Online Business
Australian floods are a warning to online businesses
The people of Brisbane and other flooded areas of Queensland, Australia, could never have expected the disaster that has beset them. Even though there is a history of metres-deep flooding in the area, the last time it happened was 37 years ago. That means it is outside the daily consciousness …
Daily diet of exercises will improve your website’s fitness
The former Playboy “Playmate” Kendra Wilkinson appears on ABC TV tonight in a documentary about her battle with her weight. It is one of dozens of TV programs and “celebrity specials” about dieting or getting fit. It is, of course, the time of year when you can get “special deals” …
VAT rise shows what you should do to your website
Labour leader Ed Miliband reckons that today’s VAT increase will hit small businesses hard. True – if you don’t understand much about business. The increase of 2.5% to a new VAT rate of 20% will not actually cost most businesses anything. If you are VAT registered you can claim it …
Your customers could start ignoring you
Right at this moment what do you think your customers are doing? Go on, have a guess. They could, of course, be in their office. Or they might be on the train. They could be having a swim, eating a snack, downloading something they shouldn’t or kissing their loved ones. …
How to check your online suppliers are up to the job
Prime Minister David Cameron must be rather upset with his own security services. It seems they informed President Barack Obama within five minutes of discovering a suspect package at East Midlands airport, yet they took 11 hours to let Mr Cameron know. Apparently, “Whitehall sources” have said that “lessons can …
How to keep your head above water on the internet
Thames Water can stop leaks it seems, but is unable to run email properly Customers of Thames Water must be gasping at the stupidity of the company. They have admitted an “email error” which allowed 4,000 emails they were sent to go unnoticed for seven years…! The mind boggles. How …
X-ray vision needed to see through business clutter
Martin Broughton, the Chairman of British Airways, has stirred up controversy by suggesting that some of the security checks we go through at an airport are unnecessary. He has a point. I asked an airport security officer recently why I needed to take my laptop out of my bag. After …
You need the online competition to fail
We learn more from the mistakes of our competitors than their successes Liverpool football fans are gob-smacked, no doubt, by the latest goings-on in the trans-Atlantic tussle for the club they love. In years to come, it will probably be a case study on MBA courses across the globe. But …
Forget money to become richer online
Simon Cowell – does he worry about money?Picture courtesy: Wiki Edit Jonny There are two things we know about X-Factor judge Simon Cowell for sure: one is he is very rich, two, he knows loads of people in the entertainment industry. From a business perspective it is interesting to think …
People want you to give them something for nothing
David Cameron signalled the end of the “something for nothing” culture when he spoke at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham today. He said that the days are gone when the state would support you if you could work, but decided not to. This is manna to the Tory faithful …
You cannot please everyone online
Will Mrs Clinton rescue David Miliband?Picture Courtesy: US Department of State. The Miliband Brothers – it sounds more like a vaudeville song and dance act than a couple of politicians. But they both appear beset with the same fundamental problem – trying to please all of the people, all of …
Messy websites are increasingly common
Content is king, or say the saying goes. The problem is that the king can sometimes be rather maddening, something like King George. Website content grows, spread and almost appears to have its own life. How much of your website content do you actually keep track of? How many of …
Businesses fail to change their website often enough
Business owners are failing to update their websites with anything like the frequency that is required. Indeed, many of them aren’t even seeing web updating as an important part of their day, instead relegating it to a moment or two spare in the evenings. Those are the findings of a …
How to encourage people to use their credit cards on your website
There is plenty you can do to ensure people use their credit cards more often on your website The number of people with a Facebook account is now greater than the amount of individuals who use a credit card online. With over 500m people on Facebook and with only around …