20 | Hibiscusmatters 15 February 2012 IEN
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DOUGLAS ACCOUNTING
For all your accounting requirements
• Monthly and end of year accounts and tax returns. • Business planning and advice • Cashflows • Property investment advice • Cashbooks • GST, PAYE, FBT • Agent with Inland Revenue Department PO Box 308 001, Manly Whangaparaoa 0952 Phone: 09 424 4684 Mobile: 021 912 184 Fax: 09 424 4688 greg@douglasconsulting.co.nz www.douglasconsulting.co.nz
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Telzone For many business owners telecommunications, and the industry that surrounds it, can be a minefield. It is, however, a minefield that Shane Wotherspoon of Arkles Bay-based business Telzone negotiates with ease. “Telecommunications can and should be simple, yet the complicated bills and plans have many business owners putting it in the too hard basket,” Shane says. “They may be aware of things that can help their business, like Voice Over Internet (VOI), but they also feel intimidated by it because of the technical aspects involved.” He says clarifying things such as VOI, which can save businesses money by replacing landlines with an internetbased phone system, is part of finding the cheapest and most efficient
Sick of Confusing Phone Bills & Plans?
Fed up with 2 year Contracts & Break Fees?
VoIP | Phone | Internet | Mobile | 0800 | Fax2Email
Telecommunications for Businesses • Based locally in Whangaparaoa • Direct access to the owner at all times • Simple plans and simple plans that save your business $ • Phone, mobile, internet all together – 1 provider, 1 point of contact • No Contracts “if you can find better value and service elsewhere, you should be free to take it without paying Contract Termination Fines”
Email or call me today for a quote. Shane Wotherspoon – Owner Ph 021 910 904
Phone 09 424 0159 • 0800 080 115 www.telzone.co.nz shane@telzone.co.nz
solutions for a business. “Landlines will become a thing of the past, as is already happening overseas. That’s because it costs 30–40 percent less to put calls over the internet.” He says issues with the system related to reliability in power cuts or internet outage and call quality have been ironed out – for instance in a power cut, calls are re-directed to the mobiles of staff, so businesses do not lose communication. He says there is no need to wait for Ultra Fast Broadband before setting up VOI, because current internet speeds are sufficient. Initially Shane set up Telzone to work with residential and private mobile users, but the operation is now focused solely on business customers. He works with businesses to ensure their telecommunications system dovetails perfectly with their needs, looking at aspects such as internet communications, mobile, fax to email, 0800 numbers, web hosting and domains. “In my experience most business owners have no idea how much money they can save by having telecommunications set up properly. An example might be replacing a second line for a fax with a fax to email system.” Shane says many businesses get tied
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into contracts that mean they pay more than they should, as prices drop for things such as mobile services. “Telzone’s philosophy is that there is no need for telecommunications contracts, which is why this company has none. You simply pay for what you use, and no more.” With rapid changes in technology, it’s an exciting time to be in the communications industry. Looking ahead, Shane sees a time when communication will be faster and simpler than ever before. “Very soon your smart phone will unlock your car and house and you will be able to control all your systems, from security to stove and television, from it. For me the great thing is that the latest systems are also more user friendly and simpler to understand.”
Grapevine
Petrol pay out
Z Petrol station in Manly handed over cheques to four community groups this month. The company donated $5000 per site to local charities in the first trading month of their revamped sites (locally, Manly and Whangaparaoa Rd). Customers were invited to vote for a charity and a total of $5000 was split according to those votes. On February 1 the Manly Z station presented cheques to: Community Patrol the Community Patrol ($1000), Whangaparaoa members Joan Marks and Rob Thompson Coast Youth Community Trust with Gursharan Mann, Manly Z owner. ($900), Coastguard North Shore ($2000) and Women’s Refuge ($900). The money from the Whangaparaoa site was split between Coastguard Hibiscus ($2000), Hibiscus Hospice ($1500), Hibiscus Coast Family Services ($750) and Whangaparaoa Community Policing $750.
In-home pet care
The Animal Health Centre based in Orewa has introduced a new Mobile Pet Service for people who prefer at-home vet nurse care for their pets. This unique service operates on Wednesdays in the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, Orewa and Silverdale areas; and on Thursdays to the Kowhai Coast and Helensville/Kumeu regions. For more information, see ad page 8.