Jola Cloud Solutions' Blog

2016 is set to present greater challenges for operators who will need to work harder than ever to keep their customers.

According to YouGov the SIM-only market has tripled in size over the past five years. Customers are holding onto handsets for longer and opting to provide their staff with customised call, text and data SIMs depending on their needs. With offers in the marketplace changing so quickly they are opting to be completely flexible rather than committing to 24-month handset and airtime contracts. 

We don't all have the luxury of large marketing budgets with dedicated or outsourced specialists on the payroll, however there are 5 marketing activities we can all do, to help generate more business. They don't take much time, are low-cost and can be very effective at generating new business.

1. Manage your data

Keeping your customer database up to date is essential. Having up to date contact information has obvious benefits, however adding key information such as products bought, renewal dates and details of conversations and visits, highlights future potential revenue such as upgrade, re-sign and cross-sell opportunities.

Anyone in the recurring revenue business that tells you they are 100% channel-only is mistaken. Friends, family, legacy start-up customers, end-users of resellers that have gone bust – even the most exclusive of channel suppliers has them. This doesn’t mean they’re not to be trusted. There are companies, like Jola, that were set-up specifically to serve the channel and there are others that started with direct customers and decided later on to sweat their assets and build volume through wholesale. Most companies that understand and are ‘invested’ in the channel are unlikely to deliberately or carelessly allow their channel credentials and reputation to be questioned.

Start-ups

It is often quoted that 50% of new businesses will fail within five years. To quote Steve Jobs, “I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.” So while there are a few must-have ingredients such as customer demand, products that work as they should and good customer service, there are also a few general strategies to ease you through those difficult early months and years. 

Jola Partners rarely spend money on traditional marketing, prefering to communicate with customers and prospects directly online. We have identified three of their best habits used to win with customers online - both prospective and existing.

1. The truth will out

You have to be honest about what you are doing. If you are selling don't pretend you are having a conversation, as people will always smell a rat. Great marketing is built on truth and the truth will always out. Customers will make up their own minds. You have to listen to the online conversation and often endure it. It is nice when customers give you a glowing reference but sometimes you need to see and hear the negative and address it.

2015 was a surprisingly good year for small businesses. What opportunities will 2016 bring?

In 2015

The economy was one of the strongest in the G7
Despite the headwinds of fiscal austerity and collapsing commodity prices, Britain remains one of the fastest growing large economies in the world. The latest OECD forecasts put Britain level-pegging with the USA at 2.4 per cent real annual GDP growth, creating a robust environment for business growth.

Having a below-average connection speed can affect productivity. If you are tired of taking an unnecessary amount of time out of your day in order to load web pages or you just want to pre-emptively avoid having slow connections, then here are some tips to speed up your internet connection.

Partnering with the voice and data channel means we get to work with a lot of entrepreneurs. They are usually straight-talking, candid individuals that have a passion for their company, customers and staff. Jola Partners are unapologetic about calling me up on evenings and weekends and the conversations we have are often as much about our businesses as they are about customers and products. Working everyday with entrepreneurs is inspiring and I always encourage people thinking about starting up on their own to consider the business communications sector (and to partner with Jola).

It is Christmas week. Many of us are packing up our suitcases and getting ready for a well-earned Christmas break. Those running their own businesses will pack their laptop and keep an eye on their emails often with the odd complaint from a family member.

Here are a few pointers to help you get started.

How much do you want to spend on a new smart phone?

The cost of flagship phones seems to increase year on year however if you don’t need the latest model you may find you can purchase a good smartphone for around £150. If you do have a big budget you could consider top of the range show-stoppers like the iPhone 6S or LG G4 however there are some great models like the 4G-enabled Motorola Moto E (2015) available at the fraction of the cost.