Thanks Andy - a very clear and valuable contribution. I would be happy to hear from any other providers with updates or clarifications of their fee structure. The 'Business Starter Pack' certainly sounds like it would be a viable option for small businesses. What are the costs once 50 transactions or £12K are passed?

To be honest we are still weighing up the pros and the cons. We are not sure customers will 'go for it' and I don't want to blow the startup fee only to find that nobody will give us their bank details and we're back to square one. Will post again once we have decided.

Couldn't disagree more. Really well designed services and software, the sort that inspires you to work in a particular way, can have a profound effect on both work and life. It might start with simple changes in workflow, but bit by bit, such applications can revolutionise just about any aspect of your life or character. Skype, for example, can make you feel closer to home and completely change how you might feel about living in a foreign country. New concept software like 'The Brain' or 'Evernote' have the power to almost completely change how you think by acting as a secondary brain. Just as your character and attitude can be gradually influenced by education and environment, I think that virtual tools are equally powerful shapers.

Hmm...not sure myself! One of the biggest issues I have with running a small business is the lack of time available for implementing great ideas due to the fact that you're 'doing' all the day-to-day things that need to get done. That normally means you have no time left to to action the 'thinking'. A large barrier between thinkers and doers is clearly not desirable, but perhaps a model where the thinker is the doer doesn't work either. Maybe the optimal arrangement is for thinkers to be directly involved in the doing but with the support of as many doers (professionals like programmers, administrators, designers, accountants, lawyers) as possible.