Going Digital Rebate

The Going Digital Rebate is a Government tax incentive that takes the financial sting out of trying new technologies. The rebate or generous tax deduction could cover some of your costs of purchasing software and digital technologies as well as related advice and training to digitally transform your business.

Why the contribution is important

What businesses told us: "I know I should be using more digital tools to tranform my business but I need a good reason to change and there’s never a good time to stop everything to try something new. I also wonder if the disruption to my entire business is worth it."

 

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Add comments: Would you use this? How might the concept be improved? What are the positive or negative features of the idea?

 

by smalldigbizteam on January 31, 2018 at 12:54PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 3.8
Based on: 11 votes

Comments

  • Posted by kenny February 03, 2018 at 10:50

    Great idea... as there will be some business interupption and this may help lesson the blow whilst learning how to best incorporate and fund training as well so that its change management and true embeded implementation

  • Posted by Iain February 05, 2018 at 10:51

    Good idea, just costs money! That said, I think it's worth spending money on, maybe just need to convince others this is the case.

    Could we accompany this with helping direct people towards free digital tools? Web based email, Wikipedia, open source software, all of these could be very valuable for businesses.

  • Posted by Jillllll February 05, 2018 at 11:29

    Businesses already have an incentive to adopt digital technology - cost savings and productivity gains. This approach does not address the lack information about digital technologies and their potential uses that some businesses report. Need to address information gap before throwing subsidies around.

  • Posted by Jillllll February 05, 2018 at 12:57

    Also, this approach assumes that digital technology is an OTS solution when it often isn't. For example, AI isn't an OTS solution. It requires in-house data scientists to build and train algorithms. Designed in this way, the rebate would be more likely to support the uptake of ICT than digital technologies.

  • Posted by DebraAnders0n February 09, 2018 at 21:45

    I agree with Jilllll the incentives of efficiencies should be enough....plus it's already tax deductible. There is so much free online training already available - you can't get much better than free.

  • Posted by KarenP February 13, 2018 at 14:44

    As a start up business that transforms businesses from paper to digital, we find that when speaking to potential clients, their main issue is that "off the shelf" products are either too complex, expensive, time consuming to implement or only solve part of their problem. While customisation is their preferred solution (which includes personalised training and support,) they have difficulty in committing the funds required.

    A grant would certainly make it more enticing to small to medium businesses to digitise, not to mention create employment for us start ups. karen - 152hq.com

  • Posted by Mack February 14, 2018 at 13:50

    The inhibitor for SMEs is the upfront capital required to invest in digital technologies. I would lean more towards a zero or low interest loan scheme so the government is less out of pocket (then from a tax deduction).
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