INSIGHT
Five reasons to go faster
Why ultrafast matters
Considering ultrafast broadband but still not quite convinced? Here’s five things your business is missing out on.
Entering the internet fast lane is a no-brainer for businesses that want to stay ahead of the competition.
The recent IDC white paper, The Road to the Digital Future of SMEs, paints a worrying picture of UK SMEs’ approach to digital transformation, finding 45% of SMEs view IT as a necessary cost rather than a driver of competitive advantage.
It warns, “UK SMEs run the risk of not having the right ICT infrastructure or internet connectivity and therefore cannot take advantage of the opportunities in a data-driven world. From Voice over IP (VoIP) to accessing the Cloud, the benefits of flexible working, improving digital marketing and enhancing customer experience mean that reliable, high internet connection speed is a necessity for the future.”
We couldn’t agree more, so let’s look at IDC’s five benefits of ultrafast broadband a little bit closer:
VoIP
VoIP turns voice into data which is sent over the internet, leading to savings on phone bills. It also creates the foundation for the adoption of next-generation technologies and helps organisations leverage investment in new communications technologies.
And what does that mean? Businesses can stand out from the competition in an increasingly competitive marketplace. In short, VoIP can future-proof your business.
The cloud
The IDC white paper notes that a fast internet connection is a ‘necessity’ in order to enjoy the benefits of the Cloud. Using the Cloud makes collaborating easy because teams are free to work from wherever the job takes them. The Cloud is also cost efficient in terms of maintenance and upgrading. As usage is generally pay-as-you-go, it can lower IT costs; that’s a win in our book.
Plus, cloud apps like Office 365 and Dropbox for Business are designed to help you make the most of your greater connectivity. Using them means you’re getting access to the same high-quality software as much bigger competitors.
Flexible working
The IDC white paper found that getting the right staff is the second biggest challenge for SMEs. And facilitating flexible working can give businesses an advantage in attracting and retaining the best talent. In fact, the Harvard Business Review recently reported that 45% of employees would accept a lower paid job with a choice of device over a higher paid job with less flexibility.
A fast, simple, secure connection is essential for staff to seamlessly access the corporate network whether they’re at home, on the road, or at the office.
Digital marketing
With a fast internet connection, marketing opportunities that were previously only enjoyed by large corporations with deep pockets are now available to SMEs. The IDC white paper says that previously, “Only large organisations had the financial clout to invest in huge IT estates to drive efficiency and innovation. Today cloud technologies make similar IT firepower available to SMEs.”
More speed equals more clout, regardless of business size. It means you can dive into digital marketing benefits like social media, live-streaming, uploading videos, and sharing content, faster and more efficiently.
Customer Experience
IDC says, “There is substantial room for improvement when it comes to digital customer experience, particularly among very small companies.” Encouragingly, larger SMEs proved adept at updating websites on an ongoing basis, providing online support and interacting with customers via social media, all of which require the support of a fast internet connection. Speedier broadband means happier customers.
That’s five reasons to go faster. So, what are you waiting for?
Find out more about unleashing your business with Business Broadband.
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