16 June 2008

Windswept greetings, Reader,

All us recreational pilots had to find other things to do this gale-force weekend. Even the pelicans were flying backwards around Port Macquarie.

The inclement weather couldn’t dampen spirits at the 2nd Annual Customer Care Awards last Friday night. Around 200 people attended, to enjoy a lovely meal, a blood-curdling little bit of theatre featuring ghosts of local residents from 1848 and, of course, the glittering awards.

Hastings BEC Members were highly successful, with Holiday Coast Credit Union, Compass Financial Management, Rydges Port Macquarie, Panthers and Sunrise Health Consultancy each taking out first place in their respective categories. Congratulations to the winners, and to all the businesses that competed and gained finalist places. The Customer Care program is a credit to PM-H Council, and especially to the energetic duo – Trevor Sargeant and Rachel Ross – who drive the program, and the Task Force members who provide the ongoing support.

We are very fortunate in having two excellent media production businesses in this area. Gillespie Media did a fantastic job in putting together a lot of quality video material to support the Customer Care Awards. Well done Gillespie’s. And In Phase Productions demonstrated, yet again, their expertise in sound and lighting with a wonderful effort. Thanks for a great result In Phase Productions.

Last Thursday morning’s BEC Networking Breakfast was a great success. Seventy-seven participants heard an amazing illustrated story from Melinda and Steve Robinson about life in rural Uganda. Mel and Steve are about to leave for 12 months working in Uganda with a British-based charity, building and repairing schools and basic village infrastructure.

The enormous generosity of our business community was demonstrated (yet again) when an impromptu auction of the donated “door prizes” quickly raised $480 for the charity – Softpower Education In Africa. Well done! And thanks to our co-opted auctioneer, Rob Hamilton.

Steve and Melinda are hosting a fundraising Trivia Night next Saturday night, 21st June, at Bonny Hills Surf Life Saving Club. You are invited to attend and join in the trivia, karaoke (I promise I won’t!), and auctions, all for a very good cause. Only $15 a ticket (tables of 10 available). Contact Mel on 0434 025 433, or Steve on 0427 654 567 to make your reservations.

At last Thursday’s breakfast, we also had a very quick look at the idea of personality types, and how some understanding of these characteristics can help in communicating and interacting with other people. I plan to run some more activities on this theme, and for those who attended last Thursday, the document I mentioned can be downloaded from www.hastingsbec.com.au/downloads/mbtisummary.doc .

Finally, I would like to very warmly welcome Wauchope Chamber of Commerce into HBEC Membership. To President, Marlene Hawkins, Secretary Sue Carson, and all executive and members, welcome aboard.

On to this week’s news:

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Port Macquarie Community College

MYOB Advanced Workshop
This short course will enhance your existing skills in MYOB with GST Reports BASlink, Jobs, Time billing, Customising MYOB, Customising forms, Useful reports and report batches, Customising, designing, filtering, saving reports, To Do List, Contact Log, Entering transactions directly in the register, Invoicing/Sales tips, using inventory items creatively.
806C002 Mon Jun 23 to Jul 21 4 sessions 9am-12noon $148

Espresso Coffee including Food Hygiene & Safety
Provider No. 90886 Participants receive a Statement of Attainment for the following units - THHBFB12B Prepare and Serve Espresso Coffee and THHGHS01B - Follow Workplace Hygiene Procedures from Certificate II in Hospitality (Operations). Participants must collect and complete a workbook prior to attending this course.
807W002 Thu Jul 10 1 session 9am-4:30pm $110

Food Hygiene & Safety
This course covers safe food handling and safe storage, effective use of detergents and sanitisers, waste and pest control. Includes an overview of how the new food safety legislation will affect you. Meets Food Safety Program requirements. Successful participants will gain Statement of Attainment THHGHS01B – Follow Workplace Hygiene Procedures from Certificate II in Hospitality (Operations).
807W009 Fri Jul 18 1 session 9am-3pm $95

MS Word & Excel for Business
The skills acquired in this course will provide a solid foundation for an individual to be an effective computer user. Learn how to format letters and other word processing documents including working with Tables and functions like copy and paste. This course will also explain the how's and whys of formulas in Excel giving you an understanding of how to utilise the power of Excel to create effective spreadsheets.
It will provide an excellent grounding in essential skills for the office. Two units of competency BSBCMN213A Produce simple word processed documents and BSBCMN214A Create and use simple spreadsheets from Certificate II in Business BSB20101.
806C001 Mon Jul 7 to Oct 13 11 sessions 6:30pm-9:30pm $420

Introduction to Computers & MS Word
Having skills in Word is your gateway to creating and editing smarter, more efficient documents. For beginners, this course will take you from the start to expanding your skills and knowledge. This is an accredited course consisting of 2 modules from BSB20101 Cert II in Business. BSBCMN102A - Operate a Personal Computer and BSBCMN213A - Produce Simple Word Processed Documents.
806C022 Mon Jun 30 to Aug 4 6 sessions 6pm-9pm $220

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Trivia Night Fundraiser – Saturday 21st June - Support Softpower Education In Africa

Softpower puts 100% of donations into the local projects (admin overheads are paid by corporate benefactors), so your dollars go where they are sorely needed

Venue: Wauchope-Bonny Hills SLSC
Time: Start at 7.00pm
Cost: $15 per person (includes nibblies)
Bookings: Melinda 0434 025 433, or Steve on 0427 654 567

Note: Donations of goods or services to raffle/auction would be greatly appreciated.

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Hastings BEC Membership Opportunity

This weekly Update goes out to more than 1,400 email addresses, and is read by an estimated 2,000 people (give or take a couple). Many of you are principals of a business that would benefit from Hastings BEC membership. The networking and promotional opportunities flowing from membership far outweigh the small annual subscription.

There is no better time than now to join. Half-price subscription is now available for the remainder of 2008.

Only $87.50 will buy you Business Membership of this growing network of local businesses.

Don’t delay. Download a BEC Membership Application form from www.hastingsbec.com.au/downloads/memberapplication.doc

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Camden Haven Promotion - Holiday Coast Pictorial

“I am in the process of setting up a promotion for the Camden Haven area in the Holiday Coast Pictorial. We have a huge distribution, some 36000 copies are printed and delivered FREE to homes from Harrington to South West Rocks, into Port Macquarie, Kempsey, Wauchope, Telegraph Point to Crescent Head.

The $110 ads are 5 cm x 5cm, but are offered only on a 3 month contract. The other bigger ads are priced as shown on a one off basis, or can be negotiated on a 3 month basis as well. Our talented design team can work with you to design an eye catching advert for your business, with all costs included in the upfront price. Deadline for copy is 21st June for the July edition.”

Contact: Chrissy Jones, Sales & Marketing Consultant, The Pictorial, Ph: 0412 137 621. or chrissy@thepictorial.com

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Greater Port Macquarie - Sun Herald travel features

With 43% of our tourists coming from regional NSW and 37% visiting from Sydney, finding a cost effective way to promote the destination to these markets, whilst providing an opportunity for industry partners to participate, has been a priority for the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council Tourism Section. For as little as $590 you can advertise your business in our regular Greater Port Macquarie - Sun Herald travel features. The features include adventure based editorial, complementary images, an events calendar and an online consumer competition.

Why Participate?
1. By pooling resources, your advertisement can be placed in higher impact mediums more cost effectively.
2. Your advertisement can help make the destination more appealing by working together, promoting a range of tourism product and experiences along with our regional brand
3. 1.3 million readership of the Sun Herald
4. 93% of readers rate the 'Travel' section as an important source ahead of TV shows such as 'Getaway' and 'The Great Outdoors' and 70% have used ads in 'Travel' Sunday to help them plan their weekend break.

For further information please contact: Hayley McGrath, Ph: 02 6581 8014, Mobile: 0423 840045

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BECs Australia, Business Innovation & Incubation Australia, and National NEIS Association Inc, present

Small Business Development Conference

12th – 15th October 2008
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne, Victoria

Call for Speakers and Presenters

The Conference Committee invites persons who wish to present at the Small Business Development Conference 2008 to submit abstracts for consideration.
Please download and refer to the following file for further information. www.hastingsbec.com.au/downloads/SBDC2008.pdf

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NSW TAFE North Coast Institute has an exciting course commencing:

THH21802 Certificate II in Hospitality (Operations) - Cafe Skills

This exciting 10 week course commences on 23 July 2008 and will be offered on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 9.00am to 2.00pm.

Learn the practical Service Skills required for working in the cafe industry including- Preparation and Service of Espresso Coffee, Non alcoholic Beverage Service, Customer Service Skills, Cash Handling Procedures, Hygiene and Cleaning Practices, Gourmet Sandwich Preparation, Organise and Prepare Food, Fast Food Service.
Recognition for units in THH31502 Certificate III Commercial Cookery course will be offered.

Enrolling now!

Contact Port Macquarie Campus on 6581 6200 to secure your place.

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That’s about it for this week in Greater Port Macquarie

I was particularly moved by Melinda and Steve’s presentation at last Thursday’s breakfast. We tend to get all stressed out over things like the cost of petrol, and an occasional minor failure in our complex technical society. We forget that there are people living in earthen huts, without utilities of any kind – no power, no water, no sewerage – for whom a $2 mosquito net can literally mean life or death. Donation of a trivial share of our wealth can make such a massive difference for these people.

Don’t forget that this newsletter, along with this year’s back-issues is available on our blog – where you are invited to comment and provide feedback. Have a look at http://hbec.blogspot.com

Extra Item:

A media release arrived immediately after I sent today’s Update, and it was too good to keep on ice until next week.


PORT MACQUARIE’S “THE OBSERVATORY” HOTEL (and Hastings BEC Member) TOPS THE STATE

Port Macquarie's The Observatory hotel has been voted NSW and ACT Operator of the Year for 2008, the top award presented by the peak body for the Australian accommodation industry, the Hotels Motels and Accommodation Association (HMAA).

The Observatory was also announced winner of the Serviced Apartments category in the HMAA's 2008 Accommodation Industry Awards for Excellence presented on Friday night.

The Observatory took out the prestigious Operator of the Year title over a strong field of prominent Sydney and other regional accommodation providers. The HMAA represents properties including five-star resorts and hotels and a range of other leading establishments across Australia.

The Observatory's directors Chris and Trish Denny and Margaret Chant opened the property in mid-2004 and have garnered a range of excellence awards from industry groups every year since. Chris Denny is also president of Greater Port Macquarie Tourism Association.

"We were absolutely thrilled to win the state's overall top award, as well as the top award in our category," Mr Denny said yesterday. "We got tremendous acclaim from our peers and industry colleagues when it was announced we'd won, and Port Macquarie got enormous recognition at the awards ceremony, which was terrific in acknowledging this region overall as a tourist destination of excellence."

The Executive Officer of Mid-North Coast Tourism, Belinda Novicky, congratulated The Observatory on its wins.

"A lot of effort goes in to promoting the Mid-North Coast as a tourism destination of choice," Ms Novicky said. "When operators such as The Observatory are awarded in this way, it plays an important part in our state and national profile and creates wider recognition of our region overall among tourists and travellers from right around the country."

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council's Economic Development Manager Trevor Sargeant also commended the winning trio.

"Chris, Trish and Margaret are very proactive and committed to promoting not only The Observatory but also Greater Port Macquarie as a whole. They deserve great credit for their work and also for the training and employment opportunities The Observatory offers local residents in the hospitality industry.

"Coincidentally with the state awards they took out on Friday night, they were recognised locally on the same night as top service providers, honoured as one of three finalists in the Hospitality - Accommodation category of Port Macquarie's second annual Customer Care awards. This achievement also reflects their commitment to customer care in Port Macquarie.

"The Observatory was among the first group of accredited supporters of the scheme, which promotes excellence in quality of service among local businesses."

Among a string of other acknowledgements, The Observatory has also won the North Coast Tourism Award for Business Excellence in the deluxe accommodation category every year since it opened. It has also represented the region as a finalist for the three years running in the same category in Tourism NSW's Business Excellence Awards.