In this #TechinThree episode, Dan Greenall explains why you need to review your business’ mobile contract, and then how to do it.
Growing businesses are constantly changing. That’s why reviewing your business mobile contract at the end of a 12, 18 or 24 month period is extremely important.
But where do you start? Is it simply a case of looking for the best price?
In this #TechinThree episode, Dan Greenall explains why you need to review and then a simple two-step approach to doing it.
For reference, here’s a still of this week’s whiteboard!
Video transcript
Hello and welcome to another edition of #TechinThree
In this episode I want to discuss why you need to review your business’ mobile contract when approaching the end of the 12, 18 or 24 period, and then tell you how you can do it.
So, why do you need to review?
The first reason is to understand if the network you’re on is right for you. It’s all well and good having mobile reception at your workplace, but the whole point of a good business mobile is to be contactable wherever and whenever. Field-based staff, in particular, shouldn’t have to struggle to make or receive calls when out on the road.
The next consideration is data allowance because when it comes to a mobile – one size rarely fits all. Everyone has different roles and responsibilities, and these can often change during the period of a contract. Some people make lots of calls and are constantly on the web, while others may only use their smartphone sporadically. Think: are your staff regularly exceeding your data or call allowance?
Next, we come to handset practicality.
Where someone works and how they travel can make a big difference to their preferred handset.
iPhones might be fine for those that work at a desk, but as you probably know, they are very easy to smash. So people that think their mobiles could get damaged, such as engineers, should be provided with a more robust handset. Whilst people that regularly travel by train and carry documents to meetings might prefer a lightweight handset.
You have to consider your employee’s role.
Next, consider functionality. Some handsets offer features that may be particularly beneficial to certain users. iPhones, for example have a dictation feature which converts the spoken word into text, ensuring users can create text quickly and hands-free; whereas other smartphones offer longer battery life or higher quality cameras.
And, last but certainly not least we come to cost. You need to shop around to be able to save money on your fleet of mobiles. But doing this also allows you to find a contract that is a better ‘fit’ for your business, which will mean that you’re less likely to overspend.
So, how do you review? Well there are two basic checks to do before automatically renewing a contract.
Firstly, check your bills. Doing this should show whether your data, call and text allowances are meeting your needs. If you find you’re regularly exceeding your allowance, then you might need to invest in an all-inclusive tariff, which will help save you money in the long run.
If you discover some individuals are heavy data users, check if they actually need an increased data allowance, or whether they’re actually wasting it on non-important things. If it’s the latter, then you may need to reinforce your company mobile policy.
Also, if you find that you’re regularly replacing handsets because they’re not ‘fit for purpose’, then you need to assess whether more robust handsets are needed. Alternatively, you might need to put a policy in place where staff pay for their own replacements.
The second part of your review is getting staff feedback. Naturally, everyone will want a newer or better handset, but it might not always be in your best interests.
To get constructive feedback, ask staff the following four questions:
- Do you regularly experience problems with poor mobile signal? Make sure you ask them where this occurs so that you can find the best alternative.
- Is your current mobile call/text/data allowance sufficient? If not, ask them to state what they tend to use it for and make a judgement call.
- Are there any features your current handset doesn’t have that would help you do your job better? If yes, ask them to state what functionality they require and why that would assist the business.
- Is there anything you would like to draw attention to, with regards to the company’s mobile phones?
Once you’ve done your review and got you’ve got your feedback, plus you know you’re budget, its then time to shop around.
It’s recommended to compare three providers, including your existing one and an independent one, and then weigh up the pros and cons.
Once you’ve chosen a provider, they will do the rest for you.
So I hope that has helped explain why you need to review your business’ mobile contract and how to do it. Don’t forget that there is also the option of SIM-only deals which might be better suited to your organisation.
But that’s all for this episode.
Join us again next time for another #TechinThree.