DFKAustralia New Zealand "Wavelength" Survey 2016

The annual DFK ANZ Wavelength Survey is created in response to the continued interest in comparing and benchmarking small to medium enterprises across Australia and NZ.

The survey covers areas such as technology, business development and the challenges faced by businesses, and will only take a few minutes to complete.

To thank you for completing this survey and sharing your candid opinion, you will be entered in the draw to win one of 9 mini iPads.

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* 1. A quick opening question...

How many firms are there in the DFK ANZ association? (hint: a number between 14 and 16).

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* 2. Where are you located?

New Zealand

New South Wales

Queensland

Victoria

South Australia

Western Australia

ACT

Tasmania

Northern Territory

Other (please specify)

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* 3. Please enter your

Postal Code:

Country

Direct Email Address:

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* 4. If you are not a business owner please skip to QUESTION 12. Otherwise please select the option below that best describes you

sole trader

partnership

trust

company

Other (please specify)

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* 5. please select which industry you are in

Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing

Mining

Online

Manufacturing

Electricity, Gas and Water Supply

Construction

Wholesale Trade

Retail Trade

Accommodation, Cafes and Restaurants

Transport and Storage

Communication Services

Finance and Insurance

Property and Business Services

Government Administration and Defence

Education

Health and Community Services

Cultural and Recreational Services

Personal and Other Services

Other (please specify)

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* 6. Do you operate your business online?

Yes we are a 100% online business

Yes we sell products or services online as well as offline

Yes we have a website but do not sell online

No we have no online presence at this stage

Other (please specify)

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* 7. please select a turnover category for your business

0-1m

1m-5m

5-10m

10-20m

20m-50m

50m+

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* 8. SECTION ONE: Challenges.

Business Owners are facing demanding market conditions and a variety of challenges that are common across all industries as well as industry specific challenges.

Part of our research goal is to collate and share the experiences of business owners across Australia and New Zealand.

Which of the following do you feel are current challenges you are facing in your business?

	Not Applicable	Under control right now	Aware this needs more attention now	This is keeping you awake at night
Growing your customer base	Growing your customer base Not Applicable	Growing your customer base Under control right now	Growing your customer base Aware this needs more attention now	Growing your customer base This is keeping you awake at night
Diversifying your customer base	Diversifying your customer base Not Applicable	Diversifying your customer base Under control right now	Diversifying your customer base Aware this needs more attention now	Diversifying your customer base This is keeping you awake at night
Entering new markets with existing products or services	Entering new markets with existing products or services Not Applicable	Entering new markets with existing products or services Under control right now	Entering new markets with existing products or services Aware this needs more attention now	Entering new markets with existing products or services This is keeping you awake at night
Entering new markets with new products or services	Entering new markets with new products or services Not Applicable	Entering new markets with new products or services Under control right now	Entering new markets with new products or services Aware this needs more attention now	Entering new markets with new products or services This is keeping you awake at night
Increasing your profits	Increasing your profits Not Applicable	Increasing your profits Under control right now	Increasing your profits Aware this needs more attention now	Increasing your profits This is keeping you awake at night
Increase the value of your business asset	Increase the value of your business asset Not Applicable	Increase the value of your business asset Under control right now	Increase the value of your business asset Aware this needs more attention now	Increase the value of your business asset This is keeping you awake at night
Managing Cash flow	Managing Cash flow Not Applicable	Managing Cash flow Under control right now	Managing Cash flow Aware this needs more attention now	Managing Cash flow This is keeping you awake at night
Financing working capital to maintain and grow your business	Financing working capital to maintain and grow your business Not Applicable	Financing working capital to maintain and grow your business Under control right now	Financing working capital to maintain and grow your business Aware this needs more attention now	Financing working capital to maintain and grow your business This is keeping you awake at night
Succession planning	Succession planning Not Applicable	Succession planning Under control right now	Succession planning Aware this needs more attention now	Succession planning This is keeping you awake at night
Compliance with red tape and business regulations	Compliance with red tape and business regulations Not Applicable	Compliance with red tape and business regulations Under control right now	Compliance with red tape and business regulations Aware this needs more attention now	Compliance with red tape and business regulations This is keeping you awake at night
Profit margin pressure from competitors	Profit margin pressure from competitors Not Applicable	Profit margin pressure from competitors Under control right now	Profit margin pressure from competitors Aware this needs more attention now	Profit margin pressure from competitors This is keeping you awake at night
Implementing new technologies	Implementing new technologies Not Applicable	Implementing new technologies Under control right now	Implementing new technologies Aware this needs more attention now	Implementing new technologies This is keeping you awake at night
Attracting staff	Attracting staff Not Applicable	Attracting staff Under control right now	Attracting staff Aware this needs more attention now	Attracting staff This is keeping you awake at night
Retaining staff	Retaining staff Not Applicable	Retaining staff Under control right now	Retaining staff Aware this needs more attention now	Retaining staff This is keeping you awake at night
Managing wealth and understanding retirement options and issues	Managing wealth and understanding retirement options and issues Not Applicable	Managing wealth and understanding retirement options and issues Under control right now	Managing wealth and understanding retirement options and issues Aware this needs more attention now	Managing wealth and understanding retirement options and issues This is keeping you awake at night
Considering Buy/Sell options for my business as part of my succession plans	Considering Buy/Sell options for my business as part of my succession plans Not Applicable	Considering Buy/Sell options for my business as part of my succession plans Under control right now	Considering Buy/Sell options for my business as part of my succession plans Aware this needs more attention now	Considering Buy/Sell options for my business as part of my succession plans This is keeping you awake at night
The need to consider an external Audit and reviewing options and advantages	The need to consider an external Audit and reviewing options and advantages Not Applicable	The need to consider an external Audit and reviewing options and advantages Under control right now	The need to consider an external Audit and reviewing options and advantages Aware this needs more attention now	The need to consider an external Audit and reviewing options and advantages This is keeping you awake at night

Other please list any other challenges your business is currently facing or any other comments

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* 9.
SECTION TWO: Technology and Trends

As the business landscape expands and changes, business leaders and their teams need to develop new skills.

Part of our research goal is to collate and share the training and development plans of business owners across the country.

What new skills do you feel you personally need or want to develop as a business owner to continue to grow and expand your business?

	not applicable	adequate level of skills in this area	skills required but not urgent	urgent upskilling required
Improve my own industry/technical qualifications	Improve my own industry/technical qualifications not applicable	Improve my own industry/technical qualifications adequate level of skills in this area	Improve my own industry/technical qualifications skills required but not urgent	Improve my own industry/technical qualifications urgent upskilling required
HR, leadership and people management	HR, leadership and people management not applicable	HR, leadership and people management adequate level of skills in this area	HR, leadership and people management skills required but not urgent	HR, leadership and people management urgent upskilling required
Understanding the opportunities and threats Cloud and other new technologies have on or for my business	Understanding the opportunities and threats Cloud and other new technologies have on or for my business not applicable	Understanding the opportunities and threats Cloud and other new technologies have on or for my business adequate level of skills in this area	Understanding the opportunities and threats Cloud and other new technologies have on or for my business skills required but not urgent	Understanding the opportunities and threats Cloud and other new technologies have on or for my business urgent upskilling required
Ability to better read and understand my businesses finances	Ability to better read and understand my businesses finances not applicable	Ability to better read and understand my businesses finances adequate level of skills in this area	Ability to better read and understand my businesses finances skills required but not urgent	Ability to better read and understand my businesses finances urgent upskilling required
Better understanding of the key drivers and key performance indicators of my business	Better understanding of the key drivers and key performance indicators of my business not applicable	Better understanding of the key drivers and key performance indicators of my business adequate level of skills in this area	Better understanding of the key drivers and key performance indicators of my business skills required but not urgent	Better understanding of the key drivers and key performance indicators of my business urgent upskilling required
Increase my understanding of how to take more advantage of sales, marketing and branding to grow my business	Increase my understanding of how to take more advantage of sales, marketing and branding to grow my business not applicable	Increase my understanding of how to take more advantage of sales, marketing and branding to grow my business adequate level of skills in this area	Increase my understanding of how to take more advantage of sales, marketing and branding to grow my business skills required but not urgent	Increase my understanding of how to take more advantage of sales, marketing and branding to grow my business urgent upskilling required
Increase my awareness of potential new markets and products in my industry	Increase my awareness of potential new markets and products in my industry not applicable	Increase my awareness of potential new markets and products in my industry adequate level of skills in this area	Increase my awareness of potential new markets and products in my industry skills required but not urgent	Increase my awareness of potential new markets and products in my industry urgent upskilling required
Better understand of how to do business overseas to expand my business	Better understand of how to do business overseas to expand my business not applicable	Better understand of how to do business overseas to expand my business adequate level of skills in this area	Better understand of how to do business overseas to expand my business skills required but not urgent	Better understand of how to do business overseas to expand my business urgent upskilling required

Other – please list any other skills you feel you need to continue to grow your business:

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* 10. What new skills do you feel your staff need to develop to help you to grow and build your business?

	not applicable	adequate level of skills in this area	skills required but not urgent	urgent upskilling required
Sales Skills	Sales Skills not applicable	Sales Skills adequate level of skills in this area	Sales Skills skills required but not urgent	Sales Skills urgent upskilling required
Technical Skills	Technical Skills not applicable	Technical Skills adequate level of skills in this area	Technical Skills skills required but not urgent	Technical Skills urgent upskilling required
Business & Finance	Business & Finance not applicable	Business & Finance adequate level of skills in this area	Business & Finance skills required but not urgent	Business & Finance urgent upskilling required
People Management and HR	People Management and HR not applicable	People Management and HR adequate level of skills in this area	People Management and HR skills required but not urgent	People Management and HR urgent upskilling required
Marketing	Marketing not applicable	Marketing adequate level of skills in this area	Marketing skills required but not urgent	Marketing urgent upskilling required

Other - please list any other skills you feel your staff require

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* 11. What new technologies or practices have you adopted this year or will likely to adopt by the end of this year?

	not applicable	Yes, we have implemented	Still thinking about it	No, we have not considered or implemented
Cloud based computing	Cloud based computing not applicable	Cloud based computing Yes, we have implemented	Cloud based computing Still thinking about it	Cloud based computing No, we have not considered or implemented
Google Apps	Google Apps not applicable	Google Apps Yes, we have implemented	Google Apps Still thinking about it	Google Apps No, we have not considered or implemented
Customer Relationship Management software	Customer Relationship Management software not applicable	Customer Relationship Management software Yes, we have implemented	Customer Relationship Management software Still thinking about it	Customer Relationship Management software No, we have not considered or implemented
Project Management software	Project Management software not applicable	Project Management software Yes, we have implemented	Project Management software Still thinking about it	Project Management software No, we have not considered or implemented
E-commerce	E-commerce not applicable	E-commerce Yes, we have implemented	E-commerce Still thinking about it	E-commerce No, we have not considered or implemented
Offshore Outsourcing	Offshore Outsourcing not applicable	Offshore Outsourcing Yes, we have implemented	Offshore Outsourcing Still thinking about it	Offshore Outsourcing No, we have not considered or implemented
Mobile devices	Mobile devices not applicable	Mobile devices Yes, we have implemented	Mobile devices Still thinking about it	Mobile devices No, we have not considered or implemented

Other please list any other new technologies you have or are about to implement

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* 12. SECTION THREE: Staying informed

The means of accessing information or self education have changed and expanded considerably over recent years.

Part of our research goal is to collate and share the trends of moving towards and away from specific delivery modes.How do you build your personal knowledge and stay abreast of developments that impact you or your business?

	used this in the past but no longer	use this currently	planning to use this	I don’t think will ever use this
Live Webinars (Watch slides and voiceovers live on your computer and ask questions / discuss the topic with speaker and audience)	Live Webinars (Watch slides and voiceovers live on your computer and ask questions / discuss the topic with speaker and audience) used this in the past but no longer	Live Webinars (Watch slides and voiceovers live on your computer and ask questions / discuss the topic with speaker and audience) use this currently	Live Webinars (Watch slides and voiceovers live on your computer and ask questions / discuss the topic with speaker and audience) planning to use this	Live Webinars (Watch slides and voiceovers live on your computer and ask questions / discuss the topic with speaker and audience) I don’t think will ever use this
Recorded webinars (Watch at a time to suit you)	Recorded webinars (Watch at a time to suit you) used this in the past but no longer	Recorded webinars (Watch at a time to suit you) use this currently	Recorded webinars (Watch at a time to suit you) planning to use this	Recorded webinars (Watch at a time to suit you) I don’t think will ever use this
Live Teleseminars (listening to seminars without slides on the telephone)	Live Teleseminars (listening to seminars without slides on the telephone) used this in the past but no longer	Live Teleseminars (listening to seminars without slides on the telephone) use this currently	Live Teleseminars (listening to seminars without slides on the telephone) planning to use this	Live Teleseminars (listening to seminars without slides on the telephone) I don’t think will ever use this
Recorded Teleseminars (listen at a time that suits you)	Recorded Teleseminars (listen at a time that suits you) used this in the past but no longer	Recorded Teleseminars (listen at a time that suits you) use this currently	Recorded Teleseminars (listen at a time that suits you) planning to use this	Recorded Teleseminars (listen at a time that suits you) I don’t think will ever use this
Facebook	Facebook used this in the past but no longer	Facebook use this currently	Facebook planning to use this	Facebook I don’t think will ever use this
Twitter	Twitter used this in the past but no longer	Twitter use this currently	Twitter planning to use this	Twitter I don’t think will ever use this
Google Plus	Google Plus used this in the past but no longer	Google Plus use this currently	Google Plus planning to use this	Google Plus I don’t think will ever use this
Linked In	Linked In used this in the past but no longer	Linked In use this currently	Linked In planning to use this	Linked In I don’t think will ever use this
Articles published on websites	Articles published on websites used this in the past but no longer	Articles published on websites use this currently	Articles published on websites planning to use this	Articles published on websites I don’t think will ever use this
Email newsletter subscriptions	Email newsletter subscriptions used this in the past but no longer	Email newsletter subscriptions use this currently	Email newsletter subscriptions planning to use this	Email newsletter subscriptions I don’t think will ever use this
Podcasts	Podcasts used this in the past but no longer	Podcasts use this currently	Podcasts planning to use this	Podcasts I don’t think will ever use this
Videos	Videos used this in the past but no longer	Videos use this currently	Videos planning to use this	Videos I don’t think will ever use this
Attending educational events ie breakfast lunches etc hosted by Industry Organisations, lawyers, accountants etc	Attending educational events ie breakfast lunches etc hosted by Industry Organisations, lawyers, accountants etc used this in the past but no longer	Attending educational events ie breakfast lunches etc hosted by Industry Organisations, lawyers, accountants etc use this currently	Attending educational events ie breakfast lunches etc hosted by Industry Organisations, lawyers, accountants etc planning to use this	Attending educational events ie breakfast lunches etc hosted by Industry Organisations, lawyers, accountants etc I don’t think will ever use this
Short live seminars	Short live seminars used this in the past but no longer	Short live seminars use this currently	Short live seminars planning to use this	Short live seminars I don’t think will ever use this
Attendance at Industry Conferences	Attendance at Industry Conferences used this in the past but no longer	Attendance at Industry Conferences use this currently	Attendance at Industry Conferences planning to use this	Attendance at Industry Conferences I don’t think will ever use this
Online Learning (paid short courses accessed via a membership site)	Online Learning (paid short courses accessed via a membership site) used this in the past but no longer	Online Learning (paid short courses accessed via a membership site) use this currently	Online Learning (paid short courses accessed via a membership site) planning to use this	Online Learning (paid short courses accessed via a membership site) I don’t think will ever use this
Personal Coaching or Mentoring	Personal Coaching or Mentoring used this in the past but no longer	Personal Coaching or Mentoring use this currently	Personal Coaching or Mentoring planning to use this	Personal Coaching or Mentoring I don’t think will ever use this
Magazine subscriptions	Magazine subscriptions used this in the past but no longer	Magazine subscriptions use this currently	Magazine subscriptions planning to use this	Magazine subscriptions I don’t think will ever use this
Networking groups	Networking groups used this in the past but no longer	Networking groups use this currently	Networking groups planning to use this	Networking groups I don’t think will ever use this
Mastermind groups (A group of people meets regularly to tackle challenges and problems together.	Mastermind groups (A group of people meets regularly to tackle challenges and problems together. used this in the past but no longer	Mastermind groups (A group of people meets regularly to tackle challenges and problems together. use this currently	Mastermind groups (A group of people meets regularly to tackle challenges and problems together. planning to use this	Mastermind groups (A group of people meets regularly to tackle challenges and problems together. I don’t think will ever use this
Breakfast Briefings with a Keynote speaker	Breakfast Briefings with a Keynote speaker used this in the past but no longer	Breakfast Briefings with a Keynote speaker use this currently	Breakfast Briefings with a Keynote speaker planning to use this	Breakfast Briefings with a Keynote speaker I don’t think will ever use this

Other – please provide details below:

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* 13. SECTION FOUR: Financial Crystal Ball

There are a number of key economic indicators that can impact both upon your business itself and your market confidence. We would like to track opinions on how you feel these trends will develop.

	Increase	Stabilise	Decrease
In the next 12 months do you feel interest rates will:	In the next 12 months do you feel interest rates will: Increase	In the next 12 months do you feel interest rates will: Stabilise	In the next 12 months do you feel interest rates will: Decrease

What impact will this have on your business?

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* 14. In the next 12 months you feel the Government will:

Increase the GST rate

Make no changes to the GST rate

What impact will this have on your business?

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* 15. In the next 12 months do you believe the dollar will


Strengthen against the US$	Strengthen against the US$
Stabilise against the US$	Stabilise against the US$
Weaken against the US$	Weaken against the US$

What impact will this have on your business?

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* 16.
As an SME access to finance, lines of credit, overdrafts, good interest rates and more are vital and we are keen to understand and share how positive these relationships are - how are do you feel you are treated by your service providers in this area?

Would you describe the relationship you have with your Bank or Financier to be:

Strong - they are open, proactive and responsive

Satisfactory - our needs are adequately met

Poor - I am considering alternatives

Your comments

Thanks very much for taking the time to complete this survey - we look forward to sharing the results with you.

Kind regards,

Stephen Bushell
Chairman
DFK Australia New Zealand
www.dfkanz.com

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* 1. A quick opening question...

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* 2. Where are you located?

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* 3. Please enter your

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* 4. If you are not a business owner please skip to QUESTION 12. Otherwise please select the option below that best describes you

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* 5. please select which industry you are in

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* 6. Do you operate your business online?

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* 7. please select a turnover category for your business

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* 10. What new skills do you feel your staff need to develop to help you to grow and build your business?

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* 11. What new technologies or practices have you adopted this year or will likely to adopt by the end of this year?

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* 13. SECTION FOUR: Financial Crystal BallThere are a number of key economic indicators that can impact both upon your business itself and your market confidence. We would like to track opinions on how you feel these trends will develop.

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* 14. In the next 12 months you feel the Government will:

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* 15. In the next 12 months do you believe the dollar will

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* 13. SECTION FOUR: Financial Crystal Ball

There are a number of key economic indicators that can impact both upon your business itself and your market confidence. We would like to track opinions on how you feel these trends will develop.