Feature

Orange has plans for the small business …

Orange has announced three new business tariffs – aimed specifically at three identifiable customer segments: sole traders, small businesses (typical up to ten employees), and “medium to larger enterprises” with up to 249 people. This seems to echo the characterise-a-customer thinking that last year produced the controversial ‘animals’ tariffing for consumers, albeit without the creatures.
Instead we have Orange Solo, Orange Venture and Orange Momentum, “recognising that every business has communications needs which are as unique as they are” and organised to “allow business customers to choose the best value services for their specific business requirements”.
 
Orange argues that the operators haven’t got their propositions right (including, presumably, its own previous offerings) and are overselling complex ‘value-add’ bundles and services that companies in this sector don’t need.

Orange Solo includes Orange Care (replaces lost, stolen or faulty handsets within 24 hours) with simple minutebased price plans at £30, £35 and £40 per month (400 to 800 free minutes) with 50% extra minutes for 24-month contracts. There’s also a promotional offer with a free data allowance of 1Mb, 2Mb and 3Mb respectively. Orange Venture is again a fairly simple minute based tariff with flatrate sharer fees, with seven price points with bundles ranging from 275 to 3,400 minutes. There’s also a clutch of Orange Business Additions to further fuzz the picture, though usefully they include unlimited calls between sharers. And there’s a three month promotional offer of unlimited off peak calls to landlines and Orange mobiles. And there’s an extra 20% of minutes for 18 month contracts and 40% for 24 month contracts. Simple enough for you? Prices range from £28 to £165 per month.

Orange Momentum is a similar minute based mix -- nine price points to get the tariff closer to the user’s actual calling pattern. Price points range from £155 for 2,500 minutes to £3,000 for 45,000 minutes. Orange Business Additions include unlimited calls and texts between sharers to allow colleagues to communicate freely. A three month promotional offer of up to 25% extra minutes or unlimited calls to other Orange mobiles is available on longer contracts.

“We recognise that Britain’s small and medium businesses are not a homogenous group and have developed a range of new tariffs to respond to their individual needs,” said Martin Lyne, recently appointed Director of Small Business at Orange UK. “Designed to span the work life blur faced by many small business owners we hope Orange Solo and Orange Venture can offer our customers a communications package that enables them to live life on their terms. We see Orange Momentum playing a key role in ensuring that larger enterprises are always connected and, regardless of staff calling patterns, are not hampered by cost.”

Orange is going to be pushing hard for the SME market for the rest of the year. It is promised a number of new products for the sector, including a range of add on workstyle bundles. Orange’s principal high street stores are acquiring trained business advisors. And regional competitions allow Orange customers to win £1,000 worth of free advertising.
Orange has plans for the small business …

Orange has announced three new business tariffs – aimed specifically at three identifiable customer segments: sole traders, small businesses (typical up to ten employees), and “medium to larger enterprises” with up to 249 people. This seems to echo the characterise-a-customer thinking that last year produced the controversial ‘animals’ tariffing for consumers, albeit without the creatures. Instead we have Orange Solo, Orange Venture and Orange Momentum, “recognising that every business has communications needs which are as unique as they are” and organised to “allow business customers to choose the best value services for their specific business requirements”. Orange argues that the operators haven’t got their propositions right (including, presumably, its own previous offerings) and are overselling complex ‘value-add’ bundles and services that companies in this sector don’t need.

Orange Solo includes Orange Care (replaces lost, stolen or faulty handsets within 24 hours) with simple minutebased price plans at £30, £35 and £40 per month (400 to 800 free minutes) with 50% extra minutes for 24-month contracts. There’s also a promotional offer with a free data allowance of 1Mb, 2Mb and 3Mb respectively. Orange Venture is again a fairly simple minute based tariff with flatrate sharer fees, with seven price points with bundles ranging from 275 to 3,400 minutes. There’s also a clutch of Orange Business Additions to further fuzz the picture, though usefully they include unlimited calls between sharers. And there’s a three month promotional offer of unlimited off peak calls to landlines and Orange mobiles. And there’s an extra 20% of minutes for 18 month contracts and 40% for 24 month contracts. Simple enough for you? Prices range from £28 to £165 per month.

Orange Momentum is a similar minute based mix -- nine price points to get the tariff closer to the user’s actual calling pattern. Price points range from £155 for 2,500 minutes to £3,000 for 45,000 minutes. Orange Business Additions include unlimited calls and texts between sharers to allow colleagues to communicate freely. A three month promotional offer of up to 25% extra minutes or unlimited calls to other Orange mobiles is available on longer contracts.

“We recognise that Britain’s small and medium businesses are not a homogenous group and have developed a range of new tariffs to respond to their individual needs,” said Martin Lyne, recently appointed Director of Small Business at Orange UK. “Designed to span the work life blur faced by many small business owners we hope Orange Solo and Orange Venture can offer our customers a communications package that enables them to live life on their terms. We see Orange Momentum playing a key role in ensuring that larger enterprises are always connected and, regardless of staff calling patterns, are not hampered by cost.”

Orange is going to be pushing hard for the SME market for the rest of the year. It is promised a number of new products for the sector, including a range of add on workstyle bundles. Orange’s principal high street stores are acquiring trained business advisors. And regional competitions allow Orange customers to win £1,000 worth of free advertising.