On May 25^th, 2018 the EU-wide ‘General Data Protection Regulations’ (GDPR) will come into effect. If you are recording phone calls, for any reason, the new legislation affects you.

Business technology is something we are all grateful for. Think back 15 years ago, before CRM and project management systems, before your accounting software automated hundreds of hours of manual work and before you had order and payment processing tools.

We have all had the Connection not secure warning pop up on our screens as we attempt to connect to public WiFi. But sometimes we really have to connect, particularly for business – an email must be sent, a document must be downloaded, or your Bria softclient must be used so you can make business calls.

Sometimes being ahead of the curve is a difficult place to live.  We are all familiar with products that we think will become mainstream one day, but are ‘ahead of their time’, and as such we don’t buy them. But jumping on a new technology bandwagon just as it takes off is very powerful for a business. You are saved all the niggles of the very early versions, yet receive the benefits of new tech before nearly everyone else.

Did you know all employees have the legal right to request flexible working? So long as the employee has worked for at least 6 months, they are eligible to apply.

CEB data from more than 100,000 customers across the world shows that interactions with service reps are four times likelier to lead to customer disloyalty than to loyalty.  As such it is no surprise that the tide is turning in the world of customer service.  It is now believed that companies should focus on sparing customers grief rather than trying to impress them with amazing service.

These days being good at your job means being able to maximise the latest technology.  Whether it is a meeting scheduling software, a mobile app for your office phone, or implementing a unified communications solution — those who are able to master the latest tech, get ahead quicker.  This is particularly true for sales teams.  No longer does a nice smile and a convincing pitch bring home the most bacon. Evolution is critical to survival, and these three emerging technologies can help.  

Some may not think of the telecoms industry as interesting — particularly if it conjures up images of men in hard hats working on phones lines.  But the telecoms industry is vast, from the large telecoms companies that connect nearly all UK homes, to the modern service providers offering VoIP business phone systems, to the ever-expanding mobile networks that keep you online wherever you may be.

Bad customer service undermines everything  —  from your newly redesigned product, to your beautiful packaging.  It is the most personal interaction your customers will have with your company.  It isn’t the same as browsing your website, or even using your product or service, it is a direct human to human connection between your team and your customers.  Ultimately, it is an opportunity to make a lasting positive impression.

Back in the early 2000’s, VoIP wasn’t taken seriously as an option for business telephony.  In fact, virtually no companies in the UK had business-grade VoIP phone systems. But by 2010, it was catching on quick, with tens of thousands of companies adopting IP based phone services.  And by 2025, nearly all companies will have VoIP telephony solutions as BT turns of the traditional IDSN and PSTN phone networks.