Finance Hour on J-Air

The customer service experience with Yoni Paluch

Customer service is often the most overlooked part of any business. However, industries all over the world are changing their priorities, carefully analyzing customer data and looking to retain as many clients as they can - even if they have to throw ridiculous offers on the table. To explain this change in business mindset is Yoni Paluch, an expert on customer services and complaint management systems. He joins me today to explain how the world is becoming more customer-centric and the steps businesses large and small are taking to improve their customer service. He discusses the financial impact of customer retention and why it’s more practical to customer acquisition. Yoni describes the new ways companies are adapting to social media trends and how their strategies are heavily influenced by tracking customer data. He also explains why businesses should treat customer complaints seriously.

“By 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator.” - Yoni Paluch

This week on The Finance Hour Podcast:

• Yoni's academic background and how he started in customer service.
• His thoughts on online data security and privacy.
• How personal data tracking can benefit consumers.
• How Telstra structured its customer service channels through outsourcing.
• What they did to make their services more customer-centric.
• How the "omnichannel" strategy can enhance the customer experience.
• What to expect from marketing strategies aimed at customer experience in the future.
• Why retaining customers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones.
• His current line of work and why he left Telstra.
• Why companies should embrace customers who complain.

Yoni Paluch’s top 3 tips for businesses looking to enhance their customer experience

1. Embrace customer feedback.
2. Keep aligned to the custom.
3. Know your customer.

Connect with Yoni Paluch:

• LinkedIn

Subscribe to The Finance Hour Podcast with Reuben Zelwer!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Finance Hour Podcast with your host, Reuben Zelwer! If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to iTunes to leave us a rate and review. Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode and don’t forget to share your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues. To learn more about Adapt Wealth Management and to connect with Reuben, visit our website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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With interest rates at all-time lows and likely to drop further, how do you generate reliable income your portfolio? Many people are looking to the share market.  To help us gain an understanding of the current market, my guest today is Michael O’Neill, Portfolio Manager at Investors Mutual Limited. Investors Mutual Limited is an Australian-based Equities Fund Manager. Michael explains increasing popularity of investment strategies which aim to generate income above the usual dividend stream paid by Australian companies. He also shares his view on the sustainability of the big four bank dividend policy.

Don’t miss this week’s segment of Reuben’s Rant where I explain why the term “top end of town” has started to grate on me. 

And stay tuned to the end of the episode for my Propellerhead of the Week segment to learn how the Get Reminded App can help you settle contracts, policies, and other documents before you get penalised.

“Corrections are an inevitable part of the share market.”  -Michael O’Neill

This week on The Finance Hour Podcast:

• The average rates for traditional low-risk sources of income.
• Are the dividends paid in the past going to be sustainable?
• How the banks will react to the current state of the market.
• Mitigating risks despite high market valuations.
• Why the majority of markets are trading on noise.
• Investors Mutual Limited’s business model and how they choose investments.
• Why the Australian market is unique compared to the rest of the world.
• High-risk and low-risk markets and where the average investor is exposed

Resources Mentioned:

• Get Reminded App
• Covered Call definition

Connect with Michael O’Neill:

• Investors Mutual Limited
• LinkedIn

Subscribe to The Finance Hour Podcast with Reuben Zelwer!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Finance Hour Podcast with your host, Reuben Zelwer! If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to iTunes to leave us a rate and review. Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode and don’t forget to share your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues. To learn more about Adapt Wealth Management and to connect with Reuben, visit our website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FH069 Marketing your business with Joel Fixler

You can create the best and most innovative product ever, but no one will buy it if they don’t even know it exists. Making sure consumers know you have something to sell is the essence of marketing. However, not all marketing methods are created equal, and it can be a confusing subject for anyone who isn’t well-versed. That’s where my guest Joel Fixler comes in. Joel is a Strategic Marketing Consultant at Binyan Co., a company that provides niche marketing consultations to large and small companies. Joel shares what Binyan Consulting’s goals are and how they help clients. He discusses the intricacies of digital marketing including the importance of regular marketing promotions, web design, and web content. He also explains why business owners shouldn’t be too hands-off when it comes to their marketing model.

Don’t miss this week’s segment of Reuben’s Rant where I express my frustration on not securing any politicians in the show despite the upcoming elections.

And stay tuned to the end of the episode for my Propellerhead of the Week segment to learn how the Zoom app can streamline your online team meetings.

“The more you remove yourself from being involved in your marketing, the connection to your company is also removed.”  - Joel Fixler

This week on The Finance Hour Podcast:

• What Binyan Co. is all about and their target clients.
• How he started working in the industry and their business model.
• The challenges they encountered as a startup and how they got around the red tape.
• Consumer engagement and how a business can improve its numbers.
• The importance of product distribution and marketing.
• The difference between marketing and “pounding the pavement.”
• Common mistakes large and small companies make in their marketing efforts.
• Web development and the different web platforms you can use.
• Joel’s suggestions on improving the podcast’s website and content.
• The amount of involvement a business owner should have in marketing.

The top 3 tips for businesses to jumpstart their marketing

• Differentiate yourself
• Just pick a metric and understand it
• Try and have a go regularly

Resources Mentioned:

• Zoom
• Wix
• Wordpress

Connect with Joel Fixler:

• Binyan Consulting
• LinkedIn

Subscribe to The Finance Hour Podcast with Reuben Zelwer!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Finance Hour Podcast with your host, Reuben Zelwer! If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to iTunes to leave us a rate and review. Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode and don’t forget to share your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues. To learn more about Adapt Wealth Management and to connect with Reuben, visit our website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Other than social activists, there’s another group large companies are constantly hearing from and they are the shareholder activists. What are shareholder activists and how do they affect the market? Jeremy Leibler joins me today to answer that question. Jeremy is a partner at Arnold Bloch Leibler, specialising in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions and shareholder activisim. He explains what shareholder activists are, their differences and similarities to social activists, and how much power they hold over large corporations. He discusses the rise of index fund investing and their impact on influencing corporate behaviour. Jeremy also describes what having cultural diversity means in a business setting.

Don’t miss this week’s segment of Reuben’s Rant where I criticise with the notion that the Labor party just needs to waltz in and ‘assume the position.’

“You need to ensure cultural fit in any organization, but cultural fit doesn't mean everyone has to be the same.”  - Jeremy Leibler

This week on The Finance Hour Podcast:

• What the term shareholder activism actually means and its difference from investors.
• How social activism affects shareholders and companies.
• The index funds in Australia and how they compare to those in the USA.
• Why many are moving their assets in index funds.
• Explaining the "two strikes rule" and how it can be used.
• What it means to have cultural diversity in a company.
• Why shareholder activism is a positive force in Australia.

Resources Mentioned:

• Shareholder activism definition
• Solly Lew Myer article
• Perpetual Brickworks article

Connect with Jeremy Leibler:

• Arnold Bloch Leibler
• LinkedIn

Subscribe to The Finance Hour Podcast with Reuben Zelwer!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Finance Hour Podcast with your host, Reuben Zelwer! If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to iTunes to leave us a rate and review. Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode and don’t forget to share your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues. To learn more about Adapt Wealth Management and to connect with Reuben, visit our website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FH066 - Residential or commercial property

The property market can be confusing. Buy and apartment or house? A shop or an office space? Residential or commercial? That’s a question my guest Tim Farrelly will answer today. Tim is the Principal of Farrelly’s Investment Strategy, an investment consulting company. He joins me to share his thoughts on the current state of the Australian market and how it has dramatically affected the property sector. I ask him whether now is a good time to buy for both owner occupiers and investors. Tim also describes the difference between residential and commercial property markets.

Don’t miss this week’s segment of Reuben’s Rant where I discuss the truth about the Federal Budget surplus claim and why we’re not “back in the black.”

“If the states have a big, sharp fall in revenue, the federal government has to make it up.”  - Tim Farrelly

This week on The Finance Hour Podcast:

• Why residential markets have been on a continuous decline.
• The impact of small wage increases on loans and interest rates.
• What negative gearing is and how it affects market prices.
• The relationship between consumption numbers and housing prices.
• The fundamental difference between residential and commercial property.
• The difference in return if you buy for long term and buying for the next 12 months.
• The better bet between residential and commercial property.

Connect with Tim Farrelly

• Farrelly’s Investment Strategy
• LinkedIn

Subscribe to The Finance Hour Podcast with Reuben Zelwer!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Finance Hour Podcast with your host, Reuben Zelwer! If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to iTunes to leave us a rate and review. Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode and don’t forget to share your favourite episodes with your friends and colleagues. To learn more about Adapt Wealth Management and to connect with Reuben, visit our website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suffering from hearing loss is by no means a light matter. The way you live your life is affected and the expenses associated with treatments and consultations start to pile up. What if there was a way to streamline the process of seeing an audiologist and choosing the right type of hearing aid in the most cost-effective way possible? That’s what my guest, Noam Korbl along with his partner Akiva Szental, are addressing with Hearing Choices, a company that seeks to help people find the best type of hearing aid for them or their loved ones. Noam shares his inspiration for starting the company. He describes the problem with today’s hearing aid industry and how they want to solve it. He also explains how their process works and cites how a typical transaction would go.

Don’t miss this week’s segment of Reuben’s Rant where I debunk the idea that share market returns reflect the market economy in the short term.

“It's really important that customers see the value and virtue associated with the service component of being fitted with hearing aids.”  - Noam Korbl

This week on The Finance Hour Podcast:

• What Hearing Choices is all about and why Noam and Akiva wanted to start this company.
• How they plan their marketing and lead generation strategies.
• The services they offer and how it would work in an actual transaction.
• Where they modeled their business regarding branding and advertising.
• The biggest challenges they've faced while growing this type of business.
• Managing your staff and making sure they're converting the right numbers.
• Why you don't want to just buy hearing aids from any online retail store.
• What's in store for their company in the future?

Top 3 Tips for Starting a Tech Business:

1. Make sure you choose your business partner wisely.
2. Wait to concentrate on your business full-time for when you can start to justify a wage for yourself.
3. Choose an office close to home.

Resources Mentioned:

 Government Rebate for Hearing Aids

 Connect with Noam Korbl:

• Hearing Choices
• Akiva Szental LinkedIn
• Noam Korbl LinkedIn

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 65 - Buy banks or property with Roger Montgomery

Let’s say you have only two investment options. Buy bank shares or invest in residential property. Which would you choose? That’s what my returning guest Roger Montgomery will try to answer. In this episode, Roger discusses the recent news coverage on market trends and how analysts and brokers see 2019. He shares why some of them are right and some of them are wrong. He also explains the effects of previous recessions and whether it’ll be just as bad or worse this year as well as describes his overall view on market valuations.

Don’t miss this week’s segment of Reuben’s Rant where I express my opinion on the Government’s backflip on mortgage broker commission.

“Globally - across all markets and all geographies over a 12-month period - there is zero correlation between the stock market and economic performance.”  - Roger Montgomery

This week on The Finance Hour Podcast:

• The market fluctuations this year and market predictions.
• Why market volatility will be high in the coming months.
• Why Roger thinks that residential property prices are only going to keep falling this year.
• Roger’s outlook on short and long term market performance.
• Comparing previous recessions and the possibility of it being worse this year.
• Where he sees overall valuations at the moment.

Resources Mentioned:

• Keeping Tabs On Property

Connect with Roger Montgomery:

• Roger Montgomery official website
• LinkedIn

Subscribe to The Finance Hour Podcast with Reuben Zelwer!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Finance Hour Podcast with your host, Reuben Zelwer! If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to iTunes to leave us a rate and review. Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode and don’t forget to share your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues. To learn more about Adapt Wealth Management and to connect with Reuben, visit our website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FH64 - Going green with Dion Epstein from Gstore

Sustainability, energy efficiency, and becoming environmentally-friendly have become a major focus for business owners and individuals alike. Whether it’s due to the financial savings opportunity or their concern for the environment and global warming, many people seek cost-effective ways to “go green.” My guest today is Dion Epstein, the CEO of G-Store, a company that seeks to make houses run on efficient and sustainable energy systems. Dion joins me today to discuss what G-Store is and what drove him to start the company. He explains how government regulations and subsidies have impacted his business and the type of government rebates currently available to encourage consumers to go green. He also explains the financial benefits of investing in green technology from a consumer perspective and shares advice on what to consider when purchasing energy efficient systems. 

“Definitely in Victoria, this is a fantastic time for people who want to reduce their electricity or their gas costs.”  - Dion Epstein

This week on The Finance Hour Podcast:

• What G-Store is, why he started it, and their business focus.
• His inspiration in pursuing a career in environmental science and business.
• What his company looked when it was just starting and how it has evolved.
• How much money can the average consumer save with solar energy?
• Where they source their materials and how much it costs them.
• Their market predictions in their type of industry.
• Contingency plans in trying new ideas and when to get out of high-risk situations.

Top 3 Tips for Retail & Service-Based Entrepreneurs:

1. Be committed to a very high level of customer service.
2. Hire the best people.
3. Make sure you listen to your staff, listen to yourself, and keep innovating in a rapidly changing environment.

Dion Epstein’s Rule of Thumb when Going Green:

1. Look for a six to seven year payback period.

Resources Mentioned:

• Victoria Government Sustainable Energy Rebate
• Solar Victoria

Connect with Dion Epstein:

• G-Store
• LinkedIn

Subscribe to The Finance Hour Podcast with Reuben Zelwer!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Finance Hour Podcast with your host, Reuben Zelwer! If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to iTunes to leave us a rate and review. Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode and don’t forget to share your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues. To learn more about Adapt Wealth Management and to connect with Reuben, visit our website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 63 - Who will lend us the money

Since the release of the Royal Commission report, there has been a lot of outrage within the financial industry - particularly with mortgage brokers. One of which is regarding how consumers will get mortgage loans in the future. My guest today is Grant Rheuben, the Senior Finance Broker at Loan Market. We discuss how the Royal Commission’s recommendations, which suggested banks to stop paying commissions for loan brokers, could impact the local economy. We discuss how this recommendation would inspire an anti-competitive environment and its impact on consumers applying for loans. We also discuss why the liberal and labour parties are supporting brokers and what this could mean for consumers as well as the future of the finance industry.

Don’t miss this week’s segment of Reuben’s Rant where I share my concerns regarding the Australian government is using the Royal Commission as a ‘weapon of choice.”

“There’s still lobbying to be done, but - all in all - we are going in the right direction.” - Grant Rheuben

This week on The Finance Hour Podcast:

• Grant’s initial response to the new Royal Commission’s recommendation for banks to ban all commissions to loan brokers.
• Why the liberal and labour parties are supporting brokers.
• How the Royal Commission’s recommendations would create an anti-competitive environment and lead to higher interest rates and fees.
• Why Grant believes consumers will still have a choice between using a bank or using a broker.
• How the criteria for consumers to get a loan has changed since the Royal Commission report was released.
• What is the Housing Affordability Measure is?
• How banks and brokers conduct forensic analysis on a consumer’s spending to determine their loan affordability.

Resources Mentioned:

• What the changes to mortgage brokers mean for you and your home loan -com article
• Labor proposes fixed-rate commission for mortgage brokers - The Guardian

Connect with Grant Rheuben:

• Loan Market
• LinkedIn

Subscribe to The Finance Hour Podcast with Reuben Zelwer!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Finance Hour Podcast with your host, Reuben Zelwer! If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to iTunes to leave us a rate and review. Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode and don’t forget to share your favourite episodes with your friends and colleagues. To learn more about Adapt Wealth Management and to connect with Reuben, visit our website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 62- The Royal Commission is here

The Royal Commission Report finally came out, and as expected it had a lot of points I think are worthy of an extensive discussion. Joining me today to do just that is my friend James Williamson of Millhaven Financial Services. James and I analyse the Royal Commission Report’s take on financial advice and what it means for those of us in the financial sector. We exchange our interpretations on some of the more critical parts, particularly on personal and business relationships with banks. We also discuss some of the risks and regulations business owners will have to revisit as a response to the report.

Don’t miss this week’s segment of Reuben’s Rant where I share my thoughts on the government’s response to the report and why I believe it is unprecedented and way too politically charged.

“We have to be careful of not letting the compliance allow our fees to be pushed too high.”- James Williamson

This week on The Finance Hour Podcast:

• James' overview of the Royal Commission report.
• Some of the more noticeable changes in the report regarding financial advice.
• The effect of the report on people's relationships with their banks.
• The questions the report raised and what the people should expect.
• Businesses that should be worried about what the report states.
• Why this report might trigger a decrease in competition in the mortgage industry.
• Why the report plays into the upcoming elections.
• The significance and concerns in reducing commissions to zero.
• The risks and regulations businesses need to revisit after reading the report.
• Disclosing the lack of independence for financial planners.

Resource Mentioned

• Government’s Response to Royal Commission
• Mortgage Brokers and the Royal Commission
• Royal Commission Report

Connect with James Williamson:

• Millhaven Financial Services

Subscribe to The Finance Hour Podcast with Reuben Zelwer!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Finance Hour Podcast with your host, Reuben Zelwer! If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to iTunes to leave us a rate and review. Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode and don’t forget to share your favourite episodes with your friends and colleagues. To learn more about Adapt Wealth Management and to connect with Reuben, visit our website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.