MYOB and Business Mentors New Zealand are joining forces to create one of the country's largest business networks.MYOB, which was established more than 20 years ago, provides business management solutions including software and services that simplify acco
MYOB and Business Mentors New Zealand are joining forces to create one of the country’s largest business networks.
MYOB, which was established more than 20 years ago, provides business management solutions including software and services that simplify accounting, payroll and client management and has a network of more than 20,000 accountants and other partners.
But while the company offered various “chargeable services” until now it didn’t provide free business mentoring support to its clients.
MYOB general manager Julian Smith told the National Business Review MYOB has been looking for a suitable partner for “some time” to extend its services and has been “talking” to Business Mentors New Zealand for between 3 and 6 months.
The two companies timed the partnership so the new collective services are available to SME businesses from the start of 2011.
“What we wanted to be able to do is to provide a very very very affordable service for businesses who just wanted some basic advise.
“The fantastic thing about Business Mentors is that they provide a senior experienced business person to provide effectively free business mentoring support to any business.”
Business Mentors New Zealand, which was set up in 1991 funded largely by patrons from the private sector, with additional support from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, provides a mentoring service to SME businesses. While a registration fee of $100 + GST applies, the mentoring service is free for two years from then on.
Mr Smith said MYOB identified an increasing demand for professional mentoring support for the country’s SME community through its regular research.
The latest MYOB Monitor indicates more than 35% of New Zealand business owners believe having access to affordable and reliable business advice would have a significant affect on their business’ performance.
“Our regular MYOB Business Monitor survey has consistently highlighted Kiwi business’ need for greater mentoring support,” said Mr Smith.
“One of the most reoccurring themes that we see is that [smaller businesses] find it really hard to get access to affordable business advice when they need it.”
He said promoting the business mentors service through the company’s own network of more than 2,700 business advisors, accountants and technology experts will make a “significant” difference to the resources Kiwi business owners can call on.
“By offering the services of over 1600 business mentors, alongside our nationwide network of partners, advisors and experts, we believe we can make a real difference to the range of support available to local businesses in 2011 – wherever they are in the country.”
