HWI Chartered Accountants Auckland

If you are in business and allow customers to run up sizeable debts (e.g. trade credit) then these “interests” should be registered on the Personal Properties Securities Register (PPSR) regardless of the financial health of the customer.

The PPSR is a Government website where information about security interests in personal property can be recorded. The advantage of doing this is that you gain a place in the pecking order among secured creditors should the customer fail. Once a business goes into receivership, receivers take over the business with directors and owners having no say in its running. In this situation it is common for unsecured creditors to receive none of their monies owed due to their position in the queue.

The use of the PPSR should be done in conjunction with properly documented sale terms and conditions with customers in the first instance. The cost of registration is minimal and everything is done online. For further details please review www.ppst.govt.nz or contact HWI should you require further information.

There are many issues facing employers when handling staff including managing sickness and absence, meeting the need for a work-life balance, controlling staff turnover, and managing overtime.

The introduction of a flexible working hours policy can offer benefits to both employers and employees (and their families) and go a long way towards controlling these issues. We identify some of the benefits as follows: -

• Cost-effectiveness and efficiency – saving on overheads when staff work from home or less downtime for plant when 24hr shifts can be worked.
• Higher job satisfaction and staff morale.
• Greater continuity as staff who otherwise may have left can work hours they can manage to allow for a better work-life balance (or even just to avoid peak traffic!).
• Ability to attract a higher level of skills as the business can attract and retain a skilled and diverse workforce. Recruitment costs can also be reduced.
• Improved competitiveness as flexible working hours for staff can mean the business has a greater ability to react to changing marketing conditions more effectively.

In today’s employment marketplace, can you afford not to consider this strategy when formulating your human resource policies?

Virtual networking is using the Internet to facilitate building and maintaining working relationships. It is an extension of networking activities in the real world not a substitute. Virtual networking has distinct advantages for busy people as it helps overcome the time constraint of real-world networking due to contact and business data being available online (via the internet) at all times.

1. Make sure you’re up to speed with good hardware, software and training as these are the tools you need to make virtual relationships work.
2. Structure your working habits so information can be easily shared, discussed and exchanged as required.
3. Do not let the technology hiccups get in the way. If email isn’t working, quickly default to the phone or a letter.
4. Remember, people like to do business with people - not machines. Do not allow virtual contact to be the only form of communication for key customers.
5. Remember that you will need another set of skills when you use non-traditional means to communicate: writing must be concise and thoughts must be closely linked.