Callagenix

Managing call times

2012-05-08T14:29:00.000+01:00

The UK’s Health Protection Agency (HPA) has just released the results of an extensive review into the possible side effects of mobile telephone use. The good news is that the review which pulled together scientific studies has found no conclusive links between the use of mobiles and increased risks of cancer, brain function damage or infertility.

In releasing the findings, Prof Anthony Swerdlow who chaired the review did stress that it was important to continue to monitor the situation. This is because many people didn’t start to use mobiles until the late 1990s, and even then infrequently, and therefore there is no data on possible side effects beyond 15 years.

In its response to the review the HPA said that the continuing possibility of long term effects supported their view that they should maintain their precautionary approach, with children in particular being discouraged from making excessive use of mobiles. The HPA said adults should make informed choices on ways to limit exposure including making greater use of hands free kits and limiting call times.

In fact, this ability to limit call times is something which is a perennial challenge in all businesses. Creating that fine line between curt efficiency and friendly helpfulness is not an easy task. Many call centres still measure on number of calls taken rather then problems solved and those businesses which encourage rapport between employees and clients often find that time is needlessly taken up in asking after family members or hobbies.

One way in which all businesses can help their callers to limit call times is to make it easy for callers to reach the right person first time. There is nothing worse for a caller than being passed from department to department in a fruitless search which wastes both caller’s and employees’ time as well as raising tempers.

Careful use of automated switchboards can be the first step in reducing call times. Either by using a “press 1” system or by diverting calls based on the phone number of the caller switchboards can help to direct callers swiftly to appropriate departments. In fact, using “caller select” means that important clients will be instantly diverted to their appropriate contact without the need to navigate via the switchboard press button route.

Building in other options such as voicemail, call back facilities or virtual assistants means that callers won’t be kept on hold for periods of time, again reducing stress levels and helping to manage the waiting times for callers. If along the way this helps to reduce mobile exposure times and until further long term evidence comes to light it can only be a step in the right direction.

The pain of silent calls

2012-05-03T12:37:00.000+01:00

Home insurance and repair company HomeServe has been fined £750,000 by Ofcom. The fine relates to the excessive number of silent and abandoned calls made by HomeServe and follows an Ofcom investigation in 2011 which concluded that in a one month period between February and March HomeServe abandoned over fourteen thousand calls.

Ofcom rules not only limit the number of abandoned calls a company can make in any one day, the rules also impose restrictions on repeat calls to numbers where the initial call was picked up by answerphone. Ofcom estimates that HomeServe also breached these rules on over thirty-six thousand occasions during the same period, resulting in the fine.

These rule breaches could end up costing HomeServe far more than the fine as they have agreed to pay £10 in compensation to those affected. Details of how to claim are available on the Ofcom and HomeServe websites. Following an investigation the company has identified the problem and has confirmed that their dialler systems have been compliant since 22 March 2011.

Although the Ofcom rules relating to silent and abandoned calls tend to mainly affect the larger bulk telephone players, there remains a silent call menace which can have a serious affect on businesses of any size. We are talking here about calls to businesses which go unanswered. Every missed call is a missed opportunity. Whether made by an existing or potential client, each time the phone is not answered the business looses out.

In these days of internet based telephony systems and virtual assistants, there is no real excuse for those wanting to contact you to receive only silence. Telephone systems can divert calls anywhere in the world. Special packages such as “Calling Spain” easily divert UK calls to a landline or mobile without clients being any the wiser. And with the added option of voicemail even if the sun in Spain is too enticing, at least your clients have the comfort of being able to leave a message.

Virtual assistant services are ideal for every business which finds that it is missing calls on a regular basis. Calls can be diverted to virtual assistants either permanently or on an “as required” basis. With messages being taken and even simple enquiries answered the presence of the virtual assistant reassures your callers that they matter and could just stop business being lost forever.

Telephone support

2012-04-26T11:04:00.000+01:00

On 11 April a tsunami warning in the Indian Ocean caused at least one major telephone support office to shut down as a safety precaution. Zoho, a worldwide provider of online business, productivity and collaboration applications, suspended phone support and advised customers to e-mail requests instead.

Luckily for the region the 8.6 magnitude earthquake did not trigger a tsunami and staff were able to move back into their office the following day. However the event has illustrated the importance of interactive telephone support systems and the increasing role which social media forums such as Twitter are playing, as the first line of defence against system failure causing negative customer reactions.

For some businesses, the loss of telephone contact may make little difference whilst for others being without their phones could spell disaster. Almost irrespective of whether the business is a one man band or, like Zoho, serves millions of clients worldwide, the instinctive reaction of those failing to get through on the phone is to grumble at poor service or wonder if the business has in fact failed.

This link between telephone failure and customer dissatisfaction was illustrated recently when HMRC came under fire for poor response times. Although HMRC have announced that steps have been taken to resolve this problem, including moving 350 staff from other roles into their call centres, their reputation has suffered.

Luckily there are several lines of defence available for those businesses who want to ensure that they maintain a good service reputation with clients and potential customers. The first line of defence is to make sure that phones can be automatically diverted. For a multi-office corporation, this might mean switching calls between offices either on a “follow the sun” basis or as and when telephone problems occur. Internet based switchboards remove the location element of risk as they can be accessed and programmed from any internet PC.

Smaller businesses may simply require phones to be diverted to a mobile or alternate number. These alternate numbers might include the use of an “as required” virtual assistant who could answer phones on behalf of the business, take messages and answer simple queries.

Keeping callers informed when unable to answer calls is a vital tool in maintaining reputation. Callers waiting to connect with HMRC were frustrated that they had no idea how long they might have to wait. Simple “you are number 3 in the queue” messages can help to alleviate this frustration as can other elements of multi-call queuing packages such as the option to receive a call back or leave a message. When it is simply not possible to answer the phone then an announcement on the phone line, backed up with information on the web site and social media sites can help to keep callers informed.

In the UK we may not have to evacuate our call centres following tsunami warnings but there are plenty of other reasons why we may temporarily be out of telephone contact. Taking steps to divert and keep callers informed will pay dividends in terms of reputation and client loyalty.

Bucking the inflationary trend

2012-04-17T14:33:00.000+01:00

The combination of high inflation and low interest rates has caused many a business owner to burn the candle at both ends when trying to plan ahead. Although inflation is still on the up, the rate of increase has at least started to come down now that last January’s VAT rise has fallen out of the figures.

It was therefore good to hear that at least one organisation is bucking the trend. Ofcom has announced that it is reducing its budget in real terms for the second year in a row. Following a cut of 22.5% last year, Ofcom now plan to cut this year’s budget by a further 6.1%.

Funded by a combination of direct grant and stakeholder fees, the move by Ofcom to bring efficiency savings to its stakeholders whilst retaining a high regulatory standard is one which is not replicated across the regulatory industry with the FSA, for example, having recently announced an increase of 15.6% in its budget. However, Ofcom is perhaps in a particular niche area, regulating services which in general are also subject to downward cost pressures. In fact, with the exception of the postal services sector, the communication services regulated by Ofcom have all seen cost savings or service improvements being passed on to customers over the past few years.

Looking at the telephony sector in particular, the advent of VoIP (internet telephony) has revolutionised telephone costs. VoIP to VoIP calls cost a fraction of normal landline calls and this potential cost saving can be magnified when dealing with international calls. Adding in virtual switchboards which can provide enhanced service again at a lower cost means that businesses which take advantage of internet telephony can make real savings on their telephone bills.

Scalable, hosted telephone services based on the internet are designed with flexibility in mind. This removes the need for business to take up expensive “in case” services and instead enables their telephone system to move and grow as the business expands and evolves. For example, a business thinking of expanding into China at some stage in the next 5 years can simply take advantage of a China Toll Free number at the time it is needed rather than going to the expense of purchasing a base within China itself.

The efficiency savings to be found from making the most of internet technology are there for every business and organisation. It is good to know that the communications regulator is leading the way by making savings of its own.

Updating the phone box

2012-04-11T14:29:00.000+01:00

The City of New York has recently unveiled its plans for bringing the telephone box into the technology age. Although pay phones are on their way out, the city didn’t want to lose the associated advertising revenue which, together with the call income, brought in $18m per year to city coffers.

The city has therefore decided to replace unused phones with smart screens. Initially advertising local information the screens will eventually allow users to log on to their e-mails, make Skype calls and act as Wi-fi hotspots, in the process bringing advertising revenue to the city. Waterproof and dustproof, the screens have been designed to be cleaned with a hose.

This latest initiative by the city of New York is just one way in which organisations are recognising the wider application of telecommunications. With telephones no longer simply being a means of enabling contact between two individuals, smart businesses are grasping the opportunities offered by improvements in telephone technology and incorporating them into their business practices.

For example, the advent of internet telephony has moved the conference call from a couple of individuals straining to hear a crackly line into a whole new era. Linking mobiles, home workers and offices across the globe, conference call facilities now include the use of optional pay or freephone numbers as well the ability for the call to be recorded in full. A web based management system enables a controller to log participants on and off as well as to switch their lines between speaker and listener.

These conference call features enable businesses to conduct meaningful discussion with a range of employees, suppliers and other parties without the time and expense associated with travelling to meetings. The call record feature is particularly valuable as it enables participants to take a full part in the discussions rather than try and make notes as they go along.

In fact call recording is rapidly becoming an important telephone feature for many businesses. Whether used for training or as a back up record of discussions, call recording benefits both customers and businesses in providing an accurate log of what was actually said rather than relying on the tricks which memory can play.

Whether New York’s pilot will be successful or whether it will already have been overtaken by the prevalence of smart phones remains to be seen. However, what is certain is that internet telephony opens up the world for many businesses and the opportunities to improve smart working are there to be grasped.

Increase in telephone banking fraud

2012-03-19T10:00:00.000Z

A report by the UK Cards Association recently revealed that fraud losses in respect of telephone banking rose by 32% in 2011 to £16.7m. This rise contrasts sharply with online banking and payment cards losses which actually fell in the same period; down 24% and 7% respectively.

The rise in telephone banking fraud has been attributed to criminals duping customers into revealing their personal banking and security details. Fake e-mails and cold calling are commonly used by criminals to persuade people to reveal information. Despite warnings by the banks never to disclose such details online or via the telephone, many people continue to hand out security information without checking first.

Unfortunately, telephone banking fraud is not the only way in which criminals make money from our telephone systems. Gaining access to a personal phone or business switchboard is virtually a licence to print money for the criminal. Selling overseas calls or making multiple calls to their own premium rate line can quickly net criminals a sizeable sum at the expense of business and insurers.

There are a few simple steps which all businesses, particularly those with a virtual switchboard, can take to minimise the potential losses from telephone fraud. Firstly, it is a simple matter to block all calls to premium rate lines or to overseas telephone numbers. This instantly stops the criminals’ two main lines of attack.

For those who are concerned that a blanket block might impact on business flexibility, virtual switchboards come with a supervisor function which can selectively unblock call numbers as required. This supervisor function can also log extensions on and off, meaning that phone access can be restricted in remote offices or when employees are absent.

The second main preventative measure is to use PIN number access. However, it is vital that employees understand the importance of keeping their PIN numbers secret and of changing them on a regular basis. Far too many organisations see PINs as a nuisance and leave phones on the factory default settings. This brings the illusion of security whilst being open season for criminals.

Finally, those with a virtual system should make maximum use of statistics, reporting and call data reports. It only takes seconds to glance over these but the more regularly they are reviewed the easier it is to spot unusual calling patterns. This check is particularly important over weekends and bank holidays which are favourite times for telephone hacking so if you don’t want to run up a huge bill over Easter, nominate a supervisor to check calling patterns daily.

Online banking and payment card losses have fallen partly thanks to increased vigilance and better monitoring systems. With businesses taking the steps outlined above, hopefully losses from telephone fraud might start to fall as well.

Business Continuity Awareness Week

2012-03-14T12:38:00.000Z

Every year in March the international business continuity (BC) community get together with a week of activities and publicity aimed at increasing awareness of business continuity issues. This year the week ran from the 19 March and encompassed such events as talks, webinars and a virtual BC game.

Often thought of as the preserve of large business, it can be argued that the smaller the business the more important continuity planning becomes. For example, if telephone access to a single branch of a large bank is cut off customers can still access their bank details. However loss of the sole business line for a small business could be a disaster.

When thinking about drawing up a business continuity plan it is easy to fall into the trap of too much detail. For example, not being able to access the telephone is the key factor and it doesn’t really matter whether that factor has been caused by fire, flood, the copper telephone wire being stolen or any other reason. Drawing up a plan to cope with loss of telephone should cover every eventuality.

At the heart of every Business Continuity plan is the need to communicate. Staff need to know what is going on and what they can do to help. Suppliers and clients need to be kept informed; with supplies being redirected or put on hold and actions taken to ensure clients continue to be served. You may also need to liaise with the press to update the wider community. All this needs open lines of communication.

Getting the telephone element of a BC plan right is key to eventual recovery. Whilst no two businesses are the same there are a few elements which are common to businesses of all sizes. Top of the priority tree is the ability to redirect telephone calls to another number or site. Following on from this comes the need to keep employees, clients and suppliers updated, perhaps via an information line with or without PIN security. With the ability to handle multiple calls, fully customisable messaging and switchboard options for call transfer or further information, information lines can help to ensure that clients stay loyal and business continues to operate as smoothly as possible.

With 1 in 5 businesses likely to suffer from some form of crisis or disaster every year and 80% of those businesses which have suffered significant disruption closing within 18months, it makes sense to spend a few hours planning for the survival of your business. Planning your telephone continuity makes a great first step in that survival process.

Ofcom tackles bill shock

2012-03-12T14:55:00.000Z

Following extensive research Ofcom, the UK communications’ regulator, has set out an action plan to tackle the problem of “bill shock”. Identifying the mobile phone industry as the prime target, Ofcom’s plans include extending the EU roaming regulations, setting financial caps on phone usage and exploring liability limits in respect of stolen phones.

As part of its review, Ofcom also looked at consumer awareness and discovered that in general consumers had low levels of awareness about measures which they could take to protect themselves from excessive telephone bills. In response to this, Ofcom have published a guide for consumers on how to take steps to protect themselves from high bills.

The final cause of “bill shock” identified by Ofcom was the difficulty which consumers often had in identifying tariff details. Although mainly aimed at data charges, Ofcom is taking steps to remind all telephone providers that they are obliged to provide consumers with details of their charges, including displaying details on their websites.

Whilst the main thrust of this latest initiative from Ofcom is aimed at providers of mobile telephone services, the section relating to making prices transparent is one which all telephone service providers can take on board. This price transparency is something which we strongly believe in. So, within our website we provide details of our pricing models for various services as well as an example pricing matrix helping existing and prospective clients to easily identify likely charges. We also include a pricing estimator alongside an automatic assistant to help clients choose the best option for them.

Of course, these auto-options are only a guide and we are very happy to talk to clients and help them to optimise their telephony system. This may include choosing services such as a virtual switchboard, local or regional numbers or VoIP telephony. Whatever the service chosen, we are happy for customers to try the service before they commit to it, helping clients to ensure that they set up their processes in a way which suits their individual business.

Being honest, we have to admit that even if Ofcom didn’t require us to display our prices we would still do so. Not only do we believe that transparency is at the heart of good client relations, the low cost of VoIP calls is a powerful attractor to those seeking to maximise returns and minimise costs from their telephone services. With our pricing model clearly displayed on our website and a switch to VoIP, the only “bill shock” our clients are likely to receive is just how low their telephone bill actually is.

HMRC rules on Smartphones

2012-03-06T09:00:00.000Z

It may come as a surprise to many, but up until recently HMRC didn’t consider smartphones to be the same as mobiles. The result of this was that whilst employers could provide their employees with mobiles for work purposes, if those mobiles happened to be smartphones HMRC considered them to be benefits in kind and therefore potentially subject to tax and NI.

On 20 February 2012, HMRC issued revised guidance which allowed smartphones to be treated as mobiles for the tax years 2007/8 onwards. This means that, subject to certain criteria being met, employers and employees may be due a refund. Full details are on the web site link below.

In truth the HMRC decision is not expected to affect many. HMRC admit that the majority of businesses have treated smartphones as mobiles or alternatively have covered smartphones under an exempt category as a supply or service used in employment duties. Perhaps more interesting is that although HMRC have now classified smartphones as being “designed or adapted for the primary purpose of transmitting and receiving spoken messages“ they have taken pains to point out that there are still a number of devices which would not come under that category.

So, if a device is not designed with the primary purpose of transmitting and receiving spoken messages, it will not be covered by this exemption even if it is capable of making or receiving calls. Examples given by HMRC include “satellite navigation devices, devices that are solely PDAs and tablet and laptop computers.” Devices which can make calls over the internet (VoIP) are highlighted among these exceptions.

With businesses increasingly recognising the benefits of VoIP telephony, the revenue may have to review its stance at some stage in the future. Internet calls are not only generally considerably cheaper than landline or mobile calls, using the internet enables businesses to benefit from technology such as virtual switchboards, call handling protocols and call recording. Add in the ability to choose local numbers and facilities such as Calling Spain which allows calls to be diverted abroad and the internet brings a wealth of opportunity to business phone users.

HMRC do say that their ruling applies to smartphones as they are now, leaving the way open for them to revisit the subject in the light of future smartphone developments. In the meantime their ruling has brought a point of tax regulation in line with common practice.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/briefs/income-tax/brief0212.htm

Telephone judgements

2012-02-22T12:36:00.000Z

Following a review, the Ministry of Justice has proposed a system of mediation by telephone as a
way of speeding up small claims disputes. Although a drop in the ocean of the 1.5 million disputes
placed before the courts each year, the telephone mediation service is expected to handle 80,000
cases.

Interestingly, while the general public were broadly in favour of the proposals, the legal profession
and judiciary themselves were opposed with the biggest concern being “that telephone hearings
would significantly reduce the judge's ability to control and observe the parties/witnesses properly
during the hearing." However with an existing satisfaction rate of 95%, mediation seems to be the
way forward.

This move by the Ministry of Justice is a fresh example of the way in which the telephone is
increasingly being seen as an essential time and cost saving tool. Although there is nothing new
in telephone conferences, businesses have been using them successfully for decades, the move by
public bodies to accept the telephone as a cost saving device is a welcome one. Certainly running
telephone and website services in tandem can create huge savings. However, on a note of caution,
the head of the Government Digital Service project revealed at the end of last year that in a single
year calls to government t departments as a result of broken government websites cost £942m to
process.

For the ordinary business, this amalgamation of web site and telephone can also produce great
rewards. With modern telephone technology smoothing the telephone conference pathways, it
is now perfectly possible to hold international telephone conferences without the cost of travel.
Web based management systems allow the conference manager to log callers off or to switch their
status between speaker and listener, meaning that the conference call can run smoothly with little
background interference. Conference calls can also be easily recorded, allowing an accurate report
and minutes to be produced.

Used as part of normal daily business call conferencing can speed up business processes whilst
saving transport and time costs. As part of a disaster recovery plan, call conferencing together
with call switching and information lines can form a vital cog in the recovery process; allowing
communication lines to be kept open and decisions to be made swiftly. If the Ministry of Justice’s
plan works, disputes will be similarly speeded up, which can only be a good thing for all concerned.

Safer Switching

2012-02-14T10:46:00.000Z

Ofcom has recently announced further measures which are designed to make it easier to change telecoms provider. Although various measures have been taken over the past few years to safeguard consumers, Ofcom research has found that 20% of consumers lost broadband services for a week when switching and that 130,000 households had the wrong line switched over within a 12 month period.

Even more alarming the research revealed that 520,000 landline or broadband services were switched without consent (slamming) in the last 12 months. The Ofcom proposals are designed to guard against slamming with measures including switches being verified by an independent third party and addressing technical issues on switching.

As part of this latest switching consultation, Ofcom are also proposing measures to ensure consumers have accurate information on the implications of switching, improving competition and simplifying the switching process. Certainly any measures which reduce the down time on switching can only be good. Whilst personal consumers may only have to worry about switching one telephone line, for a business customer with potentially multiple lines any time without access to the telephone can be disastrous.

This is one of the reasons why Callagenix services are available on a free trial basis before clients make any commitment to the service. We understand that, particularly when switching to a virtual switchboard service, you need to have time to ensure that the service works as you want it to. This free trial time means you can spend time checking the service, setting answerphone parameters and pathways before letting the new service loose on your clients. That way, when you do switch, you already know that your new internet service will work.

When clients switch from a manual switchboard service to a virtual switchboard they often have access to many additional services which were either not available or not cost effective on their old system. Services such as caller recognition, auto call divert and call recording are easily available on a virtual switchboard and at a fraction of the cost of a manual system.

The other benefit of switching to a virtual service is that there are no costly hardware implications. In fact, we are so convinced that clients will be happy with our service excellence standards that many of our services are available on a pay as you go basis. So, whether you are starting from scratch, need a new telephone number or are thinking of switching your service, have a look at the Callagenix free trial.

The worth of your telephone

2012-02-07T09:00:00.000Z

Earlier this year a letter written by Alexander Graham Bell sold for around $92,000. In the letter written to his parents Bell describes and draws how his new invention works and also instructs them to run a copper wire out to their duck pond to diffuse any danger from lightning striking the phone.

The letter was written two years after Bell filed his patent application and made that historic first telephone call to his assistant. Although the letter was considered to be particularly valuable because of the drawings and personal information it set us to musing on the true worth of telephones to business and whether we appreciate them enough.

For many businesses the telephone is simply a cost. The phone bill arrives and is analysed in detail. Employees are questioned on why they spent x time on the phone, was y call really necessary and then edicts go out on the need to cut down on calls in the future. Sounds familiar? It’s not surprising as similar inquisitions go on in firms up and down the country.

Let us make one thing clear. We are not against analysis per se as it does highlight some wasteful practices such as those released to the Press Association recently which revealed that the Metropolitan Police spent more than £35,000 in making over 110,000 calls to the speaking clock in the past two years. What we would like to highlight is that analysis of telephone use should go two ways. This would enable firms to balance costs against the increased sales and customer satisfaction levels which arose from using the telephone in the first place, putting a true worth on telephone usage.

Analysing telephone costs has had one direct benefit for many businesses in encouraging them to look for alternatives. Moving away from more traditional telephone models and towards internet telephony can result in substantial cost savings and greater efficiencies. VoIP (internet) calls generally work out much cheaper than landline calls, even if the call is VoIP to landline. For VoIP to VoIP calls the cost is often cheaper still or even free in some cases.

The other main advantage of internet calls is the ability to get rid of the old fashioned switchboard in favour of a virtual one. This brings all the advantages of a quite sophisticated switchboard within the reach of smaller organisations. Call recognition and forwarding, call recording and caller handling are among the many features of a virtual switchboard.

Of course, virtual switchboards also come with the ability to analyse calls, enabling businesses to streamline practices and concentrate marketing efforts on targeted areas. The benefit is that now that calls are cheaper the marketing effort can go into full swing, bringing in revenue and proving that when it comes to income, the telephone is still worth a lot to business.

Keeping data secure

2012-02-01T12:33:00.000Z

O2 has apologised for a data glitch which resulted in mobile numbers being forwarded to outside parties. Essentially the glitch meant that web site owners could see the telephone number of mobile users who had browsed their sites, raising questions of data security.

The problem only arose for a short period in January and has now been fixed. O2 do say that in certain circumstances mobile numbers will continue to be shared with trusted parties to enable special services such as downloads or age verification. This limited sharing is standard across all mobile networks. O2 have already flagged up the problem with The Information Commissioner’s Office as well as Ofcom.

This incident has highlighted a vital issue surrounding the collection and sharing of information. Without going too far into the strictures imposed by the Information Commissioner’s Office, those collecting and using data in whatever fashion may think it prudent to undertake a review of their data collection and storage processes.

Just looking at one simple example, that of data collection, storage and manipulation via a virtual switchboard. We are all used to the 1471 service which lets us see the telephone number of the last caller. Many of us are also familiar with caller display. Virtual switchboards go one step further in allowing us to treat calls according to the caller’s telephone number. So, for example, if used as part of a business continuity plan, your virtual switchboard may be programmed to route calls from key employees or suppliers or even to provide individual message responses dependant on the caller.

Similarly, when using call recording and storage via a virtual switchboard one of the elements of data retained is the caller’s number, provided it is not withheld. Whilst this number is a vital element in subsequent searching for all messages from a single caller, the fact that you are storing their number is not always something that the caller gleans from a “your call may be recorded” message.

As with any data storage, the key element is that what you store is necessary to enable you to serve your clients better and that the data storage is secure. This means that any data transfer outside the office should be by way of encrypted or secure means. Call recording via a Callagenix virtual switchboard service provides secure recording and storage. There will always be times when telephone numbers have to be identified or passed on to third parties, simply to enable the required service to function. Keeping secure control of those times and of your data means you can act in your customers best interests whilst providing the service which they require.

Telephone stress

2012-01-25T09:00:00.000Z

Humans are social animals and the telephone is a vital tool in helping us to communicate across the globe. And you can never have too much of a good thing so the invention of the smart phone has brought us nothing but good.

So runs the mantra but according to researchers at the University of Worcester, smart phones can actually be a cause of anxiety and stress. That insistent buzz is a call to keep on top of messages and e-mails. This causes stress which bizarrely is only intensified when there is a quiet spell. This leads to users obsessively checking their phones, wasting valuable time and increasing stress further.

In fact, 37% of adults and 60% of teenagers who own smart phones have admitted to being addicted to them. So much so that some users admit to feeling phantom vibrations which make them think that they have received a message and trigger them into checking their phones. Users then become obsessive and upset when messages stop arriving leading to the Warwick University study author, Richard Balding, commentating that “So many people have smartphones now that the effect they are having on their lives and the amount of time they are spending on them is, to be honest, quite scary.”

Actually, there is nothing new in the telephone being the cause of anxiety and stress, particularly in work situations. In a way it is our very familiarity with the phone which makes it so hard to use properly. Businesses expect new staff members to instantly be familiar with the phone and to use it with confidence.

However there is a world of difference between chatting with friends and conducting a business conversation. Whilst devices such as virtual switchboards have taken some of the pressure off transferring calls, it is still important that employees are trained in the use of the telephone; as a minimum following the three fold approach of knowing what to say, how to say it and who to refer to in case of difficulty. Using call recording and storage will help with training making it easy for calls to be revisited and telephone techniques refined. For smaller businesses, the use of a virtual assistant service can also remove the pressure of answering calls whilst engaged on other tasks.

With stress being one of the primary causes of employee absenteeism it is up to businesses to ensure that the telephone is not one of the trigger points. So training in telephone techniques should include both the use of the telephone within the office as well as the use of smartphones. Suggestions such as a ban on out of hours e-mails, smart phone free periods and training people not to check for messages have all been put forward as ways to help to relieve this stress and put the telephone back in its rightful place as a handy communication tool.

The 4G saga continues

2012-01-17T10:00:00.000Z

We have previously reported on the continuing saga of the transition to 4G mobile coverage and the perceived effects of delays on the UK’s competitiveness. Responding to previous consultations, Ofcom has set out new proposals alongside a ten week consultation period.

The aim of these proposals is to provide 4G coverage for 98% of the UK population as well as institute measures to encourage competition between providers. The proposed enhanced level of coverage will bring mobile and broadband services to areas of the UK which presently have no service, at the same time bringing broadband to areas which will appreciate it most rather than areas which simply suit the operator.

One fact which stands out from the Ofcom announcement is that demand within Western Europe for mobile data is estimated to increase by 500% in the next five years. Ofcom say that the demand is “being fuelled by smartphones and mobile broadband data services such as video streaming, email, messenger services, online mapping and social networking”.

Certainly for businesses which have already embraced, or are thinking of embracing, the advantages of internet telephony, the lack of signal in certain areas is one which seems inconceivable given the progress of the internet itself. Using services such as call forwarding, caller divert and specialist UK and international telephone numbers a business can now place itself anywhere in the world and still seem to be providing a local service. For example, using a package such as Calling Spain allows a UK business to be run from Spain. With the UK telephone number being diverted automatically to Spain and an optional voicemail service, your caller need not know that you are enjoying a period of Spanish sunshine whilst running your UK business.

Using another example, the use of a China Toll Free Service brings 1.3billion potential customers to your reach with the use of a single phone number. With the calls being routed to your office anywhere in the world or even on a “follow the sun” basis, you no longer need to have an office in China to do business with China.

With such a truly global telephone network at our feet, the fact that there remain certain areas of the UK which are out of reach save for landlines seems inconceivable. These latest Ofcom proposals are expected to lead to an auction of 4G services in Q4 of 2012 and hopefully will lead to the UK moving to the forefront of the communication race.

Updating the telephone system

2012-01-09T17:01:00.000Z

We were interested to see a report recently on the reasons why a US City Council had decided to upgrade its telephone system. Our interest arose not from any connection with the area but because the problems encountered by Willits City Council are typical of those experienced by organisations with outdated telephone systems.

A report from Wefinda in October 2010 revealed that setting up good communication systems was the number one priority for new businesses; coming in well ahead of location, brand or even website. The trouble is that for many businesses, once communications have been established they then cease to exist as far as development and planning are concerned.

For Willits City Council the prime drivers alongside frustration arising from using an outmoded system included:

* Lack of replacement parts with little expertise available to fix breakdowns
* Insufficient scalability with police officers having to swap handsets around desks on a daily basis
* Lack of notification of voice mail messages leading to employees having to check for voicemails on a regular basis, thereby wasting valuable time
* Difficulty in forwarding and transfering calls

In choosing a replacement, in common with many businesses nowadays the Council have turned to an internet based telephone system. This will not only remove the need for specialised replacement parts, it also allows them to integrate their entire system, making call transferring a simple process. One example cited was the ability for out of hours water and sewage emergency calls to be automatically forwarded to the police dispatcher.

The report from The Willets News doesn’t specify all the features of the new system chosen by the Council but we suspect that these might have included the ability to record and store calls as well as an integration of the system into local disaster planning. With internet telephony systems being extremely cost effective, features such as managing calls based on the caller’s own number, automatic call queuing and transfer, number switching and the provision of information lines become affordable for most organisations and businesses.

Whilst the prime driver for switching to internet telephony may be frustration at the restrictions of an outmoded system; once the decision to switch is made businesses are usually surprised at the cost savings available. Internet telephony is usually far cheaper than normal telephone calls and with the added functionality that a virtual switchboard brings it is often possible to cut wasted staff time and streamline marketing efforts.

The Willits system is due to be installed shortly and we are sure that, like many other converts before them, they will soon be singing the praises of their new internet telephone system.

A Nation Online

2012-01-03T12:25:00.000Z

The British used to be known as a nation of small shopkeepers. Now apparently we are a nation of online shoppers with 89% of UK internet users visiting online shops in 2011. According to an Ofcom report, this makes us the most online nation in Europe.

Our love affair with the internet is not confined to shopping either. Between February 2010 and August 2011 smart phone ownership doubled to 46% with a quarter of us regularly using our phones to access news and 34% using our phones to play games. In addition, 27% of us watch TV online every week and 79% of us regularly visit online social networking sites.

In fact, virtually the only area where we are lagging behind in the use of the internet is in making calls online. Only 19% of UK broadband subscribers use the internet to make calls online compared with 28% in Italy and 26% in France.

One area which the Ofcom report doesn’t cover is the use of the internet for making business telephone calls. The advent of the internet has revolutionised the way in which business can make and receive calls, slashing their phones costs in the process. Even putting aside services such as Skype, basic VoIP calls over the internet are far more cost effective than equivalent landline calls. This is true whether the recipient has an internet phone connection or not. VoIP to landline calls are still cheaper than landline to landline calls whilst VoIP to VoIP calls are either a fraction of the cost or even free.

Those businesses who have taken advantage of the internet telephone revolution tend to magnify their advantage by installing a virtual switchboard. Again at a fraction of the cost of a traditional switchboard, the virtual switchboard casts a whole new light on the way in which telephone systems are managed. From auto-call divert to telephone recording and from multi-call queuing to the use of international and local numbers the virtual switchboard enables businesses to take a fresh look at their marketing and sales functions.

For example, businesses trying to break into a new market may benefit from having a local number for potential clients to call. Linking that local number into the virtual switchboardmeans that businesses can benefit from multiple numbers across the UK or even the globe whilst retaining a single business office. Alternatively, the switchboard can be programmed to automatically divert calls around international offices depending on the time of day.

This latest Ofcom report shows that we have mastered the internet for the fun things in life. Let’s hope that the next report shows that our businesses have also taken note of the internet telephone revolution.

Securing communications

2011-12-28T12:21:00.000Z

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

2011-12-19T14:18:00.000Z

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 statisticsover 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

2011-12-12T14:31:00.000Z

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

2011-12-06T08:30:00.000Z

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.

Waving not drowning

2011-11-29T11:45:00.000Z

A recent survey revealed that 31% of us in the UK have caused water damage to our mobile telephones at some stage in the past. Within that number 73% were male and 27% female. Tragically by far the top reason for water damage was dropping the phone in the toilet (47%) followed by contact with drink (21%) and dropping the phone in the bath or shower (12%).

Price comparison site Goodmobilephones.co.uk who conducted the survey suggest than when the evidence is reviewed, suddenly the need for insuring a mobile against damage makes sense. But what happens if the phone is needed for work? How do you protect against work disasters?

The stark fact is that 80% of businesses which experience a significant disruption will no longer be in business one year later. Whilst dropping a mobile telephone down a toilet might not count as a major disaster for the majority of businesses, being out of touch for any period of time can seriously affect a business. Drawing up a disaster recovery (or business continuity) plan will help you to ensure that that disruption is minimised.

Whilst every business is different, there are a few key elements to most plans, particularly when it comes to communications. From the ability to switch calls to an alternatephone number right through to the need to staff standby temporary premises, the quicker that you can get your business communicating the better.

When a disaster occurs, the first thing which you may wish to do is to pass certain information to employees, relatives or clients. Emergencyinformation numbers allow you to record and play updated information to callers. With the option of passcode access, clients can receive one message whilst employees can hear alternative messages.

Following on from emergency messages may come the need to switch phone lines to alternate numbers or sites. This switching is easily possible via a disaster recovery package or even as part of a normal virtualswitchboard. Allying the telephone divert facility to callrecording means that if decision makers are tied up in resolving the immediate crisis, messages can be stored and reviewed later.

Planning against disaster now could be the difference between business success and failure, between drowning and treading water whilst the business gets back on its feet. Telephone disaster management is an important aspect of this planning and one which should not be left until the flood hits.

A true emergency service

2011-11-22T11:55:00.000Z

As part of its “adopt a kiosk” scheme, BT has seen its disused red telephone boxes turned into
everything from book exchanges and information points to art galleries and even into a pub. Now,
from Glendaruel in Argyll comes arguably the best idea yet. Its phone box has been fitted with life
saving equipment which can be used in the case of cardiac arrest.

The defibrillator was installed by Community Heartbeat Trust, a charity which provides defibrillation
equipment for use by local communities. With treatment recommended within 5 minutes of a
heart episode many rural communities are too far away from emergency help, turning communal
defibrillators literally into a lifeline.

The decision by BT to allow communities to adopt disused kiosks allows the community to retain
its iconic red telephone box whilst saving BT £800 in maintenance costs each year. With the rise in
home telephone use and then mobiles, the number of calls from pay phones has fallen by 80% in the
last five years with 64% of kiosks running at a loss.

When first installed, pay phones were a lifeline for the community. Being able to chat with those
who lived outside your immediate area opened up whole new lines of communication as well as
opening eyes to the possibilities of moving away from home and yet staying in touch by a more
immediate means than simply writing letters . Most importantly, the pay phone allowed us to
summon help when required.

Nowadays, we take this ability to call for immediate help for granted just as we expect to be able
to pick up a phone and instantly connect with colleagues and friends anywhere in the world.
The advent of internet telephoning (VoIP) has finished what the telephone box started and
brought cheap international telephone calls to all. This in turn has enabled businesses to open up
international markets, calling Spain or calling China as easily as nipping next door for a chat.

Whilst e-mail and broadband are nipping at the heels of the telephone, at the end of the day they
are no substitute for sheer speed of contact as well as the certain knowledge that the call has been
answered and a dialogue established. The telephone is still the medium of choice when calling for
emergency help and will be for some time to come. In the meantime, initiatives such as the use of
old kiosks for emergency defibrillators are thought provoking and inspiring.

Making your number memorable

2011-11-15T09:30:00.000Z

The department of Health has announced the launch of a new non-emergency telephone number for NHS services. The number, 111, has already been tested in four areas of England and will be rolled out nationally by 2013. It will not replace existing NHS services in Scotland and Wales.

Designed to replace NHS direct; the 111 number will provide access to a range of services across the NHS including out-of-hours GPs, walk-in centres, emergency dentists and pharmacies. The government hopes that this memorable number will reduce confusion although patients may still then be advised to make a follow up call to local service providers or to a slimmed down NHS direct.

Choosing a simple to remember number such as 111 is one of the drivers behind the success of the new service. Indeed, as with any business, the easier it is for potential customers to contact you, the more likely they will do so. Even with the rise of the internet, having a robust telephone service aligned with a memorable telephone number can make a difference.

In America, businesses realised the benefit of memorable telephone numbers far sooner than we did in the UK. Aligning the letters of the alphabet with the numbers on a telephone key pad means that you can refer to your business name or type within the telephone number itself. So, for example, a sports shop might want a telephone number which included the word “sports”. All customers had to do was remember the word “sports” and dial the appropriate letters, effectively dialling 776787.

Whilst in the UK we haven’t taken up this letter/number association with much enthusiasm, it is still true that having a memorable number is more likely to attract callers. Luckily the advent of internet technology also means that calls to the memorable number or numbers can then be routed via a virtual switchboard to anywhere in the world. This means that you can offer clients in the UK or elsewhere a memorable number which appears to apply to their area whilst retaining the flexibility to answer calls from anywhere. Virtual switchboards can even be programmed to “follow the sun” so that calls are switched between international offices or even between office and mobile depending on the time of day.

Some memorable numbers are more memorable than others and these tend to attract a premium when chosen. Whilst few will be as simple as 111, the choice of telephone number might still be an important cog in your marketing mix and one which is well worth considering.

Telephone sales etiquette

2011-11-07T09:00:00.000Z

The news that emergency insurance provider Homeserve was suspending all telephone sales pending retraining of employees came as a shock to the markets, initially wiping a third off the value of the company. Quoting an internal review, Homeserve said that in some cases its sales process “did not meet the company’s required standards” necessitating retraining.

Whether this breach related to internal regulations or compliance with tough Financial Services Authority regulations was unclear at the time of writing. However, the Homeserve action is a warning to all who operate call centres that they need to be vigilant in case employees breach any of the rules and regulations which surround telephone sales.

These multiple regulations apply whether internal or outsourced call centres are used. Largely brought in to combat aggressive sales practices, the regulations and best practices include areas such as:

Telephone preference service
Calling times
Silent calls
Cooling off periods
Industry specific regulations

Between this raft of regulations and the need to achieve sales targets it can sometimes be hard to remember that there is an actual person on the other end of your phone line. And yet, empathising with the customer experience and building this into your telephone contact etiquette can pay dividends.

Within a comparatively short time frame telephones have become part of our lives. The advent of the mobile phone has speeded this process up to the extent that we will often interrupt whatever we are doing, even existing face to face conversations, to answer a call. This gives the telephone power over us and it is a power which if misused can lead to resentment. Those who understand this are far more likely to receive the sympathetic hearing which is the prelude to a potential customer relationship. So, for example:

choose your calling times to suit the preferred customer demographic
check if it is a convenient time to speak if during a call you hear a child crying,
offer to phone back
make it easy for the call recipient to contact you in return
be polite at all times

There was a time when the internet boom coupled with the cost of calls gave rise to speculation that the sales call was on its way out. Internet telephony (VoIP) has reversed this trend allowing cheap calls to be made across the world as well as enabling call recording and statistical analysis. The sales call can therefore still be a vital part of the business model. Simply obeying the rules is one thing, going a step further and incorporating company telephone etiquette could pay dividends in the long run.