Pink Connect Blog

Archive for the ‘Telecoms’ Category

Great news for Pink Connect as we have been selected as a finalist for the ‘Business of the Year 2011′, given by Pride of Stratford Awards 2012.

We are absolutely thrilled as it is a fabulous achievement and showing that all our hard work has not gone unnoticed.

The winner of the award will be chosen on February 17th, so let’s keep our fingers crossed!

According to the latest report by ‘billmonitor’, created and run by Oxford University mathematicians, UK Mobile users are wasting £4.9bn a year on the wrong mobile tariff!

At Pink Connect, we have always said that 82% of business mobile customers are on the wrong tariff. Billmonitor says this percentage is 76% for all mobile customers.  Since it doesn’t take data and text into consideration this figure could have been higher!

Due to fear of going above the allowance offered in their tariffs (named as “bill shock”), customers typically bought FOUR times more talk time that they actually used.

The report claims that if everyone used the right tariff, the UK could stop wasting £4.9bn a year that is being spent on wrong tariffs. The task of choosing right tariff is difficult as there are over 8m contract permutations available to mobile customers!

You can read full story on this on BBC website by clicking on the following link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12996175

At Pink Connect, we offer FREE mobile bill analysis and advice to select the best suitable tariff for your business. We are committed to bringing down the wasted £4.9bn spent on wrong tariffs!

About the blog author: Raj Deokar, is the director of Pink Connect (Northampton) Ltd.  Raj has got over 13 years experience in Telecommunications.

You can reach Raj Deokar on 01604 217271.

Raj Deokar, Pink Connect Northampton, was recently speaking to a friend who had just got a new mobile phone. The proud owner of this new piece of kit told Raj,  “it has got all sorts of new features including Bluetooth” and Raj replied, “well that’s really cool, what do you use it for?” to which the answer was,  “it enhances my mobile signal but I don’t use it specifically as such!

Being an expert in telecom and mobile, Raj was shocked by his answer!  So he thought of putting together some of the many ways one can use Bluetooth:

• One of the obvious uses of Bluetooth is to connect mobile to your Bluetooth headset – flexibility and handsfree talk
• Connect mobile to Bluetooth enabled car handfree systems – handsfree talk, handsfree dialling (if mobile accepts voice dialling)
• Connect PC/Laptop and Mobile – data exchange, synchronize calendar and contacts
• Connect to other mobile device – data exchange, play games against another person’s device
• Connect devices to Bluetooth enabled printers – send data to printers without wire
• Connect devices to Wifi systems, TVs  – audio / photo / video transfer (Bluetooth high speed technology) without wires
• Use PC devices such as keyboard, mouse, headsets wirelessly – flexibility without cords
• Connect Bluetooth headset to Landline phone and Mobile phone at same time – flexibility of having just one handset for landline and mobile
• Marketing use – some already use Bluetooth as a marketing tool. E.g. A retail unit transmitting message over Bluetooth about discount offers that can be received by mobile devices of people passing by.
• Some other uses include in camcorders, hi-tech devices and various other industries – there are literally thousands of devices that make use of Bluetooth technology.

More facts about Bluetooth®:

• Bluetooth is a wireless technology (uses r-waves in 2.4 Gigahertz range). It’s secure (as pairing is required), low energy consuming and one of the inexpensive ways of connecting and exchanging information wirelessly between devices. It allows Bluetooth enabled devices to talk to each other over short distances (PAN – Personal Area Network – range up to 33 feet).
• Bluetooth brand and technology is promoted by a non-profit group called Bluetooth SIG (Spec. interest group) so no single company owns the technology.
• The kind of technology that Bluetooth uses dates back to discoveries pioneered by military in 1940s.
• The name ‘Bluetooth’ is from 10^th century Danish King – Harold Blatand or Harold Bluetooth who was instrumental in uniting warring functions!

Are you using your Bluetooth enabled devices effectively?

PS.  At Pink Connect, we provide range of mobiles with Bluetooth and fully installed hands-free car kits that are great value – all with our friendly customer service!

David Cameron of Pink Connect Watford has just connected a delighted Prontaprint with the fastest speeds on the internet. Pink Fibre Pro has given Aarif Merali (pictured right with David) upload speeds of up to 10Mb and download speeds of up to 40Mb!

“Our previous supplier provided us with a very slow broadband connection and we needed to improve the speed in order to cope with the larger file transfers that our clients were demanding. Pink Connect came in to evaluate our requirements and managed to provide the Pink Fibre service which increased our broadband speed twenty fold.” said Aarif.

“From the initial requirements gathering, installation and post-installation follow-up Pink Connect were extremely professional and competent while demonstrating a great deal of understanding for our requirements. I would have no hesitation in recommending their services and, in particular, their Pink Fibre service. If you haven’t done so already – go Pink!”

If you would like to know whether you too can take advantage of the fibre superhighway, just contact the friendly team at Pink Connect

I’d like you to imagine that a magnificent new store has opened in your local area; you have seen lots of adverts for it in the paper and you have even heard about them on local radio.

You have checked out their expensive website and it looks fantastic.

So, filled with anticipation, you go along to the store.

When you arrive, however, there is a long queue to get in. Unfortunately there is no information on how long the queue will take or if there is an alternative entrance. There is not even the option to leave a message and ask someone to let you know when it might be less busy. So you leave.

A little unhappy but still keen to visit the store, you go back the next day early in the morning and find there is no queue and you can walk straight in to the store.

Unfortunately, once inside, you are bewildered: there are several different areas, all with different counters but after trying two or three you are finally sent to the one that has what you want.

As you approach, two assistants are busy with clients and the other is on the phone so you stand around waiting and notice that a message pad has been left on the counter for those who can’t wait. After another 10 minutes you leave a message on the pad feeling somewhat disgruntled but still keen to make a purchase at this store.

You go home and wait for a call. Three whole days later somebody who has your name wrong calls you. I don’t think I need to tell you how you feel about this whole experience.

Ask yourself, “Is this how my telephone system treats my customers?”

Do you know how many people have queued outside your door?

Do you know how long they have had to wait to get an answer?

Can your potential clients get to the right department quickly?

Are voice mail messages handled efficiently and responded to promptly?

Pink Connect call handling and management systems guarantee that you will never be associated with running business like the one described above!

You own a business, which you are very proud of.  You have invested £1000’s on a great name, a memorable logo and spent weeks developing your website.                                                                               

You have some of the best brochures money can buy and you network avidly spreading the word on your great proposition.

So following all of your hard work and invested money, excited clients ring up to get some of what you offer

Unfortunately, the first two times they ring the phone is engaged. No matter; the customer thinks this must be such a great product everyone wants it.

Early the following morning the client rings again.  After hanging on for what seems an age he finally gets through to a crackly answer phone.He is a little happier and least he has something to talk to.

He leaves a message, stating that he needs a response at the earliest possible opportunity as he needs to buy today

The customer spends the rest of the day awaiting the return call. He logically thinks they must ring back quickly as he has told them he wants to buy.

As the day drags on the client’s demeanour changes from expectant to depressed to angry

At 6 pm in the evening you get back to your office after a busy day. You see several messages on your answer phone, unfortunately your answer phone is old and you can only just make out the number and what you think is his name but great, he wants to buy.

You call the client expectantly. Unfortunately, the name you guess is wrong and not surprisingly he puts the phone down on you

That definite sale has turned into a very unhappy individual who feels nothing but negativity for your business and he has never even used you!

So the answer to the question is….. they are all important but if your inbound calls are not anwered and dealt with appropriately, the rest is worth nothing!

We can make sure you never miss another call, no matter where you are or what time or day it is.

It’s worth thinking about

Bad weather makes it difficult for many organisations to operate as normal. Whilst employees struggle to reach their workplace, desk phones are ringing unanswered as customers and suppliers try to place orders, reschedule appointments or seek customer service. Due to this, business profit can suffer heavily.

With “Inbound” service, you can have one or more numbers mapped to your existing landline or mobile number. These “Inbound” numbes can be geographic (starting with 01 or 02) or non-geographic numbers (starting with 08 or 03 etc).

“Inbound” service enables you to do following:

• Online portal enables instant redirection of calls by you – so if you or your staff can’t make to office due to bad weather you can receive calls on any number by using online portal
• Ease of use means changes can be made to multiple numbers simultaneously
• A host of extra features – send calls to a recorded announcement giving advice or information
• Network based call queuing to deal with excessive demand
• Call tracking gives precise information to measure your marketing activity along with giving answers to following questions:

• Where are my Customers located?
• How many Customer calls are getting through?
• When are my busy hours?
• What are my call trends?

So whatever is the weather, our “Inbound” service means that these calls will be answered, even if no one makes it into the workplace!

PS. You can see more information on our ‘My Inbound’ service by clicking here: http://www.pinkconnect.com/my_inbound.html

Rajendra Deokar of Pink Connect Northampton has helped Richard Alton of Rialto Health & Safety make a good start this new year:

Richard says, “Raj explained the cost savings in simple terms and showed the comparison against my existing supplier.The 50% saving was a very pleasant surprise.  The switch over was trouble free and there have been no problems so far at all – excellent service!”

We wish you a very Happy Christmas
and a prosperous 2011!

The Inspire Team with some of its business sponsors (Pink Connect, Inspired Change, Repro Arts) at the Norwich B2B Exhibition - All Photos courtesy of Antonella Muscat Photography

The Inspire Discovery Centre in Norwich has  been through some tough times of late with three break-ins only months apart and running costs which have been spiralling out of control.

The centre, which is based in St Michael’s Church, Oak Street, was spared the axe in 2008 and despite increasing visitor numbers year on year now finds itself struggling to survive once more.

Bosses at the centre have recently organised two events to try and generate awareness for the centre. The first (pictured above) was a stand at the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce B2B exhibition which was an outstanding success. The second was labelled a “Save Our Science” (SOS) meeting at the Forum in Norwich  to give businesses and other interested parties the chance to suggest some new ideas to keep the centre running.

Shell Fearn, centre manager, said: “We called for this meeting as although we’ve been working very hard for two years to maintain the

presence of Inspire and we’re proud 
of what we’ve achieved we’re still heavily reliant 
on the financial support of one individual. We only have one funder who very generously puts his hand in his pocket once a year to give us a top up of funding, but we can’t rely on that. This is not fair either to that individual, our chairman trustee, or to the centre.”

“We’re looking to the businesses and community of Norwich and the wider area to offer us support and ideas to help us build a stable network to aid Inspire.”

Danny Snelling, managing director of Norwich telecoms  firm Pink Connect has been very keen to help out in what ever way possible. Mr Snelling, who has two young boys himself that absolutely love the centre, has already donated a new phone system which has dramatically improved their call handling and saved them over £500 a year on their phone and broadband bills. Pink Connect also has a commercial power brokering team that are now looking to save them over £6000 on their gas and electricity aswell.

A spokesperson for the Centre said the following today “There have been a lot of kind people offering to help out the centre in these rough times and Danny Snelling from Pink Connect is one of them. He has been really supportive of the centre and has helped with our phone system as well as looking at our current bills in order to save Inspire money. As well as this help, he has been ever present to offer words of advice and offer assistance whenever he could.’

If you can help Inspire or have any ideas about how to keep it running call 01603 612612 or email michelle@inspirediscoverycentre.com

Or if you know any local charities like Inspire who could benefit by saving some serious money please give Danny a call on Norwich 01603 510710 who would be happy to take a look.