Cut Business Costs without Cutting Your Business Line

One of the greatest expenses when running a business is that of the business line rental. It is a cost which can often put increased strain on the budget, particularly for smaller businesses. However, one does not have to live with this extreme concern on a monthly basis. Nowadays there are alternative methods one can employ to reduce the cost of the business line rental.

Reducing phone costs without changing service providers

The majority of people may recommend you switch your service provider in order to get a cheaper line rental rate.  While this is an option it is not always available to those tied into long-term contracts.  Furthermore, people who are happy with their current provider would rather remain on the current contract. Should this be the case one can look at other ways of cutting costs. Some options are listed below.

- Utilise free web calls wherever possible.  By using online services to call people will save you the cost of the call on the land line.  Services like Skype and other VOIP services have free options when calling different users and certain numbers.  In many cases when you do have to pay for the call you will find that the cost is lower than landline rates.

- Know the peak times.  You may think peak times are set, but they are not.  Different providers list different peak times and you should know when they are.  By knowing this you will be able to time your calls in the off peak hours when call costs are cheaper.

- Put down the phone and redial.  This is a strategy you should use for long calls in your free call times.  While most providers will state that all calls after a certain time are free, there is a restriction.  The length of the call will be taken into account and if the call exceeds a certain length it will be charged.  This time limit varies from provider to provider so you need to find what your provider has, it is usually 60 minutes.

- Have mobile users call you back.  If you have an inclusive business line rental you should note that calls to mobiles are generally not included.  However, free mobile minutes include calls to landlines so if you need to talk to someone on their mobile have them call you.

- Removing the special features on your line like caller ID and voicemail will save you money.  Many providers charge you for these features if you do not meet certain terms.  The terms generally include a number of chargeable calls made using your landline.  Certain numbers will not be classed as chargeable so know which ones they are.

- Check the package details carefully.  Unlimited anytime calls are often included with line rentals but they are more expensive.  By being creative with your calls may result in you not paying this extra cost.

- Pay the business line rental fee via direct debit.  If you pay through a different method you are probably being charged extra fees.  Direct debits are sure not to have additional fees. 

Save money with the right business line rental deal

If you find that you have to change your provider or package, there are some great money saving options available.  These packages can be divided into three main categories.  The first is deals that offer cheap rental costs.  The second is deals where you have to pay upfront.  The last category is bundled line rentals and broadband.

The cheap line rental costs option

Business line rental does not have to be expensive.  There are many providers who offer cheap line rentals.  Of course, there are a certain aspects which you should take note of when looking at these deals.  The first is that these cheap deals generally don't include any special call rates such as free weekend calls or free off peak calls.  You should also look at the length of the contract you will have with the provider as most contracts are a minimum of 12 months. 

While the majority of cheap rentals do not have inclusive calls some do and these should also be looked at.  This should not be a deciding factor, but if you actually use your landline you should consider them.  Make sure that the inclusive calls fit your lifestyle as this is what will make them worthwhile.

The paying the fees upfront option

One way that service providers make business line rental cheaper is through an upfront payment.  If you are able to pay 12 months of line rental upfront you will actually save quite a bit. Of course this is not an option for everyone as the large payment can seriously affect your bank balance.  However, if you do choose this option you should contact your service provider and see what they are willing to offer if you pay upfront.  It has been shown that with BT you are able to save around £40 by paying upfront instead of monthly. 

You should also consider the risks that are involved with alternative.  The first risk is that the cost will not be less than monthly payments.  It has been seen that not all providers offer discounted rates and you may end up paying the same amount overall.  Another risk you have to be aware of is that you will not be able to claim a refund should the provider you use go bust.

The bundled line rentals and broadband option

Getting a phone and broadband bundle can reduce the cost of your business line rental.  While not all service providers have bundles that include the line rental, there are some that do.  One part of the small print that you should be aware of with these bundles is how you are paying the line rental.  Many of the bundles require the line rental to be paid upfront or the special rate will not apply. 

You should also consider what you will be receiving in the way of broadband.  If the broadband part of the bundle does not meet your user needs then you should consider another provider or alternative.