Indholdsfortegnelse for February 2022 i NZBusiness+Management

The importance of fully understanding supply chains and identifying their weaknesses has become very apparent in the current global supply chain crisis. For almost two years the world has experienced one of its most significant disruptions ever, thanks to Covid-19. Worldwide lockdowns mean global economies and supply chains have been left exposed and fragmented, while businesses and companies have been challenged to adjust to new market conditions, moving constraints, policy changes, and constant uncertainty. In New Zealand we have our own unique challenges. Our geographic location means we rely heavily on effective and efficient supply chains. The pandemic has had a trickle down effect, creating shortages in raw materials, components, products, and other commodities; price increases; and longer lead times. Understandably, customers and suppliers are frustrated. It’s predicted that it…

It’s fair to say that the Covid pandemic has hampered many business owners’ ability to manage their finances. The GoFi8ure team of accountants and bookkeeping professionals have seen the outcomes of: not sticking to budgets, failing to plan, delaying bill payments to manage cashflow, not saving money in general, buying what you want rather than what you need, impulse buying, borrowing money, as well as getting into debt and taking out short-term payday loans with killer interest rates. So here are some golden rules to help keep you on the straight and narrow path to success. RULE #1: UNDERSTAND THE TRUE VALUE OF MONEY Many business owners learn little to nothing about basic money management. Their primary business motivation can simply appear to be ‘keeping up with the Joneses’. That…

“YOU DON’T HAVE A BUSINESS WITHOUT CUSTOMERS, SO THAT IS WHY I LOOK AFTER THEM. THAT’S WHY I GO THAT EXTRA MILE FOR THEM.” The David Awards roared back into life in 2021. They’re a proving ground attracting a high calibre of New Zealand’s smaller owner-driven businesses. That’s the view of Frank Witowski, the driving force behind Hybrid Bikes, who was thrilled to be awarded the Supreme Award in October following another tough year of Covid disruption. Frank’s business, which manufactures carbon e-bikes to his own design and engineering specifications, has won numerous accolades around the country in a relatively short period of time. He utilises a specialist overseas manufacturer to produce the components and then, as each shipping container arrives, is heavily involved in assembling and dispatching each bike…

With over 20 years of experience building brands for New Zealand businesses, Speedy Signs knows that a core element of preserving your brand integrity is to ensure it is represented the same way, wherever it is. And with a national network of branches, each with its own in-house design team, Speedy Signs demonstrates the effectiveness of brand consistency through example. Each branch is the single point of contact for your business, ensuring consistency across vehicle graphics, marketing collateral, building signage and anywhere else your brand will be seen. Coordination of delivery is handled by Speedy Signs account managers, so while customers keep running their business, Speedy Signs delivers the business’s consistent branding to an exacting high standard. Speedy Signs’ customers range from start-ups to established corporates with countrywide coverage, each…

By 2025, 30 percent of critical infrastructure organisations will experience a security breach that will result in the halting of an operation, or mission-critical cyber-physical system, according to Gartner. The research and advisory company says that critical infrastructure security has become a primary concern for governments around the world, with the US, UK, EU, Canada and Australia each identifying sectors deemed ‘critical infrastructure’, for example, communications, transport, energy, water, healthcare and public facilities. It says that in some countries, critical infrastructure is state-owned, while in others, like the US, private industry owns and operates a much larger portion of it. Ruggero Contu, research director at Gartner, says in a statement that “Governments in many countries are now realising their national critical infrastructure has been an undeclared battlefield for decades. They are now…

Wikipedia lays out Sir Jerry Mateparae’s track record of leadership very succinctly: “Lieutenant General The Right Honourable Sir Jeremiah Mateparae, GNZM, QSO, KStJ was the 20th Governor-General of New Zealand between 2011 and 2016; Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force from 2006 to 2011; served as the director of the New Zealand Government Communications Security Bureau for five months in 2011; following his term as Governor-General, Sir Jerry was the High Commissioner of New Zealand to the United Kingdom between 2017 and 2020.” But, according to Sir Jerry, being second is not a bad place to be. He notes he was the second Māori officer to be the Army Chief after Major General Brian Poananga (Ngāti Porou and Rangitāne iwi). New Zealand’s second Māori Governor-General after Sir Paul Reeves,…

Board Directors are responsible for governance, the CEO and management are responsible for operations. Sounds straightforward, right? But hang on – individual directors can be held legally and financially liable for occupational health and safety at work; the impact of the organisations culture; harassment; discrimination; environmental sustainability and corporate ethics, to name a few, not to mention the usual fiduciary requirements around solvent trading and responsible behaviour. It’s no wonder boards are seemingly becoming more involved in what some would see as operational issues. It’s been our observation that more and more, our clients are telling us, “We can’t commit until the board’s had a look at it.” Time and time again, proposals are being rewritten as board papers. Given that we operate in the leadership and culture space, it’s…

CATHY HENDRY is the managing director at Strategic Pay. November 29th 2021 marked the end of Auckland’s 107-day lockdown, however due to the alert level, most traditional office based roles are unlikely to be returning to the office until Auckland moved to the Orange setting. This extended lockdown and previous shorter lockdowns has shown most office workers are able to work effectively at home. Many are beginning to prefer the routine, especially if it means avoiding the daily commute. We have seen a major shift in terms of flexible working. Lockdowns have shown workers can be just as productive working from home and everyone is comfortable meeting virtually via MS Teams, Zoom or Google Meet. Employers are finding that there is an expectation now that most roles should have the…

“CONSTANTLY REACHING OUT FOR ADVICE HAS BEEN THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON FOR ME.” Gail Matthew is used to doing it tough in business. Prior to starting Kc Kombucha she had spent some 20 years working in the hospitality sector trying her arm at various ventures including a licensed café in Grey Lynn. She’s also qualified in naturopathic medicine, is a medical herbalist, and ran a naturopathic business from home when her two children were still young. Then the GFC’s fallout, and health issues suffered by her son, impacted heavily on Gail’s stress levels. So she closed her business to focus on her children and looking back, remembers being happier, healthier and “a better parent” as a result. As her children grew older and more independent, Gail got serious about finding…

It was well-known US venture capitalist and author Richard Harroch who said, “It’s almost always harder to raise capital than you thought it would be, and it always takes longer. So plan for that.” It is true that raising venture capital can be daunting for fledgling businesses, but at the same time, investor funding has never been more available, accessible or flexible. And yes, with such a diversity of funds, boutique investment banks, angel groups and crowdfunding providers out there, it may not be easy. But planning, and seeking the best advice, is vital. Jack McQuire and Barnaby Marshall, partners at Auckland-based Icehouse Ventures, say venture capital primarily works the same in New Zealand as anywhere in the world. Investors (whether an individual high net worth, a fund, corporate or…

The easing of lockdown restrictions and the introduction of the Covid Protection Framework has at least provided some certainty for Kiwi businesses and consumers alike. It’s been a tough two years, but as we embark on 2022, many businesses are starting to find their new business as usual with vaccine passports and what the traffic lights system means for them. The global pandemic is far from over, so it’s wise to look at ways to improve your cash flow and increase your profits to enable you to continue trading through whatever challenging times may still lie ahead. Here are just some of the ways Bartercard can assist your business to build the cash reserves needed to see you through the tight spots. BRINGING NEW CUSTOMERS THROUGH YOUR DOOR If your…

As we enter 2022, many Kiwi SMEs will be approaching the upcoming end of financial year (EOFY) with a fair degree of uncertainty – preparing their books for what has been another unpredictable year for businesses. As businesses have had to adapt and make significant changes to their operations, with many relying on the Covid-19 Wage Subsidies and Resurgence Support Payment to stay afloat, there will likely be some additional complexity as they tackle their final tax calculations. After such a challenging year, and even though many businesses (especially those in regions only recently out of lockdown) are still working through a range of day-to-day challenges, it’s important to start thinking about EOFY now as opposed to waiting for the deadline to loom closer. Having the right business management software…

When Microsoft announced Windows 10 in 2015, the company said it would be the last version of its personal computer operating system. Over the past six years Microsoft has repeatedly tweaked and improved the system – so it’s better, but it hasn’t changed much. Meanwhile Microsoft’s competitors have marched on. Apple’s MacOS was still called OS X when Windows 10 first appeared. Apple took market share from Microsoft as people switched from Windows to Mac computers – some moving because they prefer Apple’s operating system. At the same time Google’s Chromebooks won business from Windows in education. It is also popular overseas with large customers like government departments and corporations, although this is less true in New Zealand. While part of Chromebook’s attraction is that the computers are less expensive…

The temptation in contracting markets is to lower your prices to get more work in or sell more of the products you have on hand. However, I would urge you to robustly question this decision. Price is a factor in every decision. But it is not THE factor. Price is only an issue in the absence of value. The role of the marketing now then, is as a value creator. There are five factors that your marketing can support or communicate that are more important than price: • Trust. • Risk. • Relationships. • Ease. • Overall value. In a challenging time, our drivers are different; people make more decisions out of fear. They fear making the wrong decision, or that their decision will have repercussions down the track. By…

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua is seeking feedback on issues facing the cash system and options to keep Aotearoa’s cash system ‘fit for purpose’. A statement late last year from the bank says options include: • Consolidating public and private cash sector functions into one or more public utilities. • Banks paying merchants that provide cash out services on their behalf. • Requiring some merchants and government agencies to accept cash. • Requiring banks to provide cash services. The November 30,2021 issues paper, Future of Money – Cash System Redesign (Te Moni Anamata – He Whakahou i te Pūnaha Moni), reinforces the bank’s commitment to keeping cash available for as long as it is needed, says assistant governor Christian Hawkesby. “We’re wanting input to develop…

In the wake of November 2021’s COP26 conference when carbon emissions and climate change issues dominated the global media, Management set out to see what initiatives New Zealand-based companies were undertaking. Here are three that caught our attention. NZ’S LARGEST-EVER SUSTAINABLE REFINANCING Metlifecare announced late in 2021 that it had completed a refinancing of the company’s bank loan facilities into Sustainability-Linked Loan facilities tied to “ambitious social and environmental goals.” A statement from the retirement village owner says the $1.25 billion Sustainability-Linked Loan comprises $600m of existing debt and $650m new debt, and “makes Metlifecare the first operator in the New Zealand and Australian retirement village and aged care sector to be fully debt funded by sustainable financing.” It says the announcement follows Metlifecare’s earlier designation of its existing…

KATE KEARINS is Professor of Management and Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law at Auckland University of Technology. Recently I received some feedback that suggested I had pounced on a couple of people in an online meeting. Fortunately, I work with people who know (and know that I know) the value of constructive feedback. I’ll admit I was, at first, defensive. Once that feeling settled and I took the time to reflect, however, I was embarrassed – and I silently committed to be a little less quick off the mark. More than that – I was grateful to have been given the feedback and even more grateful that I have been given the opportunity to do better in the future. It has also…

Serial entrepreneur Simon Moore may well be what is known as a polymath. Or, as Wikipedia describes it: “An individual whose knowledge spans a substantial number of subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems.” Asked about this, Simon doesn’t agree or disagree but says he knows that ‘experts’ become ‘experts’ in a very narrow body of knowledge and that if you want to have a big, dangerous idea, you have to ask a lot of stupid questions. New Plymouth-based Simon is now getting ready to launch his newest venture, Urquhart Golf, marketing an adjustable golf club he has developed. In launching this new company, he appears to be drawing on the wide skillset he has developed throughout his working life. Simon’s first role was…

The World Economic Forum has published the Human-Centred AI for Human Resources: A Toolkit for Human Resources Professionals to scale the responsible use of artificial intelligence in human resources. A statement from the forum says the toolkit includes a guide covering key topics and steps in the responsible use of AI-based HR tools, and two checklists – one focused on strategic planning and the other on the adoption of a specific tool. There are now 250 HR tools that use AI, according to the paper. These tools aim to manage talent in ways that are more effective, fair, and efficient. However, the forum says, the use of AI in HR raises concerns given AI’s potential for problems in areas such as data privacy and bias. The use of AI in…

With Australia and New Zealand likely to reopen to the world, and in readiness for the tourism rebound, Accor, New Zealand and Australia’s largest hotel operator, has launched a new talent attraction programme, Work Your Way, to lure talent to its workforce to take up more than 1,200 jobs available across both countries. Launched in November, the company says it is forecasting that over the coming months it will need to bolster its current workforce of 18,000 team members across Australia and New Zealand by up to 15 percent, whether that’s for a gap year or a career, as lockdowns end and borders reopen. It says the programme “revolutionises recruitment in the tourism sector” through: 1. Same day hire: It has introduced a new same day hire process for frontline…

If businesses don’t change, they will be left behind. It’s a phrase thrown around a lot. And while I’m not a fan of a cliché, it’s true. There’s no denying that change can be frightening. Leaping into the unknown is an uneasy feeling. When people are afraid of change, they aren’t necessarily afraid of the change itself – but that it will go wrong. But change doesn’t have to be that way. It isn’t leaping entirely into the unknown if it’s led according to a planned process, inclusive of the people that will be affected, and approached with minimal disruption. I’ve been a change management professional in some of New Zealand’s biggest companies – so you can imagine that change is something I thrive off. From sales transformations to the…

PETE BURDON is founder and head trainer at Media Training NZ and author of Media Training for Modern Leaders. See his free online masterclass, “How to master media interviews in any situation,” at PeteBurdon.com. Covid-19 has shown how quickly leaders from business and other organisations can be thrust into the media spotlight without warning. While this has always been the case, Covid has become the latest example. Some leaders have had to front media because of confirmed Covid cases among staff, others when their premises became a location of interest, while another group attracted attention because of safety concerns such as inadequate social distancing policies. Are you ready to front media in a similar situation? In most cases it’s far better for your reputation to agree to such requests. The…

CATHY PARKER is the director of Adrenalin Publishing, the owner of Management magazine. She also sits on a number of boards. Strategise for normality: Well, maybe that should be strategise for the new normality. The last two years has seen boards focused around survival and staff health and safety related to the Covid-19 pandemic. And whilst the pandemic is not over and I am sure it will have more curveballs to throw at us, it’s clear that we have now entered a new phase of living with the virus. With widespread vaccination and the traffic light system underway the focus for boards is on how to shape the business for this new normal. One thing is certain, going back to pre-pandemic business-as-usual is probably not the best idea as the…

GRAEME MULLER is the chief executive of NZTech, a NFP organisation which brings together 20 tech associations and more than 1600 member organisations. Amazon Web Services has announced it will be building a data centre in Auckland because of the city’s telecommunications connections and skilled workforce. AWS will spend $7.5 billion building world class computing infrastructure in Auckland, creating 1,000 jobs and contributing $10.8 billion to New Zealand’s GDP over the next 15 years. Meanwhile, following an announcement in 2020, Microsoft has already started building three data centres in Auckland. This sudden burst of data centre capacity is a reflection of the growth of cloud services and video gaming being produced by New Zealand firms. Cloud computing, or the delivery of different services through the internet, is growing rapidly in…