Too often for Australia’s 2.6 million actively trading small businesses, sending an invoice means waiting weeks to see the money. Put simply, getting paid late is bad for your business – so what can you do to take a greater level of control over your cash flow? Read on to find out.
Operating with thinner margins and fewer staff means having strategies around pricing, marketing, and your own mental health, are more crucial than ever. Read on to learn what the biggest challenges facing small businesses are, and some practical steps to help overcome them.
This year, Australians are grappling with belt-tightening inflation, the likes of which we haven’t seen in three decades. How small business owners respond to soaring supply costs, continued staff shortages and customers with diminishing spending capacities will determine whether they survive or thrive.
Two billion dollars' worth of pubs has been bought and sold in the last two years. Perhaps spurred on by the unprecedented challenges of trading through a pandemic, an increasing number of experienced publicans are leaving the industry or retiring — ushering in a new generation of publicans.
Australia is rich with vibrant regional communities undergoing a period of transformation, with a record number of people packing their bags and making a tree change. Some are taking advantage of the newfound flexible work arrangements to pull up their city stumps, while for others lockdown was the final push needed to move to greener pastures and start fresh. This migratory shift is already having a ripple effect across local economies.
Every sector across the globe has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the hospitality industry is among the hardest hit. In many Australian states and territories, bars, pubs, restaurants, cafes, sandwich shops and delis alike have been shuttered for months on end.
Whether you’re imposing them or paying them: service charges can be confusing. Here’s everything you need to know. In this article, we break down what service charges are, why businesses use them, how they differ from other types of fees, and the key legal requirements to be aware of in Australia. Plus, if you’re a small business owner, we’ll explain a quick, easy way to add service charges to your sales with Zeller’s free point-of-sale system. What is a service charge? A service charge is a mandatory fee added by a business to a customer’s bill to cover the cost of delivering the service, such as staff labour or administration. Unlike a tip, however, a service charge is not optional and the amount is set by the business and automatically applied to the bill, usually presented as either: A percentage of the total bill (e.g. a 10% service charge on group bookings), or A fixed fee (e.g. a $2 per-ticket booking fee). Why do businesses apply service charges? A service charge allows businesses to recover operational costs that aren’t fully covered by standard pricing. It can provide transparency, showing customers exactly what they are paying for, rather than inflating base prices for everyone. Why businesses apply service charges can vary widely depending on the industry: Hospitality: Weekend and public holiday service charges help cover higher wages, extra staffing, and increased operating costs. Banking and financial services: Fees like account, ATM, and wire transfer charges recover administrative, compliance, and infrastructure costs. Travel and airlines: Baggage, booking, seat selection, and airport fees offset fuel, staffing, and infrastructure costs, while charging only for extra services used. Residential property and accommodation: Strata levies, Airbnb fees, and cleaning charges cover facility maintenance, insurance, repairs, and property management. Utilities: Water, electricity, and connection fees fund infrastructure development, maintenance, billing, and regulatory compliance. What is the difference between a service charge and a surcharge? A service charge is a fee added by a business to cover the additional costs involved in delivering a particular service. Because it’s set by the business, they have full discretion over whether to apply a service charge, what it covers, and how much it is. In Australia, many venues apply a service charge of around 10–15%, but the exact amount varies depending on the business and the service being provided. A surcharge , on the other hand, is a fee added specifically when a customer pays by credit or debit card. Its purpose is to help businesses recover the merchant fees charged by their payment provider for processing that transaction. Unlike service charges, surcharges are regulated by the ACCC : under Australian law, a business cannot charge more than its cost of acceptance—that is, the lowest amount it costs the business to process each card payment type. Read our blogs to learn more about surcharging in Australia and what to be aware of with zero-cost EFTPOS . What are the legal requirements around service charges in Australia? Because every industry and business operates differently, there’s no specific law limiting how much a service charge can be. The ACCC does, however, mandate that businesses be transparent and accurate when presenting any service charges they choose to apply. The key legal requirements are: Prices must be clear and accurate Businesses must clearly communicate the full cost of a product or service before a customer books, orders, or makes a purchase. They cannot mislead customers about prices or hide additional fees. Total prices must be displayed upfront If a service charge is unavoidable or automatically applied, it must be included in the total price shown to the customer. This total must incorporate any taxes, duties, or pre-selected extra fees. Service charges must follow strict display rules If a business applies card payment surcharges or weekend/public holiday surcharges, they must be displayed clearly and prominently so customers understand when and why these fees apply. The following words must be displayed on the menu and/or price display: “ A surcharge of [percentage] applies on [day or days]. ” Additionally, the words must be at least as prominent as the most prominent price on the menu, or made visible elsewhere in your venue. What are the tax implications of service charges? In Australia, service charges are treated as part of the business’s revenue and are subject to tax like any other income. Even if the service charge is applied to cover employee wages, it is still considered assessable income and taxed as part of their regular wages. Tips or gratuities, on the other hand, are directly received by employees. While not technically the business’s income, tips are also considered taxable income and must be reported by the employee to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Can you challenge a service charge? In Australia, whether you can challenge a service charge depends on how it is presented and whether it complies with consumer law. Businesses must clearly display prices, including any unavoidable service charges, before you book, order, or pay. If a service charge is misleading, hidden, or incorrectly displayed, it may be a breach of the law. You can report concerns to the ACCC if you believe a business is not complying with pricing rules. The ACCC can investigate and take enforcement or compliance action if the law has been broken. However, the ACCC does not resolve individual complaints or give legal advice about your rights, so it cannot force a business to remove a service charge for one customer. In practice, your options are: Carefully check the menu and/or price display before paying—the total must include all unavoidable fees. Raise the issue directly with the business if you think a service charge is incorrect or misleading. Report it to the ACCC if you believe there is a systemic breach of pricing rules. Add a service charge to your sales with Zeller POS Lite Zeller POS Lite is a free point of sale that comes in-built with Zeller Terminal . If you’re looking for a quick and easy solution for applying service charges to your sum total, follow the steps below: In Zeller Dashboard or Zeller App, select Items , then Service Charges Tap Add Service Charge (or the + button in Zeller App) Add a percentage or fixed dollar amount Give it a clear name, like “Public Holiday 15%”. This will appear on customer receipts If you have multiple locations, assign the charge to the relevant sites only Your newly created service charge will now appear in Zeller POS Lite under Shortcuts . Apply it to relevant sales and it will automatically appear on your customers’ receipts—no need for manual price edits.
For Australian businesses, choosing the right business bank account isn’t as straightforward as it used to be. Between traditional banks, online-only challengers, and modern fintech alternatives like Zeller, the options are broader than ever – and more confusing. This guide compares some of the top options in Australia, from the Big Four to rising digital banking platforms, so you can choose the right account for your needs, whether you're a sole trader, freelancer, small business or scaling company. Compare top Australian business accounts to see why Zeller Transaction Account stands out. As you can see from the table above, Zeller either matches or beats the big-4 banks in almost every area. Traditional banks like CommBank, NAB, Westpac and ANZ each offer business accounts with in-branch service, cash handling and international payment features. While these can suit businesses that still rely on physical banking, they often come with higher monthly fees and less flexible digital tools. The two limitations to a Zeller Business Transaction Account are depositing cash and multi-currency accounts. Zeller merchants typically overcome this by: – keeping a separate bank account with a traditional bank for the sole purpose of depositing cash, then sending the money directly to their Zeller Business Transaction Account – keeping international currencies with another provider (like Wise or Airwallex). Note: Zeller is working towards offering multi-currency accounts, so watch this space! Understanding business bank accounts: what they are and why they're essential. A business bank account isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a key part of running a compliant, professional and scalable operation. Here’s why you need one: Legal and tax compliance : If you're registered for GST or operate as a company, you’ll need a dedicated account for your business transactions. Simplified admin : Separating personal and business finances makes reconciling income, preparing for BAS, and managing deductions far easier. Professionalism : Customers take you more seriously, and are more likely to trust your business, when invoices and payments come from a business bank account. Cash flow control : Monitor your business incomings and outgoings more clearly to make faster decisions. Access to finance : It’s typically a requirement for business loans, overdrafts, business credit cards, and trade accounts. Types of business bank accounts in Australia. In Australia, there are a few core types of business accounts on offer, such as: Transaction accounts : Your day-to-day account for receiving payments, making purchases, paying suppliers. Savings accounts : For earning interest on unused business funds. Term deposits : Lock away funds for a set time to earn higher interest. Offset accounts : Linked to a business loan, helping reduce interest payments. Key factors to consider when choosing a business bank account. Fees Monthly fees, overdraft fees, dishonour fees, and FX costs can vary widely amongst business banks. For example: – Traditional banks may charge $10-$25/month just to keep the account open – Overdraft fees can be surprisingly high and feel unnecessarily punitive – International payments might include conversion fees or transfer costs – Staff-assisted transactions and even electronic transactions can also incur more fees This last point is worth illustrating with two examples: 1. CommBank charges $5 per staff-assisted transaction on business accounts 2. Bendigo Bank charges $0.40 per electronic transaction on their Business Basic Account In contrast, Zeller Business Transaction Account has no fees whatsoever . For small businesses, especially those just starting out, these savings can quickly add up. Access and convenience In business, time is money. You’ll want an account that’s easy to use and built for purpose. Consider things like: – Does the online banking interface have a clean, modern design? – Does it have powerful transaction filtering and searching? – Is the mobile app easy to use on the go? ( Zeller App is rated 4.2 on the App Store) – Can you access help when you need it? (Zeller offers 24/7 online access and support) More businesses are moving away from needing face-to-face banking and instead placing higher value on mobile-first platforms that work wherever they are. Account features Choosing a business account isn’t just about the basics. The right features can save you time, reduce admin, and give you more control over how your business operates. For example, a Zeller Business Transaction Account offers you: Cards: Zeller lets you issue unlimited free physical and virtual debit cards with custom spending limits. You can also generate single-use virtual cards for added security when shopping online. Multi-user access: Give team members custom access, so they can view balances, send invoices or manage cards, without full account control. Integrations: You can easily connect your Zeller Business Transaction Account to tools like Xero for easy bookkeeping. Reporting: Built-in analytics, spending breakdowns, and receipt capture with Zeller. Access to interest: A Zeller Savings Account allows you to earn significantly more interest than with a traditional big-4 bank. Transaction categorisation: Automatically sort and label incoming and outgoing payments, helping you track spending by type, supplier or category. Multiple accounts: Spin up extra accounts for different projects, teams or business locations – no paperwork or branch visit required. Real-time fund transfers: Move money instantly via Australia's New Payment Platform (NPP). BPAY: Quickly and easily pay suppliers directly from your dashboard using BPAY. Security and regulation Traditional banks are Authorised Deposit-taking Institutions (ADIs), so deposits are protected by the Financial Claims Scheme (FCS), a government guarantee of up to $250,000 if the bank was to fail. With Zeller, customer funds are held in a segregated account at a fully-regulated, authorised Australian bank. Zeller also maintains strict compliance protocols, and uses advanced encryption, fraud monitoring and multi-factor authentication to keep your business finances secure. For many modern businesses, the benefits of speed, flexibility and innovation make this a smart, secure, and trusted alternative to traditional banking. Customer support Zeller offers 24/7 customer support via phone, email and SMS – so whether you need help setting up your account, have a question about a transaction, or are sorting something urgent during tax time, you can speak to someone when it matters most. Unlike many traditional providers, support isn't limited to business hours or ticket-based systems, you’ll speak to a real human with experience in supporting Aussie businesses. Suitability for your business type Every business is different. The right account for your business should suit your operating model, whether you're client-facing, retail-based, or remote. For example: Sole traders/freelancers often prioritise ease of use and low fees Growing businesses typically look for multi-user access, cards, and integrations Retailers/tradies frequently find POS and EFTPOS integration can make a huge difference International traders need strong FX capabilities and multi-currency accounts. Real-world examples: who should choose what? Not every business needs the same thing from their transaction account. Here are a few common scenarios to help you match features to your business type. Tradie on the road Zeller’s mobile-first setup, SMS invoicing and no-branch model means you can quote, invoice and track payments without ever setting foot in a bank. Freelancer with local clients Zeller gives you all the essentials with no monthly cost, plus faster access to funds to keep your cash flow healthy. Import/export business Wise and Airwallex make more sense here, with multi-currency accounts and competitive FX. Zeller does not currently offer multi-currency accounts yet, but has plans to do so in the future. Brick and mortar retailer Zeller integrates with EFTPOS and provides detailed sales tracking across channels. How to open a business account in Australia. Opening a business account in Australia is fairly straightforward, but exact requirements can vary slightly between providers. Here’s what to expect. In most cases, you’ll need: – A business name – An ABN or ACN – An industry type – Personal ID (driver licence or passport) – Business contact details – In some cases, business structure documentation (e.g. partnership agreement) With Zeller, the process is 100% online and takes just a few minutes. No paperwork. No queues. Just fast onboarding and instant access to your transaction account and cards. Managing your business account effectively. Once you’ve opened your account, here are a few tips to help you get the most out of it: Separate personal and business spending so your bookkeeping is cleaner and reconciling transactions is easier come tax time. Use categories and tags to track expenses by type – this helps you understand where your money’s going and identify areas to reduce spend. Review reports monthly to spot trends, catch anomalies, and stay on top of cash flow. Set up automatic payments to ensure bills, wages and subscriptions are always paid on time. Stay on top of GST and BAS by regularly exporting your records, so you’re never scrambling at lodgement time. Zeller makes all this easy, with built-in notes, digital receipts, auto-categorisation and integrations that connect your financial activity directly to your accounting software. So, which account is right for your business? The best business account depends on your priorities, but if you're an Australian business looking for a modern, mobile-first, all-in-one platform that’s free to use, integrates with your tools, and helps you manage everything from invoicing to spending, Zeller offers a strong alternative to the big-4 Australian banks. A Zeller Business Transaction Account is fast to set up, simple to use, and purpose-built for how Aussie businesses operate.
Love it or hate it, Black Friday is here to stay and if your business is taking part, you’ll be tapping into the $6.7 billion that is set to be splashed over the Black Friday–Cyber Monday weekend this year—a 4% increase on last year’s figures. Black Friday—falling on Friday 28 November, 2025—has become the unofficial start of Australia’s Christmas shopping season. In recent years, it has evolved from a single day into a full sales period, with many retailers launching promotions as early as 18 November. With Australians spending at record levels, now is the time for retailers to make sure they’re set up to capture as much of that demand as possible. To help you prepare, we’ve put together 8 Black Friday strategies to maximise your success during the year’s busiest sales weekend. 1. Give your customers FOMO Black Friday shoppers expect to see limited-time deals. By giving them a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out), they’re much more likely to buy immediately instead of waiting or shopping around. Similarly, if customers think stock is limited or the deal is exclusive, the perceived value increases, even if they weren’t planning on buying right away. FOMO reduces the time a customer spends comparing or overthinking. They’re less likely to abandon their cart if they feel they might lose the deal. Ensure your website and/or your store clearly communicate urgency. Use messaging like: “Ends at midnight”, “Only 24 hours left”, “Only 12 left at this price”, “Selling fast—over 500 sold today.” You could also use countdown timers on your website or on your social media. Learn how to add a countdown timer to your Instagram story here . Just be aware that if you advertise a limited-time offer, you are legally obligated to honour it under Australian Consumer Law (see point 7 for more on this). 2. Create deals without discounts Get creative with your Black Friday offers. If your margins are tight, you don’t have to rely on blanket discounts to drive sales, you could try bundles, tiered deals like “Buy More, Save More,” hourly flash sales, mystery boxes, or limited-edition drops that create excitement without reducing prices. Focus on your best-sellers or high-intent products to maximise conversions, and don’t be afraid to test different formats throughout the weekend to see what resonates with your audience. Pair every offer with clear urgency (see above) to encourage shoppers to act quickly. 3. Offer Buy Now Pay Later options Many customers use Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales as an opportunity to tick off their entire Christmas shopping list. While it’s a big outlay for just one weekend, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) programs like Afterpay, Zip, and Klarna make it more manageable by allowing customers to spread payments over weeks or months. This flexibility encourages shoppers to buy more than they might with a single upfront payment, helping businesses increase basket sizes, and sell higher-ticket items. Ahead of Black Friday weekend, speak to your payment provider about integrating a BNPL option to your online or in-store sales. With Zeller Terminal , setting up Afterpay is straightforward. Simply follow the steps to offer Afterpay card payments with Zeller Terminal here . 4. Offer early access to subscribers If you already have an email database, make the most of it in the lead-up to Black Friday by giving subscribers early access to your offers. Exclusive previews not only drive anticipation but also reward loyal customers. If you run a loyalty program, consider offering bigger discounts to your VIP members or inviting them to an after-hours, invite-only shopping event. These personalised perks create a sense of novelty and recognition—and the more valued your customers feel, the more likely they are to make a purchase. 5. Ensure your checkout is optimised If you run an online-only store, your website will make or break your Black Friday performance. With higher traffic expected, speak to your web developer ahead of time to ensure your site can handle the surge. Even a few seconds of slow loading—or friction in the checkout process—can quickly translate into abandoned carts and lost revenue. The same principle applies in-store: your payment experience must be fast, reliable, and friction-free. Slow EFTPOS machines, limited card acceptance, or high transaction fees can lead to frustrated customers and reduced profits. Zeller Terminal accepts all cards—including American Express and China UnionPay —for one low flat fee of 1.4%, and you can enable surcharging for a fee-free solution. Zeller also gives you built-in backup. If you realise you need extra terminals to keep up with demand, you can turn your phone into an EFTPOS machine. Simply download Zeller App and enable Tap to Pay . It takes minutes to set up and could save you thousands in missed sales if queues start forming. 6. Boost your customer support More customers mean more customer service — so it pays to be prepared. Whether that’s rostering on additional staff, updating and expanding the FAQ section of your website, or integrating a chatbot to handle common queries, planning ahead helps you stay ahead of the rush. The smoother and more responsive your support experience is, the easier it is to keep customers happy throughout the Black Friday weekend, reduce pressure on your team, and prevent small issues from turning into lost sales. 7. Avoid false advertising Although you might be tempted to extend a limited-time offer if you’re flooded with sales, this would constitute false advertising under Australian Consumer Law. It pays to understand what your legal obligations are ahead of time, so that you can steer clear of unlawful advertising. Businesses cannot falsely claim “site-wide” or “store-wide” sales, if not everything is on sale. You also cannot state “up to X% off” promotions if only a handful of products reach that discount, and you cannot use “was/now” strikethrough pricing that isn’t supported by a genuine previous selling price. Retailers also shouldn’t create a false sense of urgency through misleading limited-time offers or hide important exclusions and conditions in fine print. The ACCC actively monitors Black Friday promotions and can issue infringement notices and significant penalties for breaches. While consumers are entitled to refunds for faulty products, retailers may set conditions on change-of-mind returns during sales periods provided these policies are clearly communicated. Ahead of Black Friday weekend, ensure you have updated the returns policy on your receipts. With Zeller, you can quickly change the information that appears on receipts from either your Zeller Dashboard or directly on Zeller Terminal. Learn how to customise your Zeller receipt setting here . 8. Follow up after purchase Black Friday shouldn’t just be seen as a one-off sales event—it’s also an opportunity to capture new customer data and turn one-time shoppers into repeat buyers. For online stores, this is straightforward, as customer information is automatically collected and stored in your CMS. For bricks-and-mortar retailers, it requires a bit more creativity. Encourage customers to join your mailing list or follow your social accounts by offering a small gift or extra discount, run a competition requiring an email entry, or use QR codes at the point of sale to collect contact details. With Zeller, you can add a custom image to your receipts or terminal screensaver featuring a QR code that links to your newsletter signup or Instagram account. By making it easy for customers to engage at checkout—when they already have their phones out to pay—you create a frictionless way to build a valuable database of engaged customers. This enables you to follow up with targeted offers and promotions long after Black Friday has ended.