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  • 12-Nov-2014 19:57 | Deleted user



    WSBC Gold Member Sydney Showground came out on top as Australia’s number one Venue at last night’s Australian Event Awards’ Ceremony held at Doltone House Pyrmont. 


    Sydney Showground General Manger, Peter Thorpe commented, “It’s been an amazing year for Sydney Showground with lots of new business coming on board, the development of the site to include an extra 10,000sqm venue and the launching of our new Sydney Showground brand are just a sample of the things we’ve achieved this year. 


    “I’m extremely proud of the work the team has done over the past couple of years, but particularly over the last twelve months. Their dedication and commitment makes the Venue what it is and helps fulfil our brand promise to provide ‘Big Experiences’ for our customers and visitors. 


    “The year isn’t over yet and we have a number of large events lined up including this week’s IUCN World Parks Congress which will bring visitors from all over the globe to Sydney Showground and other venues across Sydney Olympic Park. Following on from this the music festival season kicks off with Stereosonic fast on its heels. 


    “I’d like to pass on my thanks to the judges, as well as the whole team here at Sydney Showground, our customers and suppliers and also to take this opportunity to congratulate all of the other winners at last night’s event. Here’s looking forward to a successful 2015 for the entire industry!” 



  • 12-Nov-2014 09:24 | Deleted user

    WSBC and Gold Member Bankstown City Council welcomed a Brazilian delegation of 

    mayors at the recent WSBC Business Leader Luncheon, held at Platinum Partner Parkroyal Parramatta.


    Bankstown City Councils economic development, Paul Judge, contacted WSBC to include them as part of their visit and connect them with other WSBC members. The mayors, who are hear having been recognised under a Mayoral Entrepreneur Award for fostering small business development and are looking to share ideas with counterparts from Australia & NZ. 


    Together WSBC and Bankstown were able to connect them with a number of businesses and councils in Western Sydney.

  • 05-Nov-2014 14:58 | Anonymous

     

    ATTENTION ALL RETAILERS

     

    FINAL CALL

    RETAIL FORUM – FREE EVENT - AMAZING PROGRAM - STAY AHEAD OF THE PACK!

     

    Book today as places are limited

     

     

    Bankstown City Council is delighted to invite you to its retail sector forum "The changing face of retail".  This is a must attend event for any retail business. The only investment is your time! Light refreshments will be served!

    This forum will help retailers:

    Stay abreast of current retail trends, issues and opportunities;

    Strengthen their management capabilities to remain competitive and relevant in a dynamic and challenging environment; and

    Gain access to various government and industry support programs.

    Who should attend:

    All retailer types

    All size of retailers from large, medium and small

    Owner/vendors, managers and retail staff 

     

     

    When:

     

    Wednesday 12 November 2014

     

     

     

    Where:

     

    Bankstown Library & Knowledge
    Centre Cnr Rickard Rd & Chapel St

     

     

     

    Time:

     

    6pm registration for 6:30pm start,
    ends 8:00pm

     

     

     

    The forum will feature a range of quality presenters, including:

    Russell Zimmerman, Executive Director, Australian Retailers Association
    Trends, issues and opportunities in Australian retailing

    Candace Barron, Director of the Dispute Resolution Unit, Office of the NSW Small Business Commissioner
    New approaches to dispute resolution around retail tenancy issues

    Garry Ferris, Business Adviser, Southern Sydney Business Enterprise Centre
    Secrets of success in today’s retail environment - a Bankstown case study

    Steve Jacka, Bankstown Local Area Command
    Tips for minimising losses due to shoplifting, “shrinkage” and credit card fraud

    James Short, Manager, Lyoness Global Rewards Program
    Consumer rewards programs – do they work?

     

     

    The forum is proudly sponsored by TAFE South-West Sydney Institute,  Arab Bank Australia and Global Loyalty Rewards Program; and is supported by Southern Sydney BEC and the NSW Business Chamber.

     

  • 03-Nov-2014 19:29 | Anonymous

    Federal Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has praised Parramatta City Council's vision for a "smart city" based on high-tech digital communications and strategic links with education and research providers.

     

    Read more

  • 31-Oct-2014 19:42 | Deleted user

    What’s your business story? Develop a video clip with WSBC Platinum Partner XVenture.

    Using digital media to tell your story, to promote your products or services is now an essential part of your marketing strategy.  In partnership with WSBC, XVenture is pleased to present this exclusive offer to WSBC members. 

     

    Saving you $1,300, the production team of WSBC Platinum Partner XVenture will develop a powerful video clip demonstrating what makes your product or service unique and different.

     

    For only $1,200 + GST* a 60-90 second clip will be delivered in a format suitable for your website and/or social media environment.**

     

    In order to take advantage of this exclusive offer, you need to pre-book a 15 minute time slot with XVenture (details below). 

    We have secured only four time slots available in the hour following the WSBC lunch on the 6th of November.

     

    What’s involved: 

     

    WSBC Platinum Partner XVenture Productions will use their unique technique and world class production experience to:

     

    -       conduct a 10-15 minute interview with a member of your organisation (in the allocated time slot after the lunch)

     

    -       incorporate a selection of your photos, logo, website and any existing footage (if available), supplied by you 

     

    -       post–produce the clip and deliver within 7 days

     

    Places are on a first-come, first-serve basis, so hurry to secure your place for the 6th of November!

     

    Please contact dani@xventure.com.au or call 9415 1112 to book or get further information.

     

    * ($2,500 + GST for non-WSBC members)

    ** You can also discuss ‘upgrading’ the above package into a ‘business story’/ documentary about your business for an additional fee.

     

     

  • 31-Oct-2014 10:21 | Anonymous

    The NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers will bring top-flight football to Penrith for the first time in 29 years when they take their Hyundai A-League Round 17 match to Sportingbet Stadium.

    The visit of Wellington Phoenix on Sunday 8 February will be the first time Penrith has hosted top-tier mens football since the final round of the National Soccer League 1985 season.

    On that day a Randell Easthorpe hat-trick secured a 4-1 win for Penrith City against Newcastle KB United at Cook Park in what was the club's last match in the NSL.

    Western Sydney Wanderers CEO John Tsatsimas said the Club was looking forward to featuring in the next chapter of Penrith's sporting history.

    "We're very proud to play a home match in a region that has such a proud footballing history as Penrith," said Tsatsimas.

    "A large number of high profile players have come from this region and establishing further roots in the West with matches like this play a major role in ensuring Western Sydney remains the nursery of football talent in Australia."

    The Wanderers Westfield W-League team will also return to the stadium for their final home game of the season when they take on Brisbane Roar on Sunday 7 December in a match that will be televised live on ABC 1.

    It continues the growing relationship between Western Sydney Wanderers and the Nepean region that also sees community work, player appearances and Foxtel National Youth League matches feature in the area.

    "The Penrith area is a strong base for Wanderers fans with the Nepean region having the second highest number of Foundation Members and we see this game as a way of rewarding those Members," explained Tsatsimas.

    "The Wanderers do a large amount of community work in the Penrith area. The return of top-flight football to the region for the first time in 29 years is the next step in strengthening the partnership between Nepean and Western Sydney Wanderers."

    Panthers Group Chief Commercial Officer Justin Pascoe is looking forward to hosting both the W-League and the A-League matches in Penrith.

    "We are delighted to welcome the Wanderers and the A-League out to Sportingbet Stadium for these two games. Panthers is continuously working to secure more events like these for the entertainment of people in the Penrith region, and also for the Greater Western Sydney area and as far out as Lithgow, Bathurst and Dubbo. We aim to offer fans not only a venue to watch their sporting matches, but an entire precinct for all of their entertainment needs".

    Western Sydney Wanderers take on Wellington Phoenix at Sportingbet Stadium on Sunday 8 February with kick-off at 5pm.

  • 30-Oct-2014 18:31 | Anonymous

    Outsourcing is certainly not a new concept. It has been around for hundreds of years.

     

    According to Marty Pine (a recognised thought leader) outsourcing can be defined as “the strategic use of outside resources to perform activities traditionally handled by internal staff and resources. Outsourcing is a strategy by which an organisation contracts out major functions to specialised and efficient service providers, who become valued business partners. Sometimes outsourcing involves the transfer of employees from the company to the outsourcing company.”

     

    In fact, many industries (like recruitment) rely on other organisations to acquire skills outside of their core business to assist them in achieving their strategies and goals. In 2011 Australia was cited as the largest market for business process outsourcing, with $4.6 million being spent on business outsourced operations.

     

    It’s not surprising that marketing and IT are common business functions that business owners are willing to outsource without many questions asked – as they do not have the required skills and expertise in house.

     

    What many business owners/MD’s/CEO’s don’t consider is whether they are the best person to handle key business functions such as HR, employee/contractor administration, payroll and accounts. With continued updates and changes to payroll/tax regulation and HR/employment legislation, many business owners rely on their own knowledge (dangerous) or their accountants and lawyers to provide them with assistance and advice – which can lead to expensive bills for the professional’s time and this may not be their core skill either.

     

    In addition, these duties can take up business owner’s/management time (money) which can be better spent on core business functions, such as current client relationships, establishing new leads and customers or business building – the things your team are good at and why you went into business.

     

    Smart Company reported last year (8 August 2013) that Aussie businesses are increasingly outsourcing not only the technical, but the non-technical tasks of their operations as well. Statistics provided showed the key areas being widely outsourced are human resources/payroll and recruiting, which both grew by 227%, and legal, which grew by 267% - a clear indication that outsourcing key business functions has now become the new norm for many businesses.

     

    Why outsourcing is important to consider 

     

    We all know that the current business climate is tough. In Australia, more than 1 in 10 (13.1%) businesses close down each year. Of new start up business in Australia, only 51% were still in operation after 3 years in business. (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2012).

     

    Sole proprietors are the highest number of legal organisations set up in Australia each year (16.2%), a group which also has the highest exit rate as well, with 18.6% of sole proprietors ceasing trade during the course of the 2011-2012 Financial Year. As such, there are a greater number of sole proprietor organisations closing down than starting up.

     

    Going forward, Australian organisations need to be well equipped and agile in order to challenge their competition and become successful businesses. Outsourcing is a great way to align yourself with a team of experienced professionals who support your organisation and its goals without the on cost and inter departmental issues.

     

    Cost of headcount used to be the major driver, but now it’s more focused on strategy and freeing up valuable time to utilise core expertise to carry out core value-add activities in-house.

     

    What is stopping organisations from outsourcing? 

    • Loss of control
    • Hidden costs
    • Confidentiality of information
    • Tied to the financial well-being of another company
    • Risk of miscommunication and delays
    • Dependence on supplier
    • Different standards
    • Difficulty finding the right service provider
    • Understanding how it can benefit them

     

    What organisations can expect when outsourcing business functions 

    • Cost reduction
    • Greater scalability of operations
    • Process standardisation
    • Access to better talent
    • Gaining access to world class capabilities
    • Improving analytical capabilities
    • Stability
    • Industry understanding
    • Excellence
    • Reduction of overheads
    • Savings associated with training
    • Reduction in risk
    • Workforce flexibility
    • More time to focus on core business

          

    An outsourced service provider should work with you and in line with your business goals/strategy. You must ensure they understand your culture and the tone of your company to get the most from them.

     

    For example, a company outsources its IT services (help desk, computer support and maintenance), and the costs to do so are significantly less than what they would pay for a full-time IT person to give the same level of support. They still have the skills on hand ready to use at any time but do not have to pay for down time. They also outsource their accounts and administration with similar savings. As the company grows, they continue to re-evaluate these decisions. This also gives them the ability to upscale quickly to service larger clients, while keeping their overheads to a minimum as they build their business.

     

    Two key outsourcing opportunities for industries to consider

     

    Contractor Management and Payroll

     

    Contract based work can be a great opportunity for many industries, to scale up and down quickly.

     

    Outsourcing the contractor management of contract-based employees can be an effective solution to meet a client’s need, increase profit, expand with less risk and with no additional hassle involved to do so.

     

    An outsourced contractor management service involves:

    • Contract set-up
    • Timesheet collection
    • Invoice and collection
    • Payroll fulfilment and reconciliation (PAYG, Super, Payroll tax)
    • Workplace insurances (Workers compensation, Public liability, Professional indemnity)
    • Cash flow options
    • Dedicated account manager

    An organisation may want to consider the outsourcing of their payroll - both contractors and permanent staff - freeing up internal staff time to utilise elsewhere.

     

    Outsourcing is not for everyone, the key is to understand your business and its goals and decide how outsourcing might help you attain them.

     

  • 30-Oct-2014 16:30 | Anonymous

    Partnering with the Children’s Medical Research Institute can take on many different forms. Whether you want to increase staff engagement, strengthen your brand credibility or help increase profits, they can tailor a partnership that meets your objectives. By working with them, you are helping our world-leading researchers accelerate the search for cures, so that every child can have a healthier future. 

     

    Benefits to your business:

    • a strategic partnership that meets your business, marketing, and community objectives  
    • corporate social responsibility outcomes based on an alignment of shared values 
    • increased media exposure and community recognition by partnering with one of Australia’s most reputable paediatric research institutes 
    • cause-related marketing opportunities to increase sales and profit margins 
    • exposure of your brand and products through joint marketing initiatives including direct marketing, media, social media, digital marketing and above the line  
    • stronger employee engagement through national volunteering and fundraising opportunities  
    • public recognition and appreciation of your organisation's support 

  • 30-Oct-2014 16:15 | Anonymous

     

    Who said charity starts at home? By supporting Westmead Medical Research Foundation in your workplace, you can boost staff satisfaction and retention, build teamwork, increase your brand recognition and exposure, and give customers and clients another reason to remain loyal. 

     

    For our Foundation, corporate and workplace giving is invaluable. It guarantees us the financial support and security we need to commit to groundbreaking research projects and new clinical services that will transform and save lives for thousands of adults and children at Westmead.  

    See the honour roll of workplaces who have made a positive difference and donated to the My Westmead program.

    Corporate Opportunities 

    Westmead Medical Research Foundation welcomes support from corporate leaders and their employees. Partnership opportunities may include any of the following, but we are always open to discussing new ways in which we can partner with the business community to achieve the best possible results for everyone.  

    • Workplace giving: a 'salary sacrifice' opportunity for staff members to make regular donations    
    • Event sponsorship: an opportunity to gain significant exposure by providing financial or in-kind support to one of our campaigns or events    
    • Workplace fundraisers: our online Westmead Champions tool enables any business to add a fundraising component to staff events and team-building activities    
    • Corporate volunteering: volunteering for a charity is a wonderful team-builder, boosts morale, and helps position your company as one that is socially responsible

     

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