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Help! What is RSS and how do I subscribe?Mobile - bind or benefit to SMEs?
By Simon Lawrence, 24th April 2008 at 7:42 am
Mobile communications - bind or benefit for business owners? I believe it’s a double-edged sword. Yes, being able to stay in touch with the office while out and about is now crucial to businesses, however being contactable all the time means there truly is nowhere to hide! And as this mobility is now a necessity for businesses, the current market for telecommunications is an increasingly noisy place.
So how can the big telco brands compete in such a saturated marketplace? What do they need to know to keep their businesses relevant in the digital age? And most importantly do they really know what makes the SME market tick?
(First off) I’m a business owner, hello. I’ve got a Blackberry and it goes everywhere with me – yes that’s right my name’s Simon and I’m a ‘Crackberry’ addict. Thinking back to when I made that step into the world of mobile communications, I wasn’t approached by a service provider, oh no, I was the one that went running around researching the best deals. Where were the service providers when my business was at the stage to make the commitment? There is a dearth of relevant mobile business offerings, which explains why I am now a “Crackberry” addict as this brand is the exception.
My decision wasn’t based on price of course, it was also dependent upon my experiences with my personal mobile service provider, and the history I’ve had with a handset manufacturer. For example I wouldn’t have gone with a business comms provider if I had poor reception at home, it just wouldn’t have made any sense. Likewise if I have had a bad experience with a certain manufacturer of handsets, I wouldn’t decide to sign up with that brand again, simply because the speed and ease of using a handset is all important to me.
So to all those telco brands out there who want to tap into the lucrative, but under-serviced, SME sector here is your check list; know what makes us tick, don’t call us during the day (as that’s when we’re most busy), consider our personal experiences and demonstrate to us that you know our businesses and our business needs. There is nothing more frustrating than speaking to a salesperson that clearly has no idea about your business while expecting you to be bowled over by them.
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Hi,
I read very carefully your post.. What would you think of a service embedded on your mobile phone (no need to change your mobile phone, no need to change operator) giving you the features of a professional PBX on the mobile,integrating it into your company communication system? This means that your mobile works with your office number AND mobile number, and you decide what number displays when you call. You also decide where and when calls are redirected, according to your needs, that change during the day. It also allows you to call your colleagues on their intern number and to transfer a call from your mobile, but with your office number being displayed. This solution has also the advantage of a big cost reduction, since mobile calls are transformed into fix calls, at the rate of the fix network.
The solution (SoLo) has been created and commercialized one year ago, but has been communicated only to a restricted community (Avaya Business Partners). It is now being developed and should work with the blackberry in 2 months.
Your feed-back would be greatly appreciated!
Comment by Claudia Faltys — May 15, 2008 #