Securing communications

Reports of a bug in the Windows Phone occupied the minds of mobile commentators recently. Transmitted via SMS or chat message, the bug has the effect of causing an auto-reboot of the phone, in the process disabling the message hub.

At the time of writing the only solution appears to be a hard reset of the Windows Phone although Microsoft are believed to be working on a fix. The Windows Phone is not the only one to have been beset by problems in its early stages. As with any technology which is pushing the boundaries, the initial identification of bugs is only as good as the imagination of the designer.

In effect, releasing new technology to general use allows the device to be secondary tested by the wider public. Designers can be too close to their own creations, expecting them to be used in a certain way and for set paths to be followed. Once loosed on the general public, we use technology in ways undreamed of and that is when the bugs become apparent.

Whilst for some, bugs are annoying, for others they can cause extreme disruption. The pace of technology is such that we use mobile devices more and more for business. Virtual switchboards are programmed to transfer calls to our mobiles wherever we are in the world and voice messages and conversations are recorded for added security. This all places increasing importance not only on the reliability of telephone communications but also on their security. Whilst bugs are out of our hands, the security of telephones and telephone systems is very much under our control.

Basic safeguards include making sure that pass keys are secure and are changed regularly. In the office, using a virtual switchboard makes it easier to block calls to certain numbers or number combinations as well as disable extensions when they are not in use. Managing and monitoring calls via a secure system enables office administrators to spot unusual patterns of use whilst call recording can help to trace culprits.

The best line of defence though is the awareness of security issues. Regularly briefing employees on security matters will help to raise awareness as will including security protocols within contracts. Tales of “this breach happened to X company” can be used to galvanise employees into coming up with ways in which the breach won’t occur in your own business, especially if linked to a reward system. Whilst nothing can be done about bugs, keeping communication systems secure can be a company-wide exercise and one which is well worth adding as a New Year resolution.

Roaming abroad for Christmas

With Christmas and New Year holidays upon us, Ofcom have reminded us of the importance of taking care when using phones abroad. Whilst costs for using phones within the EU have fallen in past years, thanks to the intervention of the EU council, calling abroad can still be a tricky business. For example, those planning to rely on the Eurotariff and Euro-SMS tariff are advised to check with their Phone company first to ensure that they are on a contract which allows them to benefit from these tariffs. Whilst Eurotariffs put a cap on the price of calls and texts they don’t work in countries such as Turkey, Croatia and Switzerland whilst those planning to travel further afield won’t be covered at all.

Again, whilst agreements have limited or put caps on the cost of internet use within Europe it is another matter entirely when you leave the shelter of EU zones. Those planning to surf the net or download video abroad are well advised to use local Wi-Fi hotspots or change to a travel Sim card to avoid facing roaming bills which could add up to £thousands.

One item not covered by the Ofcom warning is that of ensuring the safety of Office telephone systems over the holiday period. It is a sad fact that when offices are empty, phone system hackers make merry with our phone bills. There are a few simple ways in which companies can restrict their exposure to Dial-Through Fraud. The first is to make sure that passwords and Pins are secure and are changed on a regular basis. As the recent hacking scandal has shown, many telephone access pins are simply left as default 1111 or similar and this is an open invitation for the fraudsters.

The second way of keeping your telephone system safe is to restrict use. So, businesses which have no need to call abroad or call premium rate numbers can block these types of call. So, for example, the Callagenix Pin Entry service can be used to restrict access to certain types of calls or to the main virtual switchboard itself. Alternately using a supervisor function would allow the logging off of certain extensions which are not expected to be in use over the holiday period.

Finally, it is worth nominating an individual to keep an eye on call statistics over the holiday period. Simply by logging into your account enables you to track calls and spot any anomalies. Early detection could save £thousands in fraudulent call costs and the beauty of the internet is that you can log in from your holiday base. Just watch those roaming charges though.

Data Tracking – a necessary part of business or invasion of privacy

Owners of smart phones were up in arms recently at the disclosure that some smart phones carried
a hidden app which apparently tracked every keystroke and website visit. Cases were fast tracked
in to the US courts claiming invasion of privacy and chat forums were awash with concerned
smartphone owners.

In their defence the smartphone telephone companies advised that either they didn’t use the app
or that if they did the app was simply used to identify and correct network faults; meaning the app
was helping to retain a good signal for consumers. For example Apple said that it had stopped
supporting the app and planned to eliminate it altogether.

The whole debate has raised the issue of when retaining and tracking client data is a necessary part
of the business process and at what stage it steps over the boundaries into invasion of privacy. This
question is particularly apt in the IT and telephony fields, given the advances in technology in the
past few years. For example, those businesses which have taken steps to install virtual switchboards
now have a wealth of additional features at their fingertips.

One obvious case in point is the ability to record and store copies of telephone conversations.
Originally mainly used for training or compliance purposes, businesses have become increasingly
aware of the value of recording calls for marketing and business protection. Recording and storing
calls electronically (MARR) is far more cost effective than the old way of recording onto tape and
therefore calls are being recorded with greater frequency. Whilst the recording of calls is subject to
regulation, there can be a fine line between legitimate business use and invasion of privacy.

Call recording is no the only advantage which technology has brought us. Aligning the virtual
switchboard with UK and International phone numbers means that callers can have the impression
that they are calling a local number whilst businesses can divert that call to anywhere in the world.
Setting the switchboard to recognise and divert calls based on area code or even individual number
allows businesses to flexibly manage their inbound calls; diverting or responding with a personalised
message as appropriate.

Underpinning these and other virtual switchboard features is the ability to collate statistics
on ingoing and outgoing telephone use. This will help to judge the effectiveness of marketing
campaigns, structure employee time and fine tune your telephone offering. EU legislation early in
2011 required web site clients to “opt in” to having information retained about their visits. Let us
hope that when it comes to telephone contact the existing legislation is deemed to be sufficient
and that rows such as that generated by the smart phone app won’t stop businesses from using
technology to improve customer service.

Getting your wires crossed

An attempted cable theft left telephone customers in Finchampstead at cross purposes in more ways than one recently. Not only did the theft leave around 250 properties without telephone or broadband for up to four days, when BT reconnected the cables they managed to cross the wires, leaving a variety of businesses and homes receiving each other’s calls.

As business customers counted the cost of their time without telephone contact, examples cited included loss of orders, the need to purchase 3G temporary replacement services and loss of answer phone and caller display on redirected lines. However, it is the crossed lines on reconnection which seem to have caused most problems.

Of course, it is not just crossed wires which cause problems when trying to contact a business. How many times do you telephone a business and by the time you have been passed from one person to another and on to another you are starting to loose patience. What started out as a mild question has now escalated into an angry complaint and that company is on the verge of loosing your business. There are a few simple steps which you can take to avoid the same happening in your organisation.

Firstly, never underestimate the importance of a good induction and regular staff briefings. Whilst your employees don’t need to know other’s jobs in depth, a basic understanding of who does what can greatly simplify the calltransfer process. This understanding can be backed up by a simple on-line list of names, duties and contacts.

Secondly, whilst many people are unhappy about being passed through “press 1 for x” exchanges, the use of intelligent switchboards will cut down on misrouted calls. The important thing to remember is that a virtual switchboard is only as good as it is programmed to be. For this reason it is important to think carefully about callresponse groups, call forwarding and call transfer. Whilst the more complex virtual switchboards can recognise caller numbers or key words and transfer calls appropriately, even the simplest virtual switchboard can help to direct calls to the correct recipient. Building this into your business continuity plan means that your virtual switchboard will be able to redirect calls, even in the event of a cable theft and lost line.

Finally, make sure that your employees understand telephone etiquette. Set a company policy for the speed of return calls and promised actions. Clients don’t like being left in the dark so a call advising that the problem is still being investigated is better than no call at all. Then even if you do lose your main line, sticking to company call return policy and with the virtual switchboard having redirected calls you shouldn’t finish up losing business.