O2 Business is today launching a significant new offering of bespoke products and free expertise from specially trained O2 Gurus, following a £20m investment to help British business go digital.

The launch follows new research from O2 which reveals that while over two thirds (68 percent) of small business owners appreciate ‘techpertise’ can make their business more efficient and successful, the majority feel they lack the time, money and understanding to make the most of technology. With 60 percent stating that tech solutions are often too expensive and present a barrier to business growth, more than half (52 percent) admitted to searching online for help.

O2’s offering is unique in that it allows small business customers to pick and choose from a range of products and services, to create a bespoke package that is most beneficial for them. Launching within the range is:

  • Box – the cloud storage and file sharing service which allows small businesses to access their content on any device and from any location
  • Microsoft Office 365 – giving small businesses access to the familiar Office desktop apps on any device, all based in the cloud
  • Just Call Me – a conference calling product, which turns a mobile number into an audio conference bridge (coming soon)
  • TU Go for Business – allowing for wifi calls over smartphones, tablets and desktops (coming soon)

Recognising that the availability of technology is only half the issue when it comes to small businesses benefitting from the digital world, O2 Business has introduced specifically-trained O2 Gurus to provide free, impartial tech advice. They are on hand from today in O2 stores across the country, online through web chat and on the phone. To see how they helped Britpop legend and cheese maker Alex James work smarter click here.

O2’s £20m investment over two years is the culmination of the global development of the digital platform – which allows customers to choose the products they want and be billed once – as well as the recruitment and training of O2  Gurus and a marketing campaign to promote the launch.

Ben Dowd, O2’s Business Director added: “At O2 we know that no two small businesses are the same, and the technology which will help each business fulfil their full potential varies widely. We want to treat each small business as an individual, which is why we offer a ‘Pick and Mix’ approach to our entire new range of products and services.

 “We want to help more small businesses to grow and thrive in an increasingly digital Britain, and we believe a key step is to take the hassle out of technology. We see first-hand how the right tech can help any company work smarter, faster and more efficiently, and we are proud to be making such a significant investment in the cause.”

David Quantrell, Box senior vice president and general manager of EMEA commented:

“Businesses of all sizes are moving their content to the cloud to power increased mobile productivity and collaboration. Together, Box and O2 deliver a unified solution for small businesses, which makes it easy for users to access their content on any device and from any location, while giving businesses the security, reliability and performance they need.”

McAfee Multi-Access protects small businesses against a range of threats such as malware, data loss, identity theft and other fraudulent activity across multiple devices. It’s important to make comprehensive security simple and affordable, no matter the platform or the device of choice,” said Greg Finnigan, EMEA Partner Director, McAfee, part of Intel Security. “We’re pleased to be working with O2 who has demonstrated their commitment to internet safety by offering this security solution to its SMB customers.”

For more information on how O2 is helping small businesses across the UK visit http://businessblog.o2.co.uk/.

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