February 2015 Issue 101

The breakdown of a marriage or de facto relationship is usually a time of high stress and emotional turmoil. This is particularly so for children of the relationship as the separation can have lasting, if not permanent, consequences. Separation inevitably involves a period of upheaval. For some children this period can last a relatively short period of time (the time...

With accelerating technology and global social media connections, business operators have become increasingly aware that further growth, economic and competitive advantage can be expanded by engaging a 3PL partner to support and enhance Supply Chain solutions. What is 3PL? A third-party logistics (3PL) provider is a specialist who can provide you with professional logistics services for part or all of...

I trust that you have settled in to a refreshed rhythm of life after a nice Christmas break. I also hope you have written down some exciting goals for this year. If 'growing business online' is one of them, I can help. Here are the 5 easy ways to improve your website this year. 1) Create curiosity and interest Use...

These recent months have been a stark reminder of the volatility of share markets and the impact it can have on your life savings and your retirement. In 2002, United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld famously stated: "there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also...

2015 has well and truly arrived. Hopefully the holiday period gave you the opportunity to regroup and recharge before another busy year. Now is the perfect time to refresh your business, by paying some much deserved attention to your Terms and Conditions. Your Terms and Conditions form the contract between your business and your customers; they lay down what your...

Regular readers of B2B will recall that in previous editions I have written about the ability of the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to recover unpaid taxes in insolvency situations. Over the past two years the scope of those recovery powers has widened significantly and this has implications for company directors and insolvency practitioners alike. Many company directors still believe that...

Renovating or building a new home can be exciting. But dream builds can quickly turn upside down if the contractor isn't suitable. Legislation in each state or territory differs; however there are some commonalities helping you spot the good builders from the bad: Choosing a builder checklist: Q: Has your builder got the correct registration or license for the job?...

As personal technology devices such as laptops, smartphones and tablets, are becoming increasingly prevalent, the ATO will be focusing its attention on individuals claiming tech items as work-related tax deductions. Currently, Australians claim almost $19.5 billion each year in work related expenses, and an increasing number of tech items are being included each year. It is common for individuals to...

The world of marketing has changed forever, and it is confusing. With the emergence of the information age and technology explosion, the marketing function has expanded at light speed. Marketing can now cover technology, analytics, customer service, sales, and become a unifying role for businesses. But what does it mean for your organisation? The Problem According to a recent CEB...

Welcome to the first of edition of B2B for 2015. I hope you all had a safe, happy and relaxed festive season. There has been a lot of change in the ACT Government of late and we used our time over the break to prepare for the year ahead. In my new role as Chief Minister, I will be out...

The short answer is, very promising! Trying to predict Canberra's uniquely volatile employment market is often fraught with challenges. Although our market is largely dominated by Government business and recruitment activity, recent recruitment activity has been positive, and we are confident that we are now heading towards a market recovery over the next 12 - 18 months. In early 2014,...

I am regularly asked about whether an official "reading of the Will" needs to take place after someone has died. You have probably seen American movies where the family gathers after the death of a relative in an oak-paneled office while a white-haired solicitor reads out the last wishes of the deceased person. In Australia, there is no legal requirement...

In the simplest terms, cloud computing means storing and accessing data and programs over the Internet instead of your computer's hard drive. The most common example in business today is internet banking - most businesses access their bank accounts through browser based software, with the data hosted in the Cloud. A cloud based accounting package is simply one that resides...