Do You Work Directly or Indirectly With Your Telecoms Supplier?

The UK telecoms market has been deregulated for the best part of 25 years now and there is what seems like an infinite amount of choice as to how you buy your standard telecoms services ...

The dominant names are still the likes of BT, Virgin Media and TalkTalk and each has a residential and a business division. So, let's look at the all-important business sector. As a business, especially with 10 or more employees, you need to stop thinking like a residential customer.

"You are in a different league now!"

Business services and agreements offer a higher Service Level Agreement (SLA) than a residential contract. That's the first thing. Second to that is who do you want to supply you with the services? Do you go direct or indirect?

Direct means you pick up the phone to, or email one of the major companies directly and depending on the size of your company, you may get a representative out to you or just a phone call or email back to discuss your requirements.

In my vast industry experience, you could wait in a 'queue' for hours or even days to get a response. On the plus side, the pricing will be good. On the minus side, when you get a fault or need in-depth technical help for the equipment that was sent in the post, for you to set up, then the real cost of you or someone in your business spending what could be hours on the phone will become apparent.

Buying your services indirectly instead, through either a larger private company that has a sales team and engineers out on the road or better still, a local independent business that specialises in technology (such as myself) means a prompt service with flexibility on advice, pricing and implementation of the required services for your business.

Buying indirect also usually means that your business is left to your daily work, while the independent supplier deals with the networks through their own channel and deliver the same products and services without you having to make all the phone calls.

"The plus side is that you get personal service and usually, tailored advice!"

There are literally 100s of independent Telecoms and IT companies out there so let me add this: ensure that any telecoms supplier you choose is keeping up to date with industry standards, methods and knowledge of cybersecurity as well as the day to day Telecoms and IT services.

If in doubt, get an independent audit on your systems to check for any gaps in your infrastructure and seek out the right expertise.

If you feel inspired to find out more then do call me on 07555 807700 or leave a comment below and I'll be in touch as soon as I can.