September 2023 - Bay of Plenty Business News

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6 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS September 2023 Cameron Road traffic management changes to ease business impacts A review of traffic management processes is expected to reduce the impacts of the ongoing Cameron Road upgrade on businesses along this key arterial route. By ANNE TOLLEY, Tauranga Commission Chair Anne Tolley This hugely significant project is the first stage of a work programme designed to futureproof the Cameron Road corridor to ensure that it can cater for housing intensification along the Te Papa peninsula, where the population is expected to grow by around 15,000 people over the next 30 years. Stage One of the ‘Building our future’ Cameron Road project, between Harington Street and 17th Avenue, is part-funded by a $48 million Government grant and involves intersection safety improvements; safe crossing points for pedestrians; the creation of bus clearway lanes in both directions (with the lanes available for parking outside of the morning and afternoon traffic peak periods); construction of grade-separated cycleways and footpaths; placemaking upgrades to gardens and greenspaces; and the renewal and upsizing of ageing underground services (water, wastewater and stormwater assets). The project has been underway for some 18 months now and is expected to be completed by the end of 2023. Major roadworks like this are inevitably disruptive, but a number of factors have resulted in impacts on the businesses that rely on access to and from Cameron Road for their customers and staff. We asked the joint venture contractor to conduct a thorough review of the construction elements of the project, particularly focusing on the use of traffic management infrastructure (mainly the large, orange water-filled barriers that channel traffic and pedestrians away from worksites), with a view to identifying solutions that will help to ease the problems businesses along the work zones have been experiencing. As a result, rather than leaving traffic management equipment in place when work is delayed for some reason, this is being removed and a temporary surface provided if the delay is expected to extend for a week or longer. And rather than use the barriers all of the time, the JV is using other, less-disruptive equipment when it can safely do so. Apart from intersection safety, improved pedestrian crossing points, peak travel time bus clearways and renewed underground services, the Building our Future Cameron Road project also provides gradeseparated cycleways and walkways and significant garden areas. A procedure has also been put in place to assess the likelihood of delays before worksite establishment begins in new areas, to ensure that there is no equipment-related disruption until it is absolutely necessary. Council’s project managers are meeting with the JV on a regular basis to monitor progress and any issues that are arising and there is a joint commitment to being more agile in addressing stakeholder impacts through to the project’s completion. In addition to the above steps, Council has initiated an external review of the entire project, so that we can use the learnings provided to avoid unnecessary issues with future major infrastructure projects, such as Cameron Road Stage 2 and the planned 15th Ave/ Turret Road upgrade. In the meantime, the Council and the Commission want to thank Cameron Road businesses and road users for their patience while this transformational project is completed. Proudly providing expert advice and adding value to projects across the Bay of Plenty since 1940. To experience Cheal’s award winning service, contact us today. LET’S TAKE BACK OUR COUNTRY Erika Harvey is a well known community advocate and business owner in Tauranga. Following a corporate background, Erika has transferred her skill set into community advocacy and helping others. The General Manager for a local youth charity, she is dedicated to ensuring equitable access to education and wrap-around services for children and youth. Alongside her current tenures, Erika has also been on various community boards and working groups, including with Tauranga City Council, Bay of Plenty District Health Board, and as former Chairperson of Greerton Village School. An American-born New Zealander, Erika has made Tauranga her home for almost 15 years and is intent on giving her community a stronger voice in parliament and returning Tauranga to democracy with a local body election in 2024. Her work in local government issues as an affected business owner have inspired her to further advocate for her community by standing for New Zealand First. Erika lives locally with husband Dan, and their two children, 12 year old Piper and newbaby Ziggy. +64 7 349 8470 | info@cheal.co.nz | Authorised by H. Howard, 41 Jervois Road, Ponsonby.
September 2023 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS 7 THE CLOUD – then and now TECH TALK Cash flow central to SME success during recession WORKPLACE WELLBEING > BY BRIDGET SNELLING Bridget Snelling is the Xero Country Manager for New Zealand Technology continually evolves, and with each year that passes, technology evolves faster and further. In 2023, topics like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and augmented reality seem to dominate the technology conversation, but all of these areas are underpinned by the location and availability of the data which feeds them. That’s probably a reasonable definition of ‘Cloud’: the topic of this article. Cloud, or Cloud Computing, is defined similarly by Amazon and Microsoft. Amazon talks about cloud being “the on-demand delivery of IT resources over the Internet with pay-as-you-go pricing”, meaning that “instead of buying, owning, and maintaining physical datacentres and servers, you can access technology services on an as-needed basis.” Microsoft refers to “the delivery of computing services — including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence — over the internet to offer faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale.” So, from the start, there were some clear, tangible benefits to being ‘in the cloud’. Cost savings, reduced downtime, and the access to enterprise level technologies at SMB level pricing. In 2013 Microsoft’s cloud services (Office 365 and Azure) and Amazon’s Web Services (AWS) were leading the way. > BY JACOB DOHERTY Jacob Doherty is an account manager at Stratus Blue. He can be contacted at jacob@stratusblue.co.nz Microsoft introduced what it called a ‘paradigm shift’ by allowing its users to access their emails, documents, and applications from any device with an internet connection. AWS marked the start of the scalable, consumption model, offering businesses the (at the time) unique opportunity to rent computing power rather than investing in expensive infrastructure. Where organisations were always needing to budget for a 3-5 year CAPEX spend on a new server, and then have to cool that server, maintain it, deal with downtime and interruptions and manage its security themselves, there was now an option to outsource all of that. As time went on, offerings developed – more of the applications which are commonplace in New Zealand and global businesses alike – Salesforce, SAP, MYOB and Google’s Cloud (not the search engine, but emails and storage for business) – along with cloud-born programs like Hub- Spot for marketers and Xero for invoicing, became widely available. Organisations started to become familiar with ‘cloudready’ software, which just needed a place to live (not the server in a corner of the office anymore), rather than complicated, time-consuming, costly customisation and development before they were ready. Cloud pricing models remain attractive to organisations, but they too have evolved, with best practice now incorporating cloud with value-add services in a per user, or per organisation, monthly price, allowing businesses to access everything they need to operate effectively while retaining the flat cost line month on month. These models – often referred to being ‘as a Service’ – will include the platform, or the software, or the infrastructure, or a combination, that your organisation needs, along with support, maintenance and additional innovation. On the theme of innovation, it is worth recognising how cloud has helped silo skillsets to allow people to focus on what they do best. Where previously developers would have to be concerned about the thresholds or limitations of the environment they were developing in, they can now focus solely on code, leaving infrastructure management to those who specialise. In ten years, cloud has evolved from basic email services being taken off the server in the office to advanced AI-driven analytics, machine learning and decision assistance focused on summarising the information that people need to see. As technology evolves and demands shift, the cloud will undoubtedly adapt further, continuing to revolutionise the way in which we do business and enabling new possibilities that hadn’t even been considered just a decade ago. As recession continues to impact the country, small businesses in the Bay of Plenty and across Aotearoa New Zealand face the consequences of slow sales growth, high inflation, and less consumer spending. As the pressure from these issues grows, cash flow management has never been more important. With challenging market conditions, small business owners are struggling to manage finances – often causing personal stresses at home. The key to navigating through uncertain times starts with knowing your numbers. Remaining up close and personal with your cash flow allows you to focus on making better, well-informed decisions for your business. But above all, it allows you to manage your wellbeing more effectively. A recent Xero report found 15% of small businesses in New Zealand said work issues caused personal stress most or all of the time. Cash flow issues are a systemic and volatile cycle, which see business owners dipping into their own personal savings, working unattainable hours, and ultimately sacrificing their emotional and physical wellbeing to stay afloat. In this recession, high inflation is also a major factor, with price hikes affecting every part of the economy. For many businesses, this means higher supply costs. Almost half (48%) of small businesses said inflation had eroded their cash flow in 2023, and in the 12 months to June, 55% of small businesses experienced cash flow issues, with 18% experiencing “significant” cash flow problems. Cash flow management takes an emotional and physical toll on business owners. A total of 80% of company owners surveyed by Xero said they were stressed about cash flow, 60% said they had trouble sleeping, and 47% had lost time with friends and family. Thousands of Kiwi small businesses fold each year. More often than not, it’s because they’re unable to overcome cash flow issues. During these challenging economic times, it’s important small business owners understand what their cash flow needs are and what they can do to get paid faster. Digital tools are the key to effectively managing cash flow. They help you understand exactly how your business is performing, putting you in a position to make more informed decisions. They flag when cash flow is due to be low, allowing you to prepare for the squeeze and push for more work. They also reveal when cash flow will be strong, allowing savvy business owners to take calculated risks and make the most of opportunities that arise during these periods. It’s time for business owners to take matters into their own hands and embrace the support available to them. Whether that’s using platforms like Xero Analytics Plus, which lets you avoid losses by calling for prompt payment upon completion of a job, or Xero’s Assistance Programme, which offers free access to face-to-face, online chat, and phone counselling. Small businesses should also consider registering their interest for eInvoicing, a technology which will help improve payment times by greatly increasing accuracy and security while reducing human errors. By taking control of your cash flow, and knowing your numbers, you give yourself the best possible chance to navigate tough times and come out the other side better off. IP protection, simplified. We’ve been championing innovation since 1979. A safe pair of hands delivering outstanding results. jamesandwells.com J&W Quarter Page Advert.indd 1 2021-12-28 5:31 PM
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September 2023 - Bay of Plenty Business News

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