Ben
16th October 2006, 11:40 AM
[Press Release]
* New Small Business Plan from £22 per month; with free calls to
company phones, email for a fiver and 25% extra minutes until 1st May
* New content and services for small businesses delivered through
mobile, web and
funded TV programming
Vodafone UK today announces a new price plan and services to support and inspire Britain's growing small business community, heralded by the first showing of THE BIG IDEA - a unique business TV series created by Vodafone and Sky to search for the next great British business idea (Sky One: 9pm, October 15 2006).
Vodafone UK's own research* shows that just under 33% of the UK population is considering setting up a start-up company in the next five years - findings which are in line with figures from DTI, which show there were an estimated 4.3 million business enterprises in the UK at the start of 2005, with that number set to increase to 10 million in the next five years.
Kyle Whitehill, director of enterprise for Vodafone UK, comments: "The growing entrepreneurial spirit in the UK is something to be celebrated. It is vital that companies like ourselves take a lead in helping to fuel this growth by serving the needs of this increasingly diverse sector with a focused, dedicated approach."
In response, Vodafone UK is pioneering a new commercial approach for small businesses, of which THE BIG IDEA is one core component:
* Small Business Plan, launch today, is a new price plan (starting at
just £22 per month, see notes to editors for details) that has been designed to let small businesses do business as easily and as cost effectively as
possible:
- Inclusive calls: companies with more than two handsets benefit from
free calls between company mobiles and company landlines, at no extra charge
- Customers in 18 months contracts can add mobile email for £5 per
month
- Regular price plan reviews: customers receive one free price check
per year, with new and existing customers receiving their first price check after six months, and annually thereafter
- Extra minutes: customers in 18 month contracts will receive 25%
extra free minutes - for life
- Freedom to switch price plans regularly
- Dedicated business support, with 'same advisor' routing and no
voice-recognition systems
* Vodafone UK's new approach for small businesses also comprises a
suite of online and mobile Internet services, providing access to useful business information in a variety of ways and redefining how Vodafone engages with Britain's aspiring small business community:
- www.vodafonesmallbusiness.co.uk/resource (also reached via
www.thebigidea.tv) is an extensive web site featuring practical information for small businesses, products and services, discussion forums and expert opinion. In addition, the site will allows viewers of THE BIG IDEA to engage with the show's celebrity mentors and contestants.
- A dedicated mobile site, launching today, also contains a new range
of exclusive small business offerings including a free Any Business Questions service, tools for businesses to set up their own mobile site, a Virtual Investor game and tools to help with SMS and MMS marketing. To access the portal, text IDEA to 84321.
* THE BIG IDEA is UK's largest-ever search to discover the next great
British invention or business idea, with the winner receiving a start-up fund of £100,000 to execute their business plan. The mentors on the show are Ruth Badger, Craig Johnston and Lord Karan Bilimoria.
Whitehill continues: "We are transcending the traditional commercial model for this sector and providing an accessible platform for the small business community to engage and communicate with us. THE BIG IDEA provides that access point, but it doesn't just start and end with the programme. Our new price plans and content services are just the start of a host of great ideas for small businesses that we will be rolling out over the coming months and years. "
Vodafone UK already has the largest market share of UK business customers and continually invests in serving the needs of the small business community
- including dedicated 'same advisor' customer service, hassle-free porting of numbers, simple-to-understand international tariffs (Vodafone Passport) and a 24 month manufacturer guarantee scheme. Further initiatives planned over the coming months include a 60% increase in retail business store presence and an 85% increase in dedicated business advisors, with more innovative concepts to be announced in 2007.
In addition, from today Vodafone UK is also refreshing its existing Sharetime price plan for larger SME business customers. Building on the existing Sharetime offer of free calls to company mobiles and landlines, Sharetime Plus, combined with Vodafone Office 2 Mobile, now adds free calls from company landlines, completing a compelling 'free company call' offering that is unique from UK mobile operators. For more information visit www.vodafone.co.uk/mobileworking.
For more information on all of Vodafone UK's services for businesses please visit www.vodafone.co.uk/business.
* New Small Business Plan from £22 per month; with free calls to
company phones, email for a fiver and 25% extra minutes until 1st May
* New content and services for small businesses delivered through
mobile, web and
funded TV programming
Vodafone UK today announces a new price plan and services to support and inspire Britain's growing small business community, heralded by the first showing of THE BIG IDEA - a unique business TV series created by Vodafone and Sky to search for the next great British business idea (Sky One: 9pm, October 15 2006).
Vodafone UK's own research* shows that just under 33% of the UK population is considering setting up a start-up company in the next five years - findings which are in line with figures from DTI, which show there were an estimated 4.3 million business enterprises in the UK at the start of 2005, with that number set to increase to 10 million in the next five years.
Kyle Whitehill, director of enterprise for Vodafone UK, comments: "The growing entrepreneurial spirit in the UK is something to be celebrated. It is vital that companies like ourselves take a lead in helping to fuel this growth by serving the needs of this increasingly diverse sector with a focused, dedicated approach."
In response, Vodafone UK is pioneering a new commercial approach for small businesses, of which THE BIG IDEA is one core component:
* Small Business Plan, launch today, is a new price plan (starting at
just £22 per month, see notes to editors for details) that has been designed to let small businesses do business as easily and as cost effectively as
possible:
- Inclusive calls: companies with more than two handsets benefit from
free calls between company mobiles and company landlines, at no extra charge
- Customers in 18 months contracts can add mobile email for £5 per
month
- Regular price plan reviews: customers receive one free price check
per year, with new and existing customers receiving their first price check after six months, and annually thereafter
- Extra minutes: customers in 18 month contracts will receive 25%
extra free minutes - for life
- Freedom to switch price plans regularly
- Dedicated business support, with 'same advisor' routing and no
voice-recognition systems
* Vodafone UK's new approach for small businesses also comprises a
suite of online and mobile Internet services, providing access to useful business information in a variety of ways and redefining how Vodafone engages with Britain's aspiring small business community:
- www.vodafonesmallbusiness.co.uk/resource (also reached via
www.thebigidea.tv) is an extensive web site featuring practical information for small businesses, products and services, discussion forums and expert opinion. In addition, the site will allows viewers of THE BIG IDEA to engage with the show's celebrity mentors and contestants.
- A dedicated mobile site, launching today, also contains a new range
of exclusive small business offerings including a free Any Business Questions service, tools for businesses to set up their own mobile site, a Virtual Investor game and tools to help with SMS and MMS marketing. To access the portal, text IDEA to 84321.
* THE BIG IDEA is UK's largest-ever search to discover the next great
British invention or business idea, with the winner receiving a start-up fund of £100,000 to execute their business plan. The mentors on the show are Ruth Badger, Craig Johnston and Lord Karan Bilimoria.
Whitehill continues: "We are transcending the traditional commercial model for this sector and providing an accessible platform for the small business community to engage and communicate with us. THE BIG IDEA provides that access point, but it doesn't just start and end with the programme. Our new price plans and content services are just the start of a host of great ideas for small businesses that we will be rolling out over the coming months and years. "
Vodafone UK already has the largest market share of UK business customers and continually invests in serving the needs of the small business community
- including dedicated 'same advisor' customer service, hassle-free porting of numbers, simple-to-understand international tariffs (Vodafone Passport) and a 24 month manufacturer guarantee scheme. Further initiatives planned over the coming months include a 60% increase in retail business store presence and an 85% increase in dedicated business advisors, with more innovative concepts to be announced in 2007.
In addition, from today Vodafone UK is also refreshing its existing Sharetime price plan for larger SME business customers. Building on the existing Sharetime offer of free calls to company mobiles and landlines, Sharetime Plus, combined with Vodafone Office 2 Mobile, now adds free calls from company landlines, completing a compelling 'free company call' offering that is unique from UK mobile operators. For more information visit www.vodafone.co.uk/mobileworking.
For more information on all of Vodafone UK's services for businesses please visit www.vodafone.co.uk/business.