Comms Dealer

True Telecom has collected a Silver Medal at the National Contact Centre Improvement Awards 2016 hosted by the Directors' Club.

On the judging day, entrants had an allotted time to give a 10-minute presentation of their contact centre improvement initiative and outcomes to a panel of three judges, plus a small audience of peers who acted as the fourth judge. After the 10-minute presentation, each entrant was asked a series of questions by the judging panel.

After the Judging Day, the judges' marks and the overall results were delivered via a live online Awards Ceremony webcast on July 5th.

Stuart Griffiths, CEO, said: "We are proud of the progress made by our Customer Service Team and the hard work and dedication our employees put into their roles."

Bury-based Pennine Telecom has been awarded Midmarket Unified Communications Expert specialisation under Avaya's Select partner support programme.

"Being named as a Midmarket Unified Communications Expert is strategically important to the business," commented Pennine's product director, Geoff King. "It will give potential clients added confidence in the quality and effectiveness of the solutions we can devise and implement in what is an increasingly important market.

"SMEs are increasingly aware of the power of collaboration and the need to embrace the latest technologies in order to secure a competitive edge. With this award Pennine is confirmed among a select band of go-to specialists in the field of unified communications."

Tech Data has launched a Focus on Education guide to support reseller business development over the peak summertime buying period.

The guide highlights upcoming technologies and areas of opportunity for resellers in the education sector, provides resellers with information on the tools and resources available from Tech Data and details specific value propositions for schools and colleges from key vendor partners.

With the build-up to the summer upgrade season in education now underway, and schools planning how to prioritise their spending, resellers need to look at propositions they can put forward, said Kirsty Guy, Public Sector Marketing Manager at Tech Data.

"Schools and colleges need to make sure they are well equipped to support pupils and achieve the best possible outcomes in the year ahead.

"A strong emphasis on the 'sTEM' subjects - science, technology, engineering and maths - is expected, so there is likely to be plenty of focus on computing equipment in general, and lots interest in advanced graphics, 3D printing and new technologies such as virtual reality.

"We are also likely to see upgrades to Windows 10 2-in-1s. Many schools will also be looking seriously at Chromebooks as an option and at affordable collaboration and video conferencing solutions, as well as large-format interactive displays.

"We are doing everything we can to help resellers maximise their business potential and drive sales growth during the peak period."

A sharp rise in the number of Chief Digital Officers (CDO) across Europe over the past 12 months signifies a ramping up of the digital transformation agenda, according to Claranet.

Vanson Bourne surveyed 900 end user IT leaders from mid-market businesses in the six markets in which Claranet operates - Germany, Benelux, France, Spain, Portugal, and the UK.

It found that 95 per cent of European businesses now have a digital strategy, and 15 per cent of these digital strategies are now led by a CDO, up from just 6 per cent in 2015.

This trend is particularly pronounced in France and Portugal where CDOs head up 22 per cent and 20 per cent of digital strategies.

These findings show how seriously European businesses are taking their digital transformations.

The Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and the Chief Information Officer (CIO) are still most likely to drive digital strategies, at 34 per cent and 29 per cent. However, the rise of the CDO is indicative of wider trends across IT departments.

Commenting on the research, Andy Wilton, CIO of Claranet, said: "The fact that we are seeing a broad split in leadership between CTOs, CIOs and now the growth in CDOs, demonstrates the different approaches organisations are taking toward digital transformation.

"It is also indicative of a changing IT department where traditional roles are becoming more hybridised."

IT is progressing from a support function to a value-creating role of strategic significance. Harvey Nash and KPMG recently found that even where there is no CDO, the CIO's role is becoming ever more dynamic and strategic.

Traditionally, a CIO's priorities have been increasing operational efficiencies and delivering stable IT performance. These are becoming less important in the face of these changes.

Wilton added: "The IT department of 2016 is undergoing a period of accelerating change. Where IT used to play a supporting role to business strategy, it now has the opportunity to drive it.

"Businesses can lead change by empowering their IT departments - be that by appointing a Chief Digital Officer or by increasing the remit of the CIO to generate profit rather than to provide cost-savings."

Exertis has made two senior appointments to drive deeper into the office automation (OA) and document scan markets.

Alistair Coyne and Theresa Downes are the latest recruits to join the OA and document scan team within the Exertis print business.

Coyne takes responsibility for the overall OA and document scan strategy while Downes manages the Samsung strand of the OA business. Both were previously at Midwich.

Jamie Brothwell, Exertis' General Manager for Print, said: "The specialist OA team has grown rapidly since we entered the market three years ago."

Businesses need to prepare for the multichannel demands of next generation consumers or get left behind as 16 to 24-year-olds are snubbing the telephone for customer service queries, according to a survey by Magnetic North.

Just 7% of 16 to 24 year olds will call a business even in relation to a high value sales query, with research revealing that one in five prefer to buy from businesses that offer multiple channels of communication.

It's not just young people who are turning their backs on the telephone with only 12% of people 16-55 year olds preferring to call a business.

The research findings highlight the need for a new approach to customer service.

Magnetic North's guide, the new rules of the inbound contact centre, says the industry needs to rip up the old rules of customer service, or risk losing customers.

In a traditional call centre 'inbound' meant incoming calls, but now, inbound should mean both instant communication such as telephone calls or chat, and email or social media posts that don't necessarily require an instant reaction, although speed of response is still vital.

It also reveals and how to handle multiple channels including calls, emails, chat, social media.

Enda Kenneally, VP Sales & Business Development UK&I, Magnetic North, said: "As we see the rise of a more customer-centric type of business, the contact centre is increasingly expected to contribute to revenue generation. In order to build customer loyalty and stand out against the competition, businesses need to deliver exceptional personalised customer experiences.

"Responding to customer demands is a huge challenge for businesses and the old rules of 'answer it quickly and dispatch it quickly' are simply no longer sufficient. In order to achieve contact centre success, we need new technology, new skills and new strategies. So we're ripping up the old rulebook and writing a new one."

The time it takes for resellers to secure lease and hire purchase deals online has shrunk to just 20 seconds following the launch of HowApp.

According to its developer, Newport-based HH Vendor Finance, the app reduces transaction times by up to 90%.

"We developed HowApp to remove paperwork and simplify the applications and credit approvals process," commented Dan Proctor, CTO at Henry Howard Finance. "This enables resellers to fulfil customer orders without delay."

HowApp can be used on any device, meaning that sales teams can transact deals from any location. "With an average 95% acceptance rate, HowApp allows resellers to finalise a lease deal in just seven clicks and 20 seconds, revolutionising the traditionally lengthy leasing process that can take several days before the paperwork is completed," added Proctor.

As well as enabling ICT resellers to seal deals on he spot, HowApp is also designed to highlight additional sales opportunities and provide full audit trails and tools to help its users stay FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) compliant.

According to Proctor, HowApp is a prime example of how advances in technology are revolutionising the way businesses are able to access finance. "HowApp offers a quick and easy way for vendor businesses to apply for financial support, and the app ensures that staff's time is spent generating revenue rather than administering lease paperwork," he commented.

HowApp can be integrated into vendor websites and tailored to fit their branding, giving the appearance of an in-house solution. The app is designed according to vendors' unique rate cards and, where applicable, can be calibrated with credit rules specific to typical customers and equipment.

In practice, once a vendor enters the details of the lease or hire purchase an online automated underwriting decision is provided by HowApp.
"The vendor can turn the credit acceptance into a finalised lease document by uploading details of the equipment they require or choosing from their products and pricing already listed on HowApp," explained Proctor.

"Lease documents are sent directly for an electronic signature, automatically raising a purchase order."

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Novosco has acquired NetDef in a seven figure deal that sees the managed cloud provider increase its workforce to 140 and add a security specialism to its service offering.

Cheshire-based NetDef counts a number of metropolitan police forces, NHS trusts and financial services organisations among its client-base, in addition to two Premier League football clubs. Other customers include businesses such as Warburtons and Village Hotels.

The acquisition of NetDef, which will continue to trade under its existing name, is intended to help accelerate Novosco's expansion in the English market in particular.

Novosco has offices in Belfast, Manchester, Dublin and Cork and its clients include many of the UK's largest health trusts, universities, and housing associations, over 50% of Northern Ireland's top 100 companies, and some of the largest organisations in the Republic of Ireland.

Novosco's MD Patrick McAliskey said: "NetDef is an established provider of network and security solutions to some of the UK's high profile organisations, and its expertise and competence have seen it entrusted with data and projects of public sensitivity."

NetDef MD Dave Beesley added: "Novosco is a business that we have long admired, and we felt that there was a strong cultural alignment between the two companies.

"The complementary expertise that we have will allow us to further enhance and deepen the services that we offer to existing and new clients. We very much look forward to working with Patrick, John and their team."

Founded by Beesley in 1996, NetDef employs 20 people and has an annual turnover of more than £4m with a purpose-built HQ in Cheshire.

Pictured (left-right): Dave and Sue Beesley of NetDef with Novosco's John Lennon and Patrick McAliskey.

Only a fifth of IT decision makers in large multinational corporations are confident that their organisation is fully prepared against the threat of cyber-criminals.

The majority of companies feel constrained by regulation, available resources and a dependence on third parties when responding to attacks, according to new research from BT and KPMG.

The study also flags up the need for budgets to be adjusted, with 60% of decision makers reporting that their organisation's cyber security is currently financed by the central IT budget while half of those (50%) think it should come from a separate security budget.

One major challenge identified by the report is the funding and scale of R&D spending that the criminals can bring to bear on breaching the defences of target companies.

The report, 'Taking the Offensive - Working together to disrupt digital crime', finds that, while 94% of IT decision makers are aware that criminal entrepreneurs are blackmailing and bribing employees to gain access to organisations, roughly half (47%) admit that they don't have a strategy in place to prevent it.

The report also finds that 97% of respondents experienced a cyber-attack, with half of them reporting an increase in the last two years.

At the same time, 91% of respondents believe they face obstacles in defending against digital attack, with many citing regulatory obstacles, and 44% being concerned about the dependence on third parties for aspects of their response.

Mark Hughes, CEO Security, BT, said: "The industry is now in an arms race with professional criminal gangs and state entities with sophisticated tradecraft.

"The 21st century cyber criminal is a ruthless and efficient entrepreneur, supported by a highly developed and rapidly evolving black market. Businesses need to not only defend against cyber-attacks, but also disrupt the criminal organisations that launch those attacks. They should certainly work closer with law enforcement as well as partners in the cyber security marketplace."

Paul Taylor, UK Head of Cyber Security, KPMG said: "It's time to think differently about cyber risk - ditching the talk of hackers - and recognising that our businesses are being targeted by ruthless criminal entrepreneurs with business plans and extensive resources - intent on fraud, extortion or theft of hard won intellectual property.

"Talking generically about cyber risk doesn't deliver insight."

The conclusions of the research point to the need to change mindset and to regard security not simply as a defence exercise. It is, in fact, the enabler that facilitates digital innovation and ultimately drives profit.

BT and KPMG are now engaging with large organisations around the world to debate the learning points of their joint research and advise on the changes that need to be undertaken.

GCI has launched the first of a new range of Microsoft Azure related services following its acquisition of Outsourcery's assets last month.

Targeted initially at the partner channel, GCI can now resell and support Azure virtual machines, storage and connectivity, either as discreet Azure services or hybrid deployments with its own accredited IaaS.

GCI is now one of ten UK Microsoft Cloud Service Providers able to create and manage Azure tenants for partners who can manage and deploy Azure services for their end customers.

Partners have one point of contact and a single contract, with support coming directly from GCI. Partners also receive just one, consolidated and reconciled invoice to ensure that administration is also kept simple.

GCI CEO Adrian Thirkill commented: "It is fantastic to see the benefits of our integration starting to be delivered so quickly.

"The strengthening of our cloud services and the deepening of our strategic relationship with Microsoft is great news."

Scott Riley, Chief Strategy Officer at GCI, added: "We are already a Microsoft Gold Partner for Cloud and Communications, and we already have a substantial footprint in Skype for Business with 120,000 deployed seats. So the investment in our Microsoft partnership runs deep.

"We believe that for all sorts of reasons (security, latency, redundancy or sovereignty) customers will invariably have a blended infrastructure environment.

"That hybrid environment may be a mix of private and public cloud alongside on-premise infrastructure. GCI is able to provide Azure as a true hybrid deployment."

James Chadwick, Director of Channel Sales at Microsoft, commented: "I am delighted that GCI's track record and expertise as a Cloud Service Provider is now helping to further broaden the range of partners and customers who can take full advantage of the opportunities offered by Microsoft Azure."