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12th September 2017

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The Odyssey Difference

1. Answer your call within 3 rings
Because your time is valuable.

2. A full complement of spares on all our vans
Because you want first visit resolution.

3. Available 24/7
Because your business isn’t always 9-5.

4. Never use subcontractors
Because our engineers care as much as we do.

5. Speak to a director at any time
No questions asked.

6. Easy to understand bill
Because you want clarity and transparency.

7. 30 Years in business
Because experience is priceless.
Odyssey Systems prides itself on network security and keeping our customers safe and secure at all times. We understand how sensitive your information is and we actively scan our network for security vulnerabilities on a daily basis to make sure we are always one step ahead.
In today’s society, we understand you have a lot of sensitive information to protect and we play our part in keeping it safe and secure.
We would like to share with you the following simple rules that could help protect your data:

• Depending on the sensitivity of the information being protected, you should change your passwords periodically, and avoid re- using a password for at least one year.
• Do use at least eight characters containing both lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers and symbols in your password.
• Protect your information by creating a secure password that makes sense to you, but no one else.
• Do not give your password to anyone – keep it to yourself.
• Avoid entering passwords on computers you don’t control and always remember to log out of a device when you’re finished.

Most people don’t realize there are a number of common techniques used to crack passwords and a variety of ways that can make your accounts vulnerable to hackers. These include using simple and widely used passwords, so be sure to follow our rules and guidance to keep you and your data safe.
If you require any help or advice on security, please call us on 01642 661888, and we would be happy to discuss with you our managed routers, as well as the other products we offer to our customers.
Due to a new regulation set out by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), all calls must be recorded in the financial sector from 3 January 2018.

Odyssey Systems can help your business become compliant as we offer a range of call recording systems that will ensure you are MiFID II ready.

Our base call recorder features include:

–           The ability to highlight, annotate and share select portions of a call recording;

–           Selective recording, allowing only desired extensions to be monitored;

–           Permission based access, allowing users to only listen to calls they have been given access to;

–           Call visualisation, which displays all activity that occurred throughout a call;

–           Call recording playback via encrypted media file streaming for an enhanced level of security;

–           PCI Compliance and the ability to manually stop and start recordings;

–           Click-once installation and upgrade technology for quicker deployment

If you require any further information or advice on our call recording systems, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on 01642 661888.
A North East telecommunications expert is issuing a warning to business owners to review their procedures and data storage, ahead of a significant legislation change.

Mike Odysseas, Managing Director of Stockton-based telecommunications firm Odyssey Systems, is urging businesses across Tees Valley and the region to embrace the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in order to avoid heavy fines.

GDPR will replace the existing Data Protection Act from 25th May 2018 and change the way that personal data is obtained, stored and secured. It applies to all businesses that collect EU citizens’ data, which identifies individuals, including information obtained through video conferencing and call recordings, and will give people greater rights and control over their personal data.

As a result of the legislation change, businesses may be required to employ a Data Protection Officer to oversee the implementation, and staff will need to be trained in order to understand what constitutes a GDPR breach.

Breaches, and a failure to report them, can result in a penalty of £7.9m or two percent of a company’s turnover. For larger incidents this could even bankrupt an organisation.

Mike Odysseas said: “The financial penalties of any GDPR breach have the potential to cripple a company, which could bankrupt or lead to the closure of a small firm, so people must be aware of and respect these key changes. Staff training is essential and in some cases a Data Protection Office may need to be employed to oversee the implementation, which demonstrates the importance of the new directive.

“Firms using video conferencing and those which record calls, whether for training purposes or to monitor performance, must also be clear and ensure consent is agreed if personal data changes hands.”

GDPR will provide data subjects with the right to request that their personal data is permanently deleted and uncomplicated ways for people to withdraw consent must be available. It also covers indirect identification of personal data, which includes separate pieces of information that could lead someone to be identified.

The directive will also change the way in which firms contact third parties for data collection purposes, meaning companies will have to change the way they capture data as consent cannot be inferred.

Mr Odysseas added: “The changes could heavily impact on the marketing of businesses, particularly through digital marketing and subsequent data capture through emails, telesales or even text messaging. Firms need to review their policies and procedures well in advance of the changes to avoid potential headaches and consequences come May 2018.”
Nowadays, we see a lot of polished advertising campaigns offering us bigger, better and cheaper services. We’re constantly bombarded with messages encouraging us to switch energy, phone and broadband providers. The barrage of sales calls at home and in the office, grinding us down to invest in upgrades and new products. But among the appealing headings and slogans, we should all beware of hyperbole and misnomer.

One of the great misrepresentations in the age of the World Wide Web, is the concept of “unlimited broadband”. Consumers and businesses alike fall victim to the mis-sold product. Prepare yourself for a shock – truly unlimited broadband, doesn’t actually exist.

Broadband services are always limited in one of three ways. If you think about it logically, it would be impossible for any company to offer unlimited broadband to everybody, because bandwidth simply isn’t infinite. If everybody decided they wanted to transfer large documents or download high definition videos at the same time, it would soon become clear just how limited broadband is.

So-called “traffic shaping” is the most common way for providers to manage broadband service. It involves monitoring the customer’s usage, and slowing down traffic for example, those who are downloading data most intensively. This enables them to service more users, offering priority speeds to those dependent on fast internet to deliver smooth operation, but effectively limiting the access of heavier users.

Companies who don’t operate on a policy of traffic shaping, leave their customers at risk of falling victim to considerable congestion. Although not direct and deliberate, this is still a form of limitation and prevents unhampered internet access. Some internet providers, rather than offering “unlimited” access, provide variable bills based on actual usage, especially during peak periods. But consumers and business customers often feel uneasy about variable bills, with many still opting for what they have been led to believe is the “unlimited” option.

So, what’s the solution? Well, in the first instance, it’s about being realistic about the fact that your broadband speed won’t necessarily always perform at exactly the same speed. But it’s also important to establish priorities – buying in the cheapest “unlimited” offer, might not necessarily be in your interests. Companies may be piling users onto overstretched broadband infrastructure, ultimately delivering weaker service. But in an increasingly e-dependent world, especially in business, maintaining strong connectivity has never been more vital. In such a world, service and coverage must surely be a priority.
While it’s necessary to follow the rules of phone etiquette to make and maintain a positive impression of your business in the minds of callers, it’s also critical that you have a system in place that can provide a positive calling experience when you’re not available to pick up the phone. Odyssey systems auto-attendant was designed for that very purpose.
We’ll record a professional greeting that will make the right impression on everyone who calls your establishment. Your auto-attendant can relay critical information that your clients simply can’t wait to get as well, such as your hours of operation or your current specials. To learn more about how an auto-attendant from Odyssey systems can help your business make a lasting, professional impression on your callers, contact us today.
In May 2018 rules come into force that could make it much more difficult for employees to use their own mobile phones, tablets and laptops at work.
The General Data Protection Regulation, an EU Directive which mandates that companies handling data about or on behalf of their clients must appoint a Data Protection Officer, imposes heavy fines for loss of data.
You might ask, what has this got to do with people checking their work emails on their phones or working from home using their own laptop?
There are three main data risks with a allowing a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy; the physical loss of a device, a device being compromised with malicious software, and the transmission of data over unsecured networks.
The easiest way to get around security issues with employees’ devices is to issue them with company owned and managed technology. This means every aspect of security can be controlled centrally, for companies willing to pay for this.
Some companies may ask employees that want to use their own phones, tablets and computers to bring them within the company’s security ecosystem, but such a policy may not go down well with privacy conscious individuals, especially if they are required to access the internet via a permanent VPN.
One simple solution is to allow staff to access information, via webmail and cloud-based applications, if they want to use their own devices. This might not allow the full functionality of BYOD but it is cost effective, and secure combined with measures such as two factor authentication.
The clock is ticking, it is better to speak to an expert now rather than risk a fine in 2018.
Five rules of telephone etiquette

• Answer Quickly: In general, it’s advisable to answer the phone by the time it rings three times. Ideally, you and your team should answer their phones between the second and third ring.

• Greet Callers Courteously: You need to answer the phone courteously and warmly so callers know you’re happy to hear from them, and they’re dealing with a professional who’s ready to address their needs.

• Smile as You Speak: smile before you take an incoming call. When you smile, it influences how you sound and gives your voice a friendlier tone.

• Speak Clearly: It’s critical for you to speak clearly over the phone. Avoid mumbling, speaking too quickly, and using a tone that’s too loud or too soft. Hold your handset at the correct distance approximately 2 fingers away from your mouth this will avoid you sounding muffled and hissy.

• Be Polite: If you have to put a caller on hold, always ask permission before you do so. When you’re back on the line, be sure you thank the person for their patience. Doing these things will show callers you respect their time.
You may answer your phone so often over the course of a typical workday that you don’t give much thought to how you’re conducting yourself anymore. It’s important for you to review proper phone etiquette once in a while and incorporate those recommendations into your phone calls.

In many instances, a phone call is the first contact a client or prospect has with a small business. For many consumers, their first impression will be a lasting one, it can be the starting point for a long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationship, or it can be a relationship that never got off the ground.

When clients are greeted professionally and warmly without having to wait in a queue, it increases the likelihood they’ll have a positive impression of your organization. If they’re greeted as an inconvenience, or it takes too long for their call to be acknowledged by an attendant, it increases the chances they’ll hang up with a poor impression of your business.

Following proper phone etiquette isn’t only important when it comes to new callers — it’s also important to keep repeat callers to as your clients. It’s critical to growing your business because only people who have a good impression of your business will send referrals your way.
Jokes about barely recognisable classical pieces played on 1980s-style synthesizer keyboards and the all too familiar sound of Muzak aside, running a business in the 21st century should mean having something more professional and reflective of the company when customers are placed on hold.
On hold music is a surprisingly large part of business life, with some callers spending the equivalent a number of working days a year waiting on the phone. While every business endevours to answer calls quickly and efficiently (and Odyssey has technology to help our customers deliver that commitment), it is inevitable that on occasions people will be placed on hold. Therefore, the experience has to be a positive one.
Research by a large American telecoms provider revealed that when someone is placed on hold for 30 seconds without hold music they can perceive the time passed being as long as 90 seconds, while when hold music is provided they can feel as little as 15 seconds has passed.
As the only telecoms provider that gives our customers an [introductory hold production fox???] with every system, free of charge, something which can cost hundreds of pounds a month from other companies, we’re often asked about licensing and hold music.
Depending on the music you select, you may need to pay for not only one, but two different licenses. The PRS for Music (PRS) collects license fees on behalf of composers of music and lyrics, while Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) collects fees on behalf of performers, such as singers and musicians.
An organisation must pay for a PRS license if the music it is playing is in copyright and for non-personal use. It would need a PPL license if it is playing music in public, even for just the one person. On hold music can fall into both of these categories.
In almost all cases on-hold music will require a PPL license, however, in the case of some classical music it may not require a PRS license. Because the estate of a composer has copyright on their music for seventy years after their death, you can use music written by anyone who died before 1947 as on hold music with just a PPL license.
While many organisations already have both of these licenses in order to play music for staff and customers, it is worth making sure, as getting this wrong could land you in court.
To find out how Odyssey can improve your on-hold telephone facility, call our expert team on 01642 661800
Mike Odysseas, Managing Director of Odyssey Systems, looks at why telecommunications networks should be given the same support as other infrastructure.

For years now, and probably for many more to come, the media has given over countless column inches and broadcast minutes to the subject of HS2, an increasingly expensive rail network upgrade. Its great claim is that it will boost the economy by helping people to travel between London and Birmingham 20 minutes faster than is currently the case.

Whether such a time-saving is worth the tens of billions of pounds the project will cost is debateable, but one thing I can tell you with certainty is that no train will get you from A to B faster than telecommunications can connect two people on opposite sides of the globe.

With teleconferencing, video conferencing and countless more technological applications available at the touch of a button, I can connect instantly with a client or staff member and talk with them face to face, whether they are in Birmingham, Bermuda or Beijing, without having to go anywhere. I don’t even have to do it from an office – if the connectivity is right, I can take a break from a bike ride and make a call right where I am.

Whole businesses expand around the globe and intercontinental flights are hardly necessary to maintain the regular communications that keep the organisation operating and growing.

This year, we have seen an important tipping point in communications, as people are now accessing the internet more from their mobile devices than from desktops. Even within our homes and offices, we are no longer reliant upon a “hard” connection.

It needs to be accepted that the world we live in is one which is mobile technology-driven, and that the infrastructure required for effective telecommunication is as important to the economy as that which drives transport.

I am firmly behind the comments of o2 Telefonica UK CEO Ronan Dunne, who, in a recent national interview conducted at the One Young World conference in Thailand, highlighted the complete lack of legislative support for boosting mobile internet access.

He highlighted a shift in demands on politicians, from constituents urging action to stop more masts being erected, to the same people now demanding greater mobile coverage.

However, there is still no subsidy or even right of access powers that can help to make this happen more quickly.

The needs of businesses, as well as individuals, have been changing for some time, but the actions of Government, in failing to actively support greater coverage, is behind the consensus. Take Japan as an example of progress in this area; mobile wi-fi offering tens of megabits is accessible halfway up Mount Fuji, yet you can land back in Heathrow and be faced with a GPRS-only signal. Europe has shown itself to at least be addressing the shift, with the scrapping of data roaming charges, albeit not until the Summer of 2017, but the UK needs to act now to play its part.
A Stockton call handling company has benefited from a fresh new look as it prepares to expand its workforce after moving to a growing business park.

Lemon Business Solutions, which provides 24/7 call centre solutions to clients in the UK and internationally, has relocated its 45-strong workforce to Odyssey Systems’ newly-established business park.

As a result of the move, Lemon is hoping to increase its workforce by 20% to meet the demand of its growing clientele.

Lesley Wratten, managing director of Lemon Business Solutions, said: “The new office space exemplifies exactly what our business is all about and has created a fresh, zesty work environment for our staff. We have experienced significant growth in recent years and these larger premises will allow us to gear up for further expansion.”

“The IT infrastructure and connectivity in place was essential in forming our decision to relocate as we had simply maximised the space at our previous office and handle thousands of customer service calls every day. Our new, state-of-the-art call management centre will allow us to continue to deliver an excellent level of customer service to our clients and I am looking forward to what the future holds for Lemon.”

Lemon Business Solutions’ relocation completes a hat-trick of new tenants for the business park following JBC Accountants and UK & Ireland SAP User Group.

Odyssey Systems has invested in the complete refurbishment of the 20,000 sq. ft. business park for its tenants. The site offers a comprehensive telecommunications service, which includes hosted telephony and a fully-synchronous, uncontended Ethernet connection, as well as fingerprint recognition software and increased security for tenants.

Christine Gilbert, director of Odyssey Systems, said: “I am delighted to welcome Lemon to the business park and start a new chapter in our long-standing relationship. Lemon is a longstanding Odyssey Systems customer and is well-aware of the excellent service we provide, which they will now also experience as a tenant of our business park.

“Lesley and I have worked closely together on the creation of their new offices, which reflects their brand and personality as well as providing the high quality of telecoms technology they have become used to over the years from Odyssey Systems.”

http://www.no-sour-business.co.uk/
Odyssey Systems, the Teesside-based telecommunications specialist, has commissioned new research which shows that more than 60% of people over 65 have no confidence in the Telephone Preference Service (TPS).

The poll, conducted by ICM*, reveals that the TPS, which was set up to protect the public, including the elderly and vulnerable, from unscrupulous cold callers, is failing to deliver for two thirds of people.

According to the study, only 35% of respondents across the UK trust the TPS. 47% answered that they did not, while 18% had never even heard of the service. 60% of the over 65s, the group most often thought to be at risk from preying con-artists, had no confidence in the scheme.

Odyssey Systems has also questioned the relevancy of the TPS as the number of UK residential landlines, in the region of 22 million, is in parity with the amount of people registered for the service, yet cold calls remain an all too common problem.

There are nearly 22 million people signed up to the TPS in the UK, according to Ofcom, however in June there were 10,518 concerns reported to the TPS in relation to automated calls – up from 8,400 in May.

Between 1,000 and 2,000 complaints are made about companies ignoring the database every month. In 2012, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which enforces the TPS, acquired the power to impose fines of up to £500,000.

The TPS operated by the Direct Marketing Association on behalf of Ofcom and is register of UK phone numbers whose users do not want to be contacted by sales and marketing companies. Companies must respect these wishes and stop calling those numbers, removing them from databases. More than 80% of landline numbers are registered nationally but users have reported poor results. The new study suggests the service is still failing to meet expectations.

Many nuisance calls seek to defraud “customers” in exchange for spurious goods and services. They range from PPI phishing scams, to PC insurance and even trying to charge for the Telephone Preference Service.

Mike Odysseas, managing director of Odyssey Systems, said: “The TPS is overwhelmingly failing to meet people’s expectations. Our research clearly shows that the service has no real power to challenge companies and does not deliver its advertised objective. It also raises the concern that nearly every landline is covered by the TPS, therefore there is no one left for these companies to legally call.

Mr Odysseas added: “It’s clear that the Information Commissioner’s Office needs to be given greater powers to clampdown on bad practise. But what’s also clear, because the TPS doesn’t work, is that we need to arm our vulnerable and elderly with the information they need to recognise scam calls, and not to fall foul of embezzlement.”

Mike also suggests that businesses can embrace technology to beat the unwarranted cold calls and automated messages, as well as tougher penalties on offenders.

He added: “Businesses can also suffer from nuisance calls, impacting on productivity. We offer a range of value added services, including filtering out nuisance calls, and a free fraud reporting service too, which have been designed specifically to alleviate any concerns.

“Most of us don’t have a problem receiving calls offering us better deals on the products and services we already buy, but, what the majority of us object to, is receiving bogus calls from companies and individuals, who are very often, already breaking the law.”
Odyssey Systems hosted its latest Women in Business networking event at its head office, featuring a number of the region’s leading female business people and entrepreneurs.

Here’s a video showcasing the roundtable event, which focussed on the implications of Brexit on the economy:
At Odyssey Systems we host a bi monthly ladies discussion group. This film was taken just before the 2015 general election, where we discussed what was important for us a working women.
Matthew Smith, IT manager at Carmel College in Darlington talks about his satisfaction with his new telephone system and his reasons for choosing Odyssey Systems.