BT Local Business is a network of independently owned and operated regional franchises that partner with BT Group to sell telecommunications products and provide account management specifically to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) throughout the United Kingdom.
After working as a BT Authorised Partner for several years, we’ve noted prospects are often confused about the various ways to buy BT products and services. While it is difficult to offer up detailed insights, we would encourage readers to discuss experiences and thoughts to assist others with making their own engagement decisions. If you’re potentially interested in purchasing BT Business services, you’ll want to understand your options. BT Local Business vs Authorised Partner.
In this article, we’ll discuss the routes available to any organisation looking to procure products from simple lines and broadband through to global data services.
At a high level, there isn’t a great deal of difference. On paper that is. As with any business, the way in which to establish which route to follow depends largely on your expectations of service, sales knowledge, and general account management.
Clearly, making a judgment on these areas is always going to be difficult without a recommendation or review but I re-wrote the introduction several times knowing your options should, at least, provide some initial food for thought.
| Purchase Route | Description | Relationship with BT | Target Customer | Product Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BT Direct | Contact BT Group directly for standard products or specialist sales divisions | Direct – customer deals with BT staff | Any business | Broadband, lines, calls, and complex services via specialist divisions |
| BT Local Business (BTLB) | Independently owned regional franchises operating under the BT brand | Franchise agreement with BT Group | SMEs within a defined UK region | Lines, broadband, leased lines – small to medium-sized opportunities |
| BT Authorised Partners | Independent businesses contracted by BT to sell services, free to sell other providers’ products too | Contractual partnership with BT, not exclusive | Any business | Full BT portfolio plus other providers’ products |
| BT Authorised Resellers | Organisations that work via an existing BT Authorised Partner | No direct agreement with BT – works through a Partner | Any business | Varies depending on the Partner they work through |
| BT Global Services | Dedicated BT division for global WAN connectivity and complex networking | Direct – specialist BT division | Large enterprises with global requirements | Global WAN, private circuits, complex data services |
| BT IT Services | Dedicated BT division for managed IT services | Direct – specialist BT division | Organisations requiring managed IT | Managed IT services |
| BT Wholesale Partners | Providers who resell BT network capacity under their own brand | Wholesale agreement with BT | Other service providers and large organisations | Wholesale network services |
Let’s start with the BT Local Business option – BTLB
Across the UK, each region is divided into ‘local franchisees’ with responsibility to generate business and support existing BT clients in each given area. In some cases, contacting BT directly may end up routing you through to your local business contact. The expertise and knowledge base of each local business appears to revolve around lines, broadband, and leased lines – i.e. small to medium-sized opportunities. The local business staff operate using a database of clients within their regions – the goal is therefore to contact and convert as much business as possible while looking after existing clients. I personally have limited experience of BTLB sales staff but have read some interesting thoughts and feedback from clients; they are largely surrounding customer experiences.
I appreciate the last sentence is not particularly insightful so would encourage readers to perform their own research within your particular region. As I alluded to earlier, the decision to route your enquiry to local business might be out of your control depending on product – even if you’re making contact directly with BT in the first instance. The research element applies to any industry, product, or service. Armed with this review data, you’ll be able to understand your particular local business experience, case studies, and so on.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Business model | Independently owned and operated regional franchise |
| Coverage | UK divided into regional franchise territories |
| Core product focus | Lines, broadband, and leased lines |
| Opportunity size | Small to medium-sized opportunities |
| Target customer | SMEs within the franchisee’s defined region |
| Sales approach | Staff operate from a database of clients within their region, contacting and converting prospects while managing existing accounts |
| Routing note | Contacting BT directly may automatically route enquiries to your local BTLB contact depending on the product |
| Brand | Operates under the BT brand via franchise licence |
Engage directly with BT
The standard staple products of BT such as Broadband, Lines, and Calls are all easily accessible from BT directly. BT operate several divisions across the wider company including complex services such as Global WAN connectivity, short-haul private circuits, and so forth. These kinds of more complex enquiries will require contact with one of their sales specialists. However, for the most part, direct contact will be able to deal with standard sales and requirements.
| Product or Service | Complexity | How to Access |
|---|---|---|
| Broadband | Standard | Available directly from BT – standard sales contact |
| Lines | Standard | Available directly from BT – standard sales contact |
| Calls | Standard | Available directly from BT – standard sales contact |
| Global WAN connectivity | Complex | Requires contact with a BT sales specialist division |
| Short-haul private circuits | Complex | Requires contact with a BT sales specialist division |
BT Authorised Partners
In our experience, BT Partners are a well-kept secret. This isn’t intentional but more about the fact we are free to engage with other brands and products.
In this sense, we work in partnership with BT under contract enabling us to sell services but our business is free to market any providers’ products. We personally (at Network Union) have a large focus on BT but other partners vary depending on their own route to market and products. Our support includes dedicated BT Sales Specialists and Desk Based account managers together with our own employed resources.
The reasons for engaging with a Partner vs Local Business vs Direct will be based on prior experience or whether or not that partner has specific expertise to assist you with a problem or requirement. Establishing which route requires research.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Business model | Independent business working in partnership with BT under contract |
| Exclusivity | Not exclusive to BT – free to market any providers’ products |
| BT support provided | Dedicated BT Sales Specialists and Desk Based account managers |
| Own resources | Partners also employ their own sales and support staff |
| Product scope | Full BT portfolio plus products from other providers |
| Example partner | Network Union – large focus on BT products |
| Variation between partners | Each partner varies depending on their own route to market and product focus |
| Visibility | Described as a “well-kept secret” – low awareness among prospects |
| Factor | BT Direct | BT Local Business (BTLB) | BT Authorised Partner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ownership | BT Group | Independently owned franchise | Independent business |
| Relationship with BT | Direct employee / division | Franchise licence agreement | Contractual partnership |
| Sells other providers’ products | No | No | Yes – free to sell any provider |
| Geographic scope | National | Defined regional territory | Not restricted to a region |
| Core product focus | Full BT portfolio including specialist divisions | Lines, broadband, leased lines (small to medium opportunities) | Full BT portfolio plus multi-provider |
| Complex services (e.g. Global WAN) | Yes – via specialist sales divisions | Limited – focus is on SME products | Varies by partner expertise |
| BT support resources | Internal BT teams | BT franchise support | Dedicated BT Sales Specialists and Desk Based account managers |
| Own employed resources | Yes (BT staff) | Yes (franchise staff) | Yes (partner’s own staff) |
| How enquiries are routed | Direct contact with BT | May receive enquiries routed from BT depending on product | Customer contacts partner directly |
| Key decision factors | Simplicity of dealing with BT directly | Regional presence, local account management | Multi-provider choice, specialist expertise, prior experience |
Outside of these main options, readers should also note; BT operate dedicated divisions including BT Global Services, BT IT Services, BT Authorised Resellers, and their various wholesale partners. However, these other areas of BT are well known to the prospective IT teams within organisations with a requirement to use these services.
| Division | Description | Typical Customer |
|---|---|---|
| BT Global Services | Specialist division for global WAN connectivity and complex networking | Large enterprises with international or multi-site requirements |
| BT IT Services | Managed IT services division | Organisations requiring outsourced IT management |
| BT Authorised Resellers | Organisations that sell BT services via an existing BT Authorised Partner with no direct BT agreement | Any business – access depends on the reseller’s partner relationship |
| BT Wholesale Partners | Providers reselling BT network capacity under their own brand | Other service providers and telecoms companies |
We are interested to understand readers’ thoughts and experiences on this subject. To learn more about us, use the contact page.
