The Smart Way to Sell Premium Internet Packages to Local Businesses

Shops don’t need faster internet first thing in the morning. They care most about their M-Pesa running, the tax invoice printing, and customers stopping checking their watches at the counter.

That is the real point. You are not just selling internet speed. You are helping a shop stay open and serve people. Your packages should reflect that.

What do shops actually need?

It depends on the business. An M-Pesa agent needs a steady connection to serve customers. A pharmacy or supermarket might use it for card payments and stock management. Many businesses also use online systems to create tax invoices, though the shop owner and their accountant can tell you exactly what they need. Salons might manage appointments on WhatsApp, while hardware shop owners may want to check their CCTV from home. Some shops even offer free Wi-Fi to customers.

When the connection drops, all of that can stop working, and the shop could lose a customer every minute.

Shops aren’t like home users. They can’t just wait an hour for the Wi-Fi to come back. They need a reliable connection, quick help when something goes wrong, and important traffic, like payments, to get priority. They also don’t want customers’ phones slowing down the shop’s connection.

Be honest about what you can promise. You can’t guarantee 100% uptime. Power cuts, damaged cables, and storms happen. But you can offer steady speeds, priority for important traffic, a separate customer network, fast support, and a backup connection. Promise what you can deliver, then make sure you deliver it.

Create a few clear packages

You don’t need a long list of options. Three packages should be enough. Each one should be a clear step up from the last and easy to explain in plain language.

Shop Basic

A reliable connection with standard speeds and support during regular business hours. Everything runs on one network.

Best for small kiosks with a till and a phone.

Shop Plus

Everything in Shop Basic, plus a separate guest network so customers’ phones don’t slow down the payment machine or shop computer. Important traffic, like payments, gets priority. This package also includes faster support and occasional check-ins.

Best for small shops with a few devices and customers who ask for Wi-Fi.

Shop Premium

Everything in Shop Plus, plus a backup connection. If the main line goes down, a 4G connection or another backup can take over automatically, keeping interruptions to a minimum. A small battery can also keep the router running through short power cuts.

This package includes the fastest support, a spare router that can be swapped in quickly, and occasional visits. If the shop needs to check its CCTV from home, you can offer a static IP address, depending on the type of connection.

Best for busy businesses with a lot to lose, like M-Pesa agents and pharmacies.

Give each package its own one-page description. Make it clear what is included, what isn’t, how quickly you will respond, how the customer will be charged, and what happens if either side wants to cancel.

Avoid big promises, like guaranteed uptime, unless you can back them up. It’s better to make a clear promise you can keep, such as, "We'll call you within an hour and visit the same day.”

Behind the scenes, each package comes down to a few things: a plan that gives each shop a set amount of bandwidth, managed through queues on your MikroTik; its own network name and IP address; payment priority; and a backup line that kicks in if the main one goes down.

Give each shop its own PPPoE account. That makes it easy to check their usage and switch their service on or off.

Test the backup line before you start selling. The worst time to find out it doesn’t work is when you need it.

Set your prices

Price your service based on how much a shop could lose when the internet goes down. Ask how much an hour of downtime costs them and what they are currently paying for data bundles or another provider.

Set a minimum price that covers all your costs, including your time. Make sure there’s a noticeable difference between packages so customers can see why an upgrade is worth it.

You can offer a discount if someone pays a few months in advance. That helps with cash flow and gives customers a reason to stick around. Just don’t slash the price to land your first shop. Other customers will expect the same deal.

Documentation

Most shops will want to pay monthly. Make the due date clear, and let them know how long the grace period is before you suspend service.

Be upfront about what you’re responsible for, like your internet line and equipment, and what the customer needs to take care of, like their own wiring and power outages. If you need to issue tax invoices, get set up early and ask your accountant what is required.

A billing system that handles invoices, reminders, and a customer portal can save you a lot of admin.

How to sell

Start with shops that have a lot to lose when the internet goes down: M-Pesa agents, pharmacies, small supermarkets, appointment-based salons, and hardware shops that issue tax invoices.

Visit when things are quiet and ask a few questions:

- What do you use the internet for?
- What happens when it goes down?
- How often did it go down last month?
- Who do you contact, and how long does it take to get help?

Their answers will help you figure out what to offer.

Whenever possible, show them evidence. Ask if you can test their current connection during their busiest time, then explain what you found in plain language. It’s easier to talk about the problem when they can see the connection dropping out.

Give them a one-page offer that covers what they told you, the package and price, the support they’ll get, and when service can start. Offer a short trial so they can see how it works. Keep the agreement simple, with monthly payments and clear notice terms.

Be ready for the usual objections:

- “It’s cheaper with the big company.” Maybe. Explain what you offer that they don’t: “You’ll have someone you can call, a backup line, and we will come out the same day.”
- “I’ve had a bad provider before.” Ask what went wrong, then explain how you’d handle that problem.
- “I don’t need it that much.” They might be better off with the basic package or a pay-as-you-go option.
- “My nephew can do it.” You could say, “That might work, but who’ll be there at 7 p.m. on a Saturday if it goes down?”

Don’t argue or badmouth other providers.

Keep installation quick, then check in soon afterward. Put your name and number on the router, and show the customer three things: how to check the connection, who to contact, and what to do if it goes down.

Follow up after a few days. Your first shop could become your best salesperson. Shop owners on the same street talk all day, so if a customer is happy, ask whether their neighbors might need the service too.

Keep premium, premium

Make sure the service lives up to its name. Keep an eye on your premium shops so you know when something goes wrong, ideally before they call. Keep spare routers and common replacement parts on hand. Let customers know when you’re doing maintenance, fix recurring problems at the source, and send a short monthly update on what’s happened.

Respond quickly. That’s part of what they’re paying for.

Don’t take on more premium customers than you can support. Every premium plan is a promise, and you don’t want to make ten promises you can’t keep. Bring on another helper before adding more shops, and be willing to turn customers down if you can’t give them good service.

As customers see the value, some will move from Basic to Plus or from Plus to Premium. That’s the easiest way to grow.