Thousands of small UK businesses are unknowingly being locked into expensive, long-term finance deals for phone equipment like VoIP phones – and it’s expensive. A recent BBC investigation has revealed that many are being charged “grossly inflated” prices through what experts are calling “unethical” sales practices.
For many business owners, these contracts aren’t just frustrating they’re also financially crippling. Some report paying thousands for equipment worth a fraction of the cost, often misled and locked into leases of five to seven years with no exit options. For small businesses, this can mean the difference between surviving and not.
The problem often lies in the fine print. Companies are offering what seem like straightforward phone system upgrades without clearly explaining the financial commitments involved. Once signed up, businesses are discovering they’ve agreed to lease agreements that are far more expensive than originally thought.
If you’re a business owner, it’s more important than ever to double-check what you’re signing. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, shop around for offers and walk away if something doesn’t feel right.
At a time when every penny counts, no business should be dragged down by unfair contracts, especially for something as essential as VoIP and broadband. Our prices are some of the lowest around, and our contracts range from just 12 to 24 months for extra flexibility.
bOnline CEO Anthony Karibian said: “We operate in an industry that has been ripping off our “small business heroes” in so many ways for too long, taking advantage of the fact that they don’t have the time nor the expertise to review contracts. This is why we want to reach out to as many small businesses as possible to show them there is a better option with our honest pricing, solid product and great service.
Our rule of thumb for any small business owner is to NEVER sign a long-term contract, ie. beyond 24 months because you always want the option to exit soon if things don’t work out. It may be good for the provider to lock you into a long-term contract but it gives you no benefit or leverage to demand better service or prices and keep your provider honest.
That’s why at bOnline we sell 12 month plans (and occasionally 24 month contracts) with deep discounts. However, we never offer longer-term contracts to our “small business heroes” as it won’t benefit them.
We know how small business owners rely on phone lines to run their business, and letting them down whether on products, support or price (as in this case) without the option to switch can devastate their livelihoods and the families they support.
We are proud that we don’t behave like so many of our rogue rivals, and are committed to staying focused on delivering an amazing service at honest prices. We are also committed to lobbying Ofcom for more protection for small businesses with an outright ban on telecoms contracts over 24 months.”
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