Millennials are the tech generation. They are the movement of young start-ups who expect more from employers than generations before them. Although the colourful offices of Google with sleeping pods, massage rooms and free gourmet food may be the extreme end of the company perk spectrum, the tech giant is on to something. In order […]
As the election looms and the weather is more conducive to staying home in bed all day than being active, consumer confidence fell for the month of May. External events, such as elections, create uncertainty around employment, government allowances, education costs and the real estate market, which leads consumers to put their wallets back in […]
Rich media is a form of advertisement that includes video, audio, social media components or any other interactive elements. Advertisements with engaging or interactive components create a hands on customer experience that is more memorable than a standard static image ad. It is estimated that consumers are exposed to around 4,000 to 10,000 advertisements each […]
There are just 12 days left in the Federal Election campaign, and I think all Australians – including the politicians – are well and truly ready to see the end of it. Regardless of which side you support, we know that these events can have a disproportionate impact on consumer sentiment and business purchasing. I […]
Understanding your customers’ journey to purchase isn’t always an easy process. As a retailer you are likely using multiple marketing channels to reach your customer and push your product. So how do you know which channels to push and when? Is there any point to paid search or email marketing? At what stage does your […]
Bras N’ Things have embraced social media and technology to promote their latest Body Bliss campaign with astounding results. Busting sales records, CEO George Wahby said “From a product, sales and customer feedback perspective the Body Bliss by Bras N Things launch has unquestionably been one of the most successful in our 29 year history.” […]
One of the largest chain stores in the world has plans to roll out smaller stores in Australia. The maze that is IKEA is aiming to lower customers stress levels when it comes to shopping with them. Although they are not scaling back in any existing stores, the goals of growing online sales and providing more […]
Independent market research company, Ipsos has released the Top 5 Most Influential Brands study, based on an online survey of over 2,000 Australian adults using the Ipsos panel in late 2015, which highlights the brands that are in the forefront of consumers’ minds. Global tech giants Google, Microsoft, Facebook and Apple unsurprisingly dominated the local brands […]
The customer is always right doesn’t sit well with all retailers. While you may not agree with this sentiment, listening to customers’ complaints and negative feedback can often be more beneficial to the growth of a business than tossing these comments aside. Whether it be face to face, online or over the phone, customers’ are […]
NEWSFLASH…Digital marketing is hard work! It takes time to research, it takes time to provision and it takes time to implement new activity and when everyone is busy, more often than not, digital marketing gets shelved. But believe it or not there are quick wins you can implement today! Re-heat your leftovers from last night, […]
The convergence of online and in-store retailing is happening at a rapid pace. This coming together goes beyond product or place but in expectation. A recent survey showed that 63% of Australians and 72% of New Zealanders believe the service they get in-store is more personal than online. On the other hand,32% of shoppers surveyed […]
Staff training is incredibly beneficial for specific purposes related to your business. You may need your new workers to undertake instruction in a new process or to develop new product knowledge. However including training that develops employees toward long-term career goals can also promote greater job satisfaction. A satisfied employee is likely to stay longer […]
A former employee’s unfair dismissal claim has been given new life at a Fair Work Commission hearing. A worker was granted permission by the Commission to pursue her unfair dismissal claim, 64 days outside the 21 day statutory limit. Senior Deputy President (Snr DP) Lea Drake considered the worker’s statement in support of the application […]
In last week’s column I expressed some views concerning the recent decision handed down by Fair Work Australia to award a 2.4 per cent increase to the minimum wage. A lot has been written about the margin that was included in this increase on top of the actual rate of inflation. The decision seemed to imply that businesses […]
Go to market strategies and product testing have changed dramatically in the past few years. ‘Fail fast’ is the go to mantra for tech companies and startups, but how does retail compare? Industry leaders are investing in research and development, new tech and roles like customer experience designers. Testing is often done with small groups […]
Omnichannel, multichannel, microsites, geotargeting, C2B and big data. Keeping up with the latest trends and buzzwords is difficult for most small to medium retailers who often don’t have the time or resources to focus heavily on the expectations of consumers when it comes to digital. Omnichannel, to put it simply means ‘all’ or ‘universal’ as […]
South-east Australia has recently seen temperature plummet with wild weather bringing howling winds and light snow showers, even in the sunshine state of Queensland. Heaters have been dusted off and ugg boots finally seeing the light of day with weeks of winter chill predicted. Retailers however, should not start dreaming of summer just yet. The […]
With tax time around the corner the Australian Tax Office wants you to make the most of small business tax concessions. What are the tax concessions? The ATO has a What’s new for small business page that keeps an up-to- date list of available tax concessions and eligibility requirements. This is a great resource to make sure […]
Inspiration was served warm and strong at a breakfast seminar for retailers in Brisbane at the end of May. Two highly respected speakers, Theresa Moltoni, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Queensland, and Dominique Lamb, Director of Legal Services at the National Retail Association, spoke passionately about gender equality in the workplace […]
Research has identified that organisations are unconsciously discriminating against gender types in the initial stages of hiring employees. In traditional corporate management roles, men are more likely to be hired than women. Whereas in nursing, men are less likely to be considered for the role over women as the role is considered feminine. Although discrimination is […]