It’s Business Time at Neighbourly

It’s Business Time at Neighbourly

After encouraging neighbours to connect with one another, New Zealand's first free and private neighbourhood website is urging local businesses to join in on the community spirit too.

Neighbourly.co.nz has launched its much anticipated business platform today after a successful trial in five major Auckland suburbs.

The platform enables businesses to boost their community profile by creating a free listing in a local business directory which supports communication and engagement with people living nearby.

Neighbourly co-founder Casey Eden says that neighbourhoods thrive when local businesses are well supported.

“We believe that strong local businesses help build strong local communities,” he says. “When you choose to ‘go local’, resources remain in your neighbourhood. When neighbours work together both relationally and financially, our communities become better connected and experience a greater sense of wellbeing.

“We know our members are really interested in their local business community but often struggle to find out who might be able to help close by, while many businesses want to effectively reach those who live around them. The business platform aims to close this gap.”

The Business Directory also allows members to give local businesses a star rating and write recommendations to endorse the service or product.

“The ability to read reviews is often the push a potential customer needs to try out a business for the first time,” says Eden. “Knowing it’s a business your neighbours like gives you confidence to give them a go too, and recommendations encourage honest two-way communication between businesses and neighbours.”

Eden says the beauty of the business platform is that it’s totally customisable depending on what members wish to see.

“If you’re only interested in specials from restaurants or want to stay up-to-date on local pilates classes, you can” he says. “Members can choose to follow particular businesses that take their fancy or if they’d prefer not to have any business interaction at all on their Neighbourly noticeboard, they can turn off business posts altogether.”

Eden says the business platform is in stage one with more features being released over coming weeks.

To view the Neighbourly business directory or create a free listing, log into Neighbourly and select the ‘Business’ tab. To set up your own business on Neighbourly, visit www.neighbourly.co.nz/business-apply.

ENDS

© Scoop Media