SEO strategy: 82% of Aussie consumers begin their buying journeys on search engines 

How can eCommerce businesses gain a competitive edge by becoming more visible online and capture the attention of consumers by answering user queries more accurately? 

Capterra’s Elusive Online Consumer study analysed the online shopping behaviour of more than 5,500 consumers across 12 countries globally, including nearly 500 Australian consumers to determine what affects the end-to-end customer journey from initial search to purchase.   

Search engines are most popular for product search but are not without their challenges 

Search engines are the primary destination where consumers begin their online search for products in Australia. About eight in ten (82%) Aussie consumers start their online search for products on search engines, followed by retailer websites (54%) and department store websites (38%).  

Search engines are a traditional method of finding products or services online, which may indicate that Aussie consumers prefer tried and tested routes over other ways. While the favorability of search engines may also indicate their continued dominance as a source for discovery, consumers face many challenges when using these platforms to search for products or services online.  

The top challenges relate to an overwhelming abundance of online search results that are difficult to navigate and refine. Survey participants cite the following challenges they have encountered with online product search results: 
 

• Inaccurate or irrelevant results (63%) 

• Too many sponsored ads or results (62%) 

• Too many results (32%) 

• Knowing which search terms to use (22%) 

How to increase your online visibility and overcome search engine challenges with search engine optimisation (SEO) tools? 

Businesses that optimise their web pages with SEO tools and techniques can increase the chances of online shoppers discovering their content when they type a search query into internet search engines. Optimising websites includes aspects such as incorporating relevant keywords into text, adding descriptive meta tags to images and video content, and improving page loading speeds. 

Additionally, SEO-optimised websites will send positive signals to search engines to display content relevant to a user’s search query. Businesses should also consider conducting thorough keyword research when optimising their content to discover ranking, difficulty, and keyword gaps, to develop an SEO strategy.   

Narrow down the customer journey per age group 

Despite internet search engines being the most popular place to start a search—even among all generations—there is a considerable difference in use across different generations. Of the older generation respondents (boomers and Gen X), 86% say they use search engines to search for new products and services, followed by millennials (82%) and Gen Z (76%).  

Further analysis of final purchasing channels where consumers typically end up making purchases also shows a difference between age groups. Predominantly, 70% of Australian online shoppers say they typically end up purchasing from individual retailer websites or apps. However, there are significant disparities between age groups for respondents who say they typically end up purchasing from eCommerce marketplaces and department store websites. As you can see in the graph below, older generations were more likely to cite eCommerce marketplaces, such as Amazon, than other generations.  

Evaluate the customer journey and optimise visibility   

The dynamic nature of customers’ online presence challenges businesses to implement a comprehensive marketing strategy that integrates various aspects of the customer experience.  

A multi-faceted marketing approach is essential for retailers to properly target customers. Buyers have a dynamic psyche on preferences, whether on platforms or influences in purchase decisions. Businesses must bear in mind their target market and focus their efforts on optimising brand visibility. 

By Andrew Blair, Analyst, Capterra 

New figures show almost 1 in 4 small-to-medium-sized businesses (23%) won’t benefit from the new Federal Government incentives offered in the 2024-2025 Budget – but a significant 94 per cent would have liked incentives such as tax cuts, lower-rate loans, and wage subsidies.  

The figures were revealed in a survey by business loan comparison platform Small Business Loans Australia. The full survey results, including breakdowns across the major states, can be found here: https://smallbusinessloansaustralia.com/will-small-businesses-benefit-from-the-new-federal-government-incentives-in-fy2025/.  

The 2024-2025 Federal Budget introduced some relief measures to help small businesses tackle current economic challenges. In an environment of rising costs, weaker demand, labour shortages, and higher interest rates, 7742 companies went into external administration from July 2023 to March 2024 – a 36 per cent rise from the previous year.  

Against this backdrop, Small Business Loans Australia questioned an independent panel of 204 SME business directors and decision makers to gauge which Budget incentives will help them this financial year, listing the extension of the instant asset write off, the Energy Relief Fund, and the Small Business Debt Helpline and free financial counselling services. It also asked respondents what alternative measures they would have liked to see the Government offer. 

How much do SMEs support the Budget? 

Electricity concerns continue to remain a top cost of living issue for households across the country, with electricity prices higher in the quarter from January to March this year compared to last quarter across all regions in Australia¹. The survey found that the Energy Bill Relief will help the largest proportion (52%) of businesses. Almost half (49%) of respondents said they will benefit from the instant asset write off.  

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) saw a 20 per cent increase in requests from small businesses struggling to manage their debts in the quarter from January to March this year². Despite this, the Debt Helpline and financial counselling services received minimal support with only 11 per cent of respondents believing this would assist them.  

A significant 23 per cent will not benefit from any of the Budget measures. Older business owners and decision-makers are least in favour of the Budget. The proportion of over-55s (35%) who don’t support any of the Budget measures is double that of under-55s (16%).  

Across the states and territories, South Australians are overall the most sceptical respondents in the country, with more than half (53%) saying none of the benefits would help them, followed closely by ACT (50%).  

The ACT had the lowest support for the instant asset write-off, with just 17 per cent of respondents saying it would help them. This compares with 56 per cent of WA respondents and 54 per cent of NSW respondents, who are most in favour of the measure.  

South Australian business owners and decision-makers showed the least support of the Energy Bill Relief, at just 27 per cent. NSW respondents showed the highest support, at 72 per cent, followed by Victorian respondents, at 67 per cent.  

Alternative measures that would have helped SMEs 

A drop in the 25 per cent company tax rate garnered the largest support among respondents – at 52 per cent. This support jumped to 65 per cent among over-55-year-old business respondents. 

Financial help such as wage subsidies are the second-most supported measure, with 41 per cent advocating for it to alleviate the pressure to meet minimum wage requirements. The minimum wage in Australia was increased on 1 July this financial year by 3.75%, seeing an increase to $915.90 per week or $24.10 per hour³. 

Respondents were divided on interest rates. Surprisingly, one third (34%) support the Reserve Bank and the Government in fighting inflation by maintaining or increasing the cash rate, while 39 per cent would benefit from reduced interest rates on loans. 

The survey also showed around a quarter (27%) of respondents would like the Government to bring back SME loan guarantees. In 2021 and 2022, the SME Recovery Loan Scheme offered SMEs secured and unsecured loans of up to $5 million, with capped interest rates and extended repayment periods⁴. 

Alon Rajic, Founder and Managing Director of Small Business Loans Australia, says these figures could indicate that businesses are looking for immediate financial relief from their debts, as opposed to assistance in just managing them. “In the last tax year, nearly half (43%) of small businesses were not profitable⁵. Business owners need money back in their bank accounts to help alleviate or minimise their debts, not just manage them. This is reflected in our survey, with strong support for measures such as interest rate cuts to business loans and cuts to company tax rates.”  

The full SME budget incentives study can be found here: https://smallbusinessloansaustralia.com/will-small-businesses-benefit-from-the-new-federal-government-incentives-in-fy2025/. 

As macroeconomic pressures continue, even the largest businesses are bearing the brunt. However, small businesses are disproportionately affected because they lack the resources and financial reservoirs of their larger counterparts. In fact, small businesses are entering administration at far higher rates than bigger businesses.

Against this background, it may be easy for Australia’s 2.5 million small businesses to splash out on costly new products and services or even use high-risk strategies to survive. Yet, two of the most cost- and time-effective ways of driving incremental revenue and growth opportunities in the new fiscal year are actually the most straightforward: optimisation and collaboration.

For the many small companies with remote workers, optimisation and collaboration helps them work as efficiently as possible while preserving a flexible and asynchronous workplace. This means businesses no longer need to worry about the impact of varying time zones and working hours on their operations because they have laid the groundwork for connected teams.

Keeping processes simple but efficient with optimisation

For small businesses with limited resources, optimising operations is key to growth. This means cutting back on unproductive or duplicate tasks and finding better processes. The first step is for a business to articulate goals clearly, like higher basket numbers or a stronger supply chain. Then obstacles are identified and a roadmap with action items is created, including technology implementations.

For instance, an online retailer might set up dynamic optimisation of their inventory to prevent overstocking or understocking, both of which result in lost earnings. The power of technology and data can help them measure sell-through rates to track potential issues like poor sales, bad forecasting or mismatched products. Doing this enables businesses to build more efficient supply chains and improve customer experience, which are both crucial for small retailers.

Brick-and-mortar retailers face many of the same challenges as their online counterparts. For offline sellers, optimising their operations might look like installing mobile point-of-sale technology to make checkout faster. This not only reduces the length of queues, but also frees up time for team members to engage with shoppers. A streamlined, optimised point-of-sale system not only enhances the customer experience, but also builds loyalty.

Removing roadblocks to success through collaboration

Four years after the pandemic started, businesses of all sizes are still working on remote or hybrid models. This flexibility attracts talent, but it also creates challenges, especially for small businesses under pressure to optimise their operations. It’s not an either/or scenario, however, just one that underscores the importance of collaboration.

Strong collaboration not only leads to better business outcomes, but also boosts employee morale. The right technology is essential to execution. One of the most important things is to ensure that tools are not siloed. When multiple pieces of software are siloed, that means it is difficult, if not impossible, to share information between them.

In an ideal scenario, collaboration tools are integrated and work on platform-layer services like AI, unified search and process automation. A business’ project management software, messaging platform and note-taking app should all be able to “talk” to one another to minimise friction. This reduces the time spent on managing collaborative tasks and increases productivity.

Unfortunately, that is often not the case, and many businesses say they face difficulties with their current software. To address these issues, Zoho has announced major enhancements to our four core collaboration tools, which can optimise even the smallest of businesses. These include new AI capabilities to perform contextual information extraction and other tasks, and Blueprint, our powerful visual workflow automation technology.

Ultimately, taking the fullest advantage of collaboration tools results in seamless, optimised workflows no matter where team members are located or what times they work. This results in businesses that are more productive and efficient, and better set for strong financial performance, no matter their size.

Contributed by Vijay Sundaram, Chief Strategy Officer at Zoho

Employment Hero, the employment management platform serving almost one-fifth of Australia’s private businesses, has announced its recruitment tool – SmartMatch – is now shaving two weeks off the recruitment process. 

With 1 million job seeker profiles and 10,000 candidates signing up each week, SmartMatch is the first tool in the world where live candidate searches have been made available inside an HR system.

Built into Employment Hero’s platform for employers and powered by employee superapp, Swag for job seekers, SmartMatch facilitates proactive and predictive hiring by analysing a business’s organisation chart and predicting hiring needs based on sector, size, location, and seasonal trends.

Employers have the ability to surface candidates against existing roles, for example where an identical growth role is required or when an employee resigns. For recruiting new roles, a simple search can yield results within seconds. And the full functionality of Employment Hero’s Applicant Tracking System helps employers manage candidates so they can start the interview process immediately. 

Employment Hero’s own research has shown that 75% of SMEs struggle to compete for talent against big businesses. Traditional recruitment methods are costly and slow – the average cost to hire someone regularly exceeds $5k. 

“Our innovative approach marks the end of the ‘pay and pray’ recruitment model, ensuring a continuous talent pipeline that will save businesses thousands of dollars. Gone are the days of writing job descriptions, placing ads, and sorting through countless CVs. Instead, SmartMatch’s AI-driven approach ensures that the most suitable candidates are matched with the right roles seamlessly. 

“Now, both hiring managers and job seekers can claw back hours of time previously spent stuck in an inefficient process. We’re confident that SmartMatch deletes two weeks from the current recruitment process by eliminating this need for employers to go out and find their own candidates,” said David Holland, Managing Director of Swag at Employment Hero.

The real-life benefits of SmartMatch

Daniel Oliveira, HR Manager, Tradern Australia Care and Training Services:

“When it comes to finding talent, SmartMatch is infinitely faster than the other options out there. Recruitment can be such a burden and this tool helps to ease that, it’s such a beneficial tool for small businesses that don’t have hiring teams. 

“There’s a very good reply rate from people who are listed on the SmartMatch talent pool. In my experience here, if we connect on SmartMatch, we try to send emails to 10 people on SmartMatch, and approximately eight of them will reply. Using SmartMatch, we’ve hired candidates in just a few days because the reply rate is so high.

“Because the recruitment system is inside Employment Hero itself, it means that you collect all the information in one platform, and you add it all into their employee profile inside the HR platform. It saves so many hours of work and is better compliance-wise for keeping track of files. The integration of all the processes is the best feature it has. If everything can be done within the same system it becomes much less work.

“SmartMatch saves HR Managers and Recruiters hours of time administering the search process. This can be as much as 16 hours for our industry.” 

Read here for more information on how SmartMatch works.

There’s less than two months until the ‘Right to Disconnect’ comes into force. The policy, which legally allows employees to avoid work-related communications outside their regular working hours, is already raising questions amongst small business owners about how this will impact their operations and team dynamics.

With the Closing Loopholes No.2 Act scheduled to take effect on 26 August 2024, Australian businesses will be rushing to make preparations over the next two months. Fortunately for SMEs with less than 15 employees, the clause will only come into effect next year in August 2025. Regardless, early preparation will help to prevent unnecessary compliance issues further down the line.

What is the Right to Disconnect?

The right to disconnect allows employees to legally ignore work emails, messages, and calls outside their contracted working hours (asides from exceptional circumstances or emergencies). The aim of this is to ensure employees are able to enjoy their personal time without feeling pressured to respond to work-related communications.

More broadly, this policy is in line with growing concerns about work-life balance and employee burnout, signifying a shift towards practices that prioritise employee welfare. But while the underlying intentions are good, SME leaders may worry that it could negatively affect business operations and financial outcomes.

SMEs face unique challenges

With SMEs characteristically operating with a lean team and tight budget, adhering to industrial relations (IR) reforms can pose a complex challenge. The structured boundaries set by the right to disconnect seem to conflict with the agility and constant engagement that is common in smaller businesses. Practices that are often vital to the innovation and growth of SMEs, like spontaneous collaboration and flexibility, will potentially be disrupted.

On a positive note, SMEs in Europe have dealt with similar reforms and many have adapted successfully. For example, businesses based in France have noted better employee well-being and job satisfaction, resulting in higher productivity. Australian SMEs can look to these examples to find effective strategies to maintain their innovative edge while complying with regulatory requirements.

Plan now, execute later

The question that remains is, what are the steps that SMEs can take now to prevent future compliance challenges? Here are key pillars for SMEs to base their strategies around in order to get a head start:

● Communication: It’s crucial not just to set, but to convey clear definitions and policies when it comes to work-related communications outside of working hours. Ensuring that employees grasp these policies will help manage expectations, and align employees’ work duties with the need for work-life balance.

● Trust: Aim to foster an environment based on trust where both employers and staff respect and understand the new boundaries. Allowing for some flexibility for employees in their schedule can be key to maintaining productivity while being compliant.

● Technology: Technology is key to facilitating asynchronous communications with your team. Tools that accommodate differences in time zones without requiring a constant online presence can help keep productivity levels high without breaching the right to disconnect.

● Work-life balance: Ensuring employees have a healthy work-life balance will not only help avoid a compliance issue, but can increase motivation and reduce burnout. A workplace culture that is supportive can lead to higher job satisfaction, and ultimately result in higher productivity levels.

● Education: Implement training sessions to educate both employees and management on new policies and their effect on the workplace. Collaborative sessions help ensure everyone has a mutual understanding of the expectations and practices.

● External guidance: Reach out to external consultants with financial, legal, and HR expertise. Their insights can provide invaluable guidance, helping to identify and propose strategies to mitigate non-compliance risks.

The right to disconnect won’t come without its challenges; yet it presents a great opportunity for SMEs to revisit their work culture and practices. Being proactive and implementing these strategies early will help SMEs prepare for new policies, and create a healthier work environment.

European businesses that have effectively implemented similar laws serve as a valuable example for Australian SMEs seeking strategies to adapt and flourish under new policies. They have shown us that a drop in productivity does not have to be the outcome. Instead, the right to disconnect can help create a more engaged workforce who are committed to the future prosperity of the business.

Contributed by Matt Loop, VP and Head of Asia, Rippling

For far too long, SMBs have grappled with the detrimental effects of late payments, which can disrupt cash flow, hinder growth, and even force some businesses to shut down. The passing of the Payment Times Reporting Amendment Bill acknowledges the significant positive impact prompt payments have on the sustainability and success of SMBs.

The reform measures aim to enforce stricter regulations and penalties for big businesses that consistently fail to meet payment deadlines. By holding companies accountable for their payment obligations, the reform will ensure that SMBs are not at a disadvantage when it comes to receiving timely payments for their products and services. Here are some of the key benefits this reform represents.

Supporting SMBs and Strengthening the Economy:

Our recent Pursuing Payments Report shed light on the gravity of the problem, revealing that nearly one in five Australian small business owners estimate losing between $6,000 and $30,000 annually due to late payments. This data underscores the urgent need to improve payment times, not only for the survival and growth of local businesses but also for the overall health of the economy. The passing of this legislation marks a significant step in the right direction, as it will allow businesses to get paid faster, resulting in improved cash flow. With better financial stability, SMBs can invest in growth, hire more employees, and contribute to economic prosperity.

Closing the Gender Gap:

It is crucial to recognise that late payments affect every business, but they disproportionately impact women, creating an uneven playing field. Our data indicates that a staggering 29% of women feel uncomfortable asking customers for payment, and this number rises to almost half (46%) when it comes to chasing late payments. In comparison, only 26% and 40% of men share these sentiments, respectively. This disparity highlights the urgent need for reform to address gender-based challenges in the payment process. 

Promoting Transparency and Informed Choices:

One of the key benefits of the payment times reform is the promotion of transparency in business practices. Recognising and highlighting businesses that prioritise prompt payments to small businesses not only instils confidence in SMBs regarding their partnerships but also allows consumers to make informed choices. When consumers are aware of which businesses treat their suppliers well, they can actively support those businesses that adhere to fair payment practices. This empowers consumers and creates a positive cycle of trust and support within the business community.

The approval of the payment times reform legislation marks a significant achievement that deserves recognition from all parties involved. Businesses need to understand that prompt payment is not just a matter of financial responsibility, but also an imperative to keeping the Australian economy in good shape.

Contributed By Luke Fossett, General Manager, GoCardless Australia and New Zealand 

The latest research from leading HR and Payroll solutions provider ADP reveals Australian workers feel underpaid, as the country experiences a widespread cost of living crisis.  

Alarmingly, over four in ten Australian respondents (42%) feel underpaid in their current job, with close to half of all respondents (47%) reporting working close to six hours or more of unpaid work each week.  

For respondents who have not received a pay rise in the last 12 months, eight in ten say they would be happy with other forms of compensation, including: 

• One-off bonus (e.g. Holiday/merit bonus): 32%
• One-off payment to help with cost of living: 31%
• Additional days of annual leave/paid time off: 30%
• Grocery/shopping vouchers: 30%
• Shorter work weeks: 25%

Kylie Baullo, Managing Director ANZ at ADP, comments: “Right now, businesses are under more pressure than ever to balance workers’ expectations with their own challenges around rising costs.” 

“We know many employers are already actively working to offer employees more incentives and ensure their workers are appropriately compensated for their time. For employers who aren’t currently in a financial position to offer a pay rise this time around, it’s reassuring to see that workers are open to additional benefits such as increased flexibility, like additional leave time, and bonuses.”

According to the findings, male workers surveyed say they’re more likely to work six hours or more of unpaid work each week (51%), compared to less than half of female workers (44%). However, more female workers feel underpaid in their current role (46%) than male workers (37%). 

Interestingly, the report also reveals that nearly one in four (21%) workers would consider doing unpaid hours to help secure their job. 

“The rising cost of living, plus ongoing societal conversations around the gender pay gap continues to be on the minds of many employers who are actively trying to get it right,” says Baullo.

“No one should be paid differently if they’re doing the same job to the same standard, on the basis of gender alone. That’s why while some workers are open to taking on unpaid workload to secure or maintain a job, employers must continue ensuring that their employees’ time and contributions, regardless of gender or background, are valued appropriately.”

“Fair recognition and fair pay go hand in hand with job satisfaction, so it is key that businesses prioritise workers’ expectations to increase team morale,” adds Baullo.

New research from Shopify reveals 99% of retailers plan to invest in customer experience in the next 12 months, investing 11% of total annual revenue on average. This comes as the majority (79%) of Australians are cutting down on something to save money, and over half (54%) are seeking the best value in the current economic climate — from lower prices to higher quality products or experiences. 

The latest release of Shopify’s Australian Retail Report, conducted in partnership with industry research firm YouGov, unpacks how retailers can invest for lasting success in today’s economy. The study includes quantitative findings from more than 1,000 Australian consumers and more than 200 senior business decision makers in retail businesses with 50 or more employees, as well as qualitative commentary from leading Australian merchants and partners.

“In the last 12 months, we have seen marked changes in consumer shopping behaviours, which are driving a shift for retailers,” said Shaun Broughton, Managing Director, Asia Pacific and Japan, Shopify. “From increased demand for value to a stronger preference for in-store shopping experiences, retailers have a renewed focus on efficiency and innovation. Although cost continues to be a key factor for consumers switching brands, it’s no surprise that retailers are choosing to compete on enhanced customer experience instead of slashing prices.”

When it comes to consumers’ shopping priorities, over half (54%) of Australians are looking for the best value, up 10% from last year. When asked about switching brands, 92% of consumers have bought items from a different brand than they normally do, predominantly driven by cost, with 57% switching for a better price or discount promotion, up from 49% in 2023.

But that doesn’t mean value and price are the only things consumers are shopping for. A third (34%) of shoppers are looking for quality that lasts, while 23% still treat themselves every month or so, even if money is tight. This suggests there is still space in the budget for life’s little luxuries, opening up opportunities for savvy retailers.

“The new challenges retailers are facing also bring about new opportunities — one of the reasons I love the retail industry, as there’s never a dull moment,” said Paul Zahra, CEO Australian Retailers Association. “Given the current market pressures, Aussie retailers should double down on what they are best at: delivering exceptional customer experiences, providing customers with high-value products, and staying attuned to local customer preferences.”

Further highlights and insights from the Shopify Australian Retail Report:

Cost of living concerns spark a hunt for value

• Australians are pessimistic about the economy and their personal situation, with a third (32%) falling into this category, compared to 25% in 2023. Just over a quarter (26%) of consumers claim to be optimistic about the economy and their personal situation in 2024, a drop from 37% last year.
• But that doesn’t mean value and price are the only things consumers are shopping for. A third (34%) of shoppers are looking for quality that lasts, while 23% still treat themselves every month or so, even if money is tight.
• Retailers are focused on marketing, with 62% of retail business leaders surveyed indicating that their organisations are taking marketing-related measures, including a quarter (26%) engaging in more targeted customer marketing, and almost as many (25%) are increasing their customer service. 

Unify experiences across channels or get left behind

• Over two-fifths (43%) of consumers prefer shopping in-store in 2024, up from 38% last year, and proportionately more than those who like shopping online (31%).
• A quarter (26%) of consumers like both in-store and online shopping equally, creating a compelling imperative for retailers to focus on both online and offline channels to suit shopper needs.
• Just 1% of those surveyed are not planning to invest in customer experience in 2024, and those that are plan to invest an estimated 11% of their total annual revenue, on average, while 61% plan to increase investment in customer personalisation in the next 12 months.
• Half (49%) of retailers surveyed plan to increase their omnichannel experience investment in the next year, and 57% in their in-store experience, further highlighting the returning role of physical stores in the retail mix. 

Securing customer loyalty without competing on price

• Over nine in ten (92%) consumers would become loyal to a brand if it offered them something, most notably consistently low prices (59%). The same proportion (92%) have also switched brands, often for a better price (57%).
• Beyond price, the offer of high-quality goods would keep half (51%) of consumers loyal, while 45% of consumers cite loyalty points or rewards as an effective way to foster loyalty. Moreover, a third (32%) of shoppers would be more loyal if offered a seamless user experience.
• Over six in ten (63%) retailers surveyed plan to increase investment in their product ranges in the next 12 months. Meanwhile, 62% of retailers are increasing investment in new revenue streams, and 59% plan to increase investment in expanding into new international markets. 

Harnessing data for operational efficiency

• Three in ten (29%) retailers surveyed are facing challenges related to poor staff retention and high staff turnover — the top single internal challenge faced by retailers in 2024. 
• Efficiency issues (e.g. lack of operational efficiency, inefficient supply chain practices, complex business systems, and manual processes) are a major contributor to retailers’ internal challenges, impacting three in five (61%) retailers.
• When it comes to the top external challenges, higher supply chain costs (49%) were rated as the single most cited external issue, followed closely by operational costs (42%), higher cost of goods (40%) and higher cost of wages (38%). Unsurprisingly, inflation-related challenges were cited by 88% of Australian retailers.
• The number one area in which retailers plan to boost spending to drive growth over the coming year is investment in employee attraction and retention programs to drive growth (65%)
• And a big part of staff retention is in enabling staff to do more with less, as reflected by the nearly two-thirds (65%) of retailers planning to increase their technology investment in business intelligence over the next year, while 64% expect to boost their investment in automation.

Reshaping retail with more business intelligence, automation, and AI

• Nine in ten (91%) retailers surveyed believe that the role of the chief technology officer (CTO) contributes to the evolution of the business and/or revenue growth.
• Nearly all (99%) retailers plan to invest in innovation in the coming 12 months, allocating an average of 18% of their total annual revenue to it.
• With this focus on innovation, the total cost of ownership (TCO) for digital infrastructure is a prominent consideration for retailers. In fact, the number one consideration when looking at potential technology investments is operational, platform servicing, and support costs, cited by 43% of business respondents as being among their top five such considerations.
• When determining the ROI for commerce infrastructure, the most important metrics among retailers are profit margin, cited by 34% of retailers, revenue per customer (30%), and total online revenue (30%).

Click here to view the full report

When it comes to warranties for business and enterprise-grade IT kit in Australia, the prevailing attitude seems to be: don’t worry about it.  

And why would you? Most networking gear is solid state and will last a lifetime. So why don’t more brands offer a lifetime warranty? TP-Link’s Omada Pro answers that question very simply: by offering a Limited Lifetime Warranty (LLW). 

This warranty applies to Omada Pro controllers, access points, routers, and switches. A quick refresher on warranty law: A lifetime warranty covers a product for the lifetime of that product, which is generally the time that product stays in production, and some years after that date. In TP-Link’s case, that means the whole period the Omada Pro device is in production, plus five years after it is discontinued. 

The “limited” aspect of the warranty means the warranty only applies to the hardware’s case and internal parts. External accessories like power supplies, modules, and other accessories, are covered under their own warranties. These are usually TP-Link’s three-year limited warranty, but naturally you should check the small print before making any purchase decision for your business.  

Troubleshooting and returns 

A limited lifetime warranty is great on paper, but it’s also only as good as the return merchandise authorisation (RMA) support behind it. TP-Link offers a toll-free hotline on 1300 875 465 where they’ll help businesses first troubleshoot a problematic device, to get a case number they can take to their reseller. And if the reseller won’t accept the return or there’s a problem, TP-Link can also process the warranty claim directly. 

As with the company’s other warranties, if an Omada Pro device is found to be defective and is covered by the LLW, customers can choose whether to get the device repaired, or simply replaced. 

Naturally there are some conditions that disqualify devices, but it’s nothing especially surprising: Don’t kick it down the stairs (unusual wear and tear), don’t try to service it yourself, don’t “jailbreak” it or use open-source software instead of what comes pre-loaded, and so on. One to watch out for is damage caused by transportation – so make sure your Omada Pro device isn’t damaged out of the box when you get it. 

Backing themselves for life 

A Limited Lifetime Warranty is also about peace of mind. After all, TP-Link isn’t offering such an extended warranty because it expects a lot of Omada Pro devices to fail – the exact opposite in fact.  

What a Limited Lifetime Warranty says is that TP-Link expects Omada Pro to be so reliable, you won’t ever have to get it repaired or replaced, and that it will just keep plugging along until you choose to upgrade your network (hopefully with the next generation of Omada Pro devices, right?).  

There’s something especially frustrating about networking gear that doesn’t work properly or having your network “go down” as a small business. Troubleshooting a router or trying to work out why an access point has a green light but no internet – it’s not just costing your business money in lost productivity; it feels like a waste of time. These things should just work! 

TP-Link is essentially making the claim that Omada Pro devices WILL just work, for years on end. And that has to look like a good deal, for any Aussie or NZ business. 

Read more TP-Link articles on Small Business Answers. 

Xero, the global small business platform, has released a Xero Small Business Insights (XSBI) special report, uncovering notable disparities in small business labour productivity across key Australian industries and regions.

The report, Small business productivity: Industry and regional trends, serves as a follow-up to the first XSBI productivity report released in April 2024, which highlighted a nationwide decline in small business productivity throughout 2023.

Small business labour productivity key findings include:

● The most productive Australian industry in 2023 was wholesale trade (A$214.20/hour), while hospitality lagged at A$40.20/hour

● While a decline in productivity was experienced across all industries, 10 sectors, including manufacturing, agriculture and construction, surpassed the national productivity average (A$100.30)

● Western Australia emerged as the most productive state (A$102.50/hour), with average productivity 15% higher than Tasmania (A$89.00/hour), the least productive state

Louise Southall, Xero Economist, said: “Xero’s new productivity data offers timely insights into small business productivity trends, due to its focus on small businesses, speed to market, monthly measurement cadence, and objective, anonymised, aggregated data. This is in contrast to other productivity data which is generally broader, slower to be released and covers a longer time period. What the report reveals is differences in small business labour productivity, varying significantly across industries and states.”

Industry data highlights the importance of embracing technology and investing in skills

Despite being traditional industries, agriculture and construction were two of Australia’s most productive industries between 2017 and 2023. Agriculture operators appear to have embraced innovation, achieving a productivity rate of A$120.60/hour in 2023, while construction businesses have seemingly prioritised skill development, recording A$117.00/hour — the fourth most productive industry.

Conversely, hospitality had one of the lowest levels of productivity at A$40.20/hour in 2023, but Xero’s data suggests the industry is embracing technology to lift productivity in response to ongoing staff shortages.

“The hospitality industry has been able to lift its productivity post-pandemic, and it’s promising to see some operators turning to other solutions to boost efficiencies, such as QR codes or online ordering,” Southall added.

All Australian regions experienced fall in productivity

The variation in labour productivity across states and the Australian Capital Territory was smaller than it was across the industries in 2023, with Victoria (A$101.90/hr) and New South Wales (A$101.10/hr) only marginally behind the most productive state, Western Australia (A$102.50/hour). All regions tracked in the XSBI data experienced a decline in productivity, compared to 2022. Queensland experienced the smallest decline in productivity (-2.3%), a few percentage points higher than the average national decline (-2.5%). Interestingly, the largest decline was seen in Western Australia (-4.0%).

“The decline in productivity in Western Australia over 2023 is surprising and most likely just a small pull-back in a state that has outperformed other areas of Australia in recent years. Western Australia is one of only two states that had higher productivity post-pandemic – average over 2022 and 2023 – than it did in the three years prior to the pandemic,” said Southall.

Small businesses can take steps to lift productivity For practical tips on boosting productivity, Xero has compiled a guide covering key areas such as investing in better tools, refining processes, upskilling employees, and leveraging entrepreneurship skills.

Anthony Drury, Managing Director ANZ, Xero, said: “Labour productivity is an important indicator of small business success, and it’s clear some industries and states are thriving while others lag. We encourage small businesses to look at ways to digitalise to drive greater efficiencies in their day-to-day operations. This is particularly crucial for service-based businesses like hospitality and healthcare, which are currently tracking below the national productivity average.”

“Looking ahead, sustained productivity growth is critical for small businesses and the broader economy, and the government must introduce smarter policies that have widespread application for any location or industry,” Drury concluded.

You can find a copy of Small business productivity: Industry and regional trends here.