Small firms 'baffled' by mobile comms

A quarter of SMEs are struggling to make effective mobile communications purchasing decisions

Small businesses are "baffled" by an increasingly bewildering array of complex mobile communications packages, new research has claimed.

A third of small business managers responsible for mobile communications have not reviewed their company's mobile costs for two or more years.

This is despite 36 per cent believing that they pay too much for mobile services, according to YouGov research commissioned by T-Mobile.

The survey found that a quarter of SMEs are struggling to make effective mobile communications purchasing decisions because they do not understand enough about mobile technology, and a fifth find price plans too complex to understand.

Lack of flexibility, international call costs, poor customer service and lack of tailor-made plans were all cited as frustrations with current mobile communications packages.

The survey also asked about the mobile technology that SME managers consider to be a 'must have' in order to stay ahead of the competition.

Surprisingly, internet-enabled mobile phones were the top choice (24 per cent), followed by virtual private networks (22 per cent), Wi-Fi hotspots (21 per cent), BlackBerrys (20 per cent) and satellite navigation (20 per cent).

"As with all costs that businesses face, mobile communications plans should be reviewed on a regular basis," said Derek Williamson, head of business marketing at T-Mobile UK.

"However, as with many decisions relating to technology, it can seem a daunting process and is often delayed or even ignored despite the impact it can have on the bottom line."