Global audio and video brand EPOS has launched findings examining the impact poor audio quality is having on the productivity levels of remote workers. The research found that poor audio quality causes our brains to work harder to process information. EPOS also found that the brain undergoes significant strain when struggling to process digital audio in comparison to sounds in a physical environment.

Following the onset of COVID-19, there has been an influx of research on the long-lasting cognitive issues related to the global health crisis as well as how lockdowns and other societal shifts have affected mental health. However, there has been little research on the impact of communicating primarily through digital solutions. Sound significantly impacts cognitive function because the ear is just a vehicle to the brain that perceives and translates a series of electronic nerve signals. With much of the global workforce continuing to work remotely, background noises remain an impediment to productivity and potentially a risk to health as it relates to levels of stress. Workforces today are largely unaware of how background noises affect them, and it is only by addressing the issue that we can begin to unlock new levels of well-being and productivity.

The psychoacoustic research was conducted by EPOS in the Centre for Applied Audiology Research (CAAR)^[1], Oticon, Denmark, with a focus on pupillometry tracking, speech recognition performance and subjective ratings for pre- and post-load tasks for each noise condition. The users performed the listening tasks with and without EPOS passive damping. The researchers concluded that the passive noise reduction performance of EPOS headsets leads to a reduction in effort listening, better memory recall and higher levels of word recognition, with subjects’ memory recall improving by 10%.^[2]

Listeners enduring noisy backgrounds can struggle to interpret and understand the entirety of what’s being discussed. While that raises immediate concerns for the absorption and retention of information, the longer-term issue is clear. Poor audio causes our brains to work harder to interpret information and experience 35% more effort listening[3]. The brain can become much slower to respond to sound as it finds it trickier to switch between stimuli. For instance, when on a conference call that is marred by audio issues including background noise and interference, the brain works harder to focus on what the most important source of sound is.

This, the researchers contend, can lead to cognitive overload and brain fatigue. Sound affects us psychologically, cognitively, and behaviourally, even though we are not aware of it. By testing EPOS’ technologies and solutions, and examining cognitive effort and memory recall, it is possible to develop solutions to mitigate the effects of unwanted background noise on the brain. For example, EPOS can test and prove that damping specific frequencies of disturbing noises really does result in lower listening fatigue over an extended virtual meeting.

Built on world-leading psychoacoustic research through the Demant Group, EPOS has developed unique algorithms and acoustic technologies to replicate the ideal and most natural conditions for a user’s brain to interpret sounds. These technologies fall under the EPOS BrainAdapt™ banner. Products built on EPOS BrainAdapt™ technologies, such as the ADAPT 660 and ADAPT 660 AMC headsets were shown to enhance performance through improved recall and reduced cognitive load.

Torben Christiansen, Director of Technology, EPOS: “Businesses invested hugely in technologies to support their workforces during lockdowns. That was a necessary fix to an immediate threat to business continuity. Now, we’re starting to see the longer-term impacts of remote work on our employees’ productivity and wellbeing. Poorer concentration and productivity have an immediate impact on business output, but the more insidious and cumulative effect will be that of increased fatigue and dissatisfaction amongst workers. This, in turn, can lead to burnout and employee churn. Employers need to face down these new challenges with the same rigour they did in 2020, and invest in new solutions to support their employees’ wellbeing, satisfaction, and productivity.”

Uniden has enhanced its outdoor security range with a new smart security device, the Uniden App Cam PANO with 4K dual lens spotlight, offering a Wi-Fi-enabled, powerful new spotlight. This latest smart device is designed to be the ultimate deterrent for crime outdoors.

Users can capture clear video footage through the ultra-high-definition (4K) lens and high-quality features of the device, making it possible to view and record with a wide image range in greater detail and zoom in to view objects easily, providing peace of mind at all times of the day or night.

With a 170-degree-wide field of view, the App Cam PANO uses dual lens hardware that joins the two videos together as one picture. Essentially, the dual lens hardware enables you to capture and view more than a tradition security camera. The weatherproof App Cam PANO, built to withstand all weather conditions including the harsh Australian sun, includes an innovative 4K dual lens and is designed for Australian homes and outdoor conditions. With powerful infrared night vision that automatically turns on as night falls, it lets users see everything, even in the dark.

The inclusion of a passive infrared sensor (PIR sensor) spotlight lets users see the appearance of anyone approaching the property more clearly, while also acting as an effective deterrent to unwanted visitors. Combined with a very strong built-in spotlight, this adds colour to the night vision footage up to 10 metres away to ensure a high-quality image.

The App Cam PANO features artificial intelligence (AI), which can distinguish between a person, vehicle or pet. It’s accurate detection technology then alerts you through instant-push notifications, while at the same time reducing the number of false alarms.

Users can easily track App Cam PANO vision from any smartphone device for remote live viewing in 4K quality using the Uniden SOLO app globally. This also facilitates two-way communication or voice alerts that can help when goods or parcels are delivered to the front door. Privacy masking can black out the areas a user does not want recorded and prioritise where surveillance needs to be focused.

Thanks to the wire-free over Wi-Fi capability, both homeowners and renters can choose one or more of these cameras to monitor more of their home, from the front door to the garage, in one easy DIY-installed solution without the need for ongoing fees or subscription costs.

A wire-free version (App Cam SOLO PANO) will be released in early 2023 to join the App Cam PANO 4K range.

Uniden App Cam PANO Key features:

• colour night vision
• powerful spotlight and camera in one
• 170 degree viewing angle – dual lens
• 4K (8MP) resolution
• micro-SD-card
• weatherproof design (IP65)
• artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled alerts
• customised voice-recorded alerts
• dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz  5GHz)
• siren alert trigger
• motion detection record
• privacy masking.

Uniden App Cam PANO RRP: $399.95

Based on an analysis of its own delivery data, CouriersPlease has revealed the 10 top suburbs for Christmas shopping across Australia – and the top two suburbs in each major State – that will shop most for Christmas gifts this year.

CEO Richard Thame says the company has seen ever-increasing parcel delivery volumes each year in the lead up to Christmas – October to mid-December – also known as ‘peak period.’ 

Richard says: “In 2021, we delivered 28 million parcels – including nearly 5 million over our peak period.^[1] Our volumes are therefore a reliable barometer of Australian online shopping habits.

“While inflation and rising interest rates will cause many Australians to re-evaluate their spending this Christmas – our recent research found 54 per cent of online shoppers plan to spend less this year – we anticipate purchase levels will still be healthy. We have prepared for a boost in parcel volumes around the Black Friday and Cyber Monday period, which 52 per cent of consumers use to buy Christmas gifts, our own research has found.”

CouriersPlease forecasts the 10 suburbs – ranked – that will be responsible for the largest Christmas parcel volumes 

Based on 2021 parcel delivery volumes, Richard forecasts this year’s top 10 suburbs Christmas shopping. 

1. Melbourne (3000)
2. Sydney (postcode 2000)
3. Adelaide (5000)
4. Pakenham (3810)
5. Point Cook (3030)
6. Berwick (3806)
7. Sunbury (3429)
8. Port Melbourne (3207)
9. Richmond (3121)
10. Preston (3072)

Richard says: “We forecast earlier this year that Melbourne’s suburbs would continue topping the list for areas shopping online the most and the above list echoes this prediction. Eight out of the 10 suburbs that will see increased volumes this Christmas are in Victoria, suggesting residents have formed permanent online shopping behaviours after significant periods of lockdowns and restrictions.”

CouriersPlease forecasts the two suburbs – ranked – that will be responsible for the largest Christmas parcel volumes in each State

CouriersPlease also analysed its parcel delivery data across each major State and has revealed the two top suburbs – ranked – where Australians will shop for Christmas the most this year.

Richard says: “While Sydney and Melbourne top the list in NSW and Victoria, the rankings also highlight promising growth areas that have emerged in recent years.”

Toowoomba is one such region, experiencing a 7.7 per cent population growth since the 2016 Census.^[2] Property values have also increased more than 20 per cent, with houses selling at a faster rate than any other regional area.^[3] Sydney’s Hills Shire, with suburbs such as Castle Hill, is considered one of Australia’s rapidly growing urban regions, forecast to more than double its population by 2036.^[4] 

“These areas are continuing to attract more residents, particularly with more Australians choosing to move to outer suburbs over urban suburbs in recent years.”

NSW

1. Sydney (2000)
2. Castle Hill (2154)

QLD

1. Toowoomba (4350)
2. Salisbury (4107)

VIC

1. Melbourne (3000)
2. Pakenham (3810)

SA

1. Adelaide (5000)
2. Mount Barker (5251)

WA

1. Perth (6000)
2. Canning Vale (6155)

The fluctuating relative strength of the Aussie dollar is yet another reflection of major economies feeling the strain of cost of living pressures, rising interest rates and inflation. 

With the Australian dollar withdrawing from a six-week high in late July, now hovering below the US$0.65 mark and the RBA hiking interest rates to 2.85%, each piece of global and Australian economic data is being heavily scrutinised to see how currency markets will respond. 

Currency market volatility impacts the cost of doing business globally. 

More than ever, SMEs are taking action to minimise the negative impacts of rising interest rates and currency fluctuations on their bottom line.

Explaining the relationship between interest rates, inflation and foreign exchange (FX)

Let’s first break down how interest rates, inflation and FX are interrelated to give you a working knowledge of how this could impact your business’s cash flow.

To start, central banks can impact spending and the cost of goods and services by increasing and decreasing interest rates. Consecutive rate rises, as Australia has been experiencing, increase the cost of borrowing for businesses which is then passed on to consumers. This tends to make it more expensive for businesses to invest and make consumers less confident about discretionary spending, both of which add pressure for SMEs trading globally.

As interest rates go up, investors tend to buy holdings in the currency where the interest yield is higher, and the increase in demand sees the currency gain in value. Conversely, as investors sell off lower-yielding currencies, the drop in demand decreases currency value.

In essence, a weaker Australian dollar means local businesses, such as Australian-based automotive and clothing retailers, will pay more for international products and services.

However, Australian companies that earn revenue in overseas currencies while incurring expenses in Australian dollars, are better placed to benefit from local products and services becoming more globally competitive.

Managing risk in inflation-driven volatile currency markets

Predicting currency rates is nearly impossible, but SMEs can use the below tools to help manage FX risk when moving money globally:

Limit Order: this enables you to nominate a target rate for an amount of currency in the hope that the rate will be reached within a specific time frame. If the rate is reached, the currency is purchased for you automatically.

Forward Contracts: this provides the ability to secure an exchange rate based on today’s rate for a future-dated transfer up to twelve months in advance.

Both tools can help offset currency exposure risk, create potential cash flow buffers, and offer more currency certainty. In turn, this can facilitate better pricing conditions so businesses can avoid passing on costs to consumers.

It’s also possible to protect against currency swings through natural hedging, where overseas earnings and costs are managed in the same currency. This removes the barrier of having to convert revenue at exchange rates you can’t control. Some FX payment providers offer multi-currency accounts to create this natural hedge; the OFX Global Currency Account for example, enables businesses to open up to nine virtual currency accounts to make and receive payments.

Every small business trading internationally should have a currency risk management plan. If you’re uncertain about the best solution for your business, get in touch with an FX specialist; their knowledge of global market movements and FX cost planning could help your business.

Other Australian businesses’ reactions to inflation

For a number of years, the influence of inflation has been largely absent from the macro-economic picture, but no longer; the full force of inflationary impacts are certainly being felt.

Inflationary pressure on interest rates and currency exchange rates could mean SMEs with their eyes on expanding overseas become more cautious. 

However, it’s encouraging to observe organisations taking a proactive approach to currency risk planning. OFX data for September showed a month-on-month increase in both Limit Orders and Forward Contracts from its Corporate books as businesses sought more cash flow certainty and control.

This increased activity could be attributed to exporters who favour a weaker AUD seeking to lock in their position, or Australian organisations with offshore ties who may be concerned the AUD will slide lower wanting to protect their margins. In both cases, currency risk tools can give businesses greater certainty in a volatile currency environment.

Get ahead, stay ahead

With the looming threat of a global recession, interest rate hikes will continue to be a driving economic force that currency markets could react to.

For SMEs to thrive in the tough economic conditions expected ahead, understanding the role of FX in the economic puzzle and adjusting business finances accordingly could mean the difference between competitive growth and leaking hard-earned profit. I encourage all businesses to arm themselves with the necessary FX tools and resources to prepare for ongoing currency volatility.

Content provided by Michael Judge, Head of Australia and New Zealand, OFX

Synology has announced the launch of WRX560 as it expands its line of critically-acclaimed routers with a powerful Wi-Fi 6 router designed to provide fast, secure, and safe internet connectivity to busy households. Running the intuitive and feature-rich Synology Router Manager (SRM) operating system and boasting capable hardware, WRX560 is equipped to tackle any small office networking challenge.

“We are excited to add WRX560 to our lineup,” said Mike Chen, Product Manager for Synology Routers. “Sitting below our flagship RT6600ax, the WRX560 still packs powerful performance and advanced network functionality but for a broader audience.”

Performance-driven design

WRX560 packs powerful internals under the hood to ensure optimal performance for busy small offices and networking enthusiasts alike. Powered by Wi-Fi 6 technology, WRX560 offers fast Wi-Fi speeds with a combined throughput of up to 3,000 Mbps¹ to provide buffer-free streaming and fast downloads. Its quad-core 1.4 GHz processor and 512 MB of RAM allow it to handle up to 150 connected devices without missing a beat.

As a step-up from most consumer routers, WRX560 features a configurable 2.5GbE WAN/LAN port to support high-performance devices or superfast internet plans. Additionally, compatibility with the newly licensed 5.9 GHz spectrum provides access to an interference-free band for higher potential connection speeds² or dedicated wireless backhaul.

Seamless connectivity for the small office

WRX560 includes features that enhance wireless connections for faster and more stable connectivity. This router can be incorporated into a mesh configuration with other Synology routers for consistent, high-speed whole-home coverage under a single Wi-Fi name.³ Users with existing Synology routers can get the most out of their device by using it as an additional Wi-Fi point.

Built to provide family-friendly experiences for the home office

WRX560 includes comprehensive parental controls and internet filtering capabilities through the Safe Access package to make the internet a safer place.

Limiting screen time for kids

Parents can set internet use quotas or restrict internet access to certain hours for each device owned by children, including laptops, smartphones, tablets, and game consoles.

Web filtering

Prevent children from accessing adult, violent, gaming, and social networking websites and filter out explicit search results. Users can apply filters flexibly, for example, restricting social media during homework hours.

Track usage

Safe Access provides insight into kids’ activities online, such as the daily amount of time spent on the web or whether they have attempted to visit inappropriate websites.

Advanced networking features in Synology Router Manager

Known for its popularity among router enthusiasts, SRM includes a host of advanced networking capabilities, including VPN server hosting, fine-grained control of bandwidth usage of devices on the network, and VLAN network segmentation.

VPN Plus

Ideal for remote workers and office use, VPN Plus provides the ability to quickly establish secure connections to internal networks behind the router, bridge multiple locations together with secure IPsec tunnels for resource sharing across different networks, and access to desktop software from anywhere with remote desktop functionality.

Traffic management

WRX560’s built-in traffic management tools provide users with precise control and oversight over their network traffic. With the ability to view detailed application and device traffic information and apply traffic shaping and quality of service policies, users can optimize their network based on their specific needs.

VLAN network segmentation

The VLAN network segmentation feature lets users create VLANs and define custom firewall rules, quality of service policies, and access policies for each VLAN. For home users, VLAN network segmentation is most often used to isolate vulnerable IoT devices from the main network to keep PCs and NAS secure from potential intrusions.

On-the-go management

The DS router mobile app offers a wide range of features, including router setup, traffic monitoring, parental controls, guest network creation, and network management.

The release of the latest building approvals and lending figures by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today are showing signs of ongoing decline in economic activity said Master Builders CEO Denita Wawn.

“The number of loans fell back again during September 2022 both to owner occupiers and housing investors. This coincides with weaker building approvals which dropped by 5.8 per cent compared with August.

“Australia’s building and construction industry is one of the most sensitive parts of the economy to interest rates rises and the figures for September underline the delicate state of the new home building market,” Ms Wawn said.

Detached house building approvals saw a much sharper drop of 7.8 per cent compared with medium/high density dwellings. In previous months, there had been signs that new detached house building approvals had steadied out.

Despite the big interest rate increases, average loan sizes are still bigger than a year ago for most categories. Loans for major home renovations works are still well higher for both owner occupiers and housing investors at +13.6 per cent and +12.4 per cent respectively.

Interestingly, there was a big gain in approvals for apartments in high-rise buildings of nine plus storeys. The strengthening picture for high-rise may be related to the anticipated recovery of inward migration to major cities.

“The building and construction industry continues to be impacted by product cost pressures and a shortage of tradespeople.

“Any significant government policy changes, like the Government’s proposed industrial relations legislation, needs to be carefully considered against this backdrop,” Ms Wawn said.

Following the success of its initial range of Unmanaged PoE Switches with Long Reach PoE technology, D-Link A/NZ has extended its switch portfolio with the launch of its new DGS-F1210 Series Smart Switches. The four new additional Smart Managed models offer 8, 16 and 24 PoE+ Ports, with Long Reach and Extended PoE capability, to supply 802.3af/at PoE and connectivity on Ethernet cables up to 250 metres long. The new DGS-F1210 Series of Smart Managed Switches also provide an advanced feature set including VLAN, LACP, RSTP, MSTP, ERPS and more. There’s also 6KV surge protection for connected devices and an easy to manage web-based GUI, as well as the option to use the full CLI interface if required.

The DGS-F1210 Series is a diverse group of clever Gigabit Long Reach PoE Smart Managed Switches. With a wide variety of port options users can provide power for their PoE powered devices including IP Cameras, CCTV devices, VoIP Phones and Wi-Fi Access Points. D-Link has thoughtfully offered a range of Switches that will suit almost all types of customer requirements, including a 24-Port Gigabit Ethernet switch with an extended PoE budget of 380 Watts.

The switches are also enhanced with 6KV surge protection which effectively protects each Switch against sudden electrical surges caused by events such as lightning strikes or unstable electrical current. The built-in 6KV surge protection also significantly reduces the chances of any connected equipment being damaged from electrical surges and effectively lowers maintenance costs by minimising the need for expensive equipment repairs or replacement.

Another valuable safety asset is the DGS-F1210 Series’ Mission-Critical Resiliency as it features sub-50ms recovery thanks to its Ethernet Ring Protection Switching (ERPS) capabilities, while its Spanning Tree Protocols (STP) enable alternative paths for Layer 2 failover. Link Aggregation (802.3ad) and Quality of Service (QoS) with Weighted Round Robin (WRR) are also enabled, so that VoIP and IPTV applications run smoothly and seamlessly. The network OAM also helps enable service providers to fulfill their Service-Level Agreements and provide carrier-grade service.

The DGS-F1210 Series employs robust security as it maintains strict control over network access thanks to IEEE 802.1X port/host-based access control, VLANs and RADIUS authentication, enhanced by IP-MAC-Port Binding at the user level. Loop Protection guards the network from broadcast, multicast and unicast flooding, while Access Control Listing (ACL) bolsters network security without sacrificing Switch performance.

The DGS-F1210 Series is particularly stable, even under pressure, as it boasts a host of critical features that enhance reliability. With support for PoE, connected devices can be powered in remote locations where an electric outlet is difficult to access making deployments much easier. Should power related issues occur there are also capabilities such as a PoE Watchdog, in addition to its 6kV surge protection, on all Gigabit Ethernet ports and cable diagnostics for quick troubleshooting. This makes for all around lower operating expenses. 

Like D-Link’s other Smart Managed switches the DGS-F1210 Series offer a range of essential and advanced features that help to ensure networks run 24/7. The web Interface is particularly easy to navigate and user-friendly making these new Switches simple to configure. As a result, administrators can save time, effort and money. 

DGS-F1210-26MPS-E

DGS-F1210 Series Switches Key Features

            • Models with 8, 16 and 24 PoE+ Ports and up to 380 Watts power budget

            • 2 SFP Ports on each model

            • 8 Ports with 250 metres of Long Reach PoE Technology

            • “No configuration” shortcut buttons for instant deployment

            • VLAN, LACP, RSTP, MSTP, ERPS and more

            • Advanced security features including 802.1x

            • User friendly web interface or Command Line Interface (CLI)

Availability and Pricing

The new DGS-F1210 Series Switches are available now from www.dlink.com.au and from all D-Link certified partners and resellers for the following RRP:

DGS-F1210-10PS-E
10-Port Gigabit Smart Managed PoE+ Switch with 8 Long Reach PoE Ports and 2 SFP Ports
AUD$949.95,

DGS-F1210-18PS-E

18-Port Gigabit Smart Managed PoE+ Switch with 16 PoE+ Ports (8 Long Reach 250m)

AUD$1099.95

DGS-F1210-26PS-E

26-Port Gigabit Smart Managed PoE+ Switch with 24 PoE+ Ports (8 Long Reach 250m),

230 Watts power budget and 2 SFP Ports

AUD$1299.95

DGS-F1210-26MPS-E

26-Port Gigabit Smart Managed PoE+ Switch with 24 PoE+ Ports (8 Long Reach 250m),

380 Watts power budget and 2 SFP Ports

AUD$1749.95

Providing users with the tools to keep moving in a mobile workforce, Brother International Australia has announced the launch of the next generation of mobile A4 printers, the PJ-800 series.

The successor to Brother’s popular PJ-700 series, the PJ-800 series retains the same compact design, perfect for those in markets such as field sales and service, delivery and logistics, and emergency services. The new range also provides a host of improvements including improved connectivity, faster print speeds up to 13.5ppm¹ and high-quality outputs up to 300dpi².

With five new models – PJ-822, PJ-823, PJ-862, PJ-863, and PJ-883 – businesses can select the printer that best meets their needs with a range of connectivity options available across USB, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.

Further improving flexibility, the PJ-800 series supports both charging and data transfer via USB Type-C, as well as a variety of printer command languages, including ZPL2 emulation.

The series also provides fantastic value with compatibility for all accessories from the previous line-up (including batteries) and free customer support for the lifetime of the product.  

On the range, David Molloy, Mobile Print & Labelling Specialist at Brother International Australia said: “While developing the new PJ-800 series, our priority was to offer improved specifications while maintaining everything that was great about its predecessor. That’s exactly what we have achieved here – the design is still extremely compact, which is unique for a full-page print solution, and our existing customers can upgrade their printer while keeping their existing accessories.”

“Our main objective is to enable the mobile workforce to get on with the job at hand, whether they are emergency service workers, field service engineers or mobile sales teams. They can do this without the added burden of follow-up administrative tasks or errors relating to handwritten documentation. The PJ-800 series is a true mobile solution as no ink is required, meaning no refills or spillages whilst on the move.”

Key features of the Brother PJ-800 series include:

–    Print anywhere, anytime: At just 26cm wide and weighing approximately 480g (excluding battery), all products in the PJ-800 series offer a true A4 mobile solution that fits easily into a briefcase or computer bag and can be mounted in vehicles or other work areas.

–    Reliable thermal technology: Advanced, direct thermal technology offers the most reliable portable printing solution that allows busy mobile workforces to focus on the job at hand without needing to purchase ink, toner, or ribbons.

–    Fast, high-quality printing: Experience print speeds of 13.5ppm¹ and high-quality, 300dpi outputs² that ensure your documents are always available when you need them and are of professional quality. In addition, the ability to print on both thin and thicker paper up to 75gsm affords you the flexibility to print a range of documents including invoices, order forms, quotes, contracts and more, using only one device.

–    Connect your way: With convenient connectivity options available at your fingertips including Bluetooth, dual band Wi-Fi, USB-C and NFC, the PJ-800 series can adapt to your working environment.³ It can easily connect to your Apple, Android, or Windows devices to streamline your workflows.

–    Seamless integration and setup: Whether you’re deploying a fleet of portable printers for the first time, or you are upgrading your existing hardware, the PJ-800 series is designed for seamless integration and easy setup to minimise disruptions to your workforce. With the ability to support printer command languages, including ZPL2 emulation, this mobile printer offers compatibility with a variety of embedded systems.

–    A complete mobile printing solution: The PJ-800 series has a host of optional accessories available that allow you to tailor it specifically to the needs of your workforce. These include USB-C AC adapters, long-lasting Li-ion batteries, paper guides, and protective cases to name a few. What’s more, if you are upgrading your fleet from the PJ-700 series, all accessories are backward compatible so you can continue using accessories that have been tried and tested within your business to minimise downtime and maximise convenience.

–   At your side support: Wherever you are in Australia, Brother offers free customer care for the lifetime of your product.


All models will be available via Brother’s B2B channels from December, 2022.

Full specifications are available here www.brother.com.au/en/products/all-mobile-printers.  

New Relic announced a collaboration with Carta and Zendesk to expand access to its startups program to empower early-stage engineering teams with access to the same tools used by world-class organisations. This collaboration accelerates New Relic’s goal to democratise access to observability so that all engineering teams can monitor, debug, and optimise their entire stack to deliver better customer experiences.

New Relic for Startups launched in 2021 with the goal to give every engineer at startups the tools to deliver software with confidence without compromising vendor choices due to cost or engineering constraints. The program has rapidly grown to include hundreds of early-stage startups across every industry, from finance and media to gaming and retail. New Relic for Startups users include companies like Hex, a platform for analytics and data science that helps data teams at places like Notion and OpenSea quickly analyse data, collaborate with others, and publish their work as interactive data apps. Founded in October 2019, Hex has raised more than US$73 million from Andreessen Horowitz, Snowflake, Databricks, Redpoint Ventures, and Amplify Partners.

“As data scientists and engineers ourselves, we’ve lived the pain of slow queries, painful interfaces, and broken data pipelines,” said Hex Co-Founder and CTO Caitlin Colgrove. “We want to spare our users from those experiences. We run extremely large Kubernetes clusters and New Relic has helped us quickly understand the health of our pods, receive alerts about performance issues that might impact customers, and drill into requests moving between all of our cloud services.”

To expand the reach of the program, Carta and Zendesk have collaborated with New Relic for Startups to provide best-in-class platforms to scale both engineering and business practices to the next generation of founders. This includes making the New Relic observability platform accessible to fast-growing startups that are currently using Carta or Zendesk tools. In addition, companies in the New Relic for Startups program have greater access to tools and resources provided by Carta and Zendesk. Benefits for eligible startups include:

• Access to the same developer tools world-class engineering organisations use to observe, analyse, and improve the performance of their software, including the New Relic observability platform that unifies 16 monitoring tools in one.
• Generous credits and discounts across the New Relic observability platform, Carta’s equity management and company-building solutions, and Zendesk’s customer service, engagement, and sales CRM solution so startups can focus on building companies around big ideas while preserving burn rates.
• Easier qualification across the three programs. Startups already qualified for Carta and Zendesk’s programs will likely qualify for New Relic for Startups, and startups in the New Relic for Startups program will likely qualify for programs provided by Carta and Zendesk.

“The future of Australia and New Zealand’s technology industry is in the hands of today’s startups. These entrepreneurial problem solvers have the ability to move fast with little red tape, but they often lack the resources and tooling that they need to scale,” said New Relic Regional Vice President ANZ, Jason Leonidas. “New Relic’s expanded startup program will enable early-stage companies to establish DevOps and data-driven engineering practices early, so that they can see a complete picture of their apps and systems in a single platform.”

“The Carta startup program is designed to help founders scale and make software buying decisions easier. We’re thrilled to partner with New Relic for Startups to provide our founders with a world-class observability platform to monitor their entire technology stack,” said Carta Head of Strategy and Tech Partnerships, Marisabel Agosto.

“We at Zendesk are excited to partner with the New Relic team,” said Zendesk for Startups Partnership Manager, Adam O’Donnell. “We have thousands of startups apply for our program each year, and we try to help them grow by offering deals from other great companies. We believe New Relic will help our founders ship better software faster by monitoring and debugging their stack accurately.”

Startups can apply for New Relic for Startups directly through New Relic, or by visiting Carta startup stack or Zendesk dealbook. To qualify for New Relic for Startups, startups must be seed to pre-series B in financing, less than 10 years old, not a current New Relic customer, and have fewer than 100 employees.

New research from Monash University has found traditional bricks and mortar retail stores have surged in popularity post-pandemic, with Australians preferring to shop in-store across most product categories including apparel, personal care and household goods.

However, Australians rate the online shopping experience better, and return more items purchased in-store than online.

The annual Retail Monitor survey of 1,000 Australian shoppers from the Australian Consumer and Retail Studies (ACRS) unit in the Monash Business School, shows bricks and mortar is back with physical shopping returning to pre-pandemic levels. 

“Prior to the pandemic, there was a clear divide amongst shoppers over physical versus online shopping experiences, with the majority of Australian shoppers preferring to use physical stores as their main channel for non-grocery retail purchases,” says Dr Eloise Zoppos, Principal Research Consultant at the ACRS.

“During COVID-19, online became the main non-grocery retail channel out of necessity and the majority of Australian shoppers turned to online methods, a trend which was accelerated by the pandemic. We’re now seeing the return of a preference for physical stores and shoppers are moving between the offline and online worlds more seamlessly than ever before”.

Among the key findings of the ACRS report:

• Online shopping rates more favourably in key attributes – product availability, product ranges and sales and promotions. 
• 66 per cent of shoppers have returned an item they bought in-store whereas only 42 per cent returned an item they bought online 
• Over a third of Australian shoppers (72 per cent) have returned an item they purchased from either physical or online stores.

The survey shows 70 per cent of Australians purchased clothing, footwear and accessories in-store or online in the three months to September 2022, on par with early 2020 (also 70 per cent). 

Personal care was also a popular purchase (49 per cent), with household items decreasing slightly in popularity since early 2020 (42 per cent 2022, compared to 54 per cent 2020).

The report also found that despite their preference for in-store shopping, Aussies rate the in-store shopping experience lower than that of online, particularly on key attributes like product availability, product ranges and sales and promotions. 

For example, the overall physical shopping experience was rated 4 points lower than online, product availability rated 18 points lower, and both product ranges and sales and promotions each rated 11 points lower.

Dr Zoppos says that although Aussie shoppers are revelling in the ability to shop in-store again, their expectations are higher than ever.

“Research shows that the ability to see, touch and trial goods is the most influential factor of purchase decisions, and when it comes to tactile products such as apparel and household goods, factors such as size, fit and quality are paramount, but difficult to judge online”, she says.

Another finding uncovered in the report is the increasing importance and prevalence of retail returns.  

Over half of consumers (58 per cent) said return options are one of the most important factors when making a purchase, only coming in behind price-related factors, and quality and customer service.  And well over a third of Australian shoppers (72 per cent) said they’ve returned an item they purchased from a physical or online store. 

The report found that a far higher proportion of shoppers have returned an item they bought in-store (66 per cent) than those who have returned an item they bought online (42 per cent).

Clothing, footwear and accessories was the top product category for returns across both purchase channels, with 66 per cent of shoppers saying they’ve returned apparel purchased in-store, and 61 per cent saying they’ve returned apparel purchased online. 

“With consumers using online channels more than ever before, it is now increasingly important that retailers provide shoppers with seamless returns experiences to meet their increasing expectations.

“Rather than see returns as a problem, retailers should look at returns as an important stage of the customer journey; one that when done right, can result in customer loyalty, advocacy, and a cycle back to the purchasing stage of the customer retail journey,” said Dr Zoppos.