Choosing telecoms providers

In a connected and modern world, choosing telecoms providers can be difficult. With so many different providers promising different things and all offering different products, choosing one can be a task.

But with 83% of small and medium-sized businesses agreeing that phone and broadband services are vital to business, it’s important to choose the one that fits your business and its needs.

1. Reliability

   If your services go down, your business could be severely hampered. Choose a provider that has efficient customer service and a dedicated faults team, so you know you’re in good hands should something go wrong.

2. Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

   SLAs are a commitment between a service provider and a customer, and it details the obligations and responsibilities of the provider to its customers. An SLA will outline service downtime and support expectations. A high SLA is a 99.9% SLA and, the higher the SLA percentage, the better service you’ll receive.

3. Customer Service

   Checking the provider’s Trustpilot score or Net Promoter Score is always a good start if you want to dig deep. You also need to check the hours that the customer service teams work fit the hours of your business. Some providers offer a dedicated fault desk, and some operate 24/7/365 customer service support so it’s essential to check that the support you’ll receive will match your business needs.

4. Value for Money

   Although keeping within a budget is imperative in business, the cheapest option isn’t always the best choice. Rather than looking at the overall cost, look at what additional extras you’re getting within the final price. Some providers offer free routers, free cybersecurity software and more so be mindful to look for the value in your offer.

5. Choice

   Having a choice of options is crucial to a business wanting to take out multiple products. However, it’s not just a choice of products that’s important the choice of networks is also essential. Choosing a provider that has strong relationships with the major vendors and networks ensures your business will get the latest technology at the best prices.

6. Flexibility and Scalability

   Contracts are often a minimum of 12 months long with most telecoms providers, so choosing one that has flexibility and scalability is important for businesses looking to grow. Equally, it’s as important if you think you might have to scale down your operations over the contract length. Choosing a telecoms provider that allows flexibility as well as scalability could save you a significant headache if your business plans change.

7. Range of Products

   Most businesses require a broadband connection, a phone line and a mobile phone. Still, it’s easier to deal with from both a service and financial perspective if all your telecoms are with a single provider. Choosing one that has solutions you need now, as well as ones you might be interested in in the future makes things easier for you when it comes to bills and finance management. Plus having already built a relationship with the provider, it’ll help when it comes to investing in a new solution.

8. Security

   Cyberattacks and fraud are rife amongst businesses, but some providers offer protection against cybercrime. Choose a provider that offers free protection on its solutions and can meet your regulatory requirements.

9. Customisation

   All businesses are different and have different needs, so your telecoms provider needs to offer customisation and options in its solutions to meet your business requirements. They should be able to select products for you and bundle them together in a reliable, secure and stable offering.

10. Account Management

    Some telecoms providers assign businesses of a specific size with a dedicated account manager. This gives businesses one point of contact for all their issues and queries, allowing you to focus on running your business rather than finding the right person to speak to. Also, some providers offer online account management, making it easy for businesses to access their bills, process payments, add bars on their accounts and much more.