Cornwall takes the cup at Morgan Cars centenary festival

September 2009

Steven Horne of Truro, became class champion at the Morgan Motor Company centenary festival which took place at Cheltenham last week. Steven travelled to the event with enthusiasts from the Cornish and Devonian centres of the Morgan Sports Car Club in his 1997 +4 2 seater helping to boost the number of attendees to a record of over 10% of the worlds collection of surviving Morgan Cars, which amounted to some 3,200 vehicles representing 28 countries.

Many of those attending competed in the AutoSolo Racing which is a fairly new discipline in UK motorsport and is best described as a cross between a Sprint and an Autotest. The event idea originated in the USA where they are sometimes called Slaloms or Autocross. AutoSOLO is a contest of driving skill on short courses that emphasise car handling and agility rather than speed or power. The course is set on a sealed surface with numbered cones defining the route. A number of courses are run during the day, and competitors get two or more runs at each, with the better times to count. Timing is by handheld stopwatches and whilst there is no reversing to increase the pressure on competitors there are time penalties for touching a cone. The event is limited to cars that are road-legal and with regular road tyres.

Steven, a Director of leading Cornish telecoms company, The Bush Telegraph Co (UK) Ltd, won his class and also the overall event with a time of 473 seconds which is the total of best 8 runs from 12 attempts and with the nearest challenger almost 20 seconds behind him, it was a clear win for Cornwall Enthusiasts. As an added bonus only 2 other competitors broke the 500 second barrier.

An elated Steven commented on the day; ‘Not bad for an old man! We came up in convoy from Cornwall which was a real buzz in itself and now to top it all I now have a very nice bone china plate and bone china 2 handled cup to display on our mantelpiece’

 

Two return to the Bush

July 2009

The Bush Telegraph Company based at Greenbottom near Truro has welcomed the return of two key members of the sales team, who left last Autumn. Sam Hallworth approached Bush’s MD Steven Horne last summer to suggest taking a sabbatical from his role as a Business Development Manager. Steven’s thoughts at the time were, ‘both my co-directors and I were already talking about how the economic situation was going to affect us and whether or not we needed to take steps to protect the business, so whilst it is always hard to loose a quality business developer and his team it was good at the time to see a reduction in our overheads-even for a short time. The extra benefit was gained as it allowed some of our team to do something they wanted to do, rather than the total gloom that has affected so many’

Gilly Taylor who worked in telesales went back to spend time with her family in Brighton and working with homeless people, ensuring they were offered beds and were getting food, benefits and healthcare, a role that has certainly focussed her outlook on life.

Meanwhile Sam jetted off to the Caribbean where he raced aboard a custom built 55 foot wooden sailing cruiser, against some of the worlds leading yachts. In competitions at this level his own yacht was dwarfed by some of the worlds most famous and largest sailing vessels which were crewed by professionals from around the globe. When he wasn’t racing Sam taught sailing skills to local school children. The attached photo shows Sam and his Skipper Sue receiving an certificate of thanks from an Antiguan school.

Both Sam and Gilly returned to Cornwall within weeks of each other and have this week rejoined the team at Bush Telegraph. Working together Gilly is coordinating Sams diary ensuring that he is busy seeing clients both new and old alike to promote Bush Telegraph’s range of telephone and IT solutions, which include systems from leading manufacturers like Avaya, Panasonic and Samsung.

Some 9 months later Steven comments ‘we have certainly missed Gilly and Sam, however they have both benefitted from experiences that may only happen once in a lifetime, and those experiences have allowed them to grow as individuals, which is a benefit to Bush Telegraph as much as it is to them. Where the business is concerned we have seen changes to our clients purchasing patterns, but we have also invested in our marketing and our own procedures, so Gilly and Sam are welcomed back as stronger people to a leaner stronger business’

 

New Ofcom rules should soon make it cheaper to call 0870 numbers.

June 2009

The measures - which will come into effect on 1 August 2009 - will also give consumers a much clearer idea of how much it costs to call these numbers.

0870 numbers are used by many businesses and organisations to provide a wide range of information and advice including many customer service lines. Consumers are often charged more for calling these numbers than they would if they called a 'geographic rate' (01, 02 or 03) number.

Revenue sharing

Due to the fact that they cost more, businesses and organisations are also able to take a cut of the call charges - a practice known as revenue sharing.

The new rules will encourage communication providers to stop charging higher prices for calls to 0870 numbers from fixed lines and mobiles than calls to 'geographic rate' numbers.

Communications providers will also be encouraged to include 0870 calls in call packages on the same basis as geographic calls. Those that want to continue charging for 0870 calls at rates above those for geographic numbers will be bound by strict rules about how prices are publicised on websites and in promotional material at point of sale.

Enforcement action

Communication providers will also be responsible for making sure their customers know how much they will be charged for calling an 0870 number. They will not be allowed to advertise 0870 numbers as 'national rate' unless they are charging at geographic rates.

If communication providers do not comply with these rules, they could be subject to enforcement action including possible fines.

Ofcom's new rules should also effectively end revenue sharing on 0870 numbers.

Ofcom welcomes steps that some fixed line companies have already taken to include calls to 0870 numbers in call packages and reduce their prices.

For more information please call 01872 561234 to talk about our many line rental and non-geographic number solutions.

 

New Team member to fuel the growth at Bush Telegraph

June 2009

Cornish telecoms and IT specialist Bush Telegraph, based in Truro has recently recruited Trudy Moyle to lead their campaign for new customers.
2009 has already been a busy one for the team at Bush with the launch of an IT maintenance division, the launch of a new product in vehicle trackers and development of their website which has been a nationwide success for the business.

Until recently Trudy ran the Cornish franchises for Elf Service and Petrol stations in Truro, however having seen the future for the industry sold her business and took the opportunity to change career paths. Trudy says ‘I spent many years using my people skills to the benefit of my business, and could use these skills, knowledge and energy to the benefit of other organisations.’

Gaining crucial experience in the Home Improvements industry Trudy joins Bush Telegraph to create new business leads supporting the sales team, predominately for IT based services.
Steven Horne, MD of Bush Telegraph comments, ‘great team members come from the strangest avenues, having bought our companies fuel from Trudy for many years, it is odd that she is now helping to fuel our growth! Being a business person herself Trudy will appreciate our attention to detail and ethos for hard work.’

 

World Web Wins for the Bush Telegraph Company

May 2009

Recent investment from The Bush Telegraph Company has ensured a raft of new business has been secured from outside of the South West.

The Truro based business has recently redeveloped their website to include a shop for telecoms systems and peripherals. Steven Horne, Managing Director, comments, ‘this has been in our marketing plans for some time; however the intricacies of the World Wide Web and our products have prevented us from rushing into development. A telephone system is made up of many parts and we needed our shop to reflect the fact that we can supply to both qualified telecoms specialists who maintain complicated systems and also to individuals with less complicated needs.’

The shop has been created by the team at Bush Telegraph in conjunction with one of their biggest suppliers and ensures that market leading brands such as Avaya, Samsung and Panasonic are available at the press of a button. With a vast range of systems and components available it is imperative that the site is simple to navigate, as such it has been created to allow searches by brand name or by products, for example voice recording or conferencing, telecoms or computers.

Steven goes on to say ‘now that we have the first elements of the site and shop up and running I only wish we had done it sooner, having firstly won work from the North East Ambulance Services, which fits perfectly with our customer base in the South West and subsequently from the global intelligent and commercial information suppliers Reuters UK which due to their location and size we would not normally have considered as a new business target!’

Having now seen the potential of the World Wide Web the team at Bush Telegraph are now working hard to maximise its impact on the business. Whilst fully agreeing that they have come late to using the internet as a shop front, by buying and building targeted databases the team are going to push the name of the business and the fact one of the leading telecoms suppliers based in the far South West the company can compete with bigger names throughout the UK.

 

Loved the product so much, they took on the Distributorship.

May 2009

Truro based IT and Telecoms specialists The Bush Telegraph Company recently installed tracking devices into their 7 company cars and engineers vans, in a bid to monitor usage of the vehicles and reduce costs. The effectiveness and simplicity of use led Bush Telegraph’s MD, Steven Horne, to investigate ways to offer the system to existing clients, as Steven says, ‘we immediately saw how the tracking devices were integrally linked to a companies computer networks, so the ability for us to offer another product that will benefit businesses and show a proven return on investment became perfectly clear’

The Supatrak system which is manufactured by CMS a Swindon based business that has benefited from the South West Ventures Fund. The package itself has been recognised at national levels for its green credentials at the Green Fleet Awards, held each year at Twickenham.

Since having the Supatrak devices fitted to their vans Bush Telegraph has seen the positive sides from day one, when an engineer was struggling to find a rural office due to inconsistencies with satellite navigation and a colleague in the office was able to talk the driver in over the phone whilst watching him from her PC in real time.

As Steven says, ‘situations like this are great but as a business owner this is just one of the benefits, we have also seen decreases in fuel consumption and the miles each vehicle is travelling, which has meant an increase in work activity, in part due to the ability for better planning’.

Steven goes on to say ‘discussions with the CMS that proved that we are an ideal partner for Supatrak in the South West. With our own team of knowledgeable soft and hardware engineers and a strong customer base, we are technically skilled and logically placed to act as their chosen distributor.’

Kate Lloyd, Sales and Marketing Manager for CMS Supatrak says, ‘As a business we believe in having quality partnerships, to ensure the long term growth of the business and to maintain the levels of quality that we have set out to achieve not only in product installation and maintenance but equally as importantly in customer service, I can say quite honestly that Steven and his team at the Bush Telegraph Company more than meet our criteria’.

When installed the Supatrak system can monitor vehicles with real-time visibility on your PC or laptop, thus allowing a business to increase productivity, reducing overall fuel and maintenance costs, and ensuring that a business complies with its duty of care. Whilst some may say it’s another big brother antic, the tangible benefits are in the ability to manage a fleet efficiently and effectively, avoid traffic and congestion thus ensuring the employee gets home safely and on time!

 

The Truth behind Call Recording

April 2009

Recent events in the financial industry have led many of us to question the integrity of some of our once infallible and most trustworthy of institutions. Headlines like ‘Answer to your losses lies in the broker’s tapes’ as reported in the Mail on Sunday recently and ‘FSA fines and bans trader and warns stockbrokers that they are on notice to stop using high-pressure sales tactics’, has highlighted suggestions that companies who conduct business over the telephone have a legal duty to record all calls.

In a bid to extract the facts Steven Horne, Managing Director of the Bush Telegraph Company has done some research to throw light on the legal and moral obligations concerning recording. Steven comments ‘As a telecoms business we have seen an increase in enquiries for voice recording equipment and felt that we needed to be able to guide people effectively and honestly in their purchasing decisions-even if that means turning down a sale!’

Our first port of call was to prominent legal expert Katie Ashworth of Murrel Ashworth partnership who confirmed, ‘there are many guidelines but few rules regarding the legalities of call recording. There are really only two types of business that are legally obliged to record calls, firstly In the financial services industry where from 9th March it has become an FSA (Financial Services Authority) regulation that Hedge Fund Managers, or businesses that trade stocks and shares or provide financial advice over the telephone should record their calls. Secondly in the healthcare industry recording is required by law on telephone lines used for giving triage advice to the public.’

So why is it that as members of the public we so often hear the immortal words ‘calls may be recorded for security and training purposes’. To find our more Stephen turned to Richard Winterburn, of call recording manufacturer’s Retell Ltd, ‘Initially the major call centres and financial institutions recorded their calls in order to confirm details of conversations and train their staff on how to handle calls more effectively. Not only does this help to improve customer service but it also protects them against litigation for improper or miss-heard advice. Whilst those companies in the financial services and insurance industry aren’t all obliged to record their calls there is a great deal of recommendation by the FSA and the Insurance Ombudsman that recording is a tool to that can be used prove ‘best practice’. In the last few years however as the cost of recording has reduced we’ve seen an upsurge in the number of small and medium sized businesses recording to improve business performance, ensure vital delivery instructions are adhered to and important orders recorded accurately.

Our research has shown that businesses abiding with OFCOM recommendations by making every reasonable effort to inform callers that they are being recorded are seen to be a company of integrity and good repute. Recording has proven itself as a business tool allowing for better-trained employees and aiding customer retention. Combine this with a reduction in time wasted on disputes, aborted deliveries and incorrect orders and it is easy to see how quickly call recording can pay for itself.

Steven Horne closes by saying ‘Some people that we have spoken to have told us of their fears about Big Brother watching our every move, but quickly realise that rather than checking our every move this particular technology is actually in everyone’s benefit. It is also a relatively unregulated element of commercial life, but one that so far has shown to benefit from good practice as it is in everyone’s interest that the system works.’

 

Are you sure you are complaint with education legislation?

April 2009

We know that educational organisations need complete network protection, whether it comes to regulatory and security standards or safeguarding staff and student data.

Sophos NAC Advanced protects data by only allowing access to those that need it. It allows you to build comprehensive security policies and ensure that any computer accessing your school, college or university network - even those not owned by you - are in full compliance with education legislation.

With Sophos NAC Advanced you can: - Ensure regulatory compliance - Ensure compliance with your security policy - Safeguard staff and student data - Protect managed computers - Protect against unmanaged computers

The Bush Telegraph Company Ltd are leaders in the provision of networked business solutions. Whilst all our new and contracted systems are compliant with legislation and secure - are yours? Call 01872 561234 today to ensure you and your users security. You can also visit our website www.bush-telegraph.co.uk  or email sales@bush-telegraph.co.uk.

We look forward to securing your future.

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Over 100 million business users in nearly 150 countries rely on security and control solutions from Sophos 2008

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Sophos Plc. Incorporated in Eng land and Wales No. 348 3873 20. Registered office, The Pentagon, Abingdon, OX14 3YP All rights reserved / Privacy Policy

 

The Bush Telegraph Company receives another recommendation

April 2009

Paul Aldersley, CEO of the YMCA, South Devon has written; 'We were delighted at YMCA South Devon to have the Bush Telegraph Company install our new system. Not only were they helpful and straightforward in their advice but as a charity they gave us an extremely good deal using existing equipment where practical and possible to keep our costs down and then only charging us for the components that we needed rather than a completely new system.

Once we have placed our order the communication was quick, efficient and helpful. Installation was carried out within a week and the engineer was very helpful both in working around our activities and also in terms of helping set up the system to best suit us. I am more than happy to recommend the Bush Telegraph Company.'

Steven Horne, Managing Director of the Bush Telegraph Company comments, 'our work within the charity sector is well documented, as we are always looking for sensible solutions to organizations communication needs. We believe in working with the client to identify the most efficient route forward both technically and financially'.

Steven goes on to say, 'it is testament to our team and suppliers that we are in a position to win new business and receive kind comments from clients like the YMCA.'

If you feel that you could get more from your Telecommunications or IT provider please do call us on 01872 561234, or email sales@bush-telegraph.co.uk

 

Bush Team take a walk for charity

March 2009

The Bush Telegraph Company work closely with many local and national charity’s, not only supplying cost effective telecommunications products to them but also partaking in fund raising events with them.

In March, our team from Bush Telegraph made the most of the hottest weekend of the year to raise money for the Cornwall Disabled Association.

Seen here taking a well earned rest, with their support vehicle driven by Bush Telegraph MD Steven Horne, during the circular walk which left the Screech Owl Sanctuary and took the team across Goss Moor, famous for its Iron Bridge and rare wildlife.

Donations to the charity and further information can be found at www.cornwalldisabled.co.uk

Following the event Steven Horne reported "That Sunday's walk around Goss Moor raised just over £1000 in total for the Cornwall Disabled Association. Thank you so much for taking part, and giving up a good part of your Sunday to support the event. It really was appreciated."

 

Cornish Charity to communicate by Telegraph

March 2009

One of Cornwall’s most established telecommunications businesses, The Bush Telegraph Company, has beaten rivals from across the South West to supply phone and computer systems to one of the counties biggest charities, the Merlin Project.

Steven Horne, Managing Director of The Bush Telegraph Company comments, ‘We are very proud to be the telecommunications supplier to this worthy cause. Over the last 18 years we have worked with many charities including the National Animal Welfare Trust and Mencap, so we have an in depth understanding of how the sector operates and the need for effective communication to be supplied within a restricted budget’

The Merlin Project is the fund raising arm for the Cornish Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Center, a £2m project being set up, just outside St Austell to treat new and existing sufferers of this debilitating disease. The illness is caused essentially by ‘faulty wiring’ in the bodies nervous system. As such the team here has a better understanding than most of the need for a professionally installed and maintained communication platform.

Lorraine Long, Merlin’s newly appointed Centre Manager says ‘In a sector where costs and quality are paramount-especially with the downturn in charitable donations, we try to buy locally to get the best package. As a strong established company, Bush Telegraph have met this criteria and installed a system that is tailor made for Merlin and will allow us the flexibility for growth in the future. We are delighted to have them on board’

 

Sign of the times: Tips for success

February 2009

As we travel through a period of uncertain economic times Steven Horne, Managing Director of The Bush Telegraph Company provides us with some thoughts on how to ensure continued success for your business. As Steven says ‘We at Bush Telegraph are now riding through our 2^nd recession, and whilst like many, we have enjoyed fantastic levels of new business during the buoyant interim years, we need to get back to basics now and focus hard on our company to ensure our continued growth’

1: Image and Accessibility:

Portraying your business in a positive light reflects on how you treat your clients. If you have a car or van CLEAN THEM. If you have a shop front PAINT IT. If you are on the telephone SMILE.

Making these small gestures goes a long way to showing your clients that you respect and care for them from the outset. If you are a retailer why not open for an extra hour in the evening to allow other shop keepers and office workers the opportunity to visit your shop and spend their money! Be seen to be the best and be seen to be open.

2: Communication.

Your clients and suppliers will respect you if you don’t visit them as much as you may have done, in a bid to save money-it may mean better prices for them. By talking to them on the phone and emailing images of the samples you wanted to present, you will not only be saving money on fuel but working more time efficiently as well. Remember though—a telephone call with a smile goes a very long way. In today’s age we also have video conferencing available to us, so you can see your client whilst talking through the day’s business as well—Smile you are on camera!

3: Work with your staff:

As a service business we have noticed a downturn in new business but we are fully aware of our obligation to existing clients and their need for a consistently high level of service. Like many businesses we had grown fat during the good times, but by talking to our team we discovered however that 2 of our sales team had a desire of taking time out to follow some dreams. Marc’s dream was to work with the Eden Project and learn about plants and Sam’s was to sail a luxury yacht in the Caribbean! As a business we have been able to support them and they are now following their dreams and taking sabbaticals and we have a leaner workforce, but a committed team who have taken up challenge.

4: Respect your suppliers.

We are all in business to make money. At Bush telegraph we have a philosophy of paying all our suppliers in a timely fashion-often before the due date! By doing so we know that we are supporting those that make our business successful-and we know they will be there for us when we need them. Over the years this ideal has helped us to benefit from excellent prices but also from an unparalleled loyalty from our supplier base- all of which is passed onto our customers.  

5: Invest in the future:

Now is a time when many of you will be pulling in the purse strings and putting some of the major purchases on the back burner. The reality is that now is the time to look at investing in your business by buying new company vans, or replacing your servers, IT or phone systems. Get your shop front refurbished and buy the new shop furniture. It is NOW that you will get the best deals for the items that you are putting off. Like you, your suppliers will be keen to work a favourable agreement to secure your new business—remember how you kicked yourself when house prices rose so quickly in the 90’s. We all asked why we hadn’t bought sooner and the same will happen with capital equipment and the tools of trade when the good times return. Communication tools especially have come along way since the day of the old Bush Telegraph and so have the prices, so take advantage of the opportunities of the times!

 

Double Celebrations at Bush

October 2008

The family run Bush Telegraph based in Truro has celebrated a key milestone. Both Sam Hallworth and Scott Baldwin have each worked for the company for almost a decade.

Scott Baldwin joined as a trainee junior engineer and through the years has dramatically increased his knowledge base. Scott says “I truly believe in Bush Telegraph products and working here gives me the opportunity to work closely with clients and colleagues and also make a real difference. Early on, the joint owners of the company, Steven and Sally Horne recognised my skills. I have a good rapport with all my colleagues because I can relate to them on a personal level. The compliments I receive from clients and my colleagues are my greatest reward. I take special pride in knowing that I’ve been tagged “one of the most helpful engineers.” Bush Telegraph is a rapidly changing company that promotes career development. The sky is the limit for this technologically advanced company and I plan to continue to be part of its steady growth”.

Sam totally agrees and added “If you want to work for a company that’s at the forefront of technology, Bush Telegraph is definitely the place to be and I am certainly looking forward to the next 10 years!”

Sam Hallworth is the Senior Account Manager responsible for selling business telephone and network solutions to businesses covering the whole of the South West. Sam began his career in 1999 as a Sales Representative and his previous IT/Telecoms experience enabled him to move up the ranks fairly quickly.

Succeeding in the telecoms industry requires hard work and giving 110% and when I leave a customer smiling, I know I’ve done my job well.  I also take pride in knowing that I contribute to Bush Telegraph’s reputation as a top-class telecommunications and IT provider. I like working at Bush Telegraph because it’s a diverse company that invests in its employees. I also like the fact that our success is the result of teamwork. It’s personally rewarding to know that I’m part of a team responsible for our success. We all work hard to achieve one common goal -- to satisfy the customer

 

Bush recognises true Quality Customer Care!

April 2008

We believe that success is determined more and more by the contact customers experience with any business.

Providing consistent, differentiated service for customers requires an intelligent communications strategy that connects customers to the right people and processes, across locations and business functions.

So when you place your first call to Bush you are very likely to speak with Kim or Jon. Both working as part of the engineering and back up team both Kim and Jon will make sure that your call is handled and directed to the right department.

Having a high quality partnership with Samsung, Panasonic and BT, a team of sales support backed up by top engineers is only part of the solution. Customers’ needs must be identified, acknowledged and satisfied in an effective and proactive manner.

In order to provide a quality customer service package, a business such as Bush Telegraph needs to understand and listen to their customers and continuously adapt to make sure customer satisfaction and retention is achieved. And that’s exactly what Kim and Jon do on a daily basis.

Bush Telegraph recognizes the importance of quality customer care, and as such has invested in a support system to put in place a world-class customer service programme. MD Steven Horne said ‘the dedication and support of both Kim and Jon shows in our level of customer satisfaction and I am absolutely delighted with their continued commitment to the company’.

Picture of:
Kim Hamilton-Finch, Customer Service Manager
Jon Acheson, Administration Manager - Engineering Dept