Vodafone commits to SMEs, joins Digital Boost Alliance Aotearoa

Vodafone New Zealand has announced it has joined the Digital Boost Alliance Aotearoa, as it looks to further its commitment to helping small and medium sized enterprises grow using digital solutions.

The Digital Boost Alliance is a group of New Zealand's top tech organisations, focused on motivating and inspiring small businesses and individuals across Aotearoa to lift their use of digital technologies.

The Digital Boost Alliance was launched at an event in Auckland by Hon Stuart Nash, Minister for Small Business, Economic and Regional Development, and Tourism on 25 May 2021. The Alliance is made up of more than 30 major businesses and organisations – committed to help grow the use of digital technologies across New Zealand.

According to Vodafone, it will introduce Digital Boost Alliance members to better, digital ways to do business with their products and solutions, such as its Vodafone One Business Mobile product, which offers smart calling features on mobile turning almost anywhere into an office.

Vodafone One Business gives business owners all the calling features of an office phone system, as well as a landline number on their mobile.

"SME's are the backbone of New Zealand business, and are facing unprecedented hardship and challenges due to COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdowns and restrictions," says Annaliese Atina, head of small and medium enterprise at Vodafone New Zealand.

"At Vodafone, we want to do everything we can to support them, and I'm delighted to join the Digital Boost Alliance as part of this commitment," she says.

"We believe that the digital tools and services Vodafone offers can help Kiwi business owners work from anywhere, helping make them more efficient, and giving them time back in the day to focus on their customers."

Vodafone recently ran a highly successful campaign to put its money back in SME's pockets with its #payitforward campaign – giving each staff member $100 to gift to a local small business, letting them pay it forward to their customers to help stimulate trade.

Last month, Vodafone New Zealand and its growing ICT practice achieved Microsoft Gold Security competency.

The telecommunications company said the achievement reflects its deep technical experience in designing, engineering and implementing security programs for customers.

"The accreditation highlights Vodafone's ongoing investment in keeping New Zealand businesses secure online, in an environment where cyberattacks are rapidly increasing in sophistication and threatening even the savviest targets," it said.

Vodafone New Zealand offers a range of broadband, mobile and technology products. It maintains almost three million connections to consumer, business and public sector customers, as well as partners with world-leading brands to offer best-in-class ICT services to organisations in Aotearoa.

Vodafone New Zealand is owned by Infratil and Brookfield Asset Management and is now a partner market in the Vodafone Group, one of the world's largest telecommunications companies.