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5 Challenges kiwi businesses are facing and how to overcome them

While the outlook for 2025 is optimistic, particularly with the second half of the year expected to drive growth, Kiwi businesses are still facing challenges. To help out, we've put our noses to the ground to find some ways you can overcome these challenges in 2025 and hit the new financial year running.

1. Cost & Productivity

It's an age old tale, but one that's never been more relevant than now - 29% of kiwi businesses have noted productivity as a top priority for 2025, with growth in a close second sitting at 28%.

How to overcome this?

In order to increase productivity and growth, you need to be able to scale, to scale you need additional resources. The simple solution is to hire more staff or increase overtime, but if this isn't a viable solution, we suggest looking into automation processes within your organisation, utilising digital technology or investing in business software that can save time.

2. Customer Experience

Customer experience is at the heart of every business, but with rising costs and extra pressures, it come sometimes fall by the wayside.

But with 67% of customers citing a bad customer experience as the main reason for leaving behind a brand, customer experience is becoming increasingly important.

So, what are some ways to improve customer experience?

  • Invest in software and tech: We're talking CRMs (like Thryv), email clients, appointment schedulers - or better yet a tool that does it all.

  • Reduce wait times: Create automated messages or utilise AI to answer basic questions, triage messages in order of importance or give your customers an idea of when you'll be in touch if you can't make contact right away!

  • Communicate with your customers: Communication is the key to any relationship, and the relationship with your customers is no different. Be sure to keep them in the loop around any impacts they might feel as well as when you're working a job.

  • Listen to feedback: While communication is the key to any relationship - it's not a one-way line. Be sure to listen and let your customers know you're listening to any feedback they might have, whether that's on a Google review they might leave or an email.

3. Legacy Systems and Processes

Over 50% of organisations have outdated technology productivity issues as a result of hanging onto old tech and software. While these systems and processes may have worked in the past, they might not be the best solution for you now.

How to overcome this?

Evaluating your systems and processes is a good touchpoint for you and your team to see what's working and what could be working better. Seize the opportunity to get feedback from your team on where there sticking points are and also look into your wish list of tech/software/items. Working with your staff and identifying how new tech can help you overcome internal processes that aren't working and improve efficiency.

Not sure where to start? Check out our blog on system audits.

4. AI Adoption

AI is everywhere these days, and whether you like it or not it's here to stay. AI has surged since ChatGPT hit the market in late 2022, and shows no signs of slowing down - 68% of businesses are looking to increase technology investments, with 46% of these businesses looking to invest in AI. Not to mention AI can help with productivity and growth, with AI boosting small business efficiency by 40%.

How to incorporate AI into your business?

  • Chatbots: Implement chatbots on your website to help answer questions immediately

  • AI based tools: Tools that utilise AI, like otter.ai, automate tasks like note taking or transcribing, free you help helping you overcome the problem of never having enough time.

  • Canva: The extremely popular social design tool now has an integrated AI image generation tool, pair this with their easy to use templates and platform and you're all set.

  • Data: AI is a great way to analyse data and can reveal insights about customers and their spending habits.

5. Cyber Security

With more and more business moving to the cloud, Cybersecurity is becoming a pressing issue with over one third of businesses reporting attacks in the past year and CERT NZ (Cyber Security Agency NZ) stating less than half of NZ small businesses have processes in place to prevent a cyber attack. Going offline isn't an option anymore, so how do you overcome Cyber Security concerns for your business?

So, how to protect your business?

  • Update Your Passwords: Make your passwords stronger, longer and most importantly, unique. It's also recommended to add in a variety of characters, symbols or numbers.

  • Implement 2-Factor Authentication: By adding an extra layer of security you make it harder for someone to gain access to your systems, even if they guess your password there's an extra barrier they need to bypass.

  • Back Up Your Data: Regularly back up your data to an offline or offsite location like a hard or alternative cloud storage solution.

  • Update Your Devices: Nobody likes doing it, but it's necessary - be sure to set aside time to keep you and your teams devices up-to-date to stay protected from any vulnerabilities.

Ready for more?

Check out our blog to read more insights around marketing, automation, AI, business and ways to overcome challenges your business might be facing.

Or if you want to learn more about a business solution that can save 20+ hours per week, we recommend Thryv - small business software that makes doing business easy. Get in touch to learn more or speak to someone today.