Three practical ways to move a business forward are to make staff easy to identify and remember with branded name badges, to upgrade to a phone and communication system that can grow with the company (many now run over the internet), and to control corporate travel costs with a clear policy, flexible bookings and spending limits.
Key Takeaways
- Branded name badges are a low-cost way to make staff approachable and keep the business name visible to customers.
- Business phone systems increasingly run over the internet; in the UK, Ofcom says BT plans to retire its old landline network by 31 January 2027.
- Check alarms, card terminals and other devices that use a phone line before any switch to digital calls.
- A written travel policy, flexible fares and pre-set spending limits prevent most avoidable corporate travel costs.
- In the US, the IRS business standard mileage rate is 76 cents per mile for July 1 to December 31, 2026.
We all want to progress and move forward in the business world, right? There are so many different avenues for progression today. Continue reading for three practical suggestions that still apply as of September 2026: branded staff name badges, better business communication systems, and cheaper corporate travel.
1] Promote your business with name tags
In essence, name badges are seen as a source of identification. They allow customers to easily decipher who works for your company and who does not. Moreover, they make it easy for consumers to approach a member of staff as they can simply call out their name via reading the tag.
Nonetheless, what a lot of people do not realise is that name badges offer so much more than this. They can help to make employees feel valued, they can make your business appear more professional, and they can offer a fantastic method of advertising.
The promotional benefits of name badges are well worth delving into further. After all, innovative methods of marketing are welcomed by any company, especially in the current day and age. Businesses have placed growing importance on choosing advertising strategies that deliver results for the money spent.
Economic downturns push companies to find cost-effective ways of marketing that still set the business apart from its competitors. Name badges are an ideal example of this; not only are they cheap to produce but they also offer mass promotion potential.
Name badges offer a great method of marketing because they literally turn every single one of your employees into a walking advertising board. Think of all the people your members of staff could pass on the daily basis. Some of them may use a bus or train to get to and from work.
Others may go into town on their lunch break. There are then those who may carry out their errands on the way back from work, such as; grocery shopping or picking up the children from school or a childcare service. The sheer number of people they will encounter is monumental.
And every single one of these people has the chance to have spotted their name badge. A well-designed and impressive name tag will undoubtedly be noticed a substantial amount of times. Your business will become ingrained in people’s minds.
If someone has not heard of your company before then intrigue may lead them to search it on the internet when they get home. Alternatively, when people next require the service you provide or the products you sell, your company’s name is likely to pop into their head.
As mentioned earlier, this as an exceedingly cheap method of advertising too. And you need to bear in mind the fact that you are not just buying into a marketing opportunity either. You are providing your customers with an easy method of identification and thus an improved experience.
And you are enhancing productivity by making your staff feel valued and unified. If you look on the internet you will find name badges available for reasonable prices. Remember, if you buy in bulk then you are likely to make great savings as the price per unit will decrease.
Name tags can offer a monumental opportunity for business in the form of branding and promoting. It remains a sensible option because it is simple and inexpensive to implement.
2] Install better business communication systems
When it comes to business, communication is everything. If you don’t communicate with your employees correctly then how will jobs be completed quickly and effectively?
If you do not communicate with your customers then how are you supposed to know what they want and how are you supposed to fulfil their orders properly? When you look at it; communication lies at the core of all business dynamics.
Communication gets more attention today because there are so many channels for staff and customers to interact with one another.
Thanks to technology and the internet there are now dramatic ways of enhancing your communication channels and improving productivity at your business as a result. You have everything from conference calls and a virtual phone system to instant messages (IM); the possibilities are endless.
Nonetheless, the telephone remains a core channel for many businesses. As of September 2026, however, many business phone systems carry calls over the internet (VoIP or cloud telephony) instead of traditional analog lines.
Phone calls are still widely used for customer requests and queries and for communication between employees, alongside email, chat and video meetings.
Telephone engineers can help you make the most of your communication system because they can give you a phone system that is completely tailor made to suit your business. They will get to know everything your business is about; how big it is in size and what the daily operations are like.
The engineers will do this in order to determine how many lines and extensions you will need on your phone system. It will also help them to decipher what features to incorporate in the phone system too, such as call forwarding.
One of the main ways telephone engineers help is because they custom make your phone system so you have flexibility. If your business grows in the future (which is what you are probably hoping for) then a system will be in place that is easily expandable.
This means you don’t need to worry about having to buy new products or changing your communications system if you were to expand. This is crucial because not only does it save you a lot of inconvenience but it also saves you money in the long run too.
Not only this, but it is also worth bearing in mind the fact that telephone engineers help a great deal because they ensure that the system is installed 100 per cent correctly. What you need to remember is that every phone system is different – there is an array of different brands, models and types of phones.
For on-premises phone hardware, professional installation is usually the safer choice; many cloud phone services are instead set up through the provider’s online portal with the provider’s support. It is not always easy to get everything interconnected together.
And last but not least, don’t ignore the fact that telephone engineers will provide you with ongoing support after the installation. This ensures that you always have someone on hand to help you should anything go wrong. This peace of mind is essential. One minute with a communication fault is one minute too much.
3] Make corporate travel cheaper
Many companies need their staff to travel nationally or internationally. There are a whole host of reasons why this is the case. You may have offices in various areas of the world, you may have moved part of your manufacturing process to another country in order to benefit from cheaper labour, or you may need to meet up with a potential client to seal the deal.
No matter your reasoning, there is one consistent factor, and this is the fact that corporate travel can be extremely expensive if you don’t manage it correctly. You have the obvious costs, such as travel and accommodation expenses.
Yet, you also need to consider other possibilities, such as the need to rearrange a trip or the temporary loss of an employee at your home offices. Keeping that in mind, read on to discover some top tips for corporate travel expense management…
- Use a Travel Management Company – There is only one place to begin and this is with the benefits that are associated with using a travel management company. Not only will such a company help when it comes to saving money, but they will ensure all aspects of corporate travel are as efficient as possible. You will benefit from one easy to use interface where you will be able to search for travel options, manage all of your trips, and receive any support you require. Many travel management companies negotiate corporate rates with airlines and hotels, but savings vary, so compare their fees and fares with booking directly before signing up.
- Consider Re-Booking Options – One of the greatest expenses companies experience in relation to corporate travel is the need to reschedule their trip for another date. Unfortunately, this happens a lot more frequently than we would like. Potential clients may need to rearrange or you may have unexpected commitments at your home offices, and thus it becomes necessary to re-book your trip for another date. If you haven’t considered this prospect beforehand you may actually have to book the trip afresh, meaning you end up paying twice as much for one trip. However, there are airlines and alike that are flexible, and will allow you to change your flights for a small fee. This should be considered beforehand to ensure damage limitation is put in place.
- Make Savings Whenever Possible – Last but not least, don’t overlook the benefits of small savings. They all add up. A good example of this would be selecting a hotel that offers free Wi-Fi. If Wi-Fi is not included in the room rate, the employee may have to pay for it daily or even hourly. This is an unnecessary expense and one that will easily add up. In addition to this, it is also worth monitoring your employee’s spending. If they want to dine in the fanciest restaurants, that’s their choice, why should you have to fund it? Providing travel cards with a pre-set amount of money is a viable solution.
How Do You Choose a Business Phone System Today?
A business phone system should be chosen on four points: how calls are carried, how many users and locations need it, which features staff will actually use, and who supports it after installation. The table below compares the three common setups in general terms; prices and features vary by provider, so check current quotes.
| Setup | How calls are carried | Best suited to | Points to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional landline (analog/PSTN) | Copper telephone network | Very small sites with basic calling | Being retired in several countries, including the UK |
| On-premises IP phone system | Internet protocol, with the phone system hardware kept at the office | Businesses that want control of their own equipment | Upfront hardware cost, maintenance and an installer for support |
| Cloud or hosted VoIP | Internet protocol, with the system run by the provider | Growing teams, remote staff and multiple sites | Internet reliability, call quality, contract terms and emergency calling |
Before buying, list the features the business needs, such as call forwarding, call queues, voicemail to email, mobile apps and call recording. This site’s guide to considerations for business VoIP phone system buyers and its roundup of call management software for small business teams cover these choices in more detail.
What does the UK landline switch-off mean for businesses?
The UK landline switch-off is the retirement of the old analog telephone network, with calls moving to digital lines. According to Ofcom, BT plans to retire its old landline network by 31 January 2027; Ofcom says other providers, such as Virgin Media O2 and KCOM, had not set switchover dates.
Ofcom advises customers to tell their provider before switching if they have a care alarm, health pendant, security alarm or other connected device that uses the telephone line. Ofcom also says providers must offer a solution that keeps emergency calls working for at least one hour in a power cut. Businesses should also check lift phones, fax lines and card payment terminals that rely on the old network.
How Can a Company Keep Corporate Travel Costs Down?
A company keeps corporate travel costs down by setting rules before anyone books. A short written travel policy prevents most avoidable spending and disputes.
- Write a travel policy. State who approves trips, the booking channel, fare classes, hotel limits and what counts as a reimbursable expense.
- Ask whether the trip is needed. A video call can replace some internal meetings; keep travel for client visits, site work and events where being there matters.
- Book flexible where plans may change. Compare the price of a flexible fare with the cost of rebooking a cheaper, restricted one.
- Set daily limits. A per diem (a fixed daily allowance for lodging, meals and incidental expenses) is simpler to manage than itemizing every receipt. US federal agencies reimburse official travel using per diem rates published by the General Services Administration (GSA).
- Use company cards with limits. Pre-set limits and card statements make spending visible and cut the paperwork of reimbursements.
- Reimburse mileage at a clear rate. In the US, the IRS business standard mileage rate is 72.5 cents per mile for January 1 to June 30, 2026 and 76 cents per mile for July 1 to December 31, 2026. For 2025 it was 70 cents per mile.
Are Staff Name Badges Still Worth It?
Staff name badges are still worth it for customer-facing businesses because they make staff easy to identify and approach, and they keep the business name in front of customers at little cost. A good badge carries the logo, a readable name and, where useful, a role such as “Manager” or “Sales”.
- Use a large, plain font that can be read from a short distance.
- Match the colors and logo to the rest of the brand identity; see crucial branding identity elements every business needs.
- Consider showing first names only, which gives staff more privacy.
- Choose a fastening (magnet, pin or clip) that suits the uniform and the work.
Name badges work best as one part of a wider plan; this site’s overview of the best types of marketing for a small business and its guide on how small businesses can adapt to a changing economic landscape suggest other next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the simplest ways to move a business forward?
The simplest ways to move a business forward are to make the brand visible in everyday customer contact, to make it easy for customers and staff to communicate, and to cut avoidable costs such as poorly managed travel. Each of these can be improved without large investment.
Do name badges really help with marketing?
Name badges help with marketing in a small way: they show the business name and logo to everyone staff meet and make employees easier to approach. They are inexpensive, especially when ordered in bulk, but they support a marketing plan rather than replace one.
Is a landline still needed for a business?
A traditional landline is not required for most businesses, since many phone systems now carry calls over the internet. In the UK, Ofcom says BT plans to retire its old landline network by 31 January 2027, so businesses there should plan the move to digital lines.
What is a travel management company?
A travel management company is a firm that books and manages business travel for an organization, usually through one booking platform with support during trips. Fees and savings vary, so compare them with booking directly.
What is the current IRS mileage rate for business travel?
The IRS business standard mileage rate is 72.5 cents per mile for January 1 to June 30, 2026 and 76 cents per mile for July 1 to December 31, 2026, according to the IRS standard mileage rates page (checked September 2026).
