News: odyssey systems

21st September 2016

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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.”

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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.”
The Member of Parliament for Stockton South, James Wharton, has officially opened Odyssey Systems’ new Preston Farm-based headquarters, which has helped create a number of new jobs at the telecommunications specialist.

Following an extensive refurbishment and fit-out, which includes the creation of a dedicated video conferencing suite, technology demonstration area and data centre facility, the company’s existing workforce transferred from its previous base, which was also in Preston Farm.

Mr Wharton MP, who is also the appointed minister for the Northern Powerhouse, met with the Odyssey team and some of its valued customers and business contacts before taking a tour of the new office.

As part of the redevelopment, the company has installed upgraded connectivity masts, which will increase the reach of its long-range microwave high speed leased line signals that can extend to a range of 30km, as well as hosted telephony and a fully-synchronous, uncontended Ethernet connection.

Odyssey Systems, which provides telecommunications and connectivity for business, has experienced strong growth in the past four years and has increased its workforce from 26 to 30. As a result of the move into larger premises, Odyssey Systems aims to create a further four new jobs in the next three years.

In addition to developing the top floor of the building for its own operations, Odyssey Systems has also refurbished a further 20,000 square feet to create new, fully-fitted offices for business tenants, and already has three SMEs operating from the site.

Mike Odysseas, Managing Director of Odyssey Systems, said: “It’s great to see Mr Wharton engaging with businesses in his constituency and showing genuine interest in our continued success. The move represents a significant milestone in our history, which will build on our successful operating model that allows us to support the growth of other companies.

“We pride ourselves on delivering exceptional customer service, and with the additional technology and space at our disposal, we can maintain and even improve our provision.”

James Wharton MP said: “It’s always nice to visit businesses in Stockton and I would like to thank Mike for welcoming me to such a momentous occasion in Odyssey Systems’ history. This is another example of a thriving enterprise in the region benefiting from continued investment, which is boosting our local economy through the creation of jobs.

“I would like to wish all the Odyssey team the very best for the future.”
Odyssey Systems, the Teesside-based telecommunications specialist, has completed one of its biggest projects to date, which included the creation of a 264,000 sq. ft. Wi-Fi zone at a factory in Chester-le-Street.

Odyssey was appointed by Coveris Rigid UK to provide a portfolio of telecommunications solutions for the food packaging manufacturer’s Drum Park facility.

Coveris Rigid, part of the worldwide Coveris group, which is owned by Sun Capital, acquired the Drum Park site last November after it has remained empty for a number of years.

As part of the conversion of the building, Odyssey installed a 100MB lease line with microwave back-up, 100 IP telephony extensions, which are integrated with the company’s other UK and European sites, and 31 Kilometres of category 6 and fibre cabling.

Central to the project was the need to create a whole-site roaming Wi-Fi network throughout the 18-metre tall factory, which would not only provide consistently strong Wi-Fi connections in office, manufacturing and warehouse locations, but enable operatives to move throughout the building using devices without losing connection to the network.

The signal is transmitted through a network of Wi-Fi units, which have been strategically installed by Odyssey to ensure maximum coverage, with the connections handed over to the closest unit as operatives move through the facility.

The system will be of particular benefit to Coveris’ logistics partner, Stiller Warehousing and Logistics, to enable its staff to interact with the company’s IT systems using mobile devices.

The project was delivered to meet customer timescales over a five-day period by a team of 10 of Odyssey’s experienced, directly-employed engineers.

Once the building is completed the company will begin producing its range of food packaging products and distribute in the region of 1.7 billion units per year from the site to locations across the UK.

Mike Odysseas, Managing Director of Odyssey Systems, said: “We are very proud to have completed this significant project for Coveris, which not only demonstrated our ability to deliver jobs of this scale to very tight deadlines, it enabled our engineers to apply innovative solutions to meet our customer’s requirements.

“The connectivity we have brought to the site will support Coveris’ productivity drive and enhance the interaction between the company and its logistics partner.”

Ian Donal, Operations Manager and Drum Project Manager from Coveris Rigid UK, said: “Odyssey has played a key role in establishing the communication infrastructure at Drum Park and will enable our employees to maximise the use of technology to manage and operate our business. The large Wi-Fi network will be of particular benefit to our operations as the consistency of its signal strength throughout the factory will support a wide range of technology-based systems designed to boost productivity.”
Continued growth at Odyssey Systems has led to the Tees Valley-based telecommunications technology specialist expanding into new premises.

The move has been made possible after Odyssey Systems acquired the former Thirteen Group building opposite its current headquarters at Preston Farm, Stockton.

The company is currently undertaking a significant refurbishment and fit-out of the building and plans to move in before the end of February.

Odyssey Systems, which provides telecommunications and connectivity systems for business, has experienced strong growth in the past four years and has increased its workforce from 26 to 30. As a result of the move into larger premises, Odyssey Systems aims to create a further six new jobs in the next three years.

In addition to developing the top floor of the building for its own operations, Odyssey Systems has also refurbished a further 20,000 square feet to create new, fully-fitted offices for business tenants.

The company is also utilising some the additional space to introduce a dedicated video conferencing suite and a technology demonstration area. Odyssey is also creating a new stock and technology storage facility, which will hold the complete telecoms systems and replacement parts for both current and past models from its long-term technology partners Mitel, and LG.
The new building will also enhance the company’s internet services to its clients. Due to the building’s height and the installation of connectivity masts, Odyssey will increase the reach of its long-range microwave high speed leased line signals, which can extend to a range of 30km.

Odyssey System’s new headquarters is the latest in a series of recent investments by the company, which has included the introduction of a new fleet of 12 branded Ford Connect vans. It also recently achieved the ISO: 9001 accreditation, which highlights the company’s ongoing commitment to delivering exceptional levels of customer service.

Mike Odysseas, Managing Director of Odyssey Systems, said: “We have enjoyed continual growth in recent years, which has facilitated the need for the new offices. By building strong relationships with companies across the North East and establishing partnerships with technology partners such as Mitel, which has enabled Odyssey to work with larger business customers, we are in a strong position for the future.

Mike added: “Expanding into these new premises has also enabled us to support the growth of other businesses. The additional space we have created will be attractive to businesses, which will benefit from being located in this thriving part of Tees Valley and the infrastructure we have incorporated, such as hosted telephony and superfast internet speeds.”
Telecommunications specialist Mike Odysseas is warning North East businesses of an increase in targeted, sophisticated email fraud.

His business, Stockton-based Odyssey Systems has experienced a spike in ‘socially-engineered fraud’ where scammers are using advanced methods to extract money from their victims.

The company is now monitoring more than 200 emails per day within the million messages sent to its Internet Service Provider (ISP) business customers where fraudsters appear to adopt people’s email addresses and try to encourage financial transactions with the email account holder’s contacts.

Common email fraud practices, known as phishing, aim to trick recipients into believing they know the person or company corresponding with them. To prevent being caught by these scams, recipients can check the email address the message comes, which will reveal it has no connection to the supposed real sender.

However, scammers are now utilising a new method, which actually mirrors real email addresses and make messages look genuine and, therefore, can also fool monitoring systems and programmes including Microsoft Outlook.

Fraudsters are also researching the contacts the accounts they are mirroring and their contacts to make the emails more genuine and dupe unsuspecting victims.

Odyssey Systems, which provides ISP services to hundreds of businesses across the North East, has identified this new practice and is employing new protocols within its automated email monitoring systems, including the ability to identify the fraudsters Internet Protocol (IP) address to capture these email before they reach their recipients

Mike Odysseas, Managing Director of Odyssey Systems, said: “This kind of socially-engineered fraud is on the rise and people have to remain vigilant. It means questioning any messages they receive about financial transactions, even if it looks like it’s from someone they know.

“Fraudsters are relentless in their use of email as a way to illegally obtain money. This latest method has the ability to not only trick recipients through a genuine looking message, but also fool computer programmes into thinking it has been generated by the real email address.

“This could have serious financial implications for North East businesses and as a responsible Internet Service Provider we are continually creating new variables to prevent this horrendous practice from affecting our customers.”
Odyssey Systems has quickly helped a Billingham-based logistics company back to its feet following the theft of copper cables, which disabled its entire communications system, severely interrupting operations.

Devereux Transport, a long-standing customer of Odyssey, discovered it had been targeted by thieves and was unable to answer customer calls, access databases or maintain contact with its 120 Drivers.

The thieves had cut through 2,400 individual cables and stole more than 70m of copper wiring. After getting in touch with Odyssey, engineers had installed a 4G system within two hours, which provided a quick and temporary solution that minimised downtime.

This isn’t the first time Devereux has called upon Odyssey; previously, a tenant on the same industrial estate had accidently cut through a power cable, which brought other businesses in the area to a halt. Odyssey reacted by transferring calls to mobiles and using a portable generator to power Devereux’s internet infrastructure, avoiding any further disturbance.

Borne from a business created by a 14-year-old, Devereux has become one of the UK’s leading transport and distribution businesses. It offers a comprehensive service tailored to meet the needs of a diverse client base.

Mike Odysseas, managing director at Odyssey Systems, said “We were able to react quickly and assist Devereux at a time of crisis by using a temporary measure, which allowed operations to carry on as normal, until a permanent system was installed.

“We pride ourselves on response time and understand how important business communications are – being a regional supplier gives us the ability to react swiftly and sets us apart from competitors”

Chris Pickles, Commercial Manager at Devereux Transport, said: “With a fleet of more than 100 vehicles in operation, any time without communication has the potential to set us back, both in terms of time and money. As with any service sector business, we aim to deliver exceptional customer service, and had Odyssey not responded so effectively we would have potentially disappointed a number of customers.”
Telecommunications expert and founder of Odyssey Systems, Mike Odysseas has warned that rural areas of the UK would be the biggest losers if the government was to redistribute subsidies supporting the rollout of high-speed broadband.

Mr Odysseas has spoken out in favour of government support for BT’s rural infrastructure expansion, amidst strong criticism from the UK’s second largest broadband provider, Virgin Media.

Under subsidies announced in 2012, BT has received almost all of the scheme’s state aid, which has helped take national coverage of fibre optic broadband in the UK to approximately 90 per cent. However, Virgin Media are calling for the second, £500m phase to be halted as other private sector companies feel they are more than capable to match BT’s provision.

Mr Odysseas has voiced concerns over Virgin Media’s claim and said: “BT is perfectly-placed to deliver high-speed broadband to rural areas and difficult urban zones as a result of decades of investment in communications infrastructure.

“Virgin’s position on the matter is a direct contradiction of its business model, which only serves resident areas and limited commercial locations, which already have access to high-quality coverage. If the government was to press pause on BT’s rollout, a large number of rural businesses would remain without adequate broadband for at least another three years.

“The government’s decision to utilise BT and its existing infrastructure, is a sound business move that will help deliver an accelerated programme, which bolsters the UK’s broadband network. Any plan to alter this subsidy scheme would prove disastrous for technology-reliant companies in hard to reach locations.”
Ian Brown and five friends from across Teesside and Durham are preparing for a 24-hour, 290 mile bike ride to raise funds for charity after his wife, Anne, was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma.

The group, who met whilst competing in triathlons, hope to have already raised more than £10,000 for Myeloma UK when they set off from London on 9 May.

Ian, along with Billy Lamb, Jimmy Croft, Vaughan Godber, Clive Hudson and Odyssey Systems’ managing director, Mike Odysseas, aim to arrive in Durham the next day after a gruelling journey.

Cycling clothing has been provided by Odyssey Systems, the Stockton-based telecommunications company, to help the group battle the elements and stay warm throughout their journey.

Anne was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in December 2014, shortly after a visit to her GP due to exhaustion. Myeloma affects the plasma cells found in bone marrow, which are responsible for protecting the body from infection.

Established in 1997, Myeloma UK is the only organisation in the UK focused on myeloma. Its research has accelerated the discovery, development and access to new treatments, while helping patients and their families cope with everything a diagnosis of myeloma brings.

Ian said: “At the moment Multiple Myeloma can be treated but not cured. Hopefully the money we raise will help Myeloma UK fund its research into improved treatments and one day maybe a cure will be found.”

Mike said: “The ride will be extremely difficult but we all know that it’s for a great cause, which helps families through difficult times. This will provide us with all the motivation we need when the going gets tough.”

Donations to the team’s fundraising effort can be made at – https://www.justgiving.com/londontodurham
The numbers have added up for a Tees Valley-based accountancy practice as it gears up for growth after becoming the first tenant at a newly-established Stockton business park.

JBC Accountants has relocated its Stockton workforce to a new office complex in Preston Farm, which is owned by telecommunications firm Odyssey Systems, following a complete refurbishment of the 20,000 sq ft. property that has created new, fully-fitted offices for business tenants.

JBC Accountants, which has offices in Hartlepool and Stockton, previously rented an office nearby in Preston Farm before meeting with Mike Odysseas, managing director of Odyssey Systems, to discuss JBC’s telecommunications and broadband requirements.

Following the initial meeting and taking a tour of the new properties, JBC Accountants decided to relocate there, to meet its business requirements, as it was more suitable than other offices they had considered.

Paul Riggall, director of JBC Accountants, said: “After meeting with Mike to discuss our telecommunications needs, we were shown around the newly-refurbished facilities, which had been carried out to a very high standard. From there, we became interested in one of the offices and Mike was very personable and understood our needs as we prepare to grow the business further.

“The location is a massive improvement and we are already seeing a return on our investment as we have more of a presence and the profile of our firm is increasing, not to mention the positive response from clients and visitors. It was important for us to find a property that could provide us with a platform to service our future growth plans as we look to create even more jobs in the coming years.”

JBC Accountants’ new 3,000 sq ft. office space will house its 17 strong workforce, who will benefit from Odyssey Systems’ telecommunications services, which includes hosted telephony and superfast internet speeds.

Mike Odysseas said: “I am delighted that JBC Accountants has become our first tenant at our business park, which is a significant occasion for Odyssey Systems. Paul has exciting plans for the future of the firm and it is great that JBC Accountants has chosen our new development as the base for its Stockton office. I would like to wish him and his team all the very best.”