Welcome to a New Year

At Polson Higgs, we hope that 2013 is an enjoyable and a prosperous year for you and those in your business. There are signs of continuing economic improvement. Various confidence surveys indicate that businesses and consumers in Otago, and further afield, are feeling better about their economic prospects, so hopefully that will flow into action and improving prospects for the economy.

Our own experience from working with numerous clients across a range of industries is, perhaps not surprisingly, that performance is variable. For those exporting to other than Australia, currency is a challenge. Cash flow management (in particular collection of debts) needs to be a priority for all. For those finding sales a challenge or unable to achieve sales growth, managing costs in the business is a priority. For clients employing staff, there seems to be a consistent need for assistance with recruiting specialist staff and ensuring staff are motivated and developing.

In more challenging times, working in a team with your business advisor (and banker and legal advisor where required) can be key to improving your business results. All research shows that those who do this, and innovate in their businesses, are those most likely to succeed. Because we work with numerous clients across most sectors and industries, we can certainly help you understand whether your business performance, relative to others in your industry, needs improvement, is okay, or is excellent.

What is clear if you travel overseas, or even read what is occurring internationally, is that in New Zealand we are relatively well placed now, and our future prospects as a country are better than many others. The key is that the country's, and our province's, businesses seize the opportunities that exist and work to ensure that sales, profits and returns are the best they can be.

As we have previously advised, Polson Higgs is now operating only from our Dunedin office; we no longer have an office in Christchurch. We continue to act for a number of clients throughout New Zealand from our Dunedin base. We proudly do business the southern way – with efficiency, transparency and trust.

We have confirmed, in slightly amended form, our previous strap line, Real People, Better Business. Our reason for being is to help you operate a "Better Business" and achieve the best results you can. "Real People" reflects our wish to do that in a practical, friendly, understandable, and straightforward manner without a lot of corporate process or speak. Again, you might call that "the southern way".

I hope you have enjoyed the year so far, and best wishes for the rest of 2013.

Stephen Higgs
Managing Partner