NZBusiness+Management - June 2018

16 NZB JUNE 2018

She refers to issues around the

demand for servicing and loading

spaces, as well as noise, dust and

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relocated bus stops and limited parking,

and that sense of unfamiliarity and

inconvenience which turns customers

away.

“Not knowing, or being abl

to anticipate, the changes

leads to increased frustration

not only from an access

perspective but also

anticipating what might

happen to customer

patterns and therefore

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rostering.”

Beck knows of a business that used

to have steady trade across both

lunchtimes and evenings. “During

major works outside their business,

trade patterns changed – they saw an

increase in lunchtime trade but evenings

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and plan for that kind of change.

“On the positive side, we also hear

from people who’ve had upgrades

completed near their business –

reporting increased trade, as well

as a nicer environment for staff and

customers.”

Beck’s advice for business owners

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adaptable and responsive to change –

easier said than done she kno

“Some businesses are activel

encouraging changes, such

as a move to public transport

amongst their staff.

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needs to come

directly from agencies

delivering projects but we are

endeavouring to inform businesses

about what’s coming across the horizon

to help them start to anticipate and plan

for potential change and disruption.”

Beck encourages innovation too.

“As an example, we’ve just seen a new

courier company start to operate in the

city centre, with e-cargo tricycles able

to carry up to 200kg worth of packages.

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parking spaces, so they can get to

businesses in a more timely way than

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street.”

Communication and co-ordination

is vital, she adds – both during the

planning process and while construction

is underway. If business have greater

knowledge about what’s going to happen

d are kept up to date on changes,

ily if required, then a whole lot of

stration could be minimised.

BOOM TIMES,

CITY FRINGE

Newmarket is a business precinct

currently undergoing rapid growth and

change.

Scentre Group’s closure and

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277 and 309 Broadway has disrupted

‘business as usual’, with retailers

closing or relocating and adjustments to

carparks.

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will create both new opportunities for

retailers, and additional competition for

existing store owners.

The Newmarket Business Association

has been working hard to mitigate

fallout from any potential disruption in

the precinct. It is encouraging retailers

to activate their businesses as much as

possible, particularly against increased

international-backed competition –

vising them to highlight and leverage

eir point of difference, and create

emorable experiences for customers.

NORTH OF

THE BRIDGE

For more lessons on the pressures

generated by Auckland’s growth, head

over the bridge to the North Shore.

In terms of GDP growth the district

has been growing at just over six

percent – compared to the national

growth rate of 3.6 percent. Looking at

the next decade, the Upper Harbour

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fastest growing area in New Zealand in

absolute terms – both population and

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Its vitality is encouraged, with the

B:Hive at Smales Farm the latest in a

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an

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adv

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Getting

through

a crisis

HOW TO PREPARE FOR

BUSINESS INTERRUPTION.

• Get better at situational
  awareness – Keep your ear to
  the ground. Make it your business
  to understand your city’s unitary
  plan and its consequences for you.


• Hire a strategic partner
  
  
  • Somebody who can analyse the
    numbers (e.g. foot traffic to profit
    ratio) and coach you in best practise
    for your business. Someone to keep
    you accountable.
  
  
  
  


• Plan – Understand your end game
  and the goals to get there. Include
  a brainstorm about what might go
  wrong or what issues could arise.
  Then you’ll be able to put measures
  in place when interruption happens.


• Consider all alternatives
  
  
  • For example, if you sell coffee
    and depend on foot-traffic, consider
    how else you might reach your
    customers. Through a small website
    perhaps; delivering coffee by hand;
    or visiting local offices and taking
    orders.
    Speak to your landlord and
    suppliers – can they can help you
    weather the interruption?
  
  
  
  


• Know when to quit - “I had
  a client facing exactly this kind of
  problem. I advised him to speak
  to the landlord but the landlord
  wouldn’t budge. Three months
  later I advised them to wind up
  the business before they dug
  themselves a hole there was no
  escaping from. They followed my
  advice and they’re happier for it.”

Source: Niran Iswar.