The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has recently released an updated set of small business benchmarks based on 2022-23 financial year data. The benchmarks are reviewed annually and broken down into 100 industries and they’re used by the ATO to assess whether a business might be under-reporting taxable income and over-claiming deductions.

What Are ATO Small Business Benchmarks?

The ATO provides Small Business Benchmarks as a tool to help businesses compare their financial performance against industry standards. These benchmarks are derived from data collected from tax returns and activity statements of businesses across various industries. They serve as a guide for businesses to assess their performance and ensure they are meeting their tax obligations. ​

How Are These Benchmarks Used By The ATO?

The ATO uses these benchmarks to identify businesses that may be avoiding their tax obligations. By comparing a business’s financial ratios to industry standards, the ATO can detect anomalies that may indicate underreporting of income or overstatement of expenses. Businesses that fall significantly outside the benchmark ranges may attract scrutiny and potential audits. ​

However, they can also be a useful tool for any business to compare your performance, including turnover and expenses against others in your industry. You might be able to identify opportunities to make improvements to your business.

What Industries Are Included?

The benchmarks cover 100 industries and over 2 million small businesses around the country. The industries include:

• Accommodation and food
• Building and construction trade services
• Education, training, recreation and support services
• Health care and personal services
• Manufacturing
• Other services
• Professional, scientific and technical services
• Retail trade
• Transport, postal and warehousing.

What If Your Business Falls Outside the Industry Benchmarks?

You might find that your business falls outside of these benchmarks. If you’re above or below the standards for your industry it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve done anything wrong however, it’s an indicator that it’s worth reviewing your business plan.

ATO Assistant Commissioner Tony Goding said: “While we never use the benchmarks in isolation, small businesses who fall outside the ATO’s benchmarks are more likely to trigger a closer examination from us to identify if they are making mistakes or deliberately doing the wrong thing.”

Above the Benchmark Range

If your business’s expenses are higher than the industry average, it may suggest that your expenses are high relative to sales. This might show that your:​

• Wastage is higher – research best practice for your industry
• Goods taken for personal use have been counted as business stock
• Competitors may be able to source inputs at lower cost than you – it might be time to see if you can buy stock or materials at a lower rate
• Rent or labour costs are high considering your volume of sales – for example, having too many staff during off-peak times
• Mark-up is lower than your competitors – check average sales prices
• You haven’t accurately recorded all your sales – check till tapes or point-of-sale (POS) reports
• Internal cash controls may need to be examined – ensure cash taken for expenses is recorded as sales.

Such discrepancies can trigger ATO reviews or audits to ensure compliance. ​

Below the Benchmark Range

Conversely, if your expenses are significantly lower than the industry average, it might indicate that:​

• Your expenses are recorded under the wrong label – for example, cost of goods sold under another expense label
• Some of your expenses may not have been recorded – for example, salary, wages or cash wages
• Your mark-up is higher than your competitors
• You are more efficient – for example, you have less wastage.

While being below the benchmark isn’t inherently negative, it’s essential to ensure that all expenses and obligations are accurately reported. ​

Implications for Your Business

Understanding where your business stands in relation to the ATO Small Business Benchmarks is crucial. Regularly comparing your financial ratios to industry standards can help identify areas for improvement and ensure compliance with tax obligations. It also aids in making informed business decisions and maintaining financial health.​

How MGI South Qld Can Assist

At MGI South Qld, we specialise in business performance analysis and helping businesses navigate the complexities of tax compliance and financial performance. Our team can assist you in:​

• Interpreting ATO Small Business Benchmarks relevant to your industry.
• Identifying discrepancies and areas for improvement.
• Implementing strategies to enhance efficiency and compliance.​

Contact us today to ensure your business aligns with industry benchmarks and maintains robust financial health.

Shrinkage in the retail sector has a major impact on the profitability of supermarkets and other stores. Shrinkage is the result of theft by customers and staff, and is also caused by damage to goods as a result of poor ordering and handling practices. It can be equal to three per cent of sales at some independent supermarkets. The shrinkage problem tends to be worse in smaller stores with an average shrinkage factor of around five percent. If retailers want to improve profitability they first need to understand shrinkage.

A recent case study revealed a supermarket business turning over 10 million dollars per year while poor shrinkage control contributed to losses of 10 thousand dollars per week off its bottom line. It seems the smaller a supermarket is, the higher the shrinkage problem. As independent supermarkets increase their turnover, the shrinkage problem reduces to an average of around 1.75 percent. Better quality systems, and better management of the factors that drive shrinkage, contribute to the lower figure in larger supermarkets. Best practice operations are achieving shrinkage levels of less that 0.5 percent.

In reality, most supermarket operators do not know the true cost of shrinkage. Often this is the difference between success and failure of the business particularly when profit margins are so tight. An improvement in shrinkage management of just one per cent of sales can improve profitability by thirty-three percent. This type of saving can enable retailers to channel their resources into areas which will make a positive impact upon their cash flow.

Identifying Shrinkage

Shrinkage can be defined as the loss in margin due to poor stock management procedures, reporting practices and internal controls. It is measured by comparing the gross margin from the Point of Sale (POS) Report to the financial accounts or internal stock management reports.

Some of the factors that contribute to shrinkage include theft by customers and staff in the supermarket, inconsistent pricing practices, excessive and uncontrolled discounting, absence or infrequent stock taking, as well as damage to goods as a result of poor handling and ordering practices. For managers and owners, shrinkage is a very attractive area to address as the benefits flow straight to the bottom line. We advocate benchmarking the store to identify the gravity of the issue.

Some of the best practice operators have achieved low shrinkage levels by implementing stock management systems, which are compatible to existing POS systems, allowing for automatic re-ordering, regular rolling stock-takes on high-risk items, and stock management procedures. These systems are supported by staff training and job descriptions and assigning responsibility to selected staff, thus delivering tangible benefits to the supermarket owner.

Just some of these benefits include improved cash flow from reduced stock levels, as a result of ordering of stock consistent with sales demand, reduced theft by making high risk items more visible to staff, and providing an early detection of pilferage through instant stock management reporting.

This type of improvement enables the retailer to then direct their resources into other areas, such as improving their supermarket layout and design. Shrinkage efficient supermarkets are most likely to survive and thrive in a competitive market. To improve profitability allows retailers access to funding for supermarket refurbishments, which is an essential part of competing for market share against national chains.

Shrinkage Reduction Planning

Financial benefits show as soon as a supermarket addresses its shrinkage problem. The best way to begin this process is for the retailer to talk to a professional adviser, or seek advice from industry specialists to develop an action plan to implement better operational practices.

Most retailers are time-poor and work long hours so the most effective way to develop a shrinkage plan is to identify your immediate goals, determine what resources are required (money, people, and time) and allocate tasks to responsible persons. One of the biggest shrinkage issues is that supermarket owners do not compare their management account gross profit (GP) percentage with what comes out from their POS system. This is a big mistake. We found most retailers were unable to produce accurate management accounts on a timely basis and most often conduct stock-takes once a year for tax purposes.

Shrinkage loss really hits home when retailers compare their GP in the financial accounts provided by their Accountant to POS reports. The key is to develop a stock management system that allows for timely and accurate management reporting. Our industry manager recently saw supermarket figures showing a nine percent difference between the POS GP percentage and accounting GP percentage.

For example, regular weekly stock-takes of high wastage and theft items (e.g. meat and fruit/vegetables and tobacco) and cyclic stock-takes on other items will allow for effective monitoring of GP variances.

Adopting a standardised chart of account and journals will improve management reporting of shrinkage as scanning systems ignore the issue. Some supermarket chains have front-end systems that record all customer returns and place the reason for the return and reports at the back office each day and for the week. Further ‘reduced to clear items’ are also all managed via the front end.

Some chains also ensure its cleaners to place floor waste into a separate bin. This separate bin is then checked to see what products the cleaners have swept up and if these products can be reclaimed. It is important that staff take the time to monitor stock, even if it does mean checking the dairy fridge more frequently. You can use technology to keep track of perishables within the supermarket.

“I can’t work any harder and I don’t know how my business is travelling.”

“I don’t feel like I understand my business.”

“I made $300k last year, was it a good year?”

“Numbers give me headaches”.

“My accountant tells me I have to $50k in tax as I made a profit last year. But WHERE IS THE CASH?”

These are some of the most common refrains we hear from clients. These are all heart-felt cries for help for no-nonsense, simple ways to understand their businesses, how it operates, its financial performance and its ability to provide for a lifestyle.

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How To Run Your Business More Efficiently

After having worked with numerous businesses from many industries, we found that the following process works the best in helping our clients:

• Having regular meetings with them to help to spend time working on their business, not just in it;
• Providing them with easy-to-understand and yet at the same time, sophisticated reporting on the key metrics for the business; and
• Providing them with a sounding board to make decisions.

The centrepiece in our process is our ability to provide easy-to-understand reports focusing on the key metrics for the business. These provide our clients with the “hard numbers” from which they can come up with options and make decisions.

For example, it is no secret that the hospitality industry has had a tough time lately due to the lockdowns. It is now even more critical for the owners of restaurants and cafes to keep a close eye on their numbers. Here are some of the screenshots from reports prepared for a restaurant client. Accounting and Management reports like these have proven to be extremely helpful in helping the client in making the right decisions to thrive and not just survive in the current downtown.

Here is another example from a what-if analysis we did for manufacturing client, whose business received a bump in sales as they supplied products which were in high demand due to the lockdowns. In this case, they asked us if they can afford to invest in a particular piece of machinery to keep up with the increased demand, and we were able to answer their question on the spot with an instant profit and cash forecast which our purpose-built software is capable of.

For business owners, running a successful business is often challenging enough, but for many succeeding in business in tough times becomes even harder. What makes the difference between why businesses succeed and fail, particularly in a tough economic environment? Managing through difficult times is an uphill struggle for sure. However, there is good news: there are a few simple measures you can implement to improve the probability that your business will succeed even when the going gets tough.

Why Businesses Succeed And Fail

Often the factors that lead to success in a business come down to some basic but fundamental principles of business management. Implementing these four tips could make the difference between why businesses succeed and fail when the economic environment takes a downward turn.

1. Protect and grow your revenue

Contact your key customers and ask them how their business is faring. Meet regularly with high-value customers and offer your support. Understanding their situation means you will be better informed about what you can do to assist them and thus protect and potentially grow your business’ revenue. To grow your own revenue, invest in new innovative (low cost) sales strategies, increase (low cost) sales. Develop marketing strategies and show leadership by spending more time with your customers and sales team.

2. Reduce your costs

A reduction in revenue and/or profit means you will need to examine your cost structure to maintain your profitability. Be prepared to make some hard decisions. Low fixed and high variable cost is the ideal cost structure for doing business in tough times.

Non Trading Costs – try to reduce or eliminate non-trading costs. For example, examine wage productivity reports and restructure non-productive roles or encourage multi-skilling to maximise your employee return per hour. Staff reduction is not necessarily a given in tough times!

Variable Costs – examine all your expenses and investigate ways to transfer your business’s fixed costs to variable costs. Outsourcing is a variable cost strategy.

3. Collect your cash

Collecting cash from your customers may become more difficult. Avoid business cash flow problems and consider amending your policies for debtor collection and stock management.

Debtors Collection: place tighter limits on the amount of credit you extend to your customers. If you have exposure to large customers, seek assurances and guarantees on how they will pay their account. Enter repayment schedules and offer ‘cash only’ terms until your customer accounts are in order. If the decision is between being flexible and survival there is really only one choice.

Stock Management: don’t over-invest in stock. Place strict controls over stock ordering and management. If customer sales slow down so should your ordering.

4. Minimise your risks

When looking at why businesses succeed and fail in difficult times, it is important you move quickly to minimise your business risk. The first step is to re-examine or develop a new Business Strategy or Plan to review and assess your current situation and plan the future. When preparing your Business Strategic Plan seek guidance from your accountant who is best positioned to provide this advice. Seeking advice early will mean the difference between your business thriving or simply surviving.

The team at MGI South Queensland have helped many businesses not only survive but thrive through difficult times. We have business coaches as well as experts in tax and risk management. Our outsourced CFO and financial management service gives you access to specialist support who can help you improve your financial procedures and improve your bottom line. Give us a call on 07 3002 4800 or book a consultation online today.

Disclaimer: this information is of a general nature and should not be viewed as representing financial advice. Readers of this information are encouraged to seek further advice if they are unclear as to the meaning of anything contained in this article. MGI accepts no responsibility for any loss suffered as a result of any party using or relying on this article.

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”

Did you ever ask yourself this question during any stage of your practice career? Long gone are the days of starting a business out on a limb and hoping for the best, with the release of Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) 5th Edition, a business plan is listed as one of the new standards required.

Indicators in the RACGP Standards 5th edition provides the following guidance on business planning:

Criterion C3.1A – Our practice plans and sets goals aimed at improving our services.

You must:

• plan and set business goals.

You could:

• write a statement of the practice’s ethics and values
• maintain a business strategy
• maintain an action plan.

Criterion C3.1B – Our practice evaluates its progress towards achieving its goals.

You could:

• maintain progress reports about the business strategy or action plan
• create a strategy for continuous quality improvement
• implement quality improvement initiatives

Whether you are just starting out in a new practice or other stages of the practice life cycle, establishing a business plan is not merely for meeting the new RACGP Standards 5th edition requirement but is critical to achieve your business goals.

Whilst the initial phase of developing a business plan can be overwhelming, a well-developed business plan will set the roadmap of the business progression and guide/support the operational success of a practice.

We have listed some top tips for you to consider before you embark on the journey of developing a business plan.

1. Determine who the plan is for
   Target a business plan specific to your practice and the unique offerings you can bring to the community
2. Conduct relevant research
   Understand your current status quo (structure, marketing, finances strategies) and identify the opportunities that are available. By having accurate and up to date information, you will be more confident with your forecasts and analysis.
3. Be practical with your process
   Identify the areas your business plans will address and do not attempt to complete your business plan from start to finish.  Good planning takes time and effort to ensure you are mapping out the best road to success possible. Break down the components of the business plan and tackle the areas that are more relevant for your practice first and set aside the areas that don’t have immediate impact.  You can always jump back to the other sections later.
4. Get guidance
   If you aren’t confident in completing the plan on your own, you can enlist the help of a professional to review your plan and provide you with the relevant advice and direction.
5. Review
   As with any document, a business plan will evolve over time with the changes in your practice circumstances or the industry.  You should conduct a regular review to ensure your business plan is on track with the vision of your practice.

With extensive experience in helping medical and dental practices to thrive, the team at MGI South Queensland can help you with your existing plan or the development of a business plan to concrete your roadmap to success.

Did you know there’s free money out there that can help your business to grow?

Yes there is really free money out there and no, this is not click bait. There are a number of Government grants for small business at both Federal and State levels intended to help businesses to improve and grow.

For example, we have recently assisted a number of clients to obtain grants under the Entrepreneurs’ Program such as the Business Growth grants to assist them with business needs as varied as:

• strategic planning
• employee share scheme design and implementation
• advisory board
• financial performance management
• exit planning and much more.

This programme aims to drive business growth for businesses in the five growth sectors, which are:

• Advanced Manufacturing;
• Food and Agribusiness;
• Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals;
• Mining Equipment, Technology and Services; and
• Oil, Gas and Energy Resources.

If you are not sure if you qualify for one of the Government grants for small business in one of these sectors, by all means have a chat with us. These categories are broader than you think!

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How you can use Government grants for small business

If you are in one of these sectors, there may be Government business grants available under this program to help your business to:

• commercialise novel products, processes and services (Accelerating Commercialisation Grant);
• access expert support to identify growth opportunities, improve management skills and business systems, increase market share and improve the financial performance of the business (Business Management Grant);
• assist start-ups to develop the capabilities required to achieve commercial success in international markets (Incubator Support Grant); and
• access expert guidance to address knowledge or research related issues (Innovation Connections Grant).

Each of the above are dollar for dollar matching grants of between $20,000 and $50,000, meaning a $40,000 project may only cost you $20,000. It’s crazy to say no, when the government offers to pay half of your costs. And this is just one of a number of grant programs available at the federal level.

At a state level, there are also Government business grants available. For example, the Queensland government’s Business Growth Grant is designed to support fast growing businesses looking to put on staff, purchase specialised equipment and access services to support business growth. Grant applications may attract funding of up to $50,000 depending on the application. Successful applicants may only have to contribute 25% – 50% of total project costs.

Here’s a flowchart we use to help our clients assess whether they are eligible for some of the most common grants we see.

We outlined a number of the available small business grants in a little more detail in an earlier blog post so take a read and to find out more.

For further details about the Government business grants mentioned or if you would like to know whether you are eligible, please contact the expert team at MGI South Queensland on 07 3002 4800.

This article aims to provide you with an overview of the grants that may be available to you. It is not intended to be specific advice for your business.

Poor performing products or services can be a serious detriment to your business, diverting valuable resources and finances from more successful ventures and pulling down the overall profitability of your entire business. So knowing when to pull the plug on a poor performing product or service is important.

Some signs which may indicate that a product is a dog and should be considered for divesting include:

• Low profitability
• Declining sales/market share
• Costly to maintain
• At risk of disruption/technical elimination
• Doesn’t align with the vision/purpose of your organisation.

Our recent article Product lines…how much profit is enough? provides more guidance of how to assess whether a product is a dog, cash cow, star or wild cat.

Once you have identified a product as a dog it’s time to take action…but what exactly does that look like? Here are three common strategies for divesting a product.

Option one: could you harvest your product?

If you have a product that has lower profitability and slowly declining market share, but is still generating a positive cash flow it could be appealing to look at harvesting the product rather than eliminating it completely. Harvesting involves gradually phasing out a product by taking action to reduce production costs or increase the unit price without increasing costs. The benefit of this strategy is that you get to enjoy the profits from the product line for longer but you are starting to divert resources and attention to more profitable business opportunities. Once the product you are harvesting starts to generate negative cash flows, you need to divest it completely.

Option two: can you simplify a product line?

Sometimes product lines become less profitable because they are too complicated. For example, a company may have a number of product variations which require limited production runs, additional inventory and a larger marketing budget. To combat this it may be possible to simplify the product line by reducing the number of variations with a view to “standardising” the product and thus reducing associated production costs. The challenge however is maintaining your market share with reduced product options.

Option three: total line divestment

If there isn’t an opportunity to harvest or simplify your product lines you have one further option left – total line divestment. This means completing getting rid of a product that is not performing well. This can have a large knock on affect for a business as it may result in staff changes, negative sales growth and the perception of failure. However at the end of the day it’s a hard decision that may need to be made to protect other more successful product lines in your business.

Total line divestment can also mean selling the part of your business that manufactures that particular product. If you are in a high growth market or if you have a profitable product, but that no longer aligns with your company vision or is facing future technical disruption/elimination, this may be an option to consider.

Knowing which divestment strategy is right for your business is dependent on having a sound understanding of the financial performance of your product portfolio and the market attractiveness. If you are not confident about this, the starting point is to undertake a detailed product portfolio analysis with an experienced accountant/business consultant.