Setting Up Communications for Start-Ups

Setting up a business can be costly. Whilst business communications are a necessity in this day and age, the cost of setting up a new office can quickly spiral out of control. On the one hand, start-ups tend to have limited capital to spend setting up their communications. On the other, they need to have decent equipment in order to operate efficiently and effectively. Thankfully, however, there are a number of budget-friendly ways that start-ups can get the technology they need to run a successful business. In this post, we will look at some ways in which start-ups can set up their communications on a budget.

Finance

Finance gives start-ups a way to get the technology that they need whilst being able to spread the cost with manageable monthly payments. The great thing about finance is that businesses eventually enjoy full ownership of the equipment once the repayments are complete. However, a business will need to pass a credit check in order to be eligible to purchase their equipment on finance. Some new businesses struggle with this due to a lack of credit history, but for those that are successful, this can be a great way to build good credit providing the repayments are made on time.

Leasing

It can sometimes be difficult for new businesses, without a credit history, to obtain finance. In these cases, leasing is a more viable option. Although leasing is often still subject to credit checks, it can be easier to pass for a lease agreement than a credit agreement. Leasing is essentially like renting the equipment from a communications provider. Much like finance, the cost of leasing is spread out into manageable monthly payments. However, unlike finance, a business will never enjoy full ownership of the equipment that they lease. Despite this, leasing does have its own advantages. When a business leases their equipment, they will be able to upgrade their equipment and benefit from the latest technology every few years at little or no additional cost. And, lease payments are often much lower than finance payments too.

Cloud communications

Cloud communications are a modern alternative to on-premises solutions. Businesses can have both their desktops and phone systems hosted remotely in the cloud by a specialist provider. Although this is relatively new technology, it is surprisingly well suited to small businesses and start-ups. The great thing about cloud communications, for start-ups, is that there is no initial capital outlay involved. Instead, the service is paid for as an ongoing monthly charge. This charge includes the hosting as well as all ongoing maintenance and support. Businesses using cloud communications benefit from high-end technology at a fraction of what it would cost to implement a similar on-premises solution. Cloud communications providers also upgrade their servers every few years, which ensures that their customers benefit from the latest technology. Another reason why cloud communications are so attractive to start-ups is that it allows them to avoid employing technical IT support staff, since all maintenance and support is carried out by the provider. As such, small businesses can reduce their costs significantly by choosing cloud communications.

In sum, those setting up a new business naturally worry about costs spiralling out of control. However, there are a number of options available – including telecoms finance, leasing and cloud communications – that offer start-ups a way of obtaining the technology they need on a limited budget.