Waikato Business News February/March 2020

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42 WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS February/March 2020 Coronavirus communication: getting it right Who knew six weeks ago that our world would be consumed by a health crisis? Coronavirus (COVID-19) has taken over our news feeds. And for those organisations with strong business connections with China, it has diverted resource into developing ‘plan Bs’ and business continuity. If you are a New Zealand organisation with import/ exports links into China or if you have staff working in-market, I’m sure you’ve already developed a set of regular communications aimed at keeping your staff, customers and key stakeholders informed. The HMC team has been busy working with some of our larger clients on communications plans. In situations like this where health issues are potentially reaching epidemic or pandemic proportions, people will panic if they aren’t well informed. At a basic level, HMC recommends the following approach to get your communications right during a health crisis such as coronavirus: 1. Follow Ministry of Health advice and messages – In a health crisis, the Ministry of Health will keep the public informed on what actions to take. Ensure you pass along these messages without embellishment. We’ve also found the World Health Organisation has some great resources you can download and use, like posters for public areas. 2. Keep it simple – In times when messages are critical for your audiences to understand, and particularly if people are stressed, it’s extremely important to keep messages in very simple language and direct. This isn’t time for a lot of fluff! 3. Use your website as the one source of truth – Consider putting up a webpage on your website with information about what you are doing as an organisation with links to the Ministry of Health and other helpful information. Then, use this webpage as the one source of truth that you update as you have further information. Then, your email, text, or social media updates to staff and stakeholders can be short and include a link to the website for more information. If you only need to keep staff informed, you may choose to create a page on your intranet or other internal, shared channel. 4. Translate into different languages – If your audience is made of people where English is their second language, get your communications translated into key languages. In the case of coronavirus, if you have Chinese customers, suppliers and/or staff it would be good to get things translated into Mandarin. If you have staff in New Zealand of various languages, to ensure clarity, consider if you need to include messaging in other languages. 5. Tell your staff first, stakeholders second and make any public messaging last – Prioritise your audiences and ensure you deliver important messages in the right order. However, all should be communicated with in very quick succession. 6. Include social media if your audiences are engaged online – If you know your customers or other external stakeholders are engaged on your social media channels, consider putting a notice up and link it to a webpage for more information. In this case, WeChat is an important social channel for reaching Chinese customers and other key stakeholders. 7. Update regularly, even if there’s not much more to say – If you have staff and stakeholders who are very close to the situation and worried about it, then it’s important to communication with them often to ensure they remain alert, but don’t start to panic unnecessarily or make assumptions around what PR AND COMMUNICATIONS > BY HEATHER CLAYCOMB you may or may not be doing. Even if there’s not much more to say, provide regular updates to assure people you are managing the situation and in control (as much as you can be!). 8. Regularly meet with key people in your organisation – If your organisation is on high alert, you should form a working group and meet often. How often will be different for different organisations and could be daily, twice weekly or ad hoc as more information comes to hand. Don’t rely on email for people to be informed, as busy people may miss important notices. Face-to-face discussions and decision making are important when dealing with major issues and crises. 9. Be flexible – No one likes a plan more than myself. But, in times like this the situation is changing daily. The communications you planned yesterday, can be outdated today. So, remain flexible and be ready to move fast. This certainly isn’t and exhaustive list of coronavirus communications tips, but it should help you get started. Best of luck and keep safe! Heather Claycomb is director of HMC Communications, a Hamilton-based, award-winning public relations agencys. If you don’t know where you are going, then any road will do INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ISSUES > DAVID MACASKILL Senior Associate at James & Wells with expertise in all areas of intellectual property and a particular focus on Intellectual Property Strategy. Contact: 07 957 5660 (Hamilton) or 07 928 4470 (Tauranga), and davidmacaskill@jamesandwells.com. The competitive and fast-changing business environment is posing new challenges for all businesses. An effective tool in combating these challenges is the development of an intellectual property (IP) strategy. Although it sounds complex, an IP strategy is simply a plan detailing how a business will use IP rights and knowledge to help achieve its objectives, by developing its intangible assets and reducing risk. Managed well, IP can be a powerful tool. For instance, it can help with attracting and retaining customers, improving margins, increasing productivity, competing more effectively in the market, or securing a deal with a partner or distributor. Is IP strategy relevant to me? IP strategy is relevant for all businesses because it secures and leverages your intangible assets, ensuring that you can continue to enjoy the benefits of your competitive advantage. Many businesses have never considered how IP rights are relevant to them and whether better outcomes could be achieved by controlling and leveraging those rights. The process of developing an IP strategy is also an opportunity to reassess your existing assumptions and critically evaluate your business. Businesses that will find an IP strategy particularly beneficial include: • Existing businesses investing in R&D and new product development. These businesses need to be able to identify their outputs and make informed decisions. • Established or emerging exporters. These businesses are exposed to new and variable threats as they encounter new markets, unfamiliar legal considerations and different competitors. • Businesses commercialising a new product or innovation. These businesses are often creating a new market segment, disrupting an existing market, or competing with an established market leader. This can bring them onto the radar of the incumbents, who are only too willing to leverage their market dominance to squeeze out the new player. • Businesses that are raising money to help start or grow a business. Investors want assurance that a business can operate without infringement risk, and that they own the assets critical to the business’s growth. • Businesses looking to generate passive income by licensing their innovations to third parties for commercialisation. These businesses must have control and ownership of their IP rights in order to leverage them in licensing deals. • Businesses looking to pivot or redefine themselves to compete in a changing environment. Basically, any business looking to maximise return on investment and improve its chance of success. What does an IP strategy involve? The scope and scale of an IP strategy is limited only by a business’s goals and its willingness to commit. There’s no one-size-fits all approach, but that means that you can easily and cost-effectively develop an IP strategy to meet your business’s needs. An IP strategy may include: • Integrating and embedding IP thinking into your overarching business strategy. • Identifying early what IP is owned or generated in your organisation and how it will sustain or grow your business. • Identifying and capturing your IP in a timely and systematic way. This will help with identifying and controlling your IP. • Considering timing of disclosure of innovations and when to make decisions. Confidentiality can mean the difference between securing certain IP rights or not. How do I develop an IP strategy? Knowing how to start is often the hardest part of the process. Initially it pays to talk to someone with experience developing and implementing an IP strategy, who can answer your questions and reassure you that the investment of time and effort is justified. This may be other business owners and leaders, or an IP advisor with proven strategic experience. The Innovation IP® program is a useful tool for getting started with IP strategy. An IP professional will start by gaining an understanding of your business, perhaps by talking with key team members, learning about the business’s history and growth, understanding future business plans and goals, and touring premises. What is Innovation IP®? Innovation IP®, is a two-stage programme that Callaghan Innovation part-funds in which businesses work with an IP professional to create and implement a bespoke IP strategy. During stage one, businesses build on their knowledge of IP rights and learn how they can be managed to achieve the defined business goals. They identify their key IP assets and develop an IP strategy that aligns with their business strategy. During stage two, businesses implement the strategy. Where can I find out more? James & Wells is an approved provider for both stage one and stage two of the Innovation IP® programme – see our website www.jamesandwells.com for more details.
WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS February/March 2020 43 RANGE ROVER VELAR ALL EYES ON ME THE SUV THAT PUTS THE AVANT-GARDE INTO EVERYDAY Why settle for A to B anonymity when you could make every drive a head-turning, stare-commanding, jaw-dropping experience? With its striking proportions and elegant, distinctive lines, the Range Rover Velar ensures that wherever you go, eyes will follow. And with $4,550 * worth of complimentary upgrades – including Privacy Glass, Contrast Black Roof, and Virtual Driver Instrument Display – now really is the time to experience our most refined and capable SUV. Test drive a Range Rover Velar or any other new Land Rover vehicle between 1 January - 30 April 2020 and go into the draw to win 500,000 Emirates Skywards Miles. Duncan & Ebbett Hamilton Cnr Maahanga Drive & Te Kowhai Road, The Base, Hamilton 07 838 1211 Book your test drive at duncanandebbett.co.nz *Terms and conditions: Whilst stocks last. Available on selected MY19 and MY20 Range Rover Velar. Image is not representative of offer. The standard Scheduled 5 Year Servicing is included (different terms and conditions applied for different models). Emirates Skyward Miles promotion runs from 1 January 2020 – 30 April 2020. One prize winner will be drawn on 01/05/20. The prize winner is entitled to 500,000 Emirates Skyward Miles. The prize is not transferrable, exchangeable nor redeemable for cash. To be eligible for this prize you must be an Emirates Skyward Miles member. Each person is entitled to one entry per Jaguar Land Rover dealership upon completion of a test drive of any new car. This competition is open to all NZ residents, excluding employees of Jaguar Land Rover New Zealand. Full T&Cs are viewable at https://www.landrover.co.nz/skywards-promotion-2020 JLR221927 Business buyer – is your next adventure on this page? Taranaki Galvanizers $1,600,000 An Exciting Café Business $450,000 Taranaki • High quality plant and equipment • No locally based competitor • Efficient and knowledgeable staff • Solid return on investment • Opportunities for further growth Waipa • This Waipa business is in a great location • Duel income streams • Established staff in place • Fabulous lease in place linkbusiness.co.nz/WK00072 Rick Johnson 021 991 485 rick.johnson@linkbusiness.co.nz linkbusiness.co.nz/WK00068 Alanah Eagle 021 606 345 alanah.eagle@linkbusiness.co.nz Fantastic Hospitality Location $139,000 Timber Recycling Company $400,000 Solid Business Opportunity $550,000 Plus stock Hamilton • Situated on Grey Street in Hamilton East • Tidy upgraded kitchen • Great lease in place at $26,000 plus GST per annum and 15+ years remain • A funky evening spot for the locals Taupo • Tangible asset sale includes stock • Includes mouldings, de-nailed timber, etc. • Founded in 1996 - growing demand • Good earnings to a working owner linkbusiness.co.nz/WK00073 Alanah Eagle 021 606 345 alanah.eagle@linkbusiness.co.nz linkbusiness.co.nz/WK00064 Andrew Whyte 022 097 0065 andrew.whyte@linkbusiness.co.nz Cafe/Bakery with Home $243,500 Waikato • Located on a busy state highway with plenty of passing traffic daily • Rent including business premise, 3 bedroom home and 1 bedroom selfcontained unit linkbusiness.co.nz/WK00078 Alanah Eagle 021 606 345 alanah.eagle@linkbusiness.co.nz Plant & Prosper! $176,000 Hamilton • Operating nearly 35 years and very well established • Repeat clientele and loads of room for future growth • Last year earned $99,102 profit linkbusiness.co.nz/BPW01061 Alanah Eagle 021 606 345 alanah.eagle@linkbusiness.co.nz Waikato Be part of one of New Zealand’s most progressive retail flooring groups and a major force in the retail sector. This opportunity offers an outstanding, high-end showroom. Located in a busy commercial area with plenty of passing traffic and is a must see! Rare Opportunity • High end showroom with a quality product lines • Outstanding systems and support • Family friendly working hours, currently operating 5 1/2 days linkbusiness.co.nz/WK00076 Therese Bailey 021 707 641 therese.bailey@linkbusiness.co.nz Bay Business Brokers Ltd - Licensed (REAA08) NZ’s most awarded business brokerage 8 OFFICES NATIONWIDE. 22 NAYLOR STREET, HAMILTON Connecting business buyers & sellers since 1996 0800 225 999 LINKBUSINESS.CO.NZ
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Waikato Business News February/March 2020

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