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Why would your business needs Call Recording?

Care Homes, Child Care, Dental Practices, GP Practices, Hair Salons, Healthcare, Hospitality, Hotels, Our Services, SME's, Telecoms May 31, 2020

Of course, there is no harm with businesses adopting major changes to their operations as they seek to take advantage of new technological advancements, but business owners often overlook the smallest of ideas. Call recording, a simple addition to your business phone system, might not seem like a major ground sweeping change, but you cannot underestimate its utility. The benefits of call recording are endless. In this blog we aim to take you through the benefits of call recording and explain why it is paramount for your business.

Save important calls…You would save important emails, so there’s absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t do the same with your calls. Recording all of your calls allows staff to listen back to them as many times as they please, ensuring all important customer details are correctly noted down which could have otherwise been forgotten or lost in translation without call recording. Furthermore, call recording will allow your staff to make notes after the call has finished, allowing them to give their undivided attention to your customer, improving your customers overall experience. Read our blog here to see why call recording is specifically important for care homes.

Protect your business against disputes…Fraud against businesses is almost inevitable in this day and age. With Call Recording you can limit your liability and protect your business against any unwanted costly lawsuits. Call recording gives you a full record of every telephone conversation your business encounters, providing concrete evidence which can be produced in the event of any customer disputes, ultimately protecting your brand and business. Moreover, call recording can be a useful deterrent, protecting your staff from abuse.

For Staff Training and Customer Service – Call recording provides a fantastic opportunity to monitor and train your staff.

As a business owner, you will be able to monitor conversations between staff and your customers, allowing you to offer advice on how staff can improve their communication skills, whether that be tips on how to sell your products more effectively, or how to deal with customers more compassionately. Aside from being an effective method of training new and existing staff to boost sales, call recording will also improve the quality of your customer service. If staff are aware that all their calls are recorded, with the possibility they could be audited by a manager at a later date, staff will inevitably be more inclined to work to a higher standard.

Customer satisfaction – by maintaining a large selection of call recordings over a large time period, managers and owners are able to monitor customer satisfaction ratings over time. As everyone knows, high customer satisfaction levels are an integral part of customer retention. Call recording offers the perfect platform to measure key performance indicators and assess if targets are being met.

Legality – as long as your customers are aware that their calls could be getting recorded, call recording is completely legal. All of our business phone systems come with professional welcoming messages for your business as standard. In this message you can notify them their calls are being recorded, ensuring you meet all government guidelines and criteria. All of our systems are fully compliant with: MiFID II, Dodd Frank, and PCI.

Regardless of the industry you’re in, call recording should be used in each part of your business. Whether you wish to increase sales, boost revenue or enhance customer experience – call recording is one simple feature that can facilitate all of those. The benefits of call recording are endless.

Take your business into the new methods of commun犀利士 ication, and boost success! If you require more information, or would like a free consultation, let us know your details below and we’ll call you back.

Digitalising Healthcare

Care Homes, Healthcare December 22, 2023

Technology has become an all-important consideration for care providers in the UK, the benefits of which spread across a wide-span of their business. From improving hygiene, operations, efficiency, resident welfare, inspectorate ratings and so much more – there’s never been a better time to consider the implementation of tech.

We’ve even created a free checklist for how certain technology can directly improve your ratings from both the CQC and Scottish Care Inspectorate….download it below.

Future-proof Smart Care-Home

The example below shows a fully-fledged, ‘Smart Care Home’, making use of Full-WiFi Coverage, full category 6 network cabling, full DECT/Cordless phone coverage, cloud-based phone system and all of the benefits that come with having the foundations of full WiFi coverage in the care sector.

We want to go digital, but what about emergencies?

We hear a lot from our customers asking about measures taken when we help switch them to a digitalised Care Home – from Phone, WiFi to IT systems, they understandably seek full assurances that there is no increased risk of system failure in the event of an emergency. As an example, as seen throughout the UK toward the end of 2021, and in 2022 ‘power cuts’ are unfortunately becoming all-too common

Emergency Power Backup

On most customer’s sites involved in critical activities, such as Care Homes, Private Hospitals, GP Practices and more, we’ll install an emergency back-up source of power for all systems. In doing so, in the event of a power-outage, the site’s full Phone, WiFi & IT Systems can continue to operate during this critical period, with no downtime.

Full-Building Power Continues

Downtime isn’t something we like at Ayo, nor would we wish to allow it for our customers. As soon as ‘mains’ power is not recognised, our systems automatically switch to industrial-grade battery power systems. In this scenario, our backup power systems are not linked with ‘mains’ power in the building – given most of our networking systems run on ‘PoE’ or Power over Ethernet, the main ‘Switch Box’ in the network cabinet powering all equipment and peripherals switches over to a backup power system, which in turn serves all connected devices via the network cable connecting them (generally Cat 6/Cat 6a).

Okay, so it’s powered – what about connectivity?

So, we’ve covered the details on power outages and downtime in that sense – how does the connectivity (internet, phone lines) continue if the incoming lines are affected also? Given network provider cabinets in the street (the dark green ones) also run on ‘mains’ power, the problem isn’t fully-solved with backup power sources on-site, as these lines also generally fail in the result of a power outage. As part of our emergency backup system packages, we’ll also install a 4G/5G medium in the network cabinet, which also takes-over all systems seamlessly in the event the incoming lines are down.

How does this benefit my Care Home business?

The beauty of future-proofing your care home with Ayo isn’t just down to the many benefits including those for staff, residents, visitors and general operations – more times than not, it can end up saving you money on your monthly bills. See more about our free streamlining offer here*.

If you work in or manage a care home, you’ll already know of the CQC (England) and the Care Inspectorate (Scotland), and that they regulate all care homes in these areas. They inspect, review and ultimately rate care organisations, with the power to order immediate improvements from their findings, or even close the premises down. We’ll go into more detail below on the specifics of each organisation, how you can ensure you’re covering the areas they require, and how specific implementation or improvements in certain technologies directly correlates with points your care home will score on. We’ve made up a ‘crib sheet’, outlining each point and factor the inspectors look at, and how each piece of technology directly correlates with this…scroll down to see it.

13 Fundamental Standards; Person-centred care, essentially outlines that residents must be at the ‘core’ of their care. It dictates that residents must be treated as individuals, with unique needs.

Main 5 CQC Standards

1

Are they Safe?

Everyone wants to know they’re safe in their own homes. This is no different for residents in care homes. It’s a little different, however, with a balance between safety & security, and such measures not encroaching on the resident’s lives.

2

Are they Effective?

This surrounds effective communication and more efficient use of resources. For example, Digital Care Planning switches the business from paper files to fully paperless, and hosted in the cloud. The systems ensure total accuracy, save staff large amounts of time and allow for quick and easy reviews of resident’s health & wellbeing.

3

Are they Caring?

Increasing operational efficiency (through use of technology), generally increases the time staff have to spend caring for residents. Things like full cordless phone & WiFi coverage, Digital Care Planning, and more can help to directly reduce the time staff spend on other tasks.

4

Are they Responsive?

Examples include communicative apps on tablets, motion sensors etc.

5

Are they well-led?

With introduction of new technology, care homes can improve communication, information sharing & analysis of data, to ensure residents are receiving the highest quality of care possible.

Download your copy of our Crib Sheet on CQC or Care Inspectorate gradings below

Net Zero & the Smart Revolution

SME's November 17, 2023

The Smart route to Net Zero

Given that almost 39% of global carbon emissions are generated as a result of buildings – heating, lighting, running them, bridging this gap seems like a pretty simple solution to the problem? This can be broken down as 28% in building operations, and 11% in their construction and the materials used.

As temperatures soar throughout the UK this month, especially in the South of England, usage of Air Conditioning will be at an all-time high. With these numbers in mind, the refurbishment and deployment of Smart Technologies in existing buildings, as opposed to building new pre-fab buildings.

As more of our customer’s focus turns to ensuring their businesses are directed toward green credentials, we’re finding a lot are surprised at the overlaps and alignment of the Smart Systems we’re installing have in reaching such credentials, as we’ll go on to discuss. In this blog we’re not attempting to summarise what will be a revolution in the construction and developments industry, but explain the benefits of the technology in question, and how these can be deployed in existing buildings in feasible & real-terms.

What’s powering the Smart Building Net Zero Evolution?

As is the common setup in most Smart Technology deployments today, where feasible, everything is hosted from a central ‘hub’, typically referred to as a ‘Comms Room’ or similar. As discussed in previous blog posts, the advancements in technology (hardware utilising PoE technology), backbone infrastructure (cable credentials), means these central hubs are becoming far more achievable. In situations where cable lengths are running on their capacity boundary (55m Cat 6, 100m Cat 6a), second ‘points’ for smaller satellite/service cabinets would be included in the deployment plans. In the interactive graphic below, you’ll see a central network cabinet full of ports and cables – this is where the internet connection enters, and is ultimately distributed from….the majority of said cables are also ‘powered’ by the hardware in this cabinet – up to 150W.

Juniper Research (2022) have outlined that as it stands, there are circa. 45 million Smart Buildings globally (or buildings making use of Smart systems). Taking into account the current rate and predicted rate of growth in this space, there will be over 115 million Smart Buildings globally by the year 2026. This is as a result of the drive of energy efficiency from organisations (and residents in private sites), as the cost of energy continues to rise so severely. This study defines a ‘Smart Building’ as one that utilises connectivity and technology to ensure an efficient use of resources, whilst allowing for a safe and comfortable environment for the occupiers/inhabitants. Further to this, the study found that over 90% of expenditure on Smart Buildings ’till 2026 will be for commercial/business premises.

Given that almost 39% of global carbon emissions are generated as a result of buildings – heating, lighting & general operations, bridging this gap seems like a pretty simple solution to the problem? This can be broken down as 28% in building operations, and 11% in their construction and the materials used.

Smart buildings save energy by automating controls and optimising systems. Whereas an upgrade to a single component or isolated system can result in energy savings of 5–15%, a smart building with integrated systems can realise 30–50% savings in existing buildings that are otherwise inefficient. (ACEE, 2019).

In stages, how will we contribute to ‘Net Zero’ in this industry?

Refurb & Retro-Fit

In order to reduce emissions to acceptable levels, over 90% of existing buildings will require digital retro-fitting from the ground-up, with new & innovative Smart Technology (Schneider, 2022). Micro-Monitoring (specific devices), and evaluation of the metrics & analytics from this, such as intelligent heating, lighting and water controls, are all proven measures of bridging the gap with green targets – not to mention vastly reduced costs of operation.

Micro-Measuring, Metrics & Automation

1/5th of British & Irish organisations were found by Schneider Electric to have only recently started measuring and quantifying their energy consumption, thus aren’t exactly aware of what’s being wasted. From this study, 43% of organisations outlined they’d increased use of automation within buildings, however less than 1/5th had deployed a Building Management System. As an example, traditional ‘Smart Meters’ measure ‘total usage’, which is an un-constructive metric when attempting to ‘taper down’ usage throughout a building. On average 30% of building power usage goes to waste – this shows a concerning lack of insight into what’s being used, when, & how to optimise this.

Responsible Construction

Of course, this section isn’t within our expertise, however we’ll make some points from some trusted sources to build the full picture. As discussed above, 39% of global emissions are generated as a result of the Buildings/Construction industry, the split being 28% in their Operations (electricity, energy) and 11% in their construction (materials, land disruption etc). Of course banning the construction of new buildings will never be a feasible nor sensible option, but the reduction of new developments over the next few decades as predicted by sources mentioned above, combined with responsible construction methods will help to drive this down. World GBC has outlined in it’s 2021 report that by 2030, all new developments and refurbishments will have over 40% less embodied carbon, with vast immediate carbon reduction, and that all new developments are strictly net zero operationally (in terms of carbon).

Please reach out if you’re interested in discussing the Smart Building ‘Net Zero Revolution’ for your business, or have a vested interest yourself and/or wish to collaborate & we’ll get straight back to you.

Smart Buildings & IOT

Care Homes, Healthcare, Hospitality, Hotels, Our Services, SME's, Telecoms, WiFi March 16, 2023

Ayo Smart Building Technology

With the surge of demand for increases in efficiencies by developers and businesses themselves, carbon emission reductions, and wholly-unified workplaces, commercial buildings are fast-becoming more intelligent. Rather than just delivering technology to individuals/contents within a building, Smart Buildings have this technology embedded into their fabric. Developers and construction firms are fast becoming aware of this new state of affairs, and most are now implementing preparation for such technologies into their build specifications. The main four derived drivers of Smart Buildings include Technology, Integration, Flexibility and Longevity (Chinnelli, 2020).

The huge rise in Smart Buildings and Smart Technology implementation is driven by a variety of factors – these could be categorised by economic, technological, and energy efficiencies. For example, energy consumption of the building itself – with HVAC systems, heating, lighting and power usage is monitored and automated autonomously, ultimately helping to reduce both the carbon consumption of the building, cost of electricity and heating.

Ayo Smart Building

Each coloured dot can be matched with a use-case in the example environment above

Voice & Data ^◉

Wireless ◉

Security ◉

Building Mgt (BMS) ◉

Sensors ◉

Lighting ◉

A/V ◉

Backbone/Supporting Infrastructure ◉

A large driving factor of Smart Buildings of course comes down to rapid acceleration of new technologies – notably data cable. From the 1990’s data cable was used merely for data/connectivity transfer at rates of no more than 10mbps – we’re now at a point in time where data cables can achieve 1,000 x this speed, 15-20 X frequencies, and even power devices at the other end with the same cable. In the last 5 years, authorities have passed much higher powers (W/Watts) of data cable, opening the door for an even greater range of technology it can power. Thus, the evolution of the data cable, in terms of network capabilities and also improvements in power capabilities, has bridged a lot of the gaps that would have made today’s ‘Smart Building’ look an impossibility even 10 years ago.

As you may know, our Hosted Telecoms solutions can be powered by the network cable which serves them. Through use of PoE (Power Over Ethernet) fibre cabling throughout a building, combined with the systems mentioned above, examples such as office lighting can be powered and regulated by a central unit (in network cabinet), with the power consumption over PoE sitting at around 75% less than that of standard electrical cables, and the PoE-enabled lighting lasting 25 X longer than standard incandescent lighting (Primex, 2018).

Survey

However, in terms of existing commercial buildings where this smart technology is just as applicable and vital, there is still a huge lack of even basic fibre-optic or high-performance data cabling. Of course, it’s far more straightforward implementing such technology into a ‘new build’, than it is overhauling an existing building – but it can be done, with the correct survey, planning and experience. The problem for many is that given most buildings without such existing technology and structured cabling were built before much of this technology was ever a consideration, their construct and architecture is rarely forgiving or accommodative for such implementation – thus in-depth surveys (occasionally with the expertise of a QS if warranted), robust planning and some ultra-lateral thinking are some of the essential requirements when carrying out such a project. In terms of planning for both WLAN & LAN network, we’d carry out an on-site survey of the building to ascertain the general structure & architecture, from here we’d investigate the best placement and routes for cable runs & carry out network testing in order to achieve network heat maps to work from.

If you’d like to discuss Smart Building technology further, please find more information here.

Deploying WLAN in Healthcare – What to consider.

Care Homes, Dental Practices, GP Practices, Healthcare, WiFi November 18, 2022

The surge in delivering Healthcare services digitally is by definition, accelerating the demand for robust Wireless Networks and Smart Infrastructure Technology. Since 2019, we’ve seen a rapid acceleration in clinical staff’s utilisation of mobile devices (tablets, handheld devices etc) through a variety of sectors – namely in GP Practices, Care Homes and Hospital environments. Of course, whilst the demand continues to increase, delivery should ensure multiple key elements are considered effectively.

In this blog we’ll run-through some of the main considerations when reviewing a WLAN/Wireless network deployment in healthcare facilities – weighed up with the common problems experienced in such environments. It goes without saying that Wireless Infrastructure (WLAN) deployments in most, if not all, healthcare environments are of critical importance – and will ultimately serve as the basis for staff to carry out critical day-to-day tasks using a variety of pieces of technology. With this in mind, in-depth consideration to planning and deployment should be given, ensuring the system’s Operational, Functional and Security elements are fulfilled.

Common Problems

Poor Planning

An all-too common issue we come across at problematic healthcare sites is that incremental changes have been implemented to the network over time – this can actually be more of a hinderance than improvement. As we’ll mention, ensuring the infrastructure is operated from a central ‘host’, ensures confluence is achieved on the network, reducing the probability of problems arising.

Poor Configuration

Consideration to the type of devices using the network, their use etc have always been an important consideration. Smart Televisions will now operate on the WLAN, even Coffee machines – this makes planning and ensuring all devices required on the wireless network are catered for. Further to this, having multiple platforms and peripherals of which the LAN/WLAN operates from can cause problems – we see this commonly, and can result in conflicts on the network, and delays in the troubleshooting process.

Poor Design

The placement of Access Points throughout a large site is paramount to ensuring wide-spread coverage at optimal levels of speed & performance, however there are multiple ways of mitigating problems by ‘splitting’ the network. For example, the installation of Cat 6/Cat 6a outlets throughout the premises can increase reliance on the LAN network, taking strain from the WLAN (office computers, laptops etc).

Full-Building Coverage

Placement & Coverage

The placement of Access Points is key to ensuring all intended users can achieve strong performance and consistency wherever they are situated in the building. Healthcare environments tend to involve slightly different planning for WLAN to your average office, for example. Staff tend to be ‘on the move’, roaming the building whilst still requiring consistent access to the internet. In order to ensure consistent and high performance connections are achieved equally, measures such as Data Outlets can be installed where staff have fixed devices (desktop/laptop computers) – this can ultimately reduce the ‘strain’ on the overall network itself.

Full-Building WiFi Survey

Planning for Performance

As with any WLAN deployment, planning is essential. An on-site survey of the building itself, taking into account a variety structural and architectural factors with the outcome/use case in mind is key to a well-performing network with longevity. Not only is the performance of the WLAN tested at this stage, but the deployment plan itself – structured cabling, server/cabinet locations and more need to be decided at the beginning of the process in order to ensure each section flows efficiently when the deployment commences. Our surveys also include structural cabling reports, of which we ultimately liaise with the customer on.

Smart Building Use Cases

Building a Robust & Versatile WiFi/WLAN Network

Security

The critical nature of the tasks & processes carried out over WiFi in healthcare environments makes security paramount. With the wide span of devices now used in such environments, there are a lot more areas to cover. Web Filters, Segmenting and other such measures can help mitigate such risks.

Hardware Planning

What devices are using the network? Desktop PC’s, commercial tablet/handheld devices, will you allow BYOD for personal use?

Network Configuration

Ensuring critical devices have a reliable and consistent connection. If devices in the environment are all connecting to one singular network, serious problems can occur as a result of the imbalance. For example, patients streaming Netflix on the same network nursing staff are trying to input/receive critical data could have serious consequences.

Maintenance/Management

What devices are using the network? Desktop PC’s, commercial tablet/handheld devices, will you allow BYOD for personal use? Ensuring systems are confluent from the ground up is key to mitigating issues on the network. By this, we mean ensuring the devices in-use in the environment are compatible with the equipment & infrastructure hosting the network.

Performance

Further to our points above on Configuration, there are more direct measures that can be taken. ‘RBAC’ (Role Based Access Control) is a tool we often use, whereby critical device’s connections can be prioritised on the network, as well as enhanced security on the connection between the device and the WiFi/WLAN.

Existing Infrastructure

Where are you looking to deploy your Wireless network? In new-builds, generally structured cabling and network outlets are installed as part of the development process, not afterward. If you’re replacing existing AP’s, or installing in a building without much structured cabling/network backbone, Structured Cabling will need to be taken into account.

What other measures are taken to ensure maximum Up-Time and Stability?

Emergency Power Backup

Full-Building Power Continues

Okay so it’s powered, what about connectivity?

If you’d like to discuss the process of WLAN/WiFi installation in your healthcare environment, leave your details below and we’ll call you.

How to prepare your business for Gigabit

Our Services, SME's, Technical Issues, WiFi January 3, 2022

In the past year, Gigabit installations (or FTTP/Fibre to the premises) have surged – largely down to the push and assistance from government, along with more consumer-friendly pricing options. As mentioned in our previous (blog), there are a whole host of benefits of installing Gigabit internet in your business – however there are some areas of upgrade to take into consideration also.

If you’re in a larger building, such as a Hotel, Care Home, Warehouse, large office, GP practice or other, it’s likely you’ll have some form of structured cabling throughout the building. This may be for phone system, desktop computer, or WiFi connections – if the cabling installation was carried out before the last couple of years, it’s likely it could be ‘Category 5’ cabling. Cat 5 cabling was great in its time, capable of speeds of up to 100mbps, however this is the maximum speed the cable can carry, meaning the benefits from a new Gigabit internet connection would not be realised by the end-user. Category 6 cabling (Cat 6) is the minimum level of cabling we deploy on projects, meaning even if the customer doesn’t yet have speeds of 1,000mbps+, when this does become available to them they can utilise the full benefits on all devices throughout the building. Whilst most consideration when installing Gigabit internet is down to the speeds, local availability, provider and pricing, the devices of which its use is intended along with the infrastructure within the building are all, of course, just as important.

Devices

Desktop PC’s, Laptops and other such devices may also not perform to their full potential with a Gigabit internet connection. You can check the capabilities of your device through ‘settings > control panel > network card’, which will indicate the speeds it’s capable of. Again, if the network card of your PC or Laptop is only capable of a maximum of 150mbps, this is the top speed you’ll be able to realise on the device – even with a Gigabit internet subscription. So, if you’re considering having a Gigabit internet connection installed in your premises, considerations of hardware on-site, such as devices mentioned above, is paramount in order to achieve a future-proofing solution across the board, and that all members of staff can benefit from the increased productivity and efficiency on their own devices.

WiFi Network

The WiFi access points (which emit the WiFi signal throughout the building) need to be capable of Gigabit speeds in order to realise the full speeds & bandwidth of your new Gigabit internet connection. Generally speaking, access points produced pre-2019 will be unlikely capable of catering for Gigabit speeds, and are generally not capable of more than 200/300mbps. So, whether you have access points in your building currently, or you’re choosing a provider to install them, the first point to check is the speed & bandwidth the system is capable of. All access points & networking equipment we install is capable of ‘WiFi 6’ or Gigabit speeds.

Structured Cabling

This depends on the form of cabling throughout your building – is it standard ethernet, Cat 5, Cat 5e, Cat 6?

Cat 5 cabling is capable of speeds of up to 100mbps – this is the cap, so regardless of whether you have 1,500mbps Gigabit speeds coming into the premises, this can’t be distributed at this level on Cat 5….the maximum is 100mbps.

Cat 5e cabling is capable of speeds of up to 1,000mbps…again, if your incoming internet connection is capable of speeds upward of this, you will not realise any benefit above 1,000mbps.

Cat 6 cabling is capable of up to 10,000mbps (within a certain distance), which in terms of UK standards, the installation of which can be recognised as very securely future-proof. As the government ‘rolls-out’ gigabit internet, along with multiple providers, speeds are greatly increasing across the country. The maximum frequency of Cat6 is capped at 250MHz.

Cat 6a cabling is capable of up to 10,000mbps (the same as Cat6, in this respect), and has a maximum frequency of 500MHz.

So, overall when deciding on making the move to Gigabit internet for your business, there are undoubtedly many benefits of doing so – both in terms of staff performance, efficiency and overall business success. As mentioned, there are a couple of considerations to take into account to ensure once your new solution is deployed, it can make a difference to your business in all intended areas.

If you’re interested in utilising the benefits of Gigabit internet with Ayo, let us know your details below and we’ll call you right back.

How will Gigabit benefit your business?

SME's, Telecoms, WiFi December 5, 2021

Ayo Telecom is a full-fledged unified provider of Gigabit internet for businesses in the UK. We offer Gigabit solutions, from start to finish – from initial site surveys, installation & monthly hosting and billing from there on.

To explain some of the technical terms you may have seen when browsing up to now, such as ‘FTTC’, ‘FTTP’, ‘Leased Line’, ‘Gigabit’ etc it can understandably get a bit overwhelming….we’ll lay all of this out for you, and explain the multiple benefits of Gigabit internet for your business.

Most Gigabit offerings run on ‘fibre’ technology, across the fibre network. The main broadband providers in the UK typically provide homes and businesses with ‘FTTC‘, which is Fibre to the cabinet – in this situation, the fibre connection runs to the roadside cabinets and is then run into homes via a regular telephone connection. The other form of this is ‘FTTP‘, Fibre to the premises, whereby the fibre connection doesn’t stop at the cabinet, but is physically connected directly to the home/business premises. In this situation, speeds are no longer capped at around 100mbps, and can reach upward of 1Gbps.

What are the benefits?

Video Conferencing

Gigabit unlocks far quicker & clearer video conferencing capabilities. If you’ve struggled with Audio/Visual distortion, running concurrent calls in your office or other such frustrating & time-consuming issues – higher speeds & bandwidth eradicate these.

Boost productivity

Each minute an employee spends waiting for something to load is a minute paid by your business…and as more businesses implement further digitalisation deeper into their business, the cost of a poor internet connection gets even greater. Poor internet connections are responsible for 8% of employee time and inactivity each year (Accucode, 2019).

Reduced latency

Latency refers to how long it takes for a signal to travel to its destination and back. High latency can directly cause freezing and distortion of video calls, online streaming, and even general internet browsing.

Most Gigabit offerings run on ‘fibre’ technology, across the fibre network. The main broadband providers in the UK typically provide homes and businesses with ‘FTTC’, which is Fibre to the cabinet – in this situation, the fibre connection runs to the roadside cabinets and is then run into homes via a regular telephone connection. The other form of this is ‘FTTP’, Fibre to the premises, whereby the fibre connection doesn’t stop at the cabinet, but is physically connected directly to the home/business premises. In this situation, speeds are no longer capped at around 100mbps, and can reach upward of 1Gbps.

So, what is Gigabit internet, and how can it help my business? Gigabit is essentially the same as any other internet/broadband service – just a lot faster! As we move into a new age of technology, with more intensive use of the internet with the likes of VOIP phone calls, 4K video streaming and video conferencing, higher speeds & bandwidth become all the more necessary.

If you’re now considering implementing Gigabit to improve your day-to-day business operations, leave your details below and we’ll call you back!

The benefits of CTI for your business

SME's, Technical Issues, Telecoms September 4, 2021

If you’ve been considering reviewing your existing phone system or communications setup, you may be feeling overwhelmed by what seems a huge number of acronyms or abbreviations – ‘SIP’, ‘VOIP’, ‘CLI’, ‘DDI’ and now ‘CTI’. Hopefully this blog should break it down for you. CTI, or Computer Telephony Integration, combines telecommunications and computers – it comes as part of all Ayo’s phone system offerings. Thanks to the benefits of CTI, being limited to the use of the desk phone to make and receive calls is now a thing of the past.

In environments with heavy administration, or use of a computer, CTI becomes particularly useful. For example, in a GP Practice, or Dental Surgery, where reception staff are handling upward of 100 calls daily, whilst booking appointments on the computer, updating records, locating & informing of test results….working between a desk phone and managing the computer isn’t necessarily the most efficient setup. Using the Ayo desktop application, interlinked with the business phone system, staff can answer incoming calls, ‘click-to-dial’ numbers on-screen, transfer calls and more – all from their computer. In the time it takes to retrieve, manually dial, hold the receiver of a desk phone – all can be done without.

In 2021, as a general ‘rule of thumb’, when seeking a new Phone System for your business you should ensure it has a competent CTI offering. As demonstrated during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, seamless and confluent communications across all staff devices has never been more paramount – as we simply don’t know when we may have to work out of the office.

For Customer Service-facing roles, whether in a contact centre environment, or a reception, CTI becomes particularly useful in increasing operational efficiency and staff productivity. In a contact centre, for example, staff can receive calls through their desktop/laptop computer, with integrated soft-phones offering all expected features, such as: Answer, Hang up, Hold, Transfer, Mute, Conference Call etc, without the need to handle hardware such as a desk phone.

Another benefit is CRM-integration, whereby CTI ‘pops-up’ a brief record of the incoming caller’s details and other information for the call handler to view, meaning they won’t need to ask any unnecessary questions.

All-in-one Call Management

Call handlers, whether in a reception environment, contact centre or similar, can seamlessly place & receive calls directly through their workstation. All typical features, including answer, decline, transfer, hold, conference etc. are available.

Simpify Tasks – Boost efficiency

Many apps and software can integrate through the CTI system. Examples of integrative applications include the likes of Salesforce – where CRM information can be automatically inserted into the call flow. The caller’s information ‘pops-up’ on-screen for the call handler by seamlessly matching their credentials (Name, number etc.) with the existing information in the CRM. This allows the agent to view all customer information & history without having to spend time ‘catching up’ on it at the beginning of the call – saving valuable time. In one single feature, this increases the customer experience levels, satisfaction, whilst also boosting efficiency & productivity.

Instant Caller Records

The caller record ‘pop-up’ on the agents workstation gives all relevant information about the caller (name, number, email address, customer history etc.). The call handler can greet the customer or client by name (offering a more friendly caller experience) and have full access to all relevant information instantly. Again, this saves a lot of time in collecting details from the customer, cross-referencing, and potentially having the caller wait on hold whilst the agent checks.

Data-Driven monitoring of agents

With the benefits of GDPR-compliant call recording, live monitoring, managed call history (for managing missed/unhandled calls), manager’s can instantly understand the overall performance & efficiency of their team. As a data-driven feature, manager’s are automatically provided multiple pieces of data of which they can ultimately make decisions from – allowing them to specifically target areas of concern/improvement. This as a package ultimately ‘trickles down’ into better customer service & satisfaction ratings.

Data-Driven Call Routing

As CTI integrates with most CRM/Database services/software, by utilising data from business records or their CRM, calls are routed to the member of staff best-suited or qualified to handle the caller’s needs. Through use of automated, data-driven decisions, this feature directly increased the productivity and efficiency of the agent, and can reduce call waiting times for the caller – resulting in a more positive customer experience.

If you’d like to hear more about how CTI can help your business, please leave your details below and we’ll contact you.

Add a strong voice to Teams

SME's, Technical Issues, Telecoms July 8, 2021

In terms of collaboration software for businesses, Microsoft Teams is certainly a hugely popular choice amongst businesses worldwide – however its voice feature has been poorly served. Microsoft’s own roster of calling plans don’t serve what businesses require, and we’ve been hearing it a lot from our customers.

This is why we’ve adapted our communicator to accommodate full integration of Microsoft Teams for our customers, at no extra monthly charge. The new integrative features include enhanced flexibility & robustness, call recording with PCI-compliant options, international numbering, call routing and so much more. Since launching the new integration update, our customers have all voiced their approval and are now benefitting from fully-fledged voice services over Microsoft Teams – contrary to their experiences before of unfit direct routing, low technical intelligence & resilience.

Improves Collaboration

Schedule online meetings, live-chat with colleagues, and have an overall easy-flowing communication line between staff and customers – without voice connection problems, jittering or distortion.

Feature Rich

You’ll still have all of the amazing features our communicator platform has to offer, but now with the added extra of seamless Teams integration, making, receiving and transferring calls on audio or meeting setup can be done seamlessly.

Customisation & Integration

Integrating Teams with the Ayo communicator allows for even more integrations to help support & grow your business, without the hassle of using a badly served voice add-on.

If you’re frustrated with how voice-over-teams is serving you, let us know your details below and we’ll be in touch to discuss further.

Business Phones for GP Practices

GP Practices, Healthcare, Telecoms June 30, 2021

Ensure your patients get to who they need to, when they need to.

Having an inefficient and ineffective communications offering within a GP Practice can cause frustration for patients, suppliers and sta犀利士 ff – ultimately affecting their perception of the practice as a whole….not to mention, expensive, with minimal or zero ROI.

So, what’s the benefits of an Ayo Telecom phone system for my practice?

Ayo Telecom offers full EMIS integration, to your existing system. All data from your existing system can be integrated and utilised with your new system – impress patients by knowing their name and information before you even pick up the phone! You can also dial directly from your EMIS system, without having to touch the desk-phone.

Inbound Calls

• When patients call you, the Ayo Telecom System automatically presents staff with the name and number of the patient calling. Previously, they would have to ask who the caller was, and manually search EMIS to check their identity. Now, all that information is one place, saving time in processing the call.

• Not only is their name & number presented on the desk phone and computer, the patient’s records pop-up on the computer screen, allowing the call operator to see all required details on appointments instantaneously.

• All calls are recorded, and stored for future reference & training. Have you ever had details of a phone-call called into question, or member of staff’s handling of the call complained about? All calls are available on the system for up to 90 days, in a GDPR-compliant manner.

Outbound Calls

• Features such as click-to-dial allow you to click any number on the screen of your computer, and instantly call the contact from your desk phone.

Call Recording

Ensure all calls to your GP Practice are pleasant, and satisfying for the patient. Do you save important eMails? Why not save phone-calls too!? Monitor and improve how your staff communicate with your patients

Auto Attendant

Deliver a message or information to your patients, before you even pick up the phone! Such as; ‘If you wish to make an appointment, please press 1, OR if you have an emergency, please dial 999 immediately’. This feature allows you to filter and organise your call traffic, and ensure patients know they are getting through to the right person.

Call Waiting

Instead of unappealing, frustrating ‘engaged tones’, when your operators are occupied, your patients will be automatically greeted, and then played an audio of your choice. This may be information about your practice, announcements or music.

If you find your GP practice lacking any of the above, and wish to discuss further, please leave your details below and we’ll call you back.

How business strategy aligns with Managed IT Services

Care Homes, Dental Practices, GP Practices, Healthcare, Hospitality, Hotels, SME's, Technical Issues June 23, 2021

A resilient and robust IT system has never been of more importance to business than now. The ‘break/fix’ model of IT management is not obsolete, and a consistent monitoring & upgrading of systems is required to stay on top and ensure your business can run at its optimal potential.

‘Digital transformation’ is the process of going from a traditional ‘analogue’ business, to a digital pioneer…it’s happening everywhere. This is why it’s a good time for you and your business to decide whether they want to upgrade their IT systems and processes – ultimately whether you want to be the ‘Blockbuster Video’, or ‘Netflix’ of your industry. The back-end of your business is just as important as the front – just because customer’s and clients don’t necessarily see your IT & Cloud systems, how you communicate with each other, store data, security measures and a lot more, doesn’t mean its importance is any less.

So, how do Managed services help your business where it matters?

Allowing those with expertise to take control & deliver

Many Managed IT providers will offer a universal approach for their customers, without specifically tailoring it to the customer’s business. Ayo has pre-set KPI’s in place for our customers, meaning we can ensure that our services deliver for you. Whether this is staff performance, sales statistics or another metric you wish to discuss, we’ll endeavour to meet your aspirations with proven, tangible results at your end.

Increase efficiency & lower costs

Switching to a Managed IT Service provider will reduce infrastructure costs in multiple ways. By allowing a provider to take control of the infrastructure, the amount of infrastructure held on-site can be vastly reduced, and hosted in Data Centres provided by us off-site. This doesn’t mean the services have to go, simply streamlining the way in which they are hosted & managed can save businesses multiple costs including the hardware itself & maintenance, space required to house it and the significant energy it ultimately uses.

Upscale/Downscale with ease

Scalability is paramount to delivering business growth, development and success. As technology continues to advance so quickly, businesses need to be in a position to scale up, or down as and when required. As a business expands, it’s generally expected that the resources they have in place are outgrown by the technology required to do so. Ayo offers on-hand the configuration, services and support to effectively sustain growth of your business. By outsourcing Managed IT services to a Managed IT provider, businesses can reduce labour costs from between 10% and 50%, dependent on the method of delivery – resulting in 5% to 30% in total net savings (Gartner, 2019).

Avoid unnecessary & costly downtime

Network downtime can cost as much as £4,000/minute – Gartner, 2020. Downtime can be a very expensive and stressful experience, meaning not only can it financially cost a business dearly when experienced, it can trigger an unproductive wave for staff who end up de-motivated as a result of their systems being down.

Personal Point of Contact

As part of our Managed IT & Cloud Services, all customers have a dedicated account manager on-hand to assist with any changes you’d like made, or to report issues experienced. Further to this, your account manager can provide analysis, strategy and an overall plan for your business’s technology & IT systems.

Stay Compliant

PCI Standards to be met. A secure IT backup allows your business to protect, preserve & retrieve data in the rare occurrence issues may arise…whether it’s a single important file, or a whole database in a government-compliant manner. Ensure your business is compliant with all necessary regulatory standards with an IT & Cloud services review.

If you’d like to hear more about Ayo’s Managed IT & Cloud services, click here to see more.

Managed IT & Cloud

Take your business into the new methods of commun﻿犀利士 ication, and boost success! If you require more information, or would like a free consultation, let us know your details below and we’ll call you back.

Future-proof Smart Care-Home

We want to go digital, but what about emergencies?

Emergency Power Backup

Full-Building Power Continues

Okay, so it’s powered – what about connectivity?

How does this benefit my Care Home business?

Main 5 CQC Standards

1

Are they Safe?

2

Are they Effective?

3

Are they Caring?

4

Are they Responsive?

5

Are they well-led?

Download your copy of our Crib Sheet on CQC or Care Inspectorate gradings below

The Smart route to Net Zero

What’s powering the Smart Building Net Zero Evolution?

In stages, how will we contribute to ‘Net Zero’ in this industry?

Refurb & Retro-Fit

Micro-Measuring, Metrics & Automation

Responsible Construction

Please reach out if you’re interested in discussing the Smart Building ‘Net Zero Revolution’ for your business, or have a vested interest yourself and/or wish to collaborate & we’ll get straight back to you.

Ayo Smart Building Technology

Ayo Smart Building

Voice & Data ◉

Wireless ◉

Security ◉

Building Mgt (BMS) ◉

Sensors ◉

Lighting ◉

A/V ◉

Backbone/Supporting Infrastructure ◉

Survey

If you’d like to discuss Smart Building technology further, please find more information here.

Common Problems

Poor Planning

Poor Configuration

Poor Design

Full-Building Coverage

Placement & Coverage

Full-Building WiFi Survey

Planning for Performance

Smart Building Use Cases

Building a Robust & Versatile WiFi/WLAN Network

Security

Hardware Planning

Network Configuration

Maintenance/Management

Performance

Existing Infrastructure

What other measures are taken to ensure maximum Up-Time and Stability?

Emergency Power Backup

Full-Building Power Continues

Okay so it’s powered, what about connectivity?

If you’d like to discuss the process of WLAN/WiFi installation in your healthcare environment, leave your details below and we’ll call you.

Devices

WiFi Network

Structured Cabling

If you’re interested in utilising the benefits of Gigabit internet with Ayo, let us know your details below and we’ll call you right back.

What are the benefits?

Video Conferencing

Boost productivity

Reduced latency

If you’re now considering implementing Gigabit to improve your day-to-day business operations, leave your details below and we’ll call you back!

All-in-one Call Management

Simpify Tasks – Boost efficiency

Instant Caller Records

Data-Driven monitoring of agents

Data-Driven Call Routing

If you’d like to hear more about how CTI can help your business, please leave your details below and we’ll contact you.

Improves Collaboration

Feature Rich

Customisation & Integration

If you’re frustrated with how voice-over-teams is serving you, let us know your details below and we’ll be in touch to discuss further.

Ensure your patients get to who they need to, when they need to.

Take your business into the new methods of commun犀利士 ication, and boost success! If you require more information, or would like a free consultation, let us know your details below and we’ll call you back.

Voice & Data ^◉

Call us!
0141 501 5692

54 Washington Street, Glasgow
United Kingdom, G3 8AZ