Karl Alderton, the founder and managing director of Norwich-based telecoms company, Comms Supply, an EDP Future50 company, has hit out at other suppliers in the business telecoms sector. He is calling for all suppliers to pass on recent wholesale telecoms price reductions to their existing clients.
Wholesale telecoms costs have dropped three times during the past 18 months. The first two reductions were in landline to mobile call costs. These were triggered by Ofcom, the independent regulator for the UK communications industries, capping the cost of mobile termination rates. Ofcom introduced a staged plan to reduce costs which will conclude by 2015. The most recent wholesale reduction is in physical line rental.
Increased competition amongst the biggest players within the industry is also bringing about improved access to advanced technologies and cost efficiencies. For example, Talk Talk, Vodafone (who have recently taken over Cable & Wireless) and BT Wholesale are pushing hard against each other, particularly in the area of leased lines. Leased lines, or Ethernet services, allow data to be transmitted over a direct fibre ‘pipe’ from a client’s office to an exchange and have, historically, been too expensive for smaller businesses. With the big three players making major advances in this technology and making it available to smaller businesses, leased lines are becoming a cost effective option for more and more organisations.
These price drops, technological advances and efficiencies have saved business telecoms suppliers significant amounts of money across their client contracts and yet the vast majority of suppliers have not passed any savings on to their existing customers.
Comms Supply has passed all their wholesale savings straight on to customers and will be making a further reduction in charges on 1st September 2013. This means that customers will see the third reduction in their monthly bill in less than two years.
“I’m sure that many business owners would say that my decision to reduce our potential profits by passing on wholesale price reductions to customers is a foolish one,” says Karl Alderton. “But I set up Comms Supply with a very public commitment to treating my customers with respect and being open and honest in the way we operate. If I didn’t pass on these savings to customers then that promise would be completely meaningless.”
“I’m incredibly frustrated by the widespread business practice of offering new customers a special deal or reduced rates to tempt them in,” continues Karl. “In my view, existing customers deserve the very best service and prices we can provide. That’s the only way we will secure their loyalty and have the opportunity to stay with them as their businesses grow.”
Comms Supply launched in early 2012, providing customers across East Anglia – and beyond – with a range of business telecoms services: from basic phone or broadband line rental to complete systems. The company has invested heavily in developing new technology including a hosted solution which provides a cost effective and efficient option for businesses of all shapes and sizes.
Comms Supply’s open and honest approach has been well-received by customers. The company reached an annual turnover of £1million in June this year and has more than doubled its workforce in the past 12 months.
To find out more or to arrange a free business telecoms audit please call 0333 2020 900 or visit www.commssupply.co.uk.
ENDS
For more information please contact:
Amber Davis at Plain Speaking PR 01603 487 291[email protected]
