Carphone Warehouse launches business drive as UK consumer market ‘matures’

Carphone Warehouse is launching a multi-million pound push to net UK small business customers as it looks to develop alternative revenue streams as the consumer mobile market “becomes more mature.”

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The telecoms and retail business is targeting an estimated 10 million sole trader and small to medium size enterprise (SMEs ) potential customers with its lowest price guarantee and a new tariff package designed for multiple user deals.

New customers will be offered business reviews to ensure they are accessing the best network deals, offer UK-based customer service and extend its ’walk out working’ guarantee to business customers which ensures customers can access their new service at point of sale immediately.

The launch will be supported by a dedicated website to launch later this week and point of sale material is planned to launch across its retail estate in coming months.

Chief commercial director Graham Stapleton says the launch has been prompted by customer research, in addition to signs that growth in the UK this year will come from business users.

“As the consumer space becomes more mature business is an obvious place for us to go,” says Stapleton.

The SME market is less impacted than the consumer market, certainly this year although I don’t know if that will continue to be the case,” he adds.

The retailer is currently reviewing the planned rollout of Best Buy outlets in the UK following reporting a trebling of losses at the brand of £62m. Carphone Warehouse owns 50% of Best Buy.

Meanwhile it is refitting all of its 300 Carphone Warehouse stores to accommodate all mobile electrical products, currently sold via its Wireless World outlets.

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