You want to be open and responsive to your customers' needs but the loudest customers are always the ones least satisfied. Google the name of any large business and some of the first results will be from people complaining in blogs, tweets and forums. Receiving their feedback is easy, but how can you get feedback from the happy and the mildly dissatisfied customers? Big companies survey their customers in expensive market research exercises to find out what they think. In this workshop, Simon Rumble demonstrates how smaller businesses can engage … more »

Many employers view social networks as time-wasting nonsense. Can building your own workplace social network deliver all of the productivity and none of the problems? Simon Rumble finds out. Social networking gets a bad rap with business owners, particularly if your business includes Gen Yers who seem to carry on conversations across five different communication platforms, all while supposedly working. Even so, you can harness the power of social networks to enhance information sharing and cross-functional collaboration inside your business. However, it's important to keep it focused on business results … more »

Start your own social network – Many employers view social networks as time-wasting nonsense. Can building your own workplace social network deliver all of the productivity and none of the problems? Simon Rumble finds out. Social networking gets a bad rap with business owners, particularly if your business includes Gen Yers who seem to carry on conversations across five different communication platforms, all while supposedly working. Even so, you can harness the power of social networks to enhance information sharing and cross-functional collaboration inside your business. However, it's important to … more »

Looking bigger than you are – Customers are infuriating. They want the prices and personal service that reflect the low overheads of a small business, but they want the (supposed) security of a big company. By taking your business online, you can meet them part way; with a virtual presence in multiple locations you can look and feel like a much bigger organisation than you are. Get a domain If you're supplying services primarily in Australia, you'll want an Australian .com.au domain name, as it instantly tells people you're based … more »

Even if you’re a sole trader working out of your garage, the internet and other technologies and services can help you give the appearance of a much bigger company. Simon Rumble finds out how. Customers are infuriating. They want the prices and personal service that reflect the low overheads of a small business, but they want the (supposed) security of a big company. By taking your business online, you can meet them part way; with a virtual presence in multiple locations you can look and feel like a much bigger … more »