Work Wise Week: Flexibility and the small business

gallery

Call centres

But access to files is not the only part of the story. VoIP also offers SMEs the ability to route voice calls to employee's homes. Duncan Miller, director at voice and data communications company Inter-Tel says that travel agency Freedom Direct, based in the North-East of England has used VoIP products from his company to connect its call centre staff from around the UK, and even as far as Australia, to its customers.

Not only has this allowed staff to work from home it has other benefits for the SME.

"IP-based communications systems also reduce costs for SMEs, as it is carried out over the internet rather than having to run up huge bills with landlines," says Miller. "Many SMEs are managing to reduce costs and drive efficiency through the versatility of VoIP, whether it's allowing employees to work from home or to connect multiple offices or sites together. VoIP is an enabling technology which is providing serious business benefits."

Flexibility led to small business start-up

For some, it was the desire to work flexibly that led to them setting up their own small business.

"One of the reasons I wanted to work for myself was to get away from the inflexible working practices of larger organisations that I had previously worked for," says Steve Bellerby, director of utility management consultancy Smith Bellerby. "I use to spend hours travelling to and from work, all of which was wasted 'dead time'."

He says that using Blackberry devices and T-Mobile web'n'walk laptop cards has resulted in an increase in productivity for him and his small team of analysts.

"With our flexible approach to working, my team and I can work from home or in transit. As a result, our working day isn't as long as it used and I think as a business, we are much more productive and efficient," he says.

Email to a friend

Print this page