With 2020 behind us, many businesses are now in recovery mode. This year will be one of budget repair for most businesses through developing long term strategies. Here are some issues all small to medium businesses should consider to ensure their survival. 

​1. Build client or customer relationships
A priority as once COVID-19 hit how many businesses have had the time to do this proactively? Cost-cutting, streamlining operations, implementing new health and safety procedures were the focus. It is now time to revisit customer relationships and how to support them for mutual benefit. 
If your customer base has changed, focus on building new relationships to deliver repeat business in the future. Ask yourself what the real value of each customer and the cost to you is to get them. 
New customers generally cost more to acquire than maintaining existing ones. However, this is sometimes not the case. You may spend more time and money serving low-value clients, and those precious resources would be better spent forming new relationships.

​Debt consolidation through refinancing can be a sensible solution if you are experiencing financial difficulty. It is often more manageable to pay one monthly payment at a reduced interest rather than numerous facilities at various rates.
When deciding whether to go ahead with this method of debt consolidation, you should be aware of  the areas to check before proceeding:

• Check the company is listed on ASIC Connect's Professional Registers and confirm they hold the appropriate licence. 
• Check you are paying less by comparing the interest rate, fees, and any other costs against your current facilities.  
• Check you understand your monthly repayments and confirm the interest rate and any loan costs before you sign.
• Have a workable strategy for the next twelve months that brings you more financial stability.