Productive Workforce articles

Have you heard of Bankcard? Before VISA and MasterCard, Bankcard was Australia's answer to credit cards. Bankcard dominated the credit card space for several years, with over five million customers at its peak in 1984.  But in 1986, a dispute arose between the major banks on whether to include Bankcard in their introduction of EFTPOS. At the time, several banks were actively promoting MasterCard leading to the start of Bankcard's demise.  The banks' withdrawal of ...

I'm sure this always happens to you as it does to me. Your father-in-law sends you an email. He has been out that morning off Mornington, fishing. He's "bagged out" on whiting and snapper and wants to share his haul with you. So in his email, he tells you to check out the attached photo.  Except the attachment is missing.  Always.  So you go back and forth until he works out how to attach an ...

We've all been there.  You’re huddled in a meeting room, feverishly brainstorming and sharing ideas. The digital lead passionately discusses tactics to include in the product launch strategy. You try to add your thoughts, waiting patiently for a pause in discussion. Working through new strategies and spending time with your team makes being in the office valuable.  And for advocates calling for the end of working from home - the thrashing out of ideas on-site ...

ChatGPT provided this introduction to this article: "As a business owner, you hold the key to harnessing the potential of ChatGPT responsibly. Explore the delicate balance between efficiency and ethical considerations when leveraging AI language models. Gain insights into best practices that promote fairness, privacy, and transparency. Empower your business with the responsible use of ChatGPT, ensuring integrity in customer interactions and maintaining trust in the digital landscape." Does it make sense? Did it make ...

Managing IT costs is crucial for businesses of all sizes. As technology continues to play an increasingly important role in daily operations, investing heavily in IT infrastructure and security measures can be tempting. However, excessive spending on IT can quickly drain a business's resources, leaving little room for growth and innovation. To strike the right balance between cost reduction and data security, companies need to adopt effective strategies that can help reduce IT costs while ...

Over the years, we've received the odd phone call from a prospect. Each time we answer it and hear the question, it sends shivers up my spine. "Our server has died, and apparently, we don't have any backups. Can you help us?" This is the worst-case scenario for a business and a challenging conversation. We want to help, but there's not much we can do. It's heartbreaking. As a business, your data is one of ...

A quick peek around your home office will uncover a range of gadgets and tech purchases made over the last few years. When we were all stuck at home, you may have invested in new Apple AirPods, upgraded your TV or finally set up your desk with a second monitor to avoid hunching over and squinting at your tiny laptop screen. Perhaps you even put a TV in your home office to watch the footy ...

If you’re like me, you will have been spending time over the last twelve months getting back to doing things you love doing post-lockdown. No doubt, if you have been to Melbourne CBD on the weekend, you will see the city is back. Streets are heaving with people, spilling out of bars, restaurants and theatres again. It’s fantastic to see. But one challenge remains - staffing. Especially in the hospitality and entertainment sector. Without enough ...

The volume of app notifications and messages we receive daily makes it easy to feel helpless. You'll remember during the lockdowns how much time was spent at your computer on Zoom calls, while your smartphone was reminding you of your next meeting, all the while trying to homeschool.  You might have thought things would return to normal. But instead, there continues to be a rise in the number of apps and web tools you need ...

Looking back at any TV show or film from 15 to 20 years ago, it is plain to see how advanced our technology has become. For many businesses and companies, the rapid increase in digital tools has created a need to understand an array of systems, software and apps to complete their core function - selling goods and services. So whether you're an accounting firm in Blackburn or a cafe in Richmond, your business relies ...