While you may know about ACCAN's work for residential consumers, you may not know that we also represent small businesses and not-for-profit organisations in so far as they are consumers.

Many small businesses use the same products as residential consumers and also have no ability to negotiate their own contract terms and the same consumer protection.

We recognises the importance of small businesses in Australia where as many as five million Australians are employed by these organisations and many rely on them for their livelihood.

Small businesses rely on essential telecommunications services to be able to do business and ACCAN believes that these organisations should receive the same protection as residential consumers in the telecommunications industry.

When a small business operator waits in a call centre queue or is transferred between customer service representatives trying to resolve faults, they not only lose time, but also money. The impact on productivity can be felt by the small business owner, as well as their employees and customers.

To help small businesses, ACCAN has produced a number of tip sheets that cover a range of important topics including broadband continuity plans, how to choose a cloud computing provider and how to choose an internet service provider.

With these tip sheets, ACCAN hopes to help small business owners understand their rights as telco customers, become better educated when it comes to product selection, understand available complaint mechanisms and learn ways to get more out of communications services.

Like residential consumers, if a small business has a dispute with their telco, they can elevate the matter to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman to help resolve it.

You can also learn more about taking advantage of the digital world using our free Digital Business Kit, Digital Ready. The program aims to help organisations build skills and knowledge to engage in the digital economy and embrace opportunities offered by information and communications technology and high speed broadband.

Digital Ready features modules on connecting to broadband, online strategy, social media, the cloud, eCommerce and telework. Visit the Digital Ready website to learn more about getting your business online and to access case studies and our blog.

For further information on ACCAN's work for small businesses, visit our Small Business Portal.