Communications systems along with reliable internet connectivity have been pivotal in ensuring business continuity for companies across Sussex and Surrey in 2020. There will be small businesses who have leant on their provider for support and advice to ensure that staff can make and receive calls from home along with access to additional business systems.
In our latest blog post, we discuss the benefits of working with a local telecoms company, after all, Keytech Networks are a local telecoms provider in Horsham, West Sussex looking after many small businesses who depend on having a reliable VoIP system and broadband to run their organisation.
1. Build a relationship
Working closely with your telecoms supplier over the next few months is going to be important for you to get the most from what your system can do for you.
Be really clear on what you need and how it needs to work for the business. Talk to your existing supplier to see if they can facilitate that, if however, that isn’t possible then it may be time to search for a new supplier who can help your business.
At the time of writing in November 2020, every small business needs to be considering a VoIP solution to allow flexibility for their staff- lets not just consider working from home but working from almost anywhere is now distinctly possible. You just need the right solutions in place to make that possible and of course and internet connection!
Relationships are key in business, it goes without saying and it is applicable in almost any business scenario especially when you buy locally…over time you start to build a relationship with your supplier.
Telecoms is no different and this is something that we feel strongly about here at Keytech Networks. We network locally, we have personal connections locally along with our professional connections and ultimately, they are all linked. As the saying goes, ‘People buy from People’.
This is a positive situation that will benefit both the telecoms provider and the customer which creates a great platform for that working relationship.
With so many choices now for businesses when it comes to choosing a telecoms provider it can be extremely difficult for them to choose the right platform but equally choosing the right provider to support their business needs.
Buy Local where you can!
2. Support
As with any type of technology, issues can arise unexpectedly so should anything ever go wrong, you need to know that help is on its way. In some cases, an engineer visit will be required to resolve the issue and it is in moments like that a local presence begins to pay dividends.
Many technical challenges with cloud systems can be resolved via a centralised web portal, normally controlled by the telecoms provider but let’s face it sometimes an engineer is required for any onsite challenges and if you are based on the South Coast and your supplier is based in the North-West, you might be waiting a while for an engineer…!
Customer service is key and support plays a huge role in the overall service provided and the word relationship comes into play, work with someone local, build that relationship and they will look after your business.
3. Develop trust
To coin a BNI phrase, the Like, Know, Trust formula applies. Trust has to be earned and is generally achieved by delivering on the following:
- the project brief within the timeframe required.
- providing honesty throughout the buying process
- being there for the customer should a problem arise and getting it resolved swiftly
- taking an interest in the customers business success by delivering a quality product/ service that will help them succeed
Do you trust your current supplier to look after your business needs?
Trust is a huge part of how we do business here at Keytech Networks, starting from the initial meeting, commercial setup through to the ongoing relationship. We love to help our customers!
4. Referral opportunities
Working with local suppliers also has the potential to provide local referral opportunities. It becomes much easier to recommend a local supplier on so many levels:
- Meet them face to face
- Get to know them professionally and personally
- Develop mutual connections
Plus, you never know which mutual connections you may have, especially if you attend local networking events or there is a local company you are keen to work with.
Those type of opportunities are very difficult to create when the geographical reach
5. They are your local telecoms provider after all…
Without stating the obvious here, surely it is better to work with a telecoms provider who is on your doorstep rather than the opposite end of the country?
In our experience we have seen lots of examples over the years where small local businesses are simply being billed by a telecoms company.
They have no relationship with them, they have no idea what their point of contact’s name is as they change every couple of months and then we find out they have never actually met anyone from that company.
By working with a local telecoms provider you can trust, such as Keytech Networks, your business will stand a far greater chance of benefitting from the adoption of cloud technologies.
Pick up the phone today to find out more!
