NZBusiness + Management Digital Issue – December 2023
Future-proof yourself for success with leadership training.
Future-proof yourself for success with leadership training.
In this issue: Is the use of AI in business disrespectful to customers? Generative AI in the manufacturing sector. Deepfake scams: Every business leader should be prepared A “Lean” approach
Using his own intelligence, Bill Bennett discusses AI’s current and potential uses for business owners. Artificial intelligence is no longer the stuff of science fiction. It’s here and it’s all
Get your story right and it has the power to transorm everything you do in your business. Jacquie Walters explains how. I’ve come to understand that marketing success boils down
Richard Conway shares his company’s experience in transitioning to Google’s new AI Search Generative Experience. Everything is going to change. Whilst we have been using AI within advertising platforms for
Are you taking a short-sighted view on your marketing? Logan Wedgwood takes you down the road to lasting customer relationships. Let’s start with a thought experiment. Picture this: I’ve just
Ackama is a forward-thinking Trans-Tasman software company with an inspiring track-record and a heart for positive social impact. Not surprisingly, like many significant software technology developers, Ackama has kept a relatively low public profile over the years, and comes from humble beginnings. Its journey began in September 2010 when Breccan McLeod-Lundy started out as an independent contractor and web developer in Wellington. His business name Rabid Technologies was a reflection of his eagerness and enthusiasm to produce great work. Josh Forde subsequently joined Breccan in the business, helping to grow more ambitious solutions, and rather than complain about government social good projects the two realised they would have to become an established and formidable influencer themselves. Around the same time
Looked at your business plans lately? Business growth specialist Fiona Clark dishes up some great advice for making 2023 one of your best years ever. What will 2023 bring? Should we be excited or concerned? We know the economy is tough, but what does that mean for your business? While there may be factors outside of your control, there are also many things you can do to have a strong year ahead. First of all, it’s time for Business Growth thinking, not Business as Usual thinking. There is a year ahead of you and a lot can happen in 12 months. This is the time to take a step back, look at your business objectively and with a fresh perspective.
An AI-powered chatbot built by hoteliers and targeting the world’s hospitality industry is finally gaining traction post-lockdowns. BookMeBob is a Kiwi success story four years in the making. When you look at David Thompson’s resumé, it’s easy to understand why he says hospitality management is in his blood. With a career stretching back 27 years and spanning New Zealand, Australia and the US, he’s got a pretty solid understanding of the industry and what drives it. And what drives it can be summed up in one word – bookings. This is where BookMeBob excels. Four years ago, after Air New Zealand’s AI-assistant Oscar had made its debut, David was encouraged to look into other verticals for artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
Clare Wilson’s soap dish business is proof that simple ideas expertly executed can enjoy commercial success. But the 2022 David Awards supreme winner still found her business strategy a massive learning experience. For 20 years Southlander Clare Wilson enjoyed a career in the museum sector. However, some clever product ideas that had been “rattling around” in her head made her increasingly restless. Inevitably something had to give, and when it did, she was already in her late 40s. The idea was The Block Dock, a business and a brand behind a range of smartly functional soap holders and bathroom wall-mounted accessories that people around New Zealand and overseas are quickly falling in love with. Clare explains that she also started
Two brothers and a best mate are the collective brains behind a smart app that makes rental property management easier and significantly less expensive. They’re already eyeing up international markets. Luke Nicholls and Aaron Rama have been best friends since kindergarten, and now, with Luke’s brother Sam, the three are on a business journey that has worldwide potential. The genesis for Keyhook, their app that flips the traditional property management business model on its head, came when Luke and Aaron were dining out one night in 2019. “I was a self-managing landlord at the time, frustrated by the lack of smart self-managing rental software available,” explains Luke. “The solutions out there were outdated and lacked innovation. We could see there was
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