BT strengthens push into enterprise and public sector

Just weeks after announcing it would create a dedicated brand for business and public sector customers across the UK and globally – and coinciding with the opening of a customer innovation showcase (pictured above) at its new headquarters in London – BT has unveiled a charter for its 1.2 million UK business and public sector customers, with the aim of providing a blueprint to accelerate initiatives that will boost the growth of UK business.

The charter consists of a new set of commitments from BT to provide enterprise customers with a springboard for growth, delivered through a greater focus on innovation, cyber security, a new suite of digital services, customer service improvements and purpose-driven goals.

It will be driven by four key priorities to better serve the needs of its UK customers, namely innovation, whereby BT will fast-track technology innovation across the UK so that businesses, communities and the UK economy can flourish; expertise, so that BT can take businesses into the digital fast lane and soup up security; being easy to do business with, with BT delivering standout customer experiences, and so making it easier to do business with; and being purpose-driven, which will see BT use its sustainable technology.

To achieve its objectives, the company with invest almost £100m over the next three years in its Division X unit, which forms part of its enterprise business, to accelerate the development of customer solutions that integrate emerging technologies such as 5G, internet of things (IoT), edge computing, cloud and artificial intelligence (AI).

Created towards the end of 2021, the Division X unit was established to commercialise the development of unique customer solutions. BT regards these technologies as being able to provide the foundations to fuel the digital transformation of high-growth industries such as healthcare, transport and logistics, manufacturing and port operations, driving positive business outcomes and fuelling the UK economy.

In addition to launching cyber defence and assessment tools not currently offered by other UK network providers, BT also announced that it was developing inclusive technology to boost broadband speeds for small firms not yet served by fibre broadband.

BT will launch the first UK service that fuses fixed and 4G speeds together to uplift broadband speeds for thousands of small firms currently using copper lines. BT also assured that it would deliver the fastest installation and repair times in the industry for ultrafast business (or Ethernet) connections, which it noted underpin the operations of mid- to large-sized corporates and public sector bodies.

BT also revealed that it would be forming a partnership network for small firms, giving customers access to exclusive offers across broadband, mobile, digital marketing and connected devices, plus other benefits, with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) confirmed as BT’s first launch partner.

A suite of smart business tools will be launched, combining products from BT and mobile division EE to make it easier for small businesses to run and grow their business. This new portfolio will build on the recent launch of BT’s Digital Marketing Hub – the new all-in-one advertising platform that gives small firms all the tools and support they need to reach millions of potential new customers.

BT is also stepping up its free digital skills programme to reach a further 350,000 small business and their employees by the end of March 2023.

“Right now, our key industries are on the cusp of a technological revolution as the UK prepares to make the large-scale switch from analogue to fully digital ways of working. Only businesses which make the leap will succeed and stay competitive – our role is to help them navigate that journey,” said BT Group CEO of enterprise Rob Shuter.

“It’s an ideal time for us to set out why BT really means business. Our new charter reflects the priorities that our 1.2 million business and public sector customers expect to see from BT. We’ve listened to their feedback and based our charter on four key promises – that we’ll lead the way in innovation; we’ll be trusted experts in our field; we’ll be easier to do business with; and we’ll continue to put purpose at the heart of our business.”