May 29, 2014
Maori businesses confident of year ahead
Maori small business operators are doing it tough, but they are optimistic about the year ahead.
The latest MYOB Business Monitor survey found a third of Maori business operators reported a drop in revenue over the previous 12 months, compared with 21 percent of small and medium businesses overall.
But 45 percent of them expect their business revenue to increase in the 12 months to February 2015, and just 17 percent expect it to decline.
Scott Gardiner, the national sales manager for the business software provider, says with investment in the right areas over the next few months the sector could see positive returns.
He says Maori business owners struggled with business finance and cash flow, and they were more likely to feel pressure from high fuel prices than other groups.
Almost a third wanted to increase pay for their staff this year, compared with less than a quarter of businesses overall, and they were also more willing to spend of customer retention and acquisition.
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