Company of the Year: Telecom Plus

Company of the Year: Telecom Plus

https://www.telecomplus.co.uk/857589

By any measure, a FTSE 250 business that is doubling revenues annually is remarkable; to be doing so in the utility sector, by definition mature, is all the more astonishing, writes Ross Tieman .

Clearly, Telecom Plus, winner of the Company of the Year award, has found an original and effective business model.

The company, where Charles Wigoder, the chief executive, and his family and friends acquired control in 1998, six months after its foundation, is unique in the UK market in offering mobile and fixed telephony, broadband and gas and electricity services to its customers on a single bill.
It does not advertise. Rather, new households are recruited to its Utility Warehouse Discount Club by a network of more than 4,000 distributors who are existing users.

These word-of-mouth customer ambassadors receive a tiny percentage of the bills paid by every new customer they recruit, in perpetuity, so retain a strong interest in ensuring ongoing customer satisfaction.
Their task is facilitated by a string of plaudits from consumer watchdog magazine Which? which says Telecom Plus is the best household provider of broadband, fixed telephony and energy in the UK.

It buys bulk telecoms capacity at wholesale prices in an oversupplied market and gets its energy from producer Npower, under a deal that transfers the risk of price fluctuations to the provider. In addition, he company supplies businesses, mainly small companies, brought in by its distributors.
It benefits from a tougher economic climate in several ways, says Mr Wigoder. "Many casual jobs no longer exist, overtime opportunities are no longer there, work hours are reduced, so we are seeing record numbers of new distributors" looking to top up their income. Meantime, consumers are keener to grasp opportunities to shave household bills, and improve visibility over their outgoings.

In the year to March 2008, Telecom Plus, which is debt-free, achieved revenues of £186m and net profits of £11.9m. By September last year, it had 227,384 household customers, up 19,000 since end-March, and trends have since accelerated.

The latest spur comes from its CashBack MasterCard, a chargeable payment card which helps households economise. Using the card for purchases at retail chains such as J Sainsbury and Boots gives household a 5 per cent discount offset against their Telecom Plus bills.

https://www.telecomplus.co.uk/markcox

UK Small Business Directory

UK Small Business Directory

Local Business Directory for Local Businesses

Visit- http://www.uksmallbusinessdirectory.co.uk/

VAT, Accountancy, Services

Taxation, VAT, Accountancy, Services

Former VAT auditor, with 25 years experience, offers VAT & accountancy services
VAT returns completed and submitted. (Related bookkeeping can be undertaken.)
Assistance with late return submission & negotiating time to pay.
Checking last 4 VAT returns in order to determine if VAT payment liability can be reduced by transfer to authorised VAT scheme.

Assistance with HMRC tax assessments.
Completion of self assessments.
Completion of annual P & L accounts & Balance Sheet.

Based in Lincolnshire.
Can visit Lincolnshire clients.

Will take on clients throughout UK as above can be undertaken by telephone, e-mail and post.
Due to very low overheads very modest fees charged which can be discussed on application.
Also small client base to be maintained so prompt attention given to all clients.

Contact Mark on 01507 602826 or e-mail markcox46@yahoo.com

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=110351051933