DATA security and compliance specialist Semafone is opening an Australian office to support its global contact centre customers.

The company’s third global customer support hub is in Canberra and Semafone CEO Tim Critchley said it would enable more efficient around-the-clock customer service and support while driving the company’s continued international growth.

“Opening our third office location is a testament to Semafone’s growth into a truly global organisation,” Mr Critchley said. 

“Our new Canberra office gives us the opportunity to provide around-the-clock customer service and support and to make critical updates to clients’ systems without any business disruption or inconvenience.”

Semafone is a leading provider of data security and compliance solutions specifically for contact centres. The Canberra office will serve as a customer support hub to customers based in Australia and Asia while assisting Semafone’s global customer base.

Mr Critchley said the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) requires merchants to regularly carry out updates and upgrades to payment software, such as Semafone’s Cardprotect solution.

However, in most instances, these updates need be completed at night to avoid workday interruptions and allow customers to continue business as usual. The Australian office would enable Semafone to perform time-critical security patches when it is most convenient for customers around the globe.

With Australia’s growing focus on data security standards, exemplified by the recent enactment of its Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) Scheme, Mr Critchley said Semafone was broadening its footprint in this region at the perfect time.

He said the Canberra office’s primary focus would be on customer support, but the its close proximity to partner SecureCo, a key player in Australia’s secure payments market, would provide additional in-region expertise and partner support.

“Semafone’s new Australian office will not only help strengthen our partnership but will also ensure our customers receive the best possible in-region support and expertise,” SecureCo chief operating officer, Peter McCormick said.

“We look forward to our continued partnership with Semafone as we work together to simplify PCI DSS compliance, keep data secure and uphold brand reputations.”

The new Semafone office at Braddon, ACT, has come just two years after opening Semafone’s North American headquarters in Boston.

Semafone was founded in 2009 and now supports customers in over 25 countries on five continents. Semafone’s extensive customer base includes companies such as AO, AXA, The British Heart Foundation, Rogers Communications, RNIB, Santander, Sky, TalkTalk and parts of the Virgin Group. 

Major investors of Semafone include Octopus Ventures and Business Growth Fund (BGF).

www.semafone.com

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BRISBANE’S CBD has been augmented by one of Australia’s most exclusive ‘co-working spaces’ with the launch of Christie Spaces’ $4.5m Common Ground facility.

Aimed at businesses requiring immediate access to a fully-equipped CBD base that can help drive innovation as much as introductions, Common Ground in Adelaide St acts as a centre for collaboration. 

The design and layout provides a hub for new technology and innovation, according to Christie Spaces national brand manager Fusun Batey, and will bring together "thinkers and doers" from all sectors under one roof, ”unlike anything Brisbane currently has to offer”.

Mrs Batey said Common Ground offered so much more thana stylish hi-tech office, with elite services and resources, digital platforms, space flexibility, networking opportunities, “and most importantly, a sense of community”.

“Collaboration and community have emerged as popular reasons that businesses seek out co-working spaces, and recent studies have also revealed that employees in a co-working environment are happier and more productive,” Mrs Batey said. 

She said co-working spaces had moved beyond the realm of just offering access to fast internet and good coffee and were now a global phenomenon, giving workers an advantage in a knowledge-based economy that was fuelled by an increasing need for information and connectivity.

COLLABORATION STATION

Common Ground was designed to be collaborative, Mrs Batey said, with spacious shared amenities such as bathrooms, kitchens, lounge areas and meeting rooms, as well as being contemporary in design with curved steel finishes, high ceilings, and luxe lighting throughout its 1750sqm..

“Sustainability is also a big factor in the decision-making processes with businesses not only able to cut costs on items like energy, data, printing and more, but also reduce their environmental footprint as a result,” Mrs Batey said.

“Another key factor in the rise of co-working is rapid advances in technology. Co-working facilities allow businesses to operate with up-to-the-minute digital trends they may not otherwise be able to afford. 

“With a spend of $250,000 on IT infrastructure alone, Common Ground provides an unparalleled tech offering, as well as ongoing support.”

Coworking spaces are also no longer just the domain of freelancers, startups and small businesses seeking to share costs and establish networking opportunities, with big corporations increasingly jumping on the trend, according to research by Christie Spaces.

“Large companies, particularly those geared towards the millennial generation of worker, see co-working as both a cost cutting measure as well as an opportunity to attract and retain talent by providing an environment that cultivates networking and idea generation,” Mrs Batey said,

“Common Ground is home to large project spaces ideal for collaboration, not to mention mod-cons such as a podcast room, a photo wall for video content creation, and even a wellness and relaxation area.

“With studies showing that co-working results in a significant increase in employee productivity and happiness, and with the flexibility and cost-cutting it offers businesses, the allure of co-working spaces shows no sign of slowing down.”

Common Ground will open in October at Christie Spaces – 320 Adelaide St – close to Central Station, with bicycle racks and end-of-trip facilities on the premises.

https://christiespaces.com.au/commonground

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AUSTRALIA POST is really pushing the envelope when it comes to the environmental sustainability of its business – and that includes cutting carbon emissions by 25 percent by 2020.

In fact, Australia Post reckons it can save about $10 million every year through its new sustainability programs.

That is quite a statement from a company that still runs the country’s largest delivery network, spanning 11.7 million addresses and more than 16,000 vehicles.

“That saving of $10 million every year enables Australia Post to invest more in improving and creating services our customers want to use,” Australia Post chief financial officer Janelle Hopkins said. 

“Since 2000 we have reduced our carbon emissions by 20 percent, which is significant given domestic parcel volumes are continuing to grow, and more than two million parcels were delivered in a single day during Christmas last year.

“In the last eight years we have been working to aggressively reduce our carbon footprint, even going beyond our own sites to account for our third-party supply chain.

“Our first ever Environmental Action Plan is a step towards continuing to reduce carbon emissions and achieve our target of a 25 percent reduction by 2020.” 

Australia Post installed the country’s largest single-roof solar panel system in late 2017 at the Sydney Parcels Facility. Ms Hopkins said this solar array alone saved $800,000 every year within Australia Post’s extensive 48-site solar energy program.

“We are seeing immediate returns as we unlock renewable energy at some of our busiest sites, which helps to insulate the business against rising energy prices,” Ms Hopkins said.

“But we're also looking at how we can leverage our existing network to support communities. Our partnerships with groups like TerraCycle, Planet Ark and Mobile Muster has seen us remove 26,000 tonnes of material from landfill. We also helped develop the world-first Nespresso recycling satchel to send used coffee pods to a purpose-built recycling centre, and our own satchel packaging is now completely recyclable.

“We're excited to see Australia Post make an even greater commitment towards delivering better commercial and environmental outcomes for the Australian community,” Ms Hopkins said.

www.austpost.com.au

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WINTERGARDEN, in Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall has taken the innovative  step of introducing 3D printing to its retail store range, establishing its own pop-up 3D Print Studio.

Wintergarden’s owning company, ISPT, wanted to see how 3D printing might work to attract attention to the centre and trail new levels of product customization. It is also becoming quite an educational experience for Wintergarden customers. 

“Technology is revolutionising the shopping journey – so we’ve embraced this and capitalised on the latest innovations to deliver our customers a leading personalisation experience,” Wintergarden senior centre manager Scott O’Donoghue said.

He said the 3D printers could create a number of jewellery pieces, from rings to bracelets, each customised by colour, design, thickness and size. Depending on the style chosen, the pieces can take from 15 minutes through to one hour to print, with the printers reaching temperatures of more than 200C during the process.

“We know that our customers engage more with a customisable product and we were drawn to incorporating the latest printing technologies to make this happen,” Mr O’Donoghue said. “Customers spend time with our studio team creating their design and remain in-centre while it is being printed.”

Available at the Wintergarden until August this year, Wintergarden offers shoppers a bespoke experience in personalisation through 3D printing technology, allowing them the opportunity to create their own personalised jewellery onsite. 

The free activation of the print service allows customers to choose between a ring, signet ring and bracelet, modify the design to suit including colour choice, add initials, print and wear – all within minutes.

Each of the four 3D printers owned by the centre have a microscopic camera installed so that the printing process can be viewed either on the central monitor within the studio or by passers-by via the television screen in the window. 

Driving positive customer engagement and brand talkability, Mr O’Donoghue said the activation strongly supports Wintergarden’s commitment to customer service and an unrivalled in-centre experience for their customers.

Wintergarden’s 3D Print Studio runs through August and is open six days a week from Monday to Saturday from 11am until 2pm.

www.wgarden.com.au

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