Buying a mobile phone for business use is quite simple but the consequences of signing up to the wrong deal can be costly. Here are a few points to consider when looking for a mobile phone contract for your business.
Mobile phones have been around for a while now and most people will be familiar with the options available when buying a mobile phone for personal use – the contract or pay as you go dilemma, the various monthly subscription options and so on.
Buying a mobile for business use is very much the same but the consequences of opting for the wrong deal can be significant. Not only will you need a service which is reliable but when you consider how much more you will be using a business phone it is essential that you get the best deal.
Why Opt for a Business Mobile Deal?
Some small business owners might think it’s not worth having a dedicated business mobile deal when they already have a personal mobile but they could be missing some great deals. All the mobile operators have handsets and tariffs aimed specifically at small businesses; and because a business will usually spend a lot more on calls than a typical personal customer will, the packages offered will usually reflect this in lower charges per minute and more bundled extras.
Which Mobile Deal is Best for Your Business?
When comparing deals it is important to remember that all businesses are different and their individual needs will often vary significantly. For instance, if you have a few staff and need mobiles so that they can keep in touch with the office or each other then a deal which offers free group calls will be ideal. However, if you are a contractor and need to phone other business mobiles or to keep in touch with your staff on-site then you will often be better off going for a deal which offers the best cross-network deals.
The time of day when most calls are made is also a factor to consider. For most businesses these will be during office hours but if you run a business where people are working out of hours or at weekends then consider whether any free minutes apply to these times too?
International calls can also have a significant impact on your monthly bills. If you or your staff are likely to be using phones abroad then check what the roaming costs will be and whether there are any offers specifically aimed at international travellers.
Overall, finding the best mobile tariff for your business will be a case of getting the balance right and finding a monthly package where this balance is tipped in the favour of the way you work.
What Kind of Mobile Technology Will You Need?
As with personal contracts the deal is often sweetened with a choice of handsets and technology options. If you are likely to be sending or receiving a high number of emails then a Blackberry type phone may be ideal.
Be careful to check on the charges for data transfer and whether there is an allowance included in the deal. Sometimes the bundled deals look attractive but low data limits are soon exceeded and the additional costs can be quite high.
However, if you will be mostly making voice calls then a deal which provides a choice of basic handsets might offer the best value? The latest advanced features may seem like a tempting offer but you could, if you are not careful, be encouraging your staff to use features which are less productive.
Mobile Broadband
If you conduct much of your business over the internet then a mobile broadband deal may be worth considering? This is usually sold separately and the mobile operator will provide a dongle or USB antenna which connects to their network when attached to a laptop or netbook. The transfer speeds can be quite impressive and the service is particularly useful when traditional Wi-Fi coverage is poor or unavailable.
Look for special deals which include a high monthly allowance or low per MB data transfer costs. Most operators offer deals where a free laptop is included in the deal but these often represent poor value and the ‘free’ laptop could well cost a lot more than buying one separately?
Be sure what you need before looking for a mobile deal
As you may already be aware when buying a mobile phone for personal use it can be easy to get caught in the sales pitch and be saddled with a deal which is not ideal. Having a set requirement will also enable you to make a simple comparison of what the costs are likely to be over the long term and avoid the temptation of being swayed by short term offers and sophisticated sales talk.
Business Mobile Networks
- Vodafone Small Business – a dedicated small business service aimed at one-man bands, home businesses and firms with up to 9 employees with small business voice call plans, email and BlackBerry services and mobile broadband for business use.
- Orange for Business – great offers for small businesses including unlimited texts and land-line calls, Orange care mobile phone insurance and dedicated business customer support.
- T Mobile Business Mobile – a range of mobile deals especially for small businesses including Business Unlimited with free calls and texts for just £20 per month.
