DURING a visit to the region yesterday, Small Business Minister John Barilaro and Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall announced a new initiative to improve after-hours convenience and support available to small business operators.
The new initiative enable telephone support lines to be answered by a customer service officer 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“When a small business owner requires support after hours it often relates to a matter that is causing them immediate concern about a particular issue, which is why it is necessary for them to speak to a real person and not an answering machine,” Mr Marshall said.
“This new and innovative approach provides callers more reassurance when they first seek help and helps reduce the feeling of isolation that small business operators sometimes experience.”
Examples of small businesses that required assistance included:
- A tenant concerned a landlord had plans to lock them out of their business premises due to a dispute;
- Landlord concerned about their property following a dispute and sought assistance to recover unpaid rent;
- Operator of a small business received a compliance notice from a government agency and was concerned about how that will impact their business;
- Individual sought advice after a dispute with a supplier; and
- A person finding themselves in a situation they felt was unjust and sought information and advice about the best way to proceed
“To access the small business out-of-hours phone service call 1300 795 534 or contact Small Business Connect on 1300 134 359 and the call will be diverted if it is received after normal business hours,” Mr Marshall said.
For more information about the services click on www.smallbusiness.nsw.gov.au