These are the issues being covered:
Difficult period ahead for retailers creates some opportunities
Most recently accredited Customer Care firms
Local business conditions
The Skite Spot
Difficult period ahead for retailers creates some opportunities
It has been a difficult year for retailers. My figures suggest that within Port Macquarie-Hastings, turnover could be down by as much as 30% (although it is difficult to compare with last year as some industry classifications have changed). Consumer confidence seems to have been affected by a range of circumstances but particularly uncertainty regarding pricing for fuel, power, carbon taxes and interest rates. Inflation is on the rise. Significantly the Australian National Accounts say that we are now saving about 11.5% of our income versus an average of 2.5% prior to the financial crash in 2008. Combining all of these with big increases in online spending gives an indication of the forces working against local retail opportunity. A response by the big corporates to the changing environment, as always, is to slash operating costs – meaning fewer and more poorly trained staff. This creates, in my mind, significant opportunity for the small operator focussed on delighting their customers. I remember an old analogy that says “while you can’t change the head winds you can almost always change the sails”.
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| Photos taken by Hydro Photographics |
Most recently accredited firms
Speaking of Customer Care, seven more businesses have recently been Customer Care accredited, they are:
Telegraph Retreat – Melanie Marshall. 4½ star country retreat, luxury bed and breakfast.
Port Macquarie Day Spa – Jamie Finn, Rydges complex in Hay Street. Relaxation, rejuvenation and therapies.
Thara Thai Restaurant – Thararat Watson, Timbertown Shopping Village, Wauchope.
XS Food – Rachel & Craig Freudenstein, Merrigal Road, Port Macquarie. Food and beverage services and event catering.
Fredo’s Meats – Guy Williams, Lake Road. Fresh locally grown produce and meats.
Men At Work – Scott Russell, Belah Road. Ground maintenance, traffic control, transport.
XYZ Support – Zoe Pogonowski, Swift Street. Website design, graphic design, maths tutorial business.
As these businesses are now officially accredited they are free to use Customer Care materials on all of their advertising and be promoted as Port Macquarie-Hastings “top shelf” businesses together with the other 360 existing members. That means we have about 5,700 currently non accredited firms to go – a daunting but worthwhile task if Port Macquarie-Hastings is going to be recognised as Australia’s pre-eminent service excellence destination with all of the benefits that implies.
If you are interested in discussing the opportunity of becoming a Customer Care accredited firm, please contact Rachel Ross on 6581 8036 or email Rachel.ross@pmhc.nsw.gov.au
Local business conditions
I had the opportunity to discuss local business conditions at the Port Macquarie Chamber of Commerce meeting last week. In summary:
· Gross Domestic Product is down 5% of the previous year.
· Value of exports $1.5b – 14% greater than imports.
· Labour force 30,000 people.
· Unemployment 5.7%.
· The top 3 key contributors to economic activity 2011 are health care and community services; accommodation and food services; electricity, gas, water and waste services.
· The workforce is aging rapidly.
· More jobs are being created for women than men.
For a full copy of the presentation, please click on the link below:
http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1103899334145-143/Performance+of+Economy+21+06+11.pdf
http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1103899334145-143/Performance+of+Economy+21+06+11.pdf
Should you require further information, please contact Trevor Sargeant on 6581 8660 or email Trevor.sargeant@pmhc.nsw.gov.au
The skite spot
What you can do in the skite spot
The skite spot is all about sharing and its free. What you can do:
· Introduce yourself.
· Share some recent good news stories about your business.
· Praise another business.
· Laugh about something you had a go at and it didn’t work.
Don’t be humble or shy because then we wont get the good news out, promote your accomplishments and inspire others.
How does it work?
Email me Trevor.sargeant@pmhc.nsw.gov.au. Remember this is not an ad, it’s a discussion amongst friends. So jump in and remember to applaud each other.
Your skite will remain as part of the current edition for two weeks and then be archived with previous editions on this site.
