provide a substantially greater range, especially if using a directional antenna.

External antennas improve coverage, whether you’re close to a tower, have poor mobile coverage, or are driving down the highway. Indeed in recent testing with the D-Link G415 router in a Sydney Suburb with a base station less than 1km away. We saw significant speed improvement using a high gain external antennas.

An external antenna can be run outside a house or vehicle and elevated to maximise the communication back to the tower. Check to see if your model will support external antennas. Both models mentioned in this article support a 2×2 antenna solution (they have 2 antenna sockets).

An antenna will have a dB rating which indicates the level of gain an antenna can provide. The higher the dB, the further the antenna will reach.

There are two types of antennas. A Directional antenna must be pointed directly at the mobile tower, and an Omni direction can point in any direction. A Directional antenna will deal with less interference caused by multiple phone towers.

Three common antenna solutions are:

RFI high gain directional 5G 11dBi gain antenna $295
RFI Omni directional 5G 3dBi gain antenna $149
Bull bar mounting stick 5G dBi gain antennas (you would require 2) 2 x $209 = $420

Note that if you use a Cel-Fi signal repeater to help boost mobile signals, they are currently only capable of a 4G SIMO transmission. This means they will help improve coverage but not lightning-fast speeds. A Cel-Fi can be used instead of attaching an external antenna. We will look at this further in a future article.

In researching this guide, RFI technology solutions have provided products and expertise. RFI has been an Australian-owned manufacturer specialising in wireless coverage and solar power for the last 40 years.

Should I buy 5G mobile broadband?

Each of the carriers continues to expand its 5G coverage. A 5G modem is backwards compatible with 4G for those areas not yet covered. If you have no mobile coverage, see our GadgetGuy guide on caravan internet. A 5G home broadband plan will be cheaper than the NBN equivalent. Be careful when locking yourself into a contract, as it may not perform better in your location. Try to find what others are doing in your vicinity.

Remember, more speed is great but do you really need it? 50Mbps will be fine for most, which is more than enough for Netflix or Kayo.

A mobile broadband router is portable and can be moved easily between locations. Some even fit in your pocket. Don’t forget your smartphone is also a hotspot.

Those in remote areas, travelling the highways or even in the city can improve their reception, leading to more reliable coverage and faster internet speeds with an external antenna. Smartphones supporting Wi-Fi calling can also use the Wi-Fi output from a mobile router to receive and make mobile calls.

The principles discussed in this guide will help a Home mobile broadband user in the city improve speeds through to a regional user with very poor coverage.

Logitech’s Brio 500 Webcams & Zone Vibe Headphone

Posted on September 15, 2022 by Angus Jones

Logitech has unveiled two new product series, Brio 500 webcams and Zone Vibe headphones, designed to meet the evolving needs of hybrid workers. A recent study showed more than 89% of work-from-home adults struggle with unflattering camera angles, poor lighting conditions, and field-of-view limitations when using a built-in laptop camera. Brio 500 webcams and Zone Vibe headphones address the challenges users face when working from home, while modernising work and play experiences. Both make it easier for IT managers to equip their organisations’ remote and hybrid workforces in an environmentally sustainable way.

“Many remote and hybrid workers are still under-equipped and grappling with pre-pandemic era solutions,” said Scott Wharton, general manager of Logitech Video Collaboration. “Our innovative new genre of Brio webcams and Zone Vibe headphones answer the call of modern workers who need business-grade quality, style, and affordability for work and play. Transformational features like Brio’s Show Mode open up new sharing opportunities for teachers, designers, and architects to easily present physical objects, notes, and sketches remotely over video.”

Brio 500 Webcams

Created for those who want enterprise-grade audio and video quality, personalisation, and more engaging experiences on video calls, Brio 500 series is a new class of webcams that solve the most common video conferencing challenges. Brio 500 series introduces the Show Mode feature that makes it easy to share sketches or other physical objects on the desk. With an innovative mounting system and built-in sensor that allows users to tilt the camera down to focus on objects, Brio automatically flips the image to render the correct orientation into video calls.

Stylish design and fashionable colours–graphite, off-white, and rose–give individuals the freedom to customise their workstation to suit their personality and taste. RightSight technology (enabled through Logi Tune) automatically frames the user, even when moving around, while built-in innovations like RightLight 4 automatically correct substandard lighting.

Zone Vibe Headphones

Logitech’s new Zone Vibe series are the first wireless headphones in the market to combine business-grade performance with comfort, style, and affordability. Also available in graphite, off-white and rose colours, they are designed to be comfortable for all-day collaboration with colleagues and connecting with family. These lightweight over-the-ear headphones weigh just 185 grams, and feature soft-to-the-touch knitted fabric and memory foam.

IT Management

For IT teams outfitting employee workstations and home offices, Brio series is plug-and-play, compatible with most video conferencing platforms and certified for Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Zoom.

Pricing and Availability

The Brio 500 webcam and Zone Vibe 100 headphones will be available in September 2022 on logitech.com and at selected retailers. The suggested retail price for the Brio 500 webcam is $199.95, and the suggested retail price for Zone Vibe 100 is $179.95.