Mark Group

Cutting-Edge Advances in IT

Tuesday 01 November 2005

Mark Group Invests for Expansion
Expansion to give full national coverage to the group’s large customer base has created unprecedented challenges for their IT Department. To ensure swift and efficient communication between staff and offices new equipment and systems are being installed throughout the Group. These cover data handling, telephony and email.

Data Handling
Routine data handling of the administrative processes between the depots and head office has outgrown the capacity of its current network. This is scheduled to be upgraded in late 2005 by increasing the bandwidth available for data transmission. Not only will this handle the volume of data from the increasing number of depots and the expansion of reporting available to Management but will give greatly increased security of data and reliability of the network. The progressive replacement of all existing PC’s with the latest Dell Optiplex machines running the XP Operating System, the use of Microsoft Office 2003 software and the automatic upgrading of the Operating System to Microsoft Vista Server when it is released in 2006/7 will ensure that full advantage is taken of the best available means of handling the huge volumes data within the Group.

Telephony
The growth in the number of depots has led to a huge increase in the number of calls. By routing all voice calls through the Voice Over Internet Protocol the Group has switched to an internet based system directly linking all operating centres. By merely dialling a 3 digit code anyone throughout the Group can call anyone else whether they are just down the corridor or at opposite ends of the country. The 150+ mobile phones operated by the Group are also linked into the system. By adding another digit to the internal 3 digit code the person’s mobile phone is called instead of the office extension number. The use of the VOIP has produced a cost-effective and reliable solution to the perennial problem of high telephone charges.

Email
The growth of email, both within the Group and for external communication, has overwhelmed the current system. This will be replaced with an Exchange Server in late 2005 which will handle the volume comfortably. In addition, it will facilitate the use of the technology used by the Blackberry system for the use of email on the move. Managers, assessors and other staff away from their base will be able to take advantage of email wherever they are.

The Future
These advances in the use of the latest technology and systems will allow the Group to service the entire nationwide customer base with a level of efficiency unequalled in the industry. The huge investment programme represents a demonstration of confidence in the future prospects of the Mark Group.

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