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| Surviving the Credit Crunch – How SMEs Can Weather the Storms Under the Current Economic Climate by GoHello The Credit Crunch, escalating inflation and long term economic gloom have left many SMEs struggling to manage their overheads. GoHello, the ALLmobile telephony system for businesses, is saying it's not all doom and gloom. By proactively using advancements in technology, businesses can reduce costs and achieve long term improvements and productivity that will remain in place even after the storm blows over. Developments in technology, combined with the ubiquitous nature of broadband and mobile phones, have changed the way in which business is done, enabling increased flexibility, mobility and cost savings that will make it easier to get through these tougher times. So here are some ideas on what you can do… Encourage Flexible Working The logistical nightmare associated with remote and mobile working is now a thing of the past. It couldn't be easier to set up broadband access, PCs and web-based phone systems from the home. Your staff will appreciate the flexibility and it will mean greater cost-effectiveness and efficiency for your business. Get Rid of Unnecessary Hardware What is the point in having a separate fax machine, scanner, printer and copier when you can have an all-in-one multifunctional device? Likewise expensive phone systems and CRM software can be replaced with easy to use web-based and ALLmobile alternatives, offering the same functionality at much lower prices. Disconnect Landlines With corporate mobile tariffs currently such good value for money you're better off reducing the telephony duplication and getting rid of landlines that sit idle on the desk for most of the day, with minimum charges still payable for each line rental. BT isn't a charity – you don't need to keep donating! Beware of False Cost Savings Cutting overheads is all about finding the clever IT alternatives, and not compromising on quality. Apparent savings can cost an arm and a leg if the quality is so poor that you need to replace your systems, or pay for costly engineer time on finding work-around solutions. VoIP is a prime example. It's meant to be cheap but costs the earth in engineer time, new broadband connections and you still end up saying 'I can't hear you. I'll call you back from my mobile'. Finally Re-evaluate your Contracts Of course your usual telephony suppliers will want to tie you into inflexible long term contracts – they're trying to make a profit too. But don't commit to paying for 1,000 mobile minutes a month if you'll only use 200. Long-term binding investments, like buying a new PBX or leasing a new phone system for 18 months, are not sensible given the up-and-down nature of the economy. At GoHello we believe that what seems like a good deal now could cause money hemorrhaging, losing staff and even closing a business in 6-12 months time. We operate on a rolling monthly contract with all customers, allowing their telecoms solution to be flexible to the needs of their business without making a long-term financial commitment. The cost of our service is also flat-rate, meaning that there is no need to ration usage of the service and as it is web-based it doesn't need a technical support team, or ongoing maintenance. We understand that SMEs have enough to worry about, particularly with the credit crunch, so we do our bit to make sure that your telephony service is not one of these concerns and can enable all of the above and more. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Computing News :: home page |