It’s all true, and there are numerous benefits from working at the office but there are many circumstances when flexible working can suit the person and the business concerned, and ultimately lead to increased productivity.

Those circumstances could include:

- Travel disruptions, e.g. train strikes and road accidents

- Personal quiet time for dedicated work

- Working whilst travelling to other locations

- Ensuring continuous productivity for those unable to attend the office, for instance due to injuries arising from accidents, or sickness, etc. 

So the reasons have been identified but what about the method of delivering the flexible working capability. That’s where technology becomes the servant of choice, Thankfully there are multiple ways of delivering flexible communications to workers, from wireless connectivity through to unified messaging platforms. Our Flexible Working Guide offers more interesting insights into this topic.

Is flexible working valuable to you? Would be great to hear your thoughts.

THUS has been exhibiting at the Convergence Summit North event for many years and 2012 is no exception. The exhibition represents a fantastic opportunity for us to meet and network with the Wholesale community and to reinforce THUS’ commitment to help Wholesale Partners to grow their revenue streams.

We are in a unique position where we can offer Wholesale Partners direct access to the UK’s largest next-generation network dedicated to business customers, not only delivering best in class products and services but also high network availability, security and reliability.

This year we will be showcasing our market leading Wholesale Ethernet, Wholesale DSL and Wholesale SIP products, demonstrating to Wholesale Partners the distinct advantages of buying ‘direct’ via a Tier One provider along with highly competitive commercials.

Join us on Stand 7 to find out more, chat with our knowledgeable and friendly Wholesale team or sign up for a quick demonstration of our SIP solution.

This summer represents a big opportunity for businesses of all shapes, sectors and sizes and you may already have plans underway about how you can take advantage. However, like any large sporting event it will bring with them certain challenges and poses some of the following questions. Do I have enough people to cover holidays? What happens if employees can’t get into work? What happens if technology fails – and my Internet connection slows down and my customers can’t contact me or place orders? Should employees be allowed to watch the events in the office from their desks – is this a fantastic opportunity to bring the team together and share in the excitement?

Businesses need to strike the right balance between making the most to enjoy the summer while minimising any impact to business critical activities with the inevitable distractions and disruptions these events will bring. A business continuity plan could be the answer.

Here are our five top tips:

1 Consider which aspects of your business activities are critical and assess how any impact caused by this summer’s events could disrupt them.

2 Outline a plan for dealing with the disruption so that your business can continue to deliver key products and services to your customers.

3 Take into account resources such as people, premises, travel, technology and suppliers. For example, do employees have the right tools and technology to work from home?

4 Clear Communication – once you have your plan defined – ensure it’s communicated to everyone within your business at every level.

5 Have fun and get involved! If you plan ahead – there is every reason your business and your employees can ensure that summer 2012 is one to remember.

If technology, particularly Internet access and the need for flexible bandwidth is a particular priority, we can help. Here at THUS, we have a range of connectivity and Internet access options to suit both direct customers and Wholesale Partners that offer flexible bandwidth, high speeds and services that are delivered over the UK’s most advanced next-generation network dedicated to business customers. If you need some advice or would like to consider your options – why not get in touch with a member of our friendly and knowledgeable team.

A shortlist of the most popular, eligible entries was sent to our independent judge, Benedict Campbell, who is a great photographer and friend of THUS. From the shortlist of entries we’re pleased to announce that the winner is Ali Gall with a unique picture of smiley snow covered recycle bins, fondly called Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

As the overall winner of Smiles @ THUS, Ali has won an amazing weekend away in the Mirrorcube Tree Hotel in Sweden. Congratulations!

There was also the final runner up vote which was won by the biggest amount of votes throughout the entire competition! This winning snap was taken by Ben Haden of a very happy looking crocodile. Maybe he or she had just spotted lunch ! As our runner up Ben has won £100 of vouchers from Amazon or Ticketmaster, so perhaps he might treat himself to a comedy show, DVD or book.

Thanks again to everyone who took part and went out of their way to find smiles in everyday life. Don’t forget, the U in THUS represents a smile, it ‘s not just part of our logo but what we stand for. We want to become the UK’s most trusted communications provider, and to do that we have to make our customers and partners smile.

Keep hunting for those smiles!

Speaking about his new role, Mahon said: “I’m delighted to join the team at THUS and proud to work with such a highly experienced and committed team who are continuously striving to improve and enhance the experiences we deliver to THUS and Demon customers.

“Our ethos is to provide our UK business customers with the very best technology and customer experience and I am committed to placing customers at the heart of everything we do. By retaining a role within Cable&Wireless Worldwide I believe I am in an ideal position to ensure the very best innovation and technology is available to our customers.”

Sean was previously managing director for Cable&Wireless Worldwide for Europe, Middle East & Africa, Enterprise where under his stewardship the EMEA business grew over 200% in two years and the Irish business nearly trebled its footprint in the past four years alone. Prior to this he held a number of senior positions in leading public sector and IT organisations.

There are predictions galore relating to how 2012 will impact the world of IT and Telecoms, in terms of winning and losing brands, technological advancements, emerging trends and varying levels of expenditure, but we’re interested in hearing what you think.

Why not tell us what is important to you and your business this year, and what will help make your business successful? How do you think SME’s (Small Medium Enterprises) will fare with the ecomomic challenges that lie ahead this year? And can SME businesses now utlilise enterprise-grade technology to help them keep up with their larger rivals?

Just comment below, or if you’ve only got a few minutes spare, then share your thoughts using our quick poll and tell us what your top three IT and Telecoms priorities are for you in 2012.

Take our Quick Poll

Have you found any smiles in unusual places? We’re not looking for smiles on a person, but something hidden away in everyday life – in an object, a landscape, a building, a picture or, as we’re getting closer to Christmas, why not keep a look out for decorations or at events? Here at THUS we want to keep seeing your smiles!

Enter now to win £100 of either Amazon or Ticketmaster vouchers to spend on treats that will make you beam! The final competition ends on 31st December, and don’t forget all entries received will be in with the chance to win our grand prize – a two night trip to Sweden for two people, staying in the beautiful Mirrorcube Tree Hotel.

So what’s stopping you? Search for those smiles!

Held at Tower 42 in the heart of the City, the theme of the workshop focused on the Enterprisation of IT for UK business customers.   Enterprise level technologies, such as Cloud Computing, IP Voice (hosted in the Cloud) and Next Generation Access are now becoming available at midmarket economics transforming how UK business customers use technology, and now have the opportunity to keep up with their larger rivals.

Customers who attended this workshop met with our three partners and gained knowledge and shared best practice into these technologies are implemented and integrated, the issues faced and the lessons learned.

We’ll be holding a series of customer workshops throughout the course of next year, if you’d like to find out more please get in touch

Find out more about our Technical Master Classes

During July and August you shared with us some fantastic and fun entries, bringing smiles to our faces here at THUS. The winning smile that you voted for was snapped by Zoe Sands with an entry of her happy cat “Sapphire” who clearly enjoys life to the full!

Although THUS colleagues are not eligible to win one of the prizes, we’d like to give a special mention to Jas Sura from the Education Team for his amazing entry. After a day’s shopping at London’s Selfridges Jas found not one but two smiley faces on the front of his Selfridges carrier bag. Well done Jas!

Have you found a great smile yet?

Look out for smiles in everyday life, not smiles on people, but smiles that might be found in nature, architecture or within everyday objects you might find in your own home, and you could be the lucky winner of a two night stay for two people in the amazing Mirrorcube Tree Hotel.   Runners up will win vouchers for comedy shows, DVD’s and books.

To enter our competition, all you need to do is find a smile, take a photo and upload it at Smiles@THUS. The closing date for the next vote is Monday October 31st and we can’t wait to see your entries!

Go to the Smiles@THUS Photo Competition

As part of Cable&Wireless Worldwide, we’re in the enviable position of directly benefiting from the most extensive network reach in the UK – dedicated to business customers only. Our extensive portfolio and wealth of experience in convergence means we are well-placed to help our Wholesale Partners meet the needs of their customers and gain real financial benefit.

With a strong focus on delivering solutions to meet the changing needs of the business world, we help Wholesale Partners to stay ahead of the competition. When you team up with THUS through either a wholesale or retail partnership, you will receive high level support through our specialised account management team and sales support team, as well as high remuneration rates.

If you’re planning to visit this year’s Convergence Summit at Sandown Park on the 4th and 5th October we’d love to meet you. In addition to our comprehensive portfolio of Voice, Data and Internet products, we’ll also be introducing two exciting new services for SIP Trunking and Call Control, both hosted in the cloud.

Com and see us!

Visit us at Stand 9 to find out more about how we can help your business to thrive and enter our FREE prize draw to WIN a unique sporting experience ranging from driving a Ferrari for a day to taking to the skies in a light aircraft!