Starting out in business is both an exciting and challenging experience for everyone with opportunity and risk at every step of the journey. Whether a one person, micro or small business, you need to be aware of your options, retain flexibility and minimise costs to give you the best chance of success at all times.
As communication of voice, text and data, is the lifeblood of any business then obtaining expert advice as early as possible will ensure you make the correct choice of technology and telecoms to suit you and avoid those expensive mistakes or consequences that you may later regret.
Some typical early decisions for example ;
Telephone Number – what does it say about you ?
A mobile number – you are always working on other people’s premises ; you have no premises of your own ; you cannot afford or will not commit to a landline number ; you do not care that it is more costly for your customers to contact you ?
An STD landline number – you are a local business ; you have a local number but it is not the same STD code as your customers ; it is/is not a memorable number ; it is fully/not portable should you change business premises ?
An 08XX non geographic number – you are a regional or national business of no obvious location or size ; your customers may be able to call for free (0800) or at local cost (0845) or at a higher rate (0870) ?
Location – what are the consequences ?
Home – use your home telephone number for business as well ( but what about private calls and how stop calls out of business hours ? ) ; add a business line and number ( cost to install and min 12 month rental commitment ? ) ; put business calls over broadband ( an additional cost but number fully portable ? ) ; use an 0845 routing service ( points to home number at small cost but local number preferred ?)
Office – how portable is my number should I decide to move premises in future ? ; how many lines and numbers are needed now and in future ? ; are/will be available ? ; and at what cost and for what length of commitment ?
And then there is the correct choice of Technology , Mobile telephone , PC, Website, email address etc etc !! You do not need to know everything yourself, only that
Calling me for free advice and guidance whenever you want will be a smart way to start !
