You’re probably aware that the regulator Ofcom imposed a change to the revenue regime on all UK numbers beginning 08, 09 and 118, which took effect on the 1st of July 2015.  This suggests another review of inbound telephony numbering may be worthwhile, after CCICACR (the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations) which […]
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If you don’t need the card data, don’t touch it!
Call centers, when it comes to PCI DSS compliance give the problem to someone else I have been a PCI DSS QSA for seven years now, and involved in the information security industry for 15. In that time I have assessed and advised all manner of customers, large and small, across various sectors and in various aspects […]
Read moreConnected customers: are you meeting their needs?
Most people expect to be able to interact with family, friends and neighbours instantly using the channel and device of their choice. According to Ofcom, 82% of households have fixed broadband, and 89% have mobile broadband. These levels of connectivity bring expectations and increased demands when we interact as customers with organizations. But are organizations […]
Read more10 simple ways to reduce average call handling time in your contact center
Average call handling time is one of the most common metrics that call center managers use to measure the performance of their teams. It’s an easy metric to measure and provides a clear indication of how efficiently the call center is operating. Reducing average call handling time can lead to significant gains in productivity but […]
Read moreHow to make your call recordings PCI DSS compliant
It’s common practice nowadays for organizations to record telephone calls between staff and customers. This might be for quality control, for staff monitoring and training, or as part of customer service and complaints review. Indeed, in many industries (particularly financial services) the recording of calls is a regulatory requirement. Call recording throws up a number […]
Read moreHow to get the most out of your contact center’s real time reporting capabilities
Technology means that call center managers these days have more information at their disposal than ever before. So much so that it can be hard to know where to start when it comes to making use of all the functionality that your contact center management system offers you. In this blog post I suggest ten simple […]
Read moreImportant changes to 08, 09 and 118 numbers from 1 July 2015
Ofcom, the communications regulator, is making changes to the way consumers are charged for calling service numbers; that’s those numbers  beginning 08, 09 and 118. Their research has shown that people are confused about how much it costs to call these service numbers, and as a result avoid using them. Ofcom believes that the changes […]
Read moreTen tips for offering your callers a positive IVR experience
IVR (interactive voice response) is a powerful tool and, when used well, can help you significantly improve the service that you offer callers to your contact center as well as offer you greater operational efficiency. However when it’s badly used, IVR can be a huge source of frustration for callers and ultimately results in lost […]
Read moreWhy the travel industry is moving to hosted IT solutions
In the run-up to this year’s Travel Technology Europe exhibition at Olympia this week, it’s worth exploring  how developing technology and changing consumer behavior are rapidly changing the industry, and what travel companies need to do in order to keep up. Although people don’t necessarily think of travel as a technology-driven industry, the fact is […]
Read more10 questions to ask before you appoint a new SIP supplier
There’s growing pressure from VISA, MasterCard and AMEX for Merchants to become PCI compliant, and the uptake and popularity of SIP trunks is also increasing. But if you’re considering appointing a new SIP supplier  how do you make sure you get the best? In this blog post I suggest 10 questions that you should ask of […]
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