www.bundabergchamber.com.au

2 Chamber Chat

The Chamber Chat - Edition 15 Editor - Tim Sayre Contributions by - Jack Dempsey (Member for Bundaberg) - Stephen Bennett (Member for Burnett) - Bundaberg and North Burnett Tourism - Mark Brennan, Australian Small Business Commissioner - Business Bundaberg - Bundaberg Region Rising - Better Business Group - Lester Lewis Consulting - The Money Edge Proudly published by The Bundaberg & District Chamber of Commerce. P.O.Box 1363 Bundaberg, Qld, 4670 Ph: 0488 266 637 FAX: 07 4151 7388 E-mail - info@bundabergchamber.com.au www.bundabergchamber.com.au www.facebook.com/BundabergChamber Advertising and Contact Submissions: To enquire about advertising space, or to submit an article for consideration, please contact the Editor at chamberchat@bundabergchamber.com.au Designed and produced by the Augmented Reality Company. Ph: 0421 547 762 Kindly distributed by Digits Administration

www.bundabergchamber.com.au 3

Yale Morgan President

Trish Mears Vice President

Jude Parkinson Secretary

Calaine Hornbrook

Treasurer

Betty Lappin Committee Member

Casual Friday’s Organiser

Cameo Ashe Committee Member Chamber Breakfast

Organiser

F irstly I’d like to honor and thank the current committee for their continued

efforts in delivering a great service to the members. Of course, there is always room for improvement and through your

feedback, we’ll continue to strive to deliver even more.

It is with great pleasure I’m able to serve both the committee and our members, working with other key organisations and

Council on building “A Better Climate

For Business” in the Bundaberg region.

I like a quote from Sir Winston Churchill

“It’s not enough we do our best, but we

must do what is necessary”, and I’m a firm believer that together we can

continue to “do what is necessary” for the continued economic growth of our region.

The Strategic Plan for Chamber is well under way, which will take us through to 2017, ensuring a much more robust Chamber representing the business community. Aligning with our goals of providing a better service for the members and paving away for your business success!

I’d also like to thank you for your outstanding support of the Customer Service Award nominations. Seems

everyday, we’re receiving recommendations for outstanding customer service across the members. The comments are quite inspiring and those businesses should be extremely proud of

their teams. If you require any more booklets for your counters, please send an email request to info@bundabergchamber.com.au.

If you haven't “liked” us on Facebook, please do as there are plenty of inspirational quotes, plus you be kept up to date with what Chamber is up to and how your business may benefit!

Personally I’d like to see more members sending through events, special offers and great success stories we can post for others to attend, gain ideas and support. If you do have an upcoming event, make sure you let us know so it can be promoted via the web site and Facebook. Chambers goal is to ensure your message reaches as many potential customers and clients.

Chambers continued engagement with CCIQ (Chamber Of Commerce And Industry Queensland) will ensure more resources will be made available to members moving forward.

This year, Chamber in conjunction with Bundy Pride and Bundaberg and North Burnett Tourism are heading to Regional Flavours to again showcase some of our produce, plus promote our region and the business community.

I’d like to thank Steven Bennett for inviting Chamber and Bundy Pride to be a part of the Bundaberg Showcase at Parliament House. A fantastic event where we spoke to the ministers plus the

Premier about what it’s like to liven work and play in our great region.

Lastly, I’d like to thank you, our members, who make all of this possible. Standing alone, a business has limited opportunity, but as a collective group, focused on building better businesses and a stronger community, the opportunities are limitless.

To a powerfully positive and profitable year ahead, wishing you every success!

Remember, the best days in your business are still to come!

Cheers

Yale Morgan President

Helena Hall Committee Member

Marketing and Membership Committee

Leanne Lewis Committee Member

Lester Lewis Committee Member

Casual Friday’s Organiser

Nathan Spruce Committee Member

Tim Sayre Committee Member

Marketing and Membership Committee

4 Chamber Chat

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So if you have a story about your business or information that you think might be of benefit to others or even a photo you want to share, please forward it to the chamber secretary, and we will endeavour to include it in an upcoming edition. You might have noticed we have started with our valued advertisers. This is a fantastic opportunity for businesses and organisations to connect directly to other businesses.

We are also increasing our distribution network, putting the Chamber Chat into even more locations, providing as large a market as we possible can.

If this is something you might be interested, please contact the Chamber for more details. We have some interesting updates,

W elcome to edition 15 of the Chamber Chat, proudly produced

by the Bundaberg and District Chamber of Commerce. As I said in the last edition, you might have noticed that the Chamber Chat has gone through some more changes since the last edition and again, we have a few more to come. In this edition, we have focused on stories and information that are beneficial to Chamber members and businesses in general, providing ways and methods to help you and your business. Some of these writers will become regular contributors to our pages. We highly value and actively encourage feedback and contributions from members and I want to thank those who have provided us with feedback already. It is appreciated and it is necessary.

particularly on the Business Excellence Awards. We are looking for a wide variety of entrants, so if you have ever considered entering, this might be the time to do so. So until the next edition, lets continue to support our local businesses, ensuring our region continues to grow and prosper. Regards,

Have you experienced exceptional customer service lately?

Nominee’s Name:

Where Nominee Works:

Nominee’s Business Address:

Nominee’s Business Phone No:

Your Name: Your Phone No:

Tell us why you have nominated this person:

POST TO:

The Secretary

Bundaberg & District

Chamber of Commerce

P.O. Box 1363

Bundaberg, QLD 4670

NOMINATE ON LINE:

www.bundabergchamber.com.au

HOW TO ENTER TO FIND OUT MORE

T: 0488 266 637

E: info@bundabergchamber.com.au

Have you experienced exceptional customer service lately?

Tim!

www.bundabergchamber.com.au 5

Page 3 - Presidents Message

Page 4 - Editors Comments

Page 6 - From the Mayor

Page 7 - Business Excellence Awards

Page 8 - Key Roles for Business

Page 9 - Tourism Update

Page 11 - A Bright Future

Page 12 - Business Success Story

Page 13 - Business Excellence Awards

Page 14 - Business Bundaberg

Page 15 - Bundy helps others

Page 16 - Bundy Business Profile

Page 17 - Planning Ahead

Page 18 - Helpful tips

Page 19 - Upcoming Events

Page 20 - Dealing with Disputes

Page 22 - Learnings in Business

Page 22 - Bundaberg Region Rising

Page 23 - Networking Moments

Page 23 - Membership form

6 Chamber Chat

www.bundabergchamber.com.au 7

At a recent Chamber meeting the committee decided to move our showcase event, the Business Excellence Awards to April 2015. This change was something that has been on the "ways to improve" list and after the initial move to November due to a Civic Centre booking conflict, it was seriously considered. Due to a variety of reasons, the committee thought it necessary to reconsider this decision and as a committee we felt that a change in date was something that would greatly benefit the event, giving entrants greater time to prepare their submissions. We also felt that the November date may be following too many other gala events, that are taking place in the later months of the year. It should also be a little cooler in April than November, something that will be welcomed by the audience attending this great event at the Bundaberg Civic Centre. The nomination forms are now available on the Chambers website and we encourage all businesses to enter. Once again, thank you for your continued support of Bundaberg's premier business community event and we look forward to working with you to make this a fantastic night. Should you require any additional information in relation to this change or the event in general, please contact the Chamber Secretary. Kind Regards

Yale Morgan Yale Morgan President -- Bundaberg & District Chamber of Commerce Phone: 0488 266 637 Email: secretary@bundabergchamber.com.au

8 Chamber Chat

T here’s no doubt the Wide Bay region, and Bundaberg in particular,

has a bright future in the business sector. It’s predicted that the population of our region will reach 450,000 by 2025. This explosion in population will bring some challenges but I’m confident we can overcome these while maintaining the diversity and lifestyle that Bundaberg offers. As we grow we have to preserve the reasons we chose to live in Bundaberg in the first place, including our beautiful environment and great community spirit. A bigger population will bring with it a rise in house prices and more job opportunities. As more jobs are created we will see an increase in wages. This has the ability to create a divide in the community due to a difference in socio-economic standards. That's why it’s integral we not only improve economic infrastructure but also social infrastructure to accommodate and maintain the great values of the Bundaberg community. The small business sector will play a

major role in maintaining the lifestyle of the Bundaberg community and in facilitating the needs of new residents. Whether it be coffee shops, clothing stores or tourist services, you’ll all play a part in the flourishing community because there will be an expectation that small business meets the needs of the many thousands of people who'll move to Bundaberg from larger centres. Coupled with this, Bundaberg will need to maintain a high standard of education and we have that opportunity as a

university town. We will attract students from the region to participate in higher skills and quality courses and then retain that talent. This will raise

the high standard of our businesses. Bundaberg was built by ingenious and inventive pioneers who thought outside the square. That attitude is reflected in our agricultural history and is indicative of local business. Bundaberg has its own unique business qualities.

While larger businesses will be lured to the region and establish in Bundaberg, small businesses will flourish in a balanced and responsible manner. Many visitors that come to my electoral office comment on the outstanding customer service and friendly attitude they receive from small businesses in Bundaberg. It’s important we maintain this reputation to allow small businesses to continue to grow. I encourage people to continue to support small business. Agriculture, tourism opportunities and medium manufacturing and construction will significantly grow over the next several years. This will add value to the small business sector. I believe the variety and diversity of business in Bundaberg will keep us in good stead well into the future.

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www.bundabergchamber.com.au 9

While your business may not directly work in the tourism industry, we all have a part to play in making sure that the variety of visitors to the region take away with them fantastic experiences, including the experiences they have with your business.

A tourism ‘experience’ is the emotional feeling or personal achievement a visitor derives from the purchase, participation or consumption of a product. The ‘product’ is what the customer buys; the ‘experience’ is what they remember.

In a highly competitive industry, the quality of the visitor experience is the key to success. It’s what sets businesses and tourism destinations apart, as we strive to convince our

target markets to visit and spend their hard earned dollars in the Bundaberg region. We need to all be in the business of developing and delivering experiences – from small businesses, corporate organisation, to local government and regional tourism. It’s important to remember too, that a visitor is not only someone that comes here on holiday, the visitor includes people in region on business, here for medical reasons, sporting events and visiting friends and relatives. Whether you’re a hairdresser, a pharmacist, a receptionist, a mechanic, a barista, a bus driver, waiter or housekeeper, you are central to the quality of the visitor experience. Every interaction is an opportunity to add value – to help create memories and impressions that last long after our guests have gone home. Sometimes all it takes is a smile! And in this day of instant and often permanent customer reviews, coupled with vastly changing visitor expectations, getting the delivery of service, or the experience right, can often be make or break for a person, business, or even a destination.

W e mentioned briefly in the last Chamber Chat the Destination

Tourism Plan developed to provide a direction for tourism within the region and lay the platform for achieving our ambitious goals in Queensland of doubling visitor expenditure by 2020. This Destination Tourism Plan was written through a process of community, business and stakeholder consultations over the last 12 months and is now finalised and available for your information. The report sets out a number of scenarios and actions that will move the destination towards these aspirational targets and also identifies a number of challenges that need to be addressed to aid our region’s growth. So how can you as a business owner or manager assist in working towards our collective targets of doubling visitor expenditure in our region by 2020? Well, it’s all about the Visitor Experience.

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10 Chamber Chat

To recognise that your business is a touch point of a visitor, and therefore part of the tourism industry, with the potential to contribute to a positive experience in the Bundaberg region is integral to the growth and prosperity of our destination. What are you doing in your business to

ensure that you are delivering outstanding experiences for your customers? Let’s work together as a business community, with a collective ambition to deliver outstanding experiences to our visitors.

Imagine Bundaberg being known to travellers worldwide, for turtles, rum, ginger beer, locally grown produce and exceptional customer service! Sounds pretty good doesn’t it? Bundaberg North Burnett Tourism is your regional tourism organisation, working to externally market the region to increase visitors, visitor nights and expenditure in the Bundaberg and North Burnett regions.

www.bundabergchamber.com.au 11

L ast month’s Budget continues to deliver our strong plan for a

brighter future for Queenslanders. Chamber of Commerce members can be assured that the Queensland government has recognised the vital role small businesses play in generating economic activity and employment across the coast. Last month’s budget allocated $7.7 million to support small business services, including enhancement of the popular Business and Industry Portal and continuation of the successful Mentoring for Growth program. Queenslanders will be better trained for real with the Vocational Education and Training (VET) plan. We’ll be investing $615 million in 2014-2015 to address skills shortages and boost productivity. It means local industry and employers will see a revitalised VET sector that addresses your workforce needs in priority areas. We’ve reinstated the full level of pensioner and senior concessions, increasing funding by $26 million, protecting our most vulnerable. This year’s budget includes a capital spend of almost $720 million in the Wide Bay region alone. Some of the highlights are:

Our share in 267 new police officers

$300,000 for CCTV cameras at the Bundaberg Watch House

$500,000 for Fairymead Boat Ramp to support recreational fishers

$1 million for replacement fire and rescue station at Bundaberg

$450,000 to revitalise facilities at Mon Repos Visitor Centre

A record $13.6 billion health budget, an increase of 6 per cent from last year.

$7.5 million to complete the new oral health facility at Bundaberg

$500,000 for the replacement ambulance station at Bundaberg.

Our share in 761 additional teachers and teacher aides

$14 million to ensure schools are ready for the transition of Year 7 to high school

$250 million for local government recovery and reconstruction projects

Digital Economy Strategy The digital world is an integral part of our economy, one that needs to be embraced in order to create jobs of the future, attract investment, build prosperity and improve our lives and lifestyles. Many of you contributed to the Draft Queensland Digital Economy Strategy where more than 1000 ideas and inputs were collected. The Hon Ian Walker, Minister for Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts recently joined us in Bundaberg to launch the Queensland Digital Economy Strategy. Continue to share your stories showing the difference digital technology makes at www.godigitalqld.dsitia.qld.gov.au

Bundaberg Region Promotion Night Thursday June 5 saw the third annual Bundaberg Region Promotion Night held at Parliament House.

My thanks to Yale Morgan for the terrific display on your behalf and to Mayor Mal Forman, Neil McPhillips and Tim Sayre for coming along to promote economic opportunities in the region. The Premier, Ministers, MPs and senior staff took time out from Budget week to enjoy the tastes and experiences of iconic and emerging business and tourism opportunities. It was a great night, and one I’m proud to co-host with Hon Jack Dempsey MP to get word out that Burnett and Bundaberg are open for business, and a great place to live and work.

A brighter future with a strong plan for Queensland

12 Chamber Chat

T he fast growing Bundaberg outlet of Aussie Home Loans – Aussie

Bundaberg, located at 4A Targo Street – has had an exciting start to their small business ownership. Franchise Principal George Farmer, who with his wife Sandy, are helping the local community get a better deal on their home loans and other financial needs. 2013 was an eventful year for Aussie Bundaberg with the achievements of winning the New Business category at the 2013 Bundaberg Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards and the industry top selling publication, The Adviser, gave Aussie Bundaberg principal George Farmer the prestigious and hotly contested Queensland Rising Star Award.

Mr Farmer has been joined at Aussie Bundaberg by his wife Sandy and Julia

Williamson, to grow the business as the property market shows signs of a strong recovery over the next few years. With 20 years in the industry Mr Farmer, a senior manager at the National Australia Bank before purchasing the existing Aussie franchise in December 2012, in the short time since he has tripled the annual loan volumes written by the business. “I have grown up in Bundaberg and know the market very well, as does Sandy. Many people in the area have not been able to access experts with our level of experience and training at major banks, but now they can with Aussie Bundaberg”, Mr Farmer said. Despite an increase in activity following the 2013 floods the median house price in Bundaberg has remained at $285,000 since 2008, according to figures

supplied by RP Data. Mr Farmer said “first home buyers and investors have been coming back in droves taking advantage of record low interest rates. If the talk of mining coming to Bundaberg proves to be true than property prices are set to soar, with interest rates from 4.59% available there has never been a better time to buy”. “I had become disillusioned with the profit at all cost mentality and saw Aussie as an ideal opportunity to

From opening a new business in the Bundaberg market, just before the 2013 floods, Aussie Bundaberg has continued to grow since winning the New Business category and is now a major performing franchise in the Aussie network.

Aussie Bundaberg’s office, located at 4A Targo Street

www.bundabergchamber.com.au 13

FREE CHAMBER BREAKFAST

Refer a friend to become a member of the Chamber of Commerce and we will shout you a

find out more at www.bundabergchamber.com.au

become my own boss, while still utilising my expertise in helping people build their wealth and get a better deal in a mortgage, personal loans, credit cards and insurance”, he added. Aussie Founder and Executive Chairman, Mr John Symond said he was thrilled at George and Sandy Farmer’s achievements. He said “George and Sandy are providing the people of Bundaberg with exceptional customer service and dedication to their customers, and their efforts benefit the local community”. Aussie Bundaberg offers people in the Bundaberg region a complete home finance advisory service, a huge range of competitively priced home loans, credit card, insurance, car and personal loans, as well as advice for existing borrowers on how to save thousands of dollars and years off their financial commitments. The store’s expert team can help customers through the process of finding, applying for and managing mortgages, provided by Aussie’s panel of 19 lenders, including the four major banks.

It’s hard to miss the Aussie Bundaberg Offices!

Customers now have the choice of seeing George Farmer during the store’s opening hours (8.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday) or 24 hours a day, seven days a week at their home or workplace, or by calling (07) 415 28820.

14 Chamber Chat

Business Bundaberg brands the Economic Development Unit within Bundaberg Regional Council. Business Bundaberg is responsible for proactively supporting a sustainable regional economy through industry development initiatives and investment attraction programs. This is undertaken in collaboration with community, local business and other levels of government to achieve the best outcomes for the Region.

Digital Enterprise Program The Bundaberg Digital Enterprise

Program assists small to medium

businesses and not-for-profit

organisations to better understand how

they can maximise the opportunities

from greater digital engagement.

Businesses will learn how technology

and access to high speed broadband can

improve their online presence, offer new

products and services, expand their

market, improve their competitiveness,

and increase their means of

communicating with customers and

suppliers.

Participation in the program is free and

will occur throughout the Bundaberg

Region, as well as the regional council

areas of Fraser Coast, Gympie, North

Burnett and South Burnett. This is a

wonderful opportunity for local

businesses to learn more about the

digital economy, but it will only be

available for a limited time so please go

to the website for more information and

to register.

www.businessbundaberg.com.au/

digital-enterprise

Digital Bundaberg The Bundaberg Regional Council has

developed a multi-faceted digital

economy strategy aimed at advancing

the digital capability of the Bundaberg

Region. Through this strategy, Council

is working with industry, businesses,

and members of the community to

establish itself as a regional leader

through education, collaborative

initiatives and programs, as well as the

future capabilities available through the

National Broadband Network (NBN).

Some of the key activities taking place

under this strategic framework include;

"Switched On Bundaberg"

Brands an initiative of local business &

industry that aims to highlight the

importance of delivering high quality

broadband infrastructure and digital

engagement throughout the region.

Given the recent change in government

policy, the Bundaberg Region as a

collective whole must take proactive

action to express why broadband

capabilities in the Bundaberg should be

a priority investment.

For more information on this initiative

and to nominate your support go to

www.switchedonbundaberg.com.au

“Bundaberg Digital Boardroom”

The Bundaberg Digital Boardroom is an

initiative started by the Bundaberg

Region Council, with the aim of

building strong grassroots support and

advocacy among local leaders that can

represent the business community on

technology related topics.

“Independent Mobile Broadband

Testing”

This project has commissioned

independent testing of broadband

capability across the Wide Bay Burnett

region and is now using this evidence to

partner with both the Federal

Government and the

telecommunications carriers to address

know priority blackspots.

Economic Development

Strategy A ‘Better Climate for Business’

strategy reinforces that economic

development is a priority for Council

and that Council is committed to being a

key enabler for our regional economic

future.

To achieve the economic change

required, we are focused on five

essential paths to create a new, open,

responsive and strong economy.

These paths are;

Strong Economic Leadership &

Collaboration

Infrastructure, Investment and

Development

Industries of Tomorrow

Harnessing our Global

Relationships

Investing in Our People.

The strategy outlines various priorities

and goals, designed to prepare for our

region's future, take advantage of the

emerging economic environment, and

make a commitment to creating a robust

and resilient economy for the region.

For more information see

www.businessbundaberg.com.au/eds

www.bundabergchamber.com.au 15

A ustralia is a tough country. One year you have more water than what you

can handle and the next, your back in drought. And while they “make ‘em tough out west”, a few years of this can break even the strongest of wills.

This is the case for the Queensland town of Longreach. Like farmers everywhere, the people of Longreach don’t like asking for help. So when they do, you know they are desperate. Recently the Chamber teamed up with GlobalCare Bundaberg to raise funds to support the farmers in and around the town. Thanks to the generosity of many Bundaberg businesses and individuals, the total raised was $4200!

Thanks to further generosity of QANTAS

Link, Yale Morgan, the President of the Chamber, was able to fly out to Longreach and meet with the Longreach Shire Mayor Counselor Jo Owens, to discuss how best the funds could be utilised.

It was felt the best way to spread the funds was to purchase vouchers from local stores which could then be sent to Farmers. This approach benefits not only the farmers, but the local business community also. Three of stores chosen were local suppliers, with the fourth the towns grocery store. From your generosity the Chamber and GlobalCare were able to help 42 Farmers! And while we understand $100 wouldn't go very far, it was more about giving them a little breather, a little hope.

The farmers and their families know that the people of Bundaberg care about their plight.

The Perfect Place at your

Perfect Pace The Bundaberg Regional Council in

partnership with the Wide Bay Burnett

Regional Organisation of Council’s is

showcasing the benefits of the Wide Bay

Burnett Region from a lifestyle and

employment perspective through a

dynamic new website and social media

presence.

These digital tools provide a one-stop

avenue for families and businesses

considering relocating to the region to

access information about exploring the

region, employment opportunities,

affordable housing options, education,

things to do and lifestyle for all six

Council regions across the Wide Bay

Burnett region.

Visit the

website: www.theperfectplace.com.au

Find us on Facebook:

facebook.com/WideBayBurnett

Business Bundaberg

e-Newsletter If you would like to join the thousands

of local businesses already receiving the

latest news on business programs and

opportunities across the Bundaberg

Region, then simply subscribe the

fortnightly Business Bundaberg e-

Newsletter

www.businessbundaberg.com.au/about/stay-

informed

Contact

1300 883 699 (BRC Call Centre)

business@bundaberg.qld.gov.au

www.businessbundaberg.com.au

16 Chamber Chat

Are you looking for a unique way to advertise?

Somewhere where your business will stand out?

The team at the Chamber Chat have an advertising package to suit all budgets, so to get your marketing message out there, tapping into your target market, contact the Chamber of Commerce now to secure your space and be part of the change!

Go to www.bundabergchamber.com.au/marketing for more info

Recognised as a Top Performing Bed and Breakfast Accommodation Provider, Hideaway Haven Bed and Breakfast was awarded the 2014 TripAdvisor Certificate Of Excellence as Reviewed by Travellers on the World’s Largest Travel Site

B undaberg’s very own Hideaway Haven Bed and Breakfast recently

that received a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award. The accolade, which honours hospitality excellence, is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews on TripAdvisor, and is extended to qualifying businesses worldwide. Establishments awarded the Certificate of Excellence are located all over the world and represent the upper echelon of businesses listed on the website. When selecting Certificate of Excellence winners, TripAdvisor uses a proprietary algorithm that takes into account reviewers’ rating, to determine the

award winners. Businesses must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five based on the number and recency of reviews. Additional criteria include a business’s tenure and popularity ranking on the site. “Winning the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence is a true source of pride for us at Hideaway Haven Bed And Breakfast and we’d like to thank all of our past guests who took the time to complete a review on TripAdvisor,” said Garth Ovenden from Hideaway Haven. “There is no greater seal of approval than being recognised by our customers. With the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence based on customer reviews, the accolade is a remarkable vote of

confidence to our business and our continued commitment to excellence.” “TripAdvisor is pleased to honour exceptional hospitality businesses for consistent excellence,” said Marc Charron, President of TripAdvisor for Business. “The Certificate of Excellence award gives top performing establishments around the world the recognition they deserve, based on feedback from those who matter most – their customers. From Australia to Zimbabwe, we want to applaud exceptional hospitality businesses for offering TripAdvisor travellers a great customer experience.”

About Hideaway Haven Bed and Breakfast Hideaway Haven Bed and Breakfast opened its doors in January, 2011. We are located 10 minutes south of Bundaberg. Set on 12 acres away from the highway in a small, hidden valley, this private rural setting is quiet and secluded with sweeping views encompassing orchards, dams and bush. We are blessed with a variety of wildlife including wallabies, goannas, kookaburras and the occasional echidna. Our Bed and Breakfast houses many interesting collectables that add old-world ambience to our home. Hosts, Marcia and Garth offer a warm welcome and a comfortable stay in a relaxed Australian bush setting About TripAdvisor TripAdvisor® is the world's largest travel site, enabling travellers to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real travellers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools. TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, reaching nearly 260 million unique monthly visitors, and more than 150 million reviews and opinions covering more than 4 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions. The sites operate in 39 countries worldwide, including China under daodao.com. TripAdvisor also includes TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that provides the tourism industry access to millions of monthly TripAdvisor visitors.

www.bundabergchamber.com.au 17

I t is important to plan ahead, whether you are thinking about retirement or

moving on to a new venture. You need to have a game plan in place to exit your business! You don’t think you need a game plan? Think again! A typical business owner:

has worked hard to achieve business success

has focused on growing their business

succession and retirement could be creeping up

does all they can to protect, grow and realise the optimal value for their business.

Most of us know the ‘scary business owner’ stats, i.e. the average age of a small business owner is 56, 20% of owners are over the age of 65, 11% are

You have put in years of hard work and taken risks. So, how do you make sure you are justly rewarded and maximise the value of your business when it is time to sound the final whistle? One word – PLAN!

over age 70, 44% will sell within 10 years, more and more businesses will come on the market and 50% of business owners expect the sale of their business to fund their retirement. What if you do not get the price you want? You may experience a drop in

your standard of living, you may not be able to afford to retire and you may need to continue working past retirement. So what drives the value in your business?

Is the business not reliant on the owner?

Do you have loyal customers?

Are you innovative and different?

Do you benchmark performance?

Do you have good systems?

Do you have loyal, committed and motivated staff?

Are you planning for your succession? The estimated tax and cash flow position on sale of your business also need to be

planned for. Are you going to walk away with enough money left after paying tax or are you eligible for any tax concessions on selling? Other than the taxation planning aspects around the sale of your business, the key to growing value will be a commitment and focus on your business value drivers. It can take between 3-5 years and sometime longer to prepare your business for sale. We have the privilege to look inside many businesses. One recent example: Peter came in to review his End of Year Financial Reports and we asked him ‘if and when he was thinking of selling his business’. He said ‘3-5 years’. He thought his business was worth $1.2m. We suggested a valuation. Peter decided to value his business to determine his current business value. The business valuation revealed a value of $800,000. Peter has now realised the value of his business and the strategies needed to improve the value and to close that value gap. By acting now and not waiting until he was ready to retire, Peter will be able to increase the value of his business to ensure that he can retire and live in the lifestyle he desires and leave a legacy for his family’s future. Plan for your end game today!

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ADVICE WARNING!

This Article is intended to provide general information only and has been prepared without taking into account any particular person’s objectives, financial situation or needs. Investors should, before acting on this information, consider the appropriateness of this information having regard to their personal objectives, financial situation or needs. We recommend you obtain tax and financial advice specific to your situation before making any financial decisions.

51 Barolin Street, Bundaberg 07 4151 8898 | mail@themoneyedge.com.au | www.themoneyedge.com.au

18 Chamber Chat

C an I ask a question - What is the number one goal for your web site?

You may be surprised, no, it's not so people can learn more about you, or the stunning graphics and clever intros it's not so people can see what you're up to, how good you are etc. Frankly they don't care! They only care about what you can do for them, how you can add value to their lives. In business, your Web Site's sole function is to gather you leads and pass them on to you or the team member you have dedicated to web enquiries. When coaching clients, I always emphasise monitoring conversion rates when people make an enquiry via traditional means, well, your web site is no different, in fact it's crucial you do everything possible to make it easy for potential customers to connect with you. You've got around 30 seconds, or less before, they decide you are or are not for them. What is the golden rule in all marketing? To be able to test and measure results, luckily the Web allows us to track this easily. (Perhaps another article). To do this, you must have a data collection device on your site, preferably right hand side under the heading. You must have a completing reason for the customer to give you their name and email address, remember you need to add value to them. Often we use important and high value tips or reports etc in exchange for their

name and email. At this point, don't ask for anymore details, there are reasons why but again, perhaps for another article. Remembering the web can give us information on how many visit, what they look at, for how long they stay etc, but most importantly the statistic on how many visits to downloads - hence your conversion. Now, here's the exciting bit! You can have your web page automatically split and display two pages in rotation, on each of these, change one aspect, perhaps different offers, headlines, video vs copy or any other testing measure you choose. We call these "A/B Split Test". For example, when I log on to your site, I'll see a different page to someone else, a 50/50 split. This all happens without your continued input. I'd suggest you leave this for two weeks to a month, run your report and display the page that gives you the best results. Again, you may want to create another A/B split test with this page and change one aspect, just like you would with traditional marketing.

To Your Business Success Cheers Yale Morgan President Chamber Of Commerce General Manager Better Business Group E yale@betterbusinessgroup.com.au M 0412667559 W www.betterbusinessgroup.com.au

Better Business Group is an organization of independent Business Development Specialists who like Finding The Diamonds In Your Business – Giving You Stepping Stones To Financial Freedom.

www.bundabergchamber.com.au 19

20 Chamber Chat

An article by Mark Brennan, Australian Small Business Commissioner

I had the pleasure of visiting Bundaberg

recently for the Wide Bay Bundaberg

Business Expo.

The success of the Expo is a tribute to

the hard work the Chamber put in to

organise the event and the dedication of

local small business owners.

It was great to see so

many engaged

business owners keen

to learn how they can

improve their

business operation

and build their

business network. I

was encouraged by

the enthusiasm and positivity of the

business owners I met with.

If you saw my presentation at the Expo

you will know that I identify three

potential approaches to dispute

resolution – litigation, brawn and

alternative dispute resolution.

Litigation is the most costly option both

in terms of time and money. The

decision is also taken out of your hands,

with the judge determining one winner

and one loser without scope for

negotiation.

The second approach, brawn, is to take

matters into your

own hands and

‘step outside to sort

it out’. This

approach gives you

a sense of control,

but it is very risky

and may land you in

court for more than

just the dispute.

The third approach,

alternative dispute resolution, is the one

I think works best for business disputes.

This is the approach used by the State

Small Business Commissioners.

Alternative dispute resolution, such as

mediation, brings you and the other

party together in the presence of an

impartial mediator to discuss the issues

and find an outcome. You are in control

of the outcome and are much more

likely to preserve the business

relationship. A further benefit is that the

mediation and outcome are confidential.

A range of alternative dispute resolution

services exist to resolve business

disputes. However, it can be difficult to

know where to go to find them and to

work out which is the right service for

your dispute.

Last month, the Federal Minister for

Small Business, the Hon Bruce Billson

MP, launched Dispute Support a new

online dispute resolution information

and referral tool to help small

businesses.

Dispute Support’s finder function can

help you to identify the most appropriate

low cost dispute resolution service for

your dispute. There is also information

available to better understand and

manage your dispute and tips for

avoiding disputes in the future.

Dispute Support was developed by my

Office in conjunction with

representatives from state and territory

governments and is available on my

website at www.asbc.gov.au/

disputesupport

“

“

www.bundabergchamber.com.au 21

The role of the Australian Small Business Commissioner

is to:

provide information and assistance to small

businesses, including referral to dispute resolution

services;

represent small business interests and concerns to

the Australian Government; and

work with industry and government to promote a

consistent and coordinated approach to small

business matters.

To contact the Office of the Australian Small Business

Commissioner;

Address: 15 Moore Street

Canberra ACT 2601 Australia

Post: GPO Box 1791

CANBERRA ACT 2601

Phone: 1300 650 460

Email: enquiries@asbc.gov.au

The Office of the Australian Small Business

Commissioner is open from 9am to 5pm AEST Monday

to Friday. For after-hours queries, the Small Business

Support Line can be contacted from 8am to 8pm AEST

Monday to Friday on 1800 777 275.

22 Chamber Chat

Survey your customers - by Lester Lewis

following:

Updating your business plan and re-evaluating your direction.

Conducting a workshop and brainstorming with colleagues on this topic area

Conducting a wider brainstorming or workshop with other areas, departments or business units.

Y ou will never know how well you are performing, if you never ask.

Forget about a good profitable business if your customers are not happy.

To design a customer satisfaction survey you first need to identify what the critical areas of performance are that your customers will judge your company on.

These will most likely include things such as whether you delivered the good on time, whether the goods were of a suitable quality, whether you responded well to any after sales

service calls or other requests. There are two diagrams below. The first diagram is a simple guideline of some of the answers or strategies that you might develop in surveying your customers.

The second diagram is a blank template that you can use to fill in your answers. I have deliberately kept the information and explanations to a minimum to focus on the "how to" form.

You may wish to work in teams to develop the best strategies to lead you through these profit improvement strategies.

You might consider some of the

want to spread the message far and wide”.

Bundaberg Region Deputy Mayor, Cr David Batt, said the digital stories showcased the Bundaberg Region in a visually exciting manner.

“The films capture the essence of the Bundaberg Region and condense it into punchy, promotional packages that will appeal to those comfortable in the digital world and will be seen by a global audience.

“These stories sell a positive message about the Bundaberg Region as a desirable destination and more importantly, as a desirable place in which to live and raise a family,” Cr Batt said.

B undaberg Region Rising, in partnership with Bundaberg

Regional Council, is encouraging businesses to invest in the Bundaberg Region, through the creation of four new digital stories that feature a variety of business sectors and the reasons we love to live, work and play here.

Foundation Chairman Neil McPhillips said the digital stories highlighted and promoted the many attributes of the Bundaberg region, “These digital stories exemplify that the Bundaberg region is well and truly “open for business” and is an amazing place that has so much to offer for new businesses looking to establish here; as well as existing businesses to expand” said Mr McPhillips.

“These digital stories were developed using the skills and experience of local film maker, David Quarrell and writer, Di Esmond” said Mr McPhillips. “It’s wonderful that the Bundaberg region is able to have these skills available locally to capture the essence of what

our region has to offer”.

“Through these stories we want businesses and families outside the Bundaberg region to hear why local people find the Bundaberg region not only a great place to establish and grow a business, but also enjoy a wonderful family environment”, Mr McPhillips stated.

In partnership with Bundaberg Regional Council, Mr McPhillips encouraged people to promote and share the four digital stories throughout their networks. The digital stories include “Building a Home”, “How High can we Fly?”, “Opportunity Speaks” and “We Work and Live Here” and will be available on the Bundaberg Region Rising website www.bundabergregion.org.au and also the Council’s website www.bundaberg.qld.gov.au.

“We encourage everyone to use them on their websites, when doing presentations and to send to colleagues and anyone interested in our region” Mr McPhillips said. “We are proud of our region as a great place to live, work and play and

www.bundabergchamber.com.au 23

24 Chamber Chat

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