Business News

Optimisation of a few critical elements can transform sales conversion. In my previous article How to leverage your 8 hidden assets in your marketing channels, I gave tips on making marketing material effective for engineering, technology, and manufacturing businesses. Now we look at websites in particular… 1. The attraction of a good look The design creates the first impression – but it’s about quality, not quantity, of images. An integrated colour scheme that supports your logo and branding works better than the chaos of too many colours. This is a growing trend. Contrast (of colour or brightness) should be used to highlight important things, not distract from your main message. 2. Well organised – to get around easily Your website needs to give a positive ‘usability’ experience to keep visitors coming back. The menu needs to be meaningful to the target audience in their own language, easy to follow, and consistent throughout the website (so they don’t lose their way). Information should be easily accessible but not too much dumped at once. Tests have shown that people only complain about ‘information overload’ when it’s poorly organised. Simple layout with a ‘unified flow’ (versus fragmented information) is easier to follow, with adequate white ‘breathing’ space to ease the eyes. Each page needs to have a clear focus (except your home page) with not too many side issues or clutter. 3. A compelling message – to command attention Focus on your target audience’s needs, fears, pains, questions, and emotions, State the key benefits you offer them, and say something unique, provocative, or curious to grab attention. 4. The key elements to catch the eye Your text should be easy to scan, so important things are conveyed in your headline, sub-headings, and bold text, not hidden in large chunks of text for readers […]

The University of Waikato has had engineering courses on offer since 2002, and from B Semester 2016, will be adding civil and environmental engineering to the mix. B Semester begins July 18. The new programmes have been developed to produce graduates with the skills and knowledge to address New Zealand, and the world’s, growing environmental and infrastructure needs. Initially aimed at a small group of students, the programmes will cover the fundamentals of engineering combined with theory and hands-on application. New programmes The new programmes will sit alongside the university’s five existing engineering programmes – chemical and biological, electronic, materials and processing, and software, all of which have full accreditation from the Institute of Professional Engineers of New Zealand (IPENZ) and means Waikato’s engineering degrees are professionally recognised in 13 countries and regions, including Australia, the UK and the USA. Vice-Chancellor Professor Neil Quigley says offering civil and environmental engineering is an example of the university providing students with the skills they will need to address the world’s future needs. “As a university we’re focussed on addressing skills-shortages and finding solutions for some of the world’s big problems, particularly in land-based industries,” he says. “By now offering the full suite of engineering programmes, we’re in an excellent position to contribute to these solutions globally.” Environmental and civil engineering Environmental engineering develops and evaluates options, assesses methods, designs equipment and systems and develops regulations and controls to solve issues of water quality, water supply, waste reduction and disposal, soil and air quality management and control of noise. Civil engineering addresses the challenges in urban and rural infrastructure including construction, seismic retro-fitting, energy recovery, water/waste management, power generation, road networks, dams, bridges and agriculture and forestry development. The University has been planning the expansion of its engineering offerings since the announcement of […]

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand should move to continue to lower the OCR in response to continued low inflation and a high exchange rate, as well as continuing to implement financial stability measures in mortgage lending, say the New Zealand Manufacturers and Exporters Association (NZMEA). NZMEA Chief Executive Dieter Adam says, “Our exchange rate remains stubbornly high, and still has a way to move down to reach a more fair value.  The exchange rate is currently sitting significantly above what the RBNZ assumed in their last forecasts.” “The RBNZ should continue its downward interest rate moves to better align New Zealand’s interest rates with those in the rest of the developed world, helping to take some pressure off our exchange rate. “At the same time, it is apparent that risks remain in the housing market, particularly in Auckland, but with increasing evidence of spread.  This poses financial stability risks that can damage our whole economy, as well as significant social problems that we are already seeing – people need to be able to afford homes to live in, both as owners or renters. We are also seeing rising household debt, which appears to be moving back to record levels, adding these risks. “This is a complicated issue that needs to be looked at from both sides – demand as well as supply.  While supply is the core longer term issue, we are already seeing the limitations of this approach in terms of the speed of response, but more needs to be done in this space by government where possible.  LVRs were a positive move for financial stability, but had only the expected limited effects on prices.  We encourage the RBNZ to continue to look and at and implement other macro-prudential tools that can protect financial stability. “But the RBNZ […]