Connecting with the needs of Australian businesses
Businesses of all sizes are finding that as customers get increasingly digitally savvy, their expectations are ramping up significantly. So more Australian businesses are asking whether the technology they’re using to do business is right for the job.
We all know the digital shift made by Australian businesses over the last few years has been huge. Retail, for example, is one industry where changes have been highly visible. According to Australia Post’s 2023 eCommerce Industry Report [1], 82% of Australian households made an online purchase in 2022, with 60% of households making online purchases 12 or more times during the year. By 2033, one in three dollars spent by Australian shoppers will be online, the report predicts.
The digital transformation hasn’t been limited to retail of course. As new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics [2] (ABS) (see graphic below) shows, for many companies, key business outcomes are now tied to technology.
The big digital shift has seen the connectivity needs of organisations change significantly, particularly for small businesses.
Companies that once got by with only email and perhaps a basic website are now using internet-based services for anything from accounting to social media marketing and enhanced customer service.
However, things aren’t standing still. Businesses big and small are now also busy figuring out how more advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and automation can enhance what they’re doing by driving efficiency and cutting costs, or improving customer self-service options, for example.
Business needs have changed
Back when email and web browsing were enough, many small businesses’ internet needs weren’t all that different from a typical home user’s requirements But digital systems are becoming mission-critical and more services are being delivered from the cloud. The ABS reports2 nearly 60% of Australian businesses are using cloud technology, for example. So business-grade internet has become crucial.
According to the federal government’s Small Business Digital Taskforce [3]: “Connectivity is fundamental to the goal of small businesses ‘going digital’. Without a fast, reliable and affordable internet connection, a small business will struggle to find and retain customers, and operate efficiently.”
At nbn, our core mission is to lift the digital capability of Australia, both for home users and businesses. Our nbn business services recognise that businesses’ needs are often different from what we need when we’re at home gaming, binge-watching, or streaming music.
We’ve designed these business services around what we see as three key needs of today’s digital businesses:
1.????Higher upload speeds and download speeds for applications like cloud computing services and video calling.
领英推荐
Unlike typical home usage, where internet traffic tends to flow downwards for streaming and gaming, businesses need speed moving in both directions (upload and download) for applications like video, cloud databases and disaster recovery and backups.
2.????Enhanced support options, reliability, and peace of mind about when unscheduled outages can be resolved.
For so many businesses now, being offline means that the whole business is effectively at a standstill, so it’s crucial to know how long it will take to get things fixed and when you’ll be back online.
Recently nbn has enhanced its business service options so that service providers can give even better support to their business nbn customers.*
3.????Flexibility of appointments to support business grade connections.
A lack of appointment times, can be tricky for a business. In retail for example, weekend hours are critical hours. So having the flexibility to have an appointment on the weekend means customers are still having a great experience and cash flow is kept running.
Supporting the digital economy
It’s already hard to imagine doing business without the internet. As the Australian and global economies become more digital, connectivity is only going to become more fundamental.
At business nbn, we’ve designed our business services to help meet the key needs of Australian companies and other organisations and make sure they have the best opportunity to fully participate in that digital economy.^
^Your experience depends on factors such as your nbn access technology, internet provider, whether you use the internet during the busy period, your plan and equipment.
* Not all providers offer plans based on the full range of wholesale business nbn products, product features and services. Availability of wholesale business nbn products, product features and services depends on your access technology and area.
References:
Technology | Elevators | Telecoms | Commercial Leadership | Project/Program Management |
1 年I think work-from-home (WFH) just changed that.......