Rising Costs stories
Small firms can now gauge whether weak margins, slow payments or rising costs are sector-wide or company-specific using Xero's new peer data tool.
Despite inflation and interest-rate pressure, most small firms are boosting marketing and AI use to win customers and protect revenue.
Factories facing labour shortages and rising costs are set to get a new execution tool, as the firms pair consulting with frontline software.
Nearly a third of UK exporters reported weaker June sales as higher costs and post-Brexit paperwork continued to squeeze margins.
Britain's warehouse operators could struggle to justify automation investments as Exotec says targeted tax credits would ease labour and cost pressures.
Ageing demand, labour shortages and higher costs are forcing providers to tighten planning and reporting to keep services sustainable.
Disconnected systems are slowing decisions, masking costs and forcing Canadian firms to reconcile data manually before they can trust it.
The Florida optical shop lifted revenue by 16% after owner Lea Agramonte used free training to tighten budgets and adopt digital tools.
Rising costs and overdue invoices are squeezing Australian SMEs, with late payments now at a six-year high, Earlypay says.
New data show Kiwi small firms generating less per hour than peers in Australia and the UK, as rising costs squeeze margins.
Cash-flow strain is deepening for UK SMEs, even as profits rose 7.4% and nearly half of invoices were still overdue, Sage said.
Australian SMEs can now earn Velocity and Qatar Avios on routine bills, as B2Bpay broadens its rewards platform beyond Qantas Frequent Flyer.
Rising costs and weaker spending left many small firms under pressure, even as national SME activity still managed quarterly growth of 0.6%.
Confidence among New Zealand firms is being driven more by productivity and investment than hopes of a return to pre-pandemic normality.
Only 12% of Australian operators say now is a good time to open a venue, as rising costs and weaker spend squeeze margins.
The funding will help the hospitality software group hire, expand AI tools and buy smaller rivals as venues face rising costs.
Fuel now tops cost pressures for Australian SMEs, but most are still swallowing the rise rather than passing it on to customers.
Rising costs are pushing pubs to sharpen online booking pitches, with virtual tours seen as a way to win World Cup match-day trade.
Sleep loss and costly cover gaps are leaving most UK small firms exposed, as 77% say they do not understand cyber insurance.
Cash flow pressure is building for US small firms as payment times lengthened and late invoices rose in Xero's March quarter data.
