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How to resolve AdBlock issue? Thryv helps SMEs deal with business challenges systematically
By Leon Gettler, Talking Business >>
SMALL BUSINESSES are excited entering 2026 but they’re aware of the challenges that lie ahead.
Thryv Australia and New Zealand has been supporting the small business economy in Australia and helping them navigate the complexities of marketing and growing their business.
Thryv is taking the pulse of small businesses and the challenges they are facing in 2026, like staffing and service, and the opportunities like artificial intelligence (AI).
That’s across tens of thousands of businesses and they’re diverse – from physios, to accountants to dentists to plumbers.
Elise Balsillie, who heads Thryv in Australia and New Zealand said AI is a big trend right now. 
“Earlier on this year, there were a lot of small business owners that were a little nervous about AI and what was happening in the industry but from a small business perspective, it really has changed the narrative,” Ms Balsillie told Talking Business.
“It’s giving small business the opportunity to have a marketing department, or to have a comms department, or even just help them give confidence in things like giving a review online or responding to a review that a client’s left them.
“They can use some of those AI tools to make sure that it sounds professional, that it’s got a good tone and they are responding in a way that they’re comfortable with.
“So AI is changing the game and really allowing those small businesses to compete with some of the bigger ones.”
Staffing remains a real issue
Ms Balsillie said while a lot of small businesses wanted to grow, there were issues with getting the right staff to drive forward.
“Finding good quality staff is a real challenge for them,” she said.
She also said a lot of small business owners now recognise that service matters now more than ever before.
“They’re being hit from all angles, whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp. They’re getting phone calls, text messages, emails,” Ms Balsillie said.
“There are so many channels their customers are communicating with them on, that really that volume of noise of service requests coming in is really getting overwhelming for some small businesses.
“So they’re definitely looking at ways to manage that communication flow.”
Eliminating non-productive tasks
Ms Balsillie said a lot of business owners were now sitting back and evaluating the amount of time they spend on non-productive tasks in their business.
“Being a small business owner is really hard,” she said.
“You’re doing your invoicing in the evening, you’re quoting in the evening, your dining room table is your pseudo-office, your passenger seat in your car is an office while you are out and about on the road during the day,” Ms Balsillie said.
“So small business owners are really starting to sit back and think, what is the toll that it’s taking and really putting a price on their average hours that they’re working and really starting to understand the amount of non-productive hours, non-customer revenue facing hours that they’re spending in their business and really giving them an opportunity to look for help.
“Because, I think, there is more and more noise from more and more channels out there for business owners and I think giving them ways to free up that time is important.” 
Hear the complete interview and catch up with other topical business news on Leon Gettler’s Talking Business podcast, released every Friday at www.acast.com/talkingbusiness
https://shows.acast.com/talkingbusiness/episodes/talking-business-1-interview-with-elise-balsillie-from-thryv
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