Businesses across the UK are falling victim to telephone fraud and PBX hacking, which is estimated to cost companies £1bn a year; and it’s on the increase.

Fraudsters exploit loopholes in business telephone systems to rack up call charges, leaving unsuspecting companies liable for bills that can run into thousands of pounds. Once criminals have accessed a telephone network, they have been typically known to make international or premium rate calls (09 numbers) at £1.50 per minute. This activity can go undetected for many days or even weeks. Most importantly, because all the calls have been made using a company’s telephone lines, the business is liable and has to pay the bill.

Ian Hilton, director of Lancashire-based telecoms company Tech Advance, has been speaking to Property Aspects about the issue, and what can be done to protect against it.

Ian stated: “Attacking business’ telephone systems is a high profit low risk activity. A hacker will normally link together several unprotected telephone systems, making tracing the calls almost impossible. They generate profit by dialling premium rated telephone numbers; these are usually of the international variety. The profits they can make from these attacks are alarming and have the potential to bankrupt the target.”

“Just consider, if one phone line can generate a £5.00 per minute call charge and an attack starts at 5.01pm on a Friday and goes undetected until 9.01am on a Monday morning, that’s 3840 minutes at £5.00 per minute, totalling a charge of £19,200. Now, if your system can generate 10 outbound calls that figure could increase to £192,000.”

Talking about how to combat the issue, Ian commented: “Company owners need to work closely with telephone service providers to help ensure every step possible is taken to protect their business telephone systems. Regularly check the user name and password for remote access to your business telephone systems – Ensure you have strong passwords that are confidential to your business. Finally, make sure your telephone extensions are barred from making calls to premium rate numbers. Small businesses often choose not to put restrictions in on the phones but locking this down can prevent fraudulent attacks and misuse by staff.”

Property Aspects appreciates the contribution to this article from Ian Hilton of Tech Advance who has worked in telecommunications for 22 years. For more information on how to avoid telephone fraud, contact Ian via Tel: 0845 389 2311 or E-Mail: ihilton@techadvance.co.uk

Ian Hilton, director of Lancashire-based telecoms company Tech Advance, has been putting out a warning to any businesses moving into or developing new build offices, as the growing need for fast, accessible internet has caused problems in the new locations.

Recently, Seddon Developments built six new office units designed to be let out to new businesses. However upon discovering that the internet connection was poor and slow, they had increasing trouble trying to get tenants into the buildings.

At this point Ian came in and put down a new fat pipe and fibre optic cables, which the provided fast, secure internet to all of the new units, resolving the issue and enabling the units to be promoted with fast Internet access included for tenants.

However Ian believes that, despite the happy ending to the Seddon story, this is an issue that could be dealt with much earlier, and more cost effectively.

Ian stated: “Internet access speeds are becoming more and more important to any business, and with the advent of growingly popular cloud based technologies, companies are becoming more savvy about the type of Internet connectivity they need to function effectively.“

“The internet speeds available to a new site are defined by the distance from the local exchange and the equipment installed within it. On most occasions, available speed and service are only considered when the first tenant moves into a new development, which can be a little late in the game and therefore create a problem. “

“To combat this issue we have introduced a free of charge service to any site developer wishing to consider this important aspect of their site at any stage in the construction process, as we can access the relevant platforms and offer instant feedback based on different locations.”

Property Aspects appreciates the contribution to this article from Ian Hilton of TechAdvance who has worked in telecommunications for 22 years. For more information, contact Ian via Tel: 0845 389 2311 or E-Mail: ihilton@techadvance.co.uk

Communications management, including call reporting/logging, is not a new concept, but Ian Hilton, director of Lancashire-based telecoms company Tech Advance, believes that a lot of its potential remains untapped. If the technology were to be fully explored, Ian is adamant it can deliver significant business benefits, regardless of business size or industry sector.

The concept of call logging has been around for over three decades, and is all about collecting and analysing phone call data, using it to breakdown the telephone network’s cost, capacity, quality and performance. It has since evolved from basic hardware-based telephone logging systems, to today’s web-based software solutions that capture all aspects of communications to provide businesses with detailed statistics on fixed line, mobile, Internet and email.

Ian Hilton has spoken to Property Aspects, talking about everything the beginner needs to know.

He began: “Communications management should be an important component to every businesses communication set-up, to ensure equipment and lines are being used effectively; usage optimised, and costs minimised. The ways in which communication management can be deployed through any organisation are unlimited. After all, the telephone, email, and now the Internet are the most highly used business resources. As a result, it makes sense that only by clearer understanding how these resources are being used, can all these activities be measured and improved.”

Going into more detail, he continued: “With the arrival of IP telephony, call management can now integrate directly with the phone switch over the LAN, which means it can easily be set up on any PC in a matter of minutes. With the Internet, secure web-browser clients make it more widely available, 24/7, and globally. Users can literally check their communications system from home, or any other part of the world, and give specific access rights to remote workers.

Instant alarms and messaging brings communications management to the front office, to alert people when certain event criteria is matched and give an instant view of communications usage and costs. This automation is further supported by the facility for the management reports to be auto-scheduled, run at predefined times and automatically emailed to selected individuals, or groups.”

Looking to the future, Ian concluded: “The future of communications management lies in its ability, both through software development and services, to help users understand the information it delivers and propose recommendations for change. This will include trend analysis and business modelling, interactive reports (like playing a call back through a voice recording by selecting a line item on a report), and greater integration with other systems, to provide the central command centre for voice and data infrastructures.”

Property Aspects appreciates the contribution to this article from Ian Hilton of TechAdvance who has worked in telecommunications for 22 years. For more information, contact Ian via Tel: 0845 389 2311 or E-Mail: ihilton@techadvance.co.uk

Director of Lancashire based telecoms company Tech Advance, Ian Hilton, believes office disputes that could potentially disrupt the working environment and reduce productivity in the workplace, could be resolved quicker or avoided entirely if a call recording system were in place.

However in his personal experience he has seen businesses avoid the process due to misconceptions about cost and its legal uses.

Guidelines state that it is now acceptable to monitor or record without consent for the purposes of establishing the existence of facts, ascertaining compliance with regulatory or self-regulatory practices or procedures, and ascertaining or demonstrating standards which are achieved or ought to be achieved by persons using the system.

Furthermore it is acceptable for the purposes of preventing or detecting crime, investigating or detecting unauthorised use of the business’s telecoms system, and ensuring the effective operation of the system.

Despite the above, all reasonable efforts must be taken to inform all parties of the intent to record or monitor. This is generally achieved via information contained in advertisements, letterheads or within terms and conditions.

Looking more specifically at the system’s potential for resolving office disputes, it also allows you to review call histories should any arise and the recordings of many systems can be used in UK courts. For Dummies reports that the best way to handle an office dispute is to stay in control, stay focused on the issues, and to go to the source of the problem.

Ian Hilton has worked in telecoms for over two decades, and has extensive knowledge of the sector.

Ian stated: “I see a lot of people get put off by call recording due to the legal and ethical minefield that surrounds it. The best advice I can give is don’t treat the system like it’s a tool for spying. Make it clear to employees and customers that your calls are being recorded – that in itself can act as a deterrent to potential misuse, and promote consistent standards of good telephone usage.”

“With regards to costs, it’s a lot cheaper than people think. Call recording technology is now widely available and costs as little as £40 per month, and each system can be tailored to suit the business and budget. Call recording systems connect to your telephone system and capture either all of your calls or calls for specific extensions. Once recorded, the calls are archived and accessible to your system administrators, or can be exported to email if required.”

He concluded: “Only certain types of call recording systems offer recordings permissible in a UK court of law, so it’s important to take advice before you buy.”

Any person considering interception, recording or monitoring of telephone calls is advised to seek independent legal advice and should not rely on the general information provided above. Property Aspects and Tech Advance accepts no liability or reliance by any person on the above information. The latest regulation for monitoring or recording telephone calls can be found in full in the following publications: -

• Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000
• Telecommunications (Lawful Business Practice)(Interception of Communications) Regulations 2000
• Data Protection Act 1998
• Telecommunications (Data Protection and Privacy) Regulations 1999
• Human Rights Act 1998

If you have any more questions about call recording, please feel free to contact Ian Hilton via Tel: 0845 389 2311 or E-Mail: ihilton@techadvance.co.uk

Despite a meteoric rise in text-based communication, which has now surpassed verbal interactions, businesses are being advised to re-embrace talking. This is because it is feared that a lack of traditional interaction may be damaging to the company.

A recent Ofcom study reported that, for the first time ever, texting, e-mails and social networks were the preferred form of communication, ahead of phone calls and face-to-face meetings. The amount of landline calls has dropped by 10% in the last year, while the average number of texts sent by an individual per week has risen to fifty, double the amount it was four years ago.

Businesses are also following this trend, with a majority of customer service departments today being managed through web based portals and most inter-office communication is done via text message, online chat or emails.

However, the lack of traditional forms of communication can be damaging to the business. Kommein reported that the voice is better than words as it helps show an implied tone or inference, avoiding common misunderstandings that often occur via text conversations. They go on to say that it is also the more efficient and productive to communicate, as one call can be carried out quicker than a chain of several e-mails, and provides and instant response as opposed to waiting.

Ian Hilton, Director of Lancashire-based telecommunications company TechAdvance, is also a keen advocate of traditional interaction.

He stated: “Undoubtedly, verbal communication is still the best method of interaction; it helps build rapport, develop relationships and offers a clearer understanding of what the other person is saying based upon their tone of voice.”

He continued: “These days, there’s no reason not to embrace verbal communication. The latest technology gives us Internet protocol telephones (IPT), which uses Internet technology to deliver your conversation. Put simply, you can talk to your customers or co-workers using a traditional handset, but your conversation is sent over the Internet in the same was as an email, rather than over your existing telephone network.

It’s a high quality voice transmission and as for cost, just like with broadband you pay a flat cost for IPT and all of your calls within the network are free of charge.”

Ian concluded: “Verbal communication will never be replaced by written communication, no matter how innovative technologies become. Conversations on the phone can be completed much quicker, you can resolve a problem or answer a question in the time it would take to open and compose an email. Remember the old maxim: time is money.”

Property Aspects appreciates the contribution to this article from Ian Hilton of TechAdvance who has worked in telecommunications for 22 years. For more information, contact Ian via Tel: 0845 389 2311 or E-Mail: ihilton@techadvance.co.uk

It is both an understatement and a cliché to say that times are tough, and during this period of austerity businesses need to save wherever they can. One way of doing this is downsizing an office, which, according to the director of a leading local telecoms company, can be an ideal time to improve communications within the business.

Bright Hub compiled a list of the pros and cons of downsizing, reporting that it could improve cost savings by reducing overheads and results in labour mobility. One of the main pros is improved efficiency, due to the restructuring of the organisation leading to staff appraisals, job enrichment, and helping to eliminate corporate bureaucracy. On the other hand, it is reported that a major con of the process is disruption of interpersonal relationships at work.

This is why this transitional period is considered a key time to improve the communications infrastructure. It aids improved efficiency, and keeps everyone in the business on the same page, helping to soften the disruption of interpersonal relationships, while also leading to improved working standards in the future.

Ian Hilton, director of telecoms company Tech Advance, has been talking to Property Aspects about how downsizing can be a time to capitalise on improving communications.

He commented: “Many companies do not realise how easily they can relocate nowadays from a technology perspective, retaining their existing telephone numbers and reducing their operating cost relating to business telecoms at the same time.”

“There are many companies out there operating with a telephone system that has been in place for over 5 years, in some cases these systems are no longer suitable as they were initially deployed when the business had a much larger workforce. These companies can see improved communications and a reduced operating cost by reviewing what they have and upgrading the technology, while downgrading the number of staff they actually need to support.”

“Add to this, the shift in the market to flexible working from home and new technologies we can deploy for mobile and home workers, and it becomes possible to distribute your workforce out of that expensive office location without sacrificing on customer experience or internal communications.”

Property Aspects appreciates the contribution to this article from Ian Hilton of TechAdvance who has worked in telecommunications for 22 years. For more information, contact Ian via Tel: 0845 389 2311 or E-Mail: ihilton@techadvance.co.uk

Video conferencing technology has been around for years, but with improved cameras, internet speeds, and lower costs, Ian Hilton, director of Preston-based telecoms company Tech Advance, believes that it is an underused tool by businesses today.

About.com compiled a list of five key reasons businesses should be using video conferencing, including the ability to do business at anytime, anywhere, strengthening office relationships by increasing face-time, and the bonuses of saving time and money, especially in fuel costs. The Tech Advance blog reported that it is possible to get a video conferencing system for less than the price of a years worth of fuel, based on £60 a week fuel. They also reported that these figures were based on just one person using the system, but if more people were involved the savings would increase and businesses could see payback in a matter of months or even weeks.

The director of Tech Advance, Ian Hilton, was on hand to discuss more about the possible applications of the technology now the world is more connected, and its possible savings.

He commented: “Video conferencing cannot and should never replace every meeting we have; there is still a definite place for face to face interactions especially with new client development. However video conferencing really can have a significant effect on businesses today by replacing a high percentage of internal meetings, which involve travel, with a face-to-face video call.”

“With video conferencing people can meet more often whilst reducing costs, this can also reduce project lead times as a result. Nowadays most video conferencing systems operate via the Internet as opposed to dial up telephone lines and HD quality is now available along with the ability to easily conference with several parties in different locations. Further to this, the latest video conferencing technologies available offer integration with iPads, Android tablets, and laptops, which makes the technology more and more accessible and useful.”

“Next time you consider the costs of getting all your team together in one place for a project meeting it may be useful to associate a cost to the meeting. Travel time, overnight stays etc. can stack up, maybe you could replace 1 in every 2 or 3 face to face meetings like this with a video conference?”

Property Aspects appreciates the contribution to this article from Ian Hilton of TechAdvance who has worked in telecommunications for 22 years. For more information, contact Ian via Tel: 0845 389 2311 or E-Mail: ihilton@techadvance.co.uk

The use of cloud technology is on the rise and has been prominent in computing for a while now. However cloud telephony is a technology that is fast catching on, and Ian Hilton, Director of Preston-based company Tech Advance, has been advising on whether a cloud telephone system is right for businesses, and what they could potentially be missing out on.

A cloud telephone system, also known as managed or hosted telephone system, means that the telephone system processor is located in a secure hosted environment offsite, as opposed to being in data cabinets or fixed to the wall onsite. A company would still purchase the telephone, setup and training, but instead of buying a system processor they would pay a monthly rental fee for the cloud. According to Fort Mill Times, cloud telephony “is poised for a banner year in 2013, thanks in part of the role so-called “big data” will play in improving the quality and depth of analytics and telecom applications.”

Ian Hilton has been talking about the advantages of a cloud telephone system, and discussed the factors businesses need to consider before deciding if it’s right for them.

He stated: “Cloud Telephony does offer some significant benefits to UK businesses today, however as with most technologies it is not for everyone as some companies promoting just these services would have you believe. A good rule of thumb is that if your organisation were considering the use of cloud computing in any form, then it would be worthwhile considering cloud telephony. Certainly organisations with smaller sites operating up to 20 phones on any one site can benefit, also with companies with a distributed workforce.“

“We are considering cloud telephony for more and more clients every year and this technology is certainly set to stay and grow with time, driven by better quality, faster and more cost effective Internet connectivity. Any organisation looking at upgrading their current telephone systems should be considering both a hybrid onsite telephone system and a cloud telephone system and take advice on which provides the best fit for them moving forward from a consultant able to delivery on both solutions.”

Property Aspects appreciates the contribution to this article from Ian Hilton of TechAdvance who has worked in telecommunications for 22 years. For more information, contact Ian via Tel: 0845 389 2311 or E-Mail: ihilton@techadvance.co.uk

The Guardian recently reported that unwanted ‘nuisance’ phone calls have trebled to almost 10,000 a month, with a lot of the blame being laid on PPI and accident claims firms.

In the home, they are a source of annoyance and stress. In the workplace they cost time and money.

Telecoms expert Ian Hilton believes that there are ways to cut down on over half of the calls that come into the office without losing any potential business.

It is reported that over fifty percent of calls coming into businesses are either a marketing nuisance call, or from costumers who need help with minor issues that could easily be solved by a simple redistribution of information. OFCOM, Sky and BT, to name a few, provide simple guides on how to deal with such calls, while the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) acts as an opt-out service for receiving them.

Despite all this, calls still seem to make it through to citizens registered with the TPS, and a spokesman from the Direct Marketing Association claims that the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has not been “flexing its muscles. As a result there’s no real deterrent for wrong-doers.” Outside of the TPS, service providers offer their own services along with other products on the market such as CallBlocker.

Director of telecoms specialists, Tech Advance is Ian Hilton who believes that there is a smarter and cost effective way to help business avoid this issue. He recalls: “After some research we found that a lot of calls can be handled more efficiently without speaking to an actual person. We can reduce the amount of time a member of staff is on the phone by offering recorded information: i.e. Press 1 to hear our returns policy, press 2 to listen to our opening hours, etc. Installing a system like that with the appropriate options can save up to 60 % of calls coming in to a business.”

Speaking of a recent installation that TechAdvance completed for Pugh’s Property Auctions, he continues: “Pugh’s, like many organisations today, were receiving incoming telephone calls requesting the same information over and over again. In this scenario, the use of technology to automate the delivery of this information has produced great benefit.

The team do not have the same level of repeat information requests this way and callers can gain access to the information they need quickly and efficiently. With this type of system it is all about making sure the telephones on your desks only ring with the calls you need to handle in person.”

Ian added: “This ensures that your customer gets the information that he needs, quickly and effectively”.

For more information about providing your customers with great service whilst saving you time and money, contact Ian on 0845 389 2311 or by E-Mail: ihilton@techadvance.co.uk

OFCOM recently reported in their Communications Market Report, “Text-based communications are surpassing home calls or meeting face to face as the most frequent ways of keeping in touch for UK adults.”

The report showed that, “The average UK consumer now sends 50 texts per week which has more doubled in four years with over 150 billion text messages sent in 2011.” With over two decades experience in telecoms, Ian Hilton, Director of North West-based telecoms provider, TechAdvance has been reflecting on how businesses can utilise the current trend by using texts.

OFCOM’s reports highlighted that even though people still prefer to communicate face-to-face, mobile phones are one of the driving forces, with two fifths of adults now owning a smart-phone and using it as their primary access point to the Internet; while for the first time ever, calls from a mobile outnumbered calls from a landline. But it’s the text revolution that is most prominent, with the average Briton now sending around 50 texts per week.

It was recently reported that ‘the sender pays’ model is one of the key reasons why text in businesses fails, and they need to look for more real-world applications. Among these are for monitoring, information, notification or as a security key.

Ian Hilton has had first-hand experience of successfully implementing this technology, and believes embracing texts are the way forward.

Ian stated: “The ability to integrate text messaging simply provides an opportunity for organisations to communicate effectively using a technology that we are all very familiar with and comfortable with. We are seeing a growing interest from people wanting to send and receive text messages from their PC, email, or database applications.”

He continued: “Texts can be used in all sorts of ways to help both your customers and workforce, such as keeping in touch with your off site staff or for reminding your customers about appointments. It is often used by Healthcare, Education, service and support providers, and many different direct sales and marketing applications.”

Property Aspects magazine thanks Ian Hilton for assistance with compiling this article. For more help and advice with your telecoms, contact Ian via Tel: 0845 389 2311 or E-Mail: ihilton@techadvance.co.uk