Russ Wheeler has launched tariffsupermarket.com with simple objectives: To give business users quick and easy online access to the best deals at any moment during contract lifetimes.
His goal is to offer the best value whether you’re a light, medium or high user of voice, text or data on fixed and mobile networks in the UK.
That’s the theory. Putting it into practice took time: “The challenge was packaging all the information together so users could search for the parameters they needed efficiently such as number of handsets, minutes available, preferred contract term etc,” says founder, Russ Wheeler.
“Once we got the technology right we spent a lot of time making sure all the content on the site was focused on helping our users get the best deal possible for their businesses.”
Uniquely different from other price comparison sites, suppliers have been invited to offer their solutions and services via tariffsupermarket.com. Selecting those suppliers has been based on key criteria - customer care experience, trading history and ability to meet or exceed customer’s expectations on both service and pricing.
Customers simply access the site and search its extensive database covering all major mobile and fixed network operators to compare the latest and best deals on multiple connections and business package services.
“Using the Internet to research new suppliers and buy new products and services has become an essential tool for business users,” says Wheeler.
“In uncertain economic times looking for ways to reduce business costs quickly is even more important. tariffsupermarket.com takes the time element out of the equation by offering a platform where you compare the UK business mobile phone and landline markets in less than 30 seconds, guaranteed.”
Wheeler’s mission is simply to supply business customers with the cheapest telecoms solutions in the UK without the need to compromise on service.
“I have witnessed massive change on pricing in the 15 years I’ve spent at board level in telecoms services. tariffsupermarket.com is further change to a market place saturated with dealers and networks selling the same type of products, with the decision making generally boiling down to price in the first instance. I believe you won’t find cheaper telecom offerings anywhere in the UK,” says Wheeler.
Preferred suppliers for mobile solutions include SCS Network Services and on the fixed network side Greystone Telecom and AdEPT Telecom.
Ian Fishwick, managing director of AdEPT Telecom, says: “There is absolutely no doubt in our minds that the sheer quantity of tariffs available in the market must be absolutely mind-boggling for businesses.
There is a very clear role for a web-site that is dedicated to cutting through the confusion and clutter to find the very best tariffs that are available. On behalf of everyone here at AdEPT Telecom I wanted to say how pleased we are to have been selected to work with TaiffSupermarket.com.”
tariffsupermarket.com also contains a great deal of high quality editorial content featuring tips and advice on how to get the best new deal from a supplier and how to gain the edge in negotiations with existing suppliers when its comes to the end of your contract. The site also offers advice on the wide array of devices available in the market to help you match your business needs with the kinds of features on offer.
“It’s a confusing market out there,” says Wheeler. “And we went on a mission to explain and then make sure our users get the best deal available.”
And he’s putting his money where his mouth is too. According to Wheeler, if a customer can’t save money by using tariffsupermarket.com, he will give them a year’s free line rental if they change supplier via the site, subject to some conditions.
“We know we are cheaper than anyone else so customers can be guaranteed to save money but if they can’t, I’ll let them have a year’s line rental for nothing.”
Paul Leonard, Managing Director of SCS says: “Dealing with tariffsupermarket.com for mobiles you can be assured that behind the scenes you are dealing with SCS, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of mobile communications. Our involvement means that although this is a new and unique concept that our track record of supplying quality products and services from the best networks will continue.”
It has taken Wheeler around 18 months to get the site right, both from the perspective of building a highly scalable platform, capable of dealing with thousands of customer enquiries, and the unique algorithms required to search all tariffs and multiple connections in the market.
By developing an online model with freephone support and customer care tariffsupermarket.com is able to keep its overheads low and pass on savings to its clients. The company is also proud of its low carbon footprint as it does not have sales staff on the road.
Wheeler passionately believes the time has come for change in the market for telecoms services. He questions the present drive by certain network operators to create more direct relationships with customers connected through dealers. “This is creating further confusion with the customer, who do they deal with, network or dealer? I don’t think it’s too difficult to work out the networks end games. ” says Wheeler.
“Typically, customers get hammered every day by direct sales calls about renewing or changing their service providers and this can be both frustrating and time-consuming for managers. We have created a significantly improved environment for customers giving them greater choice, price transparency and an information portal dedicated to bringing customers quality editorial about this rapidly changing and competitive market.”