Website Name: YCV Business Telecoms
Website URL: www.ycvbusiness.com
Name: Shahid Ahmed
City: Birmingham
What is your website / business about?
We offer VoIP telephone systems to small business start ups who require the full functionality of a modern communications infrastructure but who cannot afford to purchase one outright due to the substantial investment needed.
Our systems are more affordable in terms of initial investment and are to a large extent future proof with VoIP rapidly overtaking fixed line telephone systems in the UK telecoms market.
Tell us about the development of your business and website. Where the idea came from, how long did it take and so on?
We were running a small eBay business selling mobile phone accessories. The demand increased to such an extent that we were receiving phone call after phone call with people wanting more information on products or wanted to order straight away.
This was all good and well until our line became so busy we actually started losing business from customers who could not get through.
This is when we started a search for telephone systems. We contacted BT and a few other well known suppliers and each gave quotations ranging from 2000 pounds upwards for a basic system which would keep customers on hold and in a queue.
We carried out additional research and found YCV Business Telecoms who also installed telephone systems and we were surprised by the very low price of the system yet it had all the features we required.
A sales agent provided further details on VoIP and how the technology uses a typical broadband connection to make calls instead of a traditional BT line. The cost savings could potentially be significant.
The eBay project was still producing positive results, but with mobile accessories the margins were very low. We were able to locate a page on the YCV internet business website which provided details of how to become an accredited business partner.
This essentially involved starting a business specifically for this avenue of operations.
I concluded that there are probably many small businesses in the market that want to grow but due to financial limitations, are barred from such large expenditure purchases of technology equipment.
To begin with we joined the free partner programme where we were given one off commissions for clients we brought in.
The program was free and so enabled us to explore whether this was something we could do successfully.
We started advertised to friends and family and we completed approximately 10 sign-ups in our first month, which was above our expectations.
After seeing such positive results we went onto the YCV reseller programme which provided recurring monthly commissions instead of one-off payments. Although there was a small fee for joining, we were reasonably confident that we would be able to cover this cost.
After 9 months we are still a member of the resellers’ scheme and have managed to secure a good monthly income which continues to grow as we add more clients to our portfolio.
The main focus of the operations is now on marketing the benefits of the technology to small businesses and start-ups who can most appreciate the cost savings.
What are the most rewarding aspects about your business / website and do you think it was worth the effort?
The rewarding aspects are being able to help small businesses get off the ground and become established enterprises.
We have always wanted to work for ourselves but have really struggled to find a product which had very good potential. Most small businesses need good telecommunications features like the ones we offer in order to grow and be taken seriously in the consumer world.
Where would you like your business to be in five or ten year’s time?
We would like to move up to the next reseller level whereby we actually white label the products as our own. This programme would grant us full control over our customers and allow us to really begin to market our own business rather than YCV Business Telecoms as we are currently doing.
Selling the products under our own name is something we really want to aim towards as then it will really become a separate business with our own clients. Also the margins are even more attractive.