Successful business growth puts a strain on your contact centres. Our video shows how Etihad Airways overcame the issue using a hosted cloud-based solution.
Flying higher than ever.

Etihad Airways has quickly established itself as one of the world’s leading airlines. It has grown from serving 50 destinations to 116 — working with guests in 16 languages across 68 countries. However, such success brings its own challenges. For instance, how does the airline maintain the high quality service it prides itself on as it continues to attract new passengers?

This task faced Project Manager Alex Holcroft when he took on the job of transforming Etihad Airways’ three contact centres in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Manchester. The airline views its contact centres as its most important opportunity to create a lasting first impression — wanting every customer interaction to be of the highest quality.

Keeping contact in the cloud.

“The challenge was that those legacy contact centres were run as individual sites”, says Alex. “There was no sense of a single contact centre servicing the entire Etihad Airways business.” That’s why the airline decided to bring them together as one virtual entity on the BT Cloud  Cisco platform.
Using a hosted, cloud-based contact centre allowed Etihad Airways to centralise its resources and exploit economies of scale. The platform integrated all inbound calls into a single queue, helping agents to work more productively.

“We’re able to use our 600 multi-lingual agents around the centres much more effectively”, says Ruth Berkin, Head of Global Contact Centres. “We’ve already started to see a ten per cent increase in their efficiency.

Driving the digital guest experience.

The transformation of Etihad Airways’ contact centres creates an opportunity to better meet the needs of the organisation’s customers. “When the call comes in, precision queuing routes that guest to exactly the right agent”, says Ruth. “They may be in Manchester or they may be in the UAE.”

The change has even allowed the airline to improve its already-high levels of service. With new tools giving agents more control over their day-to-day work, the contact centres have increased the speed of their call responses by almost a third.

And this approach helped guest numbers reach a record of 15 million during 2015. “Etihad Airways is re-imagining the digital guest experience”, says Robert Webb, the airline’s Chief Information and Technology Officer. “In a fantastic partnership with BT and Cisco, we’re leveraging technology innovation — as well as each other’s strengths to improve guest orientation.”

Right so in the traditional Christmas style, gather round children, I have a story or two to tell…
I’ve been very neglectful and haven’t been writing for awhile and eventually the guilt and haranguing from family members has meant that my last acts of 2015 will be to finally write up my Dunwich Dynamo and London to Paris experiences and enter 2016 with a clean conscience.

London to Paris – An Idea

I’d heard of London to Paris as an entity many times beforehand, I vaguely remember seeing that a school acquaintance had done it via Facebook as well, but it all stemmed from having to take a week of annual leave at some point before September or risk losing it. Trying to work out something useful to do in that week, Paris looked alright as it had been a long time since my last visit and fairly cheap to get to as well. The Megabus was threatening to be very cheap, albeit very very lengthy, when the thought of investigating if cycling it would be as cheap.

The ferry worked out as a nice cheap £20 and there was a very handily timed 11pm to 5am sailing as well that removed the need for an overnight stay. With the pieces coming together, the next step of putting a time challenge element on it to coax me along was thought of – Trafalgar Square to the Arc de Triomphe (some tongue in cheek symbolism is always good), 175 miles, a ferry trip and a new time zone in under 24 hours.

London to Paris – The Start

I managed to get the mishap out of the way very early on this ride, in pumping the tyres up to an ambitious 145/150psi to cater for the weight of the saddlepack and get the most out of the latex inner tubes (there’s some boring cycle science waffle here that I won’t go into unless asked), I managed to blow the tyre off the rim between leaving the flat and getting to Birmingham Moor Street station – a distance of possibly 1 mile. Weirdly, inspection on the train showed that the tube was intact despite its minor explosion and the tyre just needed putting back on. A more modest 120psi was chosen this time round.
Getting to Trafalgar Square for the designated start time of 5pm (August 17th 2015) was not a problem, quick photo of Nelson and music selection and everything was go, Arc de Triomphe by 5pm the next day or glorious failure.

London to Paris – The Ride

I made an effort to try and get out of London as quickly as possible – down Whitehall, over Westminster Bridge (plenty of time to see the sights), down by Elephant and Castle, learnt that Denmark Hill genuinely is a hill, the toll road (free to cyclists) at Dulwich Village is very nice but also has a proper hill in it, skirted past Crystal Palace, West Wickham and finally into some Surrey countryside by Biggin Hill and the M25. It was here that I misjudged a tight corner spectacularly badly, had to go onto the other side of the road and was lucky nothing was coming the other way. Suitably chastened, I stopped shortly afterwards for a picture and energy gel stop and to ask myself some searching questions about overconfidence in descending skills.
One or two slight navigational errors were quickly picked up by the Garmin’s alarmist bleeping whenever I deigned to ignore it and the cons in the choice of route became noticeable as the ride went on. Instead of plotting a path that was probably quicker, I’d gone for the direct shortest possible way which involved a fair few small country lanes also taking the direct shortest way up over the hills. Whilst going up Turner’s Hill, the front tyre felt very squishy which merited a quick tube change. I originally thought this was a slow puncture from the earlier incident but Strava claims this would have been nearly 4 hours later so I think something was ridden over. Apparently I was stopped for 13 minutes, but I claim I did the whole tube change in under 5 minutes and spent the rest eating cereal bars.


I overtook a couple who had gone past me whilst I was sorting my tube out, who I saw later on at the ferry (more on them much later) and the rest of the way into Newhaven there was nothing really to report. McDonalds provided dinner and after a short wait at the terminal I was allowed on the ferry. I’d not booked a cabin, just had a blow up pillow and the hope I’d find somewhere to sleep and maybe even a plug (success here). Ate my second dinner, a surprisingly reasonable chicken korma ready for the long day ahead in the morning.

A quick coffee and a moment to freshen up and it was time to get off the ferry. Ended up having a conversation with another cyclist as we waited to go through passport control – he asked me if I was going to Paris, which I was, and when I thought I’d get there, to which I replied ‘Mhmm, around lunchtime’, ‘Ah nice, which day?’, ‘T-today’, which returned an surprised yet impressed look. He was leading a team of 4 who were going to take 3-4 days to cover the route. We wished each other good luck and set off. Cycling through Dieppe in the dark, the Garmin took me through a supermarket car park and out the other side which did feel like it actually was a shortcut, even if a touch odd, and onto the D road that would take me to the outskirts of Paris. Even at this point Paris was given as a direction on the signs with the optimistic mileage (kilometreage?).


The plan was to ride to Gournay-en-Bray by which time things like shops might have begun to open and breakfast would be served. In the meantime I cycled around two hours in the dark, a little bit dopey, but had a friendly tailwind to help. The Avenue Verte is a cycle path created deliberately for London to Paris cyclists, but I thought I’d avoided it in my route planning (thinking it was like some of the British cycle paths) and certainly did for the first 20 miles in France, but did find myself on it which came in handy as it turns out. In one of the villages I went through on it, they had a newly built, nice public toilet facility, with a drinking water tap for topping up bottles. Absolutely perfect for me in all areas at that point. The risk to the Avenue Verte is the frequent points where it crosses roads, at half 6 in the morning I could take the risk that nothing was coming, later on in the day I can imagine it interrupting the rhythm quite a bit, other than that the surface was excellent.

Reaching Gournay, breakfast was served thanks to a Leclerc and then it was back on the road. Again the shortest, directest route issue came into play, where the main road went around a couple of villages, I went through them on odd tracks and it turned out not to be the easiest way. The road itself didn’t have many proper hills, it seemed to go straight on for ages and then have a gentle nagging drag up over a crest with no descent the other side. All of the work and none of the fun! I was beginning to flag, the effort and monotony of having been on a bike for so long was starting to grate but the spirits were rescued by the sight after climbing a hill at least 30 miles away from Paris. Way off in the distance was the hazy, but unmistakeable Eiffel Tower standing out apart on the landscape. After being within sight of Paris, I knew that I would definitely make it.

A long long straight windy road past an airport no-one English has heard before and it was time for the drop into Cergy-Pontoise, my unofficial ‘outskirts of Paris’ moment as from there it was all built up areas. A spot of lunch down by the river Oise was followed by a long grind up and away from the river, not particularly steep, just felt long and hard getting going again. The next 10 or so miles didn’t really have anything of note, other than although these were busy city routes, I didn’t feel in any danger as a confident cyclist getting through them. It looks bad on the map but it shouldn’t put anyone off. 

Reaching the bridge at Courbevoie suddenly it looked much more like the Paris you expect, the buildings changed and became grander with leafy boulevards. The cobbles of the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré were a good practice for the ones ahead on the Champs Élysées, especially factored into the route in order to tick off a cycling bucket list task of copying the last part of the Tour de France. The sheer traffic, coaches and constant traffic lights make it hard to get into a proper rhythm, but I’d like to think I was the quickest one up there that day – Strava tells me I was four minutes slower than the pros but I’d like to see them do it whilst paying attention to traffic lights.

At the top of the Champs Élysées is the Arc de Triomphe, the goal of the endeavour, the finish line and the most famous roundabout ornament in the world. The 4 or 5 lanes around it are some of the most feared for drivers, let alone cyclists but timing is everything, when I got to the junction there was a brief window of clear air and I sprinted across to the middle after a slow lap around the Arc. A good while was spent quietly taking in what I’d done, before some quick circuits of the Arc (currently 16th quickest out of 790) and off to the hotel.

Remember the couple I mentioned earlier? I cycled past them on the way to the hotel as it happened. We’d all done London to Paris in a day, but I’d arrived around 45 minutes earlier having ridden solo.

I arrived at the Arc at 2:32pm so the completed time was 21 hours and 32 minutes including the ferry and time difference.

Best things I packed:

• Blow up Pillow – amazing
• Mini Toothbrush/Toothpaste – felt great starting off the day at least a bit refreshed
• A battery pack – made sure all my lights were recharged on the ferry + my phone
• A good mini track pump – the Lezyne Micro Floor Drive
• A large saddle pack – an Ortlieb Classic in Large
• Good bib shorts! Don’t go cheap here
• Chamois cream – I don’t normally bother but for this sort of ride, do it

Avoid burnout

By far the most common complaint reported by first-time visitors to India is fatigue – simply trying to do too much in too little time. India is vast, colourful and addictive, but have realistic expectations about how much you can see. A wisely planned visit to a particular area can deliver far more of the unique texture and spirit of the place. And remember, India isn’t going anywhere – you can return time and time again.

Get out of the city

 
Though perhaps a cliché, the only way to get a true sense of India is to visit smaller villages. The real benefit is that it’ll get you out of the sprawling and vastly overpopulated cities. Once you’ve cleared your head, say with a trip to the mountains or into the slower-moving land of Kerala in the south, you’ll be far better placed to enjoy the famous hospitality of the Indian urbanites.

Watch what you eat and drink

A dodgy stomach is pretty common for first-timers in India. That doesn’t mean you should rule out street food, but try to stick to peeled fresh fruit and foods that have been either boiled or fried. Stay on the bottled water and avoid salads or ice.

Don’t be too precious about your personal space

This isn’t really a popular concept in India. You will be squished on public transport and squashed in lifts. People will ask seemingly intrusive personal questions that you may find intimidating. Remember that this is a wholly different culture and the questions are merely indicative of the locals’ polite interest in you.

Dress conservatively

 
Be aware that India has a relatively modest culture. Covering arms and legs is a simple step toward respecting this. Indians are forgiving of those who aren’t familiar with their culture, but you can quickly make a good impression by, for instance, removing your shoes before entering someone’s home. This is particularly important when entering a sacred space, like a temple. Also, if you see shoes outside a shop, it’s a sign to remove your own.

Watch those feet and hands

Feet are considered to be unclean in India, so if you touch something with your feet it’s appropriate to swiftly apologize. Similarly, eating or passing objects with your left hand is considered unpleasant for reasons best left to the imagination. If unsure of local customs, keep an eye out for what others do and imitate.

Remember that Indian time is relative

You may well find yourself waiting half an hour in India when your friend has assured you they will be five minutes. Traffic and other interruptions can also mean that getting around can take a lot longer than expected. Build in plenty of room for unexpected waits and make sure to check opening hours – many government offices and shops close in the afternoon for lunch.

Stay safe

While “don’t go down dark streets alone” might seem a bit obvious, there are plenty of straightforward ways to avoid subtle dangers in India. Carrying huge quantities of cash isn’t a good idea anywhere, but in crowded Indian cities pickpocketing is a very present problem. Equally, haggling at a market can, at times, become an unpleasant, heated exchange. Inexperienced visitors are advised to try to stay cool. Be pleasant but firm, and don’t allow yourself to be irritated.

Be prepared for noise

 
One way of ensuring you can have a bit of personal space, albeit in your head, is to have earphones with you to shut out some of the surrounding din – there’s nothing like the sheer clamour of an Indian city.

Avoid deals that seem too good to be true

Government shops are probably the easiest way to avoid running foul of scams, but simple rules like paying for things with cash, to avoid card cloning scams, may save you a lot of unnecessary trouble later in your journey. You should also pay particular attention if you’re arranging to have things sent home by post, as it’s not unknown for shops to take your payment and send worthless items instead.

Pleasure and Pain, and no I haven’t written a post on my love life! Although last month I was put in charge of date night. I love doing fun, quirky things, I also love shoes, so thought what better place to take them than the Pleasure and Pain shoe exhibition at V&A Museum. Admittedly this could have gone terribly BUT it was great.

Priceless London is a programme of exclusive offers and experiences in London for MasterCard cardholders. This event let you enter the V&A Museum after hours, which was amazing in its self. Now an event isn’t an event without being greeted with cocktails and canapés and boy were they delicious.

We were then treated to a spectacular drag catwalk show whom then ended up being our sassy tour guides for the night. I was a bit worried when I heard group activities but they made it fun and got everyone involved. We continued onto the next activity, a pimp your shoes workshop and a chat with the eccentric shoe designer Natacha Marro who has designed shoes for Lady Gaga!!

After having a break with more drinks and delicious food we were able to view the Pain and Pleasure exhibition that follows shoes throughout history, is was so interesting, everything from Chinese binding shoes to Cinderella’s glass slipper from the recent movie.
The night ended with desert and for me another bottle of wine, was such a great evening with something for everyone.. even the date.

MasterCard Priceless London Event is a must attend, I didn’t no what to expect but was very pleasantly surprised, it wasn’t painful at all…

---

The Pleasure and Pain Exhibition runs from 13^th June 2015 – 31^st January 2016

Event Address:
The Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Rd
London
SW7 2RL

The next upcoming Priceless Night focuses on the Renaissance and the British Gallery at the V&A Museum.  The event will entail an after hours tour of the British galleries, a Renaissance Dance Class and a talk on Renaissance fashion, which will include the art of undressing a lady. Men take note- maybe this is ideal for date night!

If you’re a mastercard card holder enter to win tickets on Priceless London https://www.priceless.com/en-gb/unitedkingdom/PL-Win-V-and-A-Renaissance/offer.html

Andorra, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Cayman Island,Chile, China, China- SAR Hongkong, China- SAR Macau, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand,Nicaragua, Niue Island, Norway, Oman, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Macedonia, Russia, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Turks & Caicos Island, Tuvalu, UAE, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City-Holy See, Venezuela, Vietnam.

Eligibility

• International Travellers whose sole objective of visiting India is recreation , sight seeing , casual visit to meet friends or relatives, short duration medical treatment or casual business visit.
• Passport should have at least six months validity from the date of arrival in India. The passport should have at least two blank pages for stamping by the Immigration Officer.
• International Travellers should have return ticket or onward journey ticket,with sufficient money to spend during his/her stay in India.
• International Travellers having Pakistani Passport or Pakistani origin may please apply for regular Visa at Indian Mission.
• Not available to Diplomatic/Official Passport Holders.
• Not available to individuals endorsed on Parent’s/Spouse’s Passport i.e. each individual should have a separate passport.
• Not available to International Travel Document Holders.

I'm seriously considering the thought -- did I fall into Wonderland?

Ok, I can hear you all asking why, and muttering about whether or not I've lost my marbles.

Nope, I haven't lost 'em. At least I don't think I have. (Wait. Let me shake my head and count them. Yup, they're all there.)

Here's what happened...

The other day the Hubster and I were standing in the side yard, discussing something, when lickety-split, this rabbit came barreling across the street. He was headed on a beeline (or is that a bunnyline?) toward the Hubster, and the height of his bounce increased exponentially each time.

"Acckkk!" I yelled, as a word of warning for the Hubster. I seriously thought the crazy thing was going to bound and hit the Hubster in the head.

Unfortunately ... er ... I mean ... fortunately we will never know if the Hubster would have been knocked cold by a bunny's right cross, because my yell caught his attention.

No, not the Hubster's attention, the bunny's. The Hubster kept right on talking about this and that, but the bunny made a sharp left turn and disappeared under the neighbor's fence.

I'm pretty sure, though, I heard him say, "I'm looking for a hookah-smoking caterpillar," as he went by. Or maybe he said, "I'm looking for a Hokey-Pokey caterpillar."

I'm not sure which.
 ------

Author's note: If you'd like to read another article about fuzzy, furry creatures -- and no, we aren't talking the Hubster, here -- check out, "Then There was Lunch." It's a hoot, and is one of my favorites.

Author's 2nd note: If you enjoyed these mostly true thoughts -- with a little bit of lying exaggeration thrown in --  then sign up for my newsletter in the sidebar on the right. That way you won't miss out on the fun.

"Did I fall into Wonderland?" © C.L. Beck. 
Image is the property of C.L. Beck, and may be found on other articles under her pen names. Please do not violate copyright -- obtain permission before using image or text.
Tags:Wonderland, rabbit, Alice in Wonderland, marbles, hookah

Beat the heat of 2015 summer at Splash Island. Managed by Global Gutz Parks Philippines, Inc. and located at Southwoods Ecocentrum Biñan, Laguna, Splash Island is known to be the biggest waterpark in the Philippines. Bring your families, relatives, friends, co-workers, employees and enjoy a complete day of fun and aqua adventure at Splash Island.

Beat the heat. Feel the fun, excitement and thrill only @ Splash Island.

I’ve had had the privilege of visiting all the major cities of the United States. I find the diverse culture and art of our country amazing. I’ve also had the opportunity to travel abroad. Zambia has definitely been the most exciting so far. You can see where I’ve been in the map above.
Here are the various cities and countries I’ve had the chance to visit thus far:

• London, England
• Paris, France
• Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Frankfurt, Germany
• Barcelona, Spain
• Madrid, Spain
• Rwanda
• Zambia
• Los Angeles, California
• San Francisco, California
• San Antonio, Texas
• Houston, Texas
• Fort Worth, Texas
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Portland, Oregon
• Salem, Oregon
• Austin, Texas
• Miami, Florida
• Orlando, Florida
• Tampa, Florida
• Jacksonville, Florida
• New York City, New York
• Nashville, Tennessee
• Denver, Colorado
• Charleston, South Carolina
• Greeneville, South Carolina
• Seattle, Washington
• Olympia, Washington
• Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Detroit, Michigan
• Columbus, Ohio
• Chicago, Illinois
• Pheonix, Arizona

In the past year, I’ve also had the pleasure of visiting four new countries and cities. If you refer to the map, they are the locations marked in green.

• Quebec City, Quebec
• Brasilia, Brasil
• Cairo, Egypt
• Cancun, Mexico

I hope to one day visit all the countries of the globe. Maybe I’ll even get a chance to visit the Nokia headquarters in Beijing, China. If I do, you’ll hear about it on my tech blog.

So I was talking to a guy about motorbikes, 3 wheelers and quads yesterday. He said that the 3 wheeler didn't have something and that made it dangerous and was the reason quads are more successful. I know they have no suspension etc and obviously have one less wheel but what else is there? Something about the actual engineering of the vehicle? I'm not talking about inexperienced riders. Anyone help?


Biggest problem with them was turning. Due to the lack of a differential the only way to get them to turn was to lift the inside wheel ie lean outwards on the corners. Scary but fun until you found yourself going diagonally down a steepish slope into water & found the only way to not end up in the water was to tip the whole thing over on yourself. Nasty bloody things  


The short wheel base made a front flip possible with small bumps encountered in just the right place to set up a harmonic bounce. The flipped upside down 3 wheeler striking the operator thrown over the bars face down sliding along struck in the middle of his back with the rear seat.

They had suspension, but they did not have a differential, which means that in a turn the inside wheel is rotating at the same speed as the outside, this in turn means that when turning the trike has compromised grip, which adds to the compression of the inside suspension.

On level ground that makes the trike less stable, but on rough, or worse, sloping ground combined with a high centre of gravity, weight distribution and a short wheelbase (distance between fore and aft wheels), then the result is that it will turn over trapping the rider underneath.  

What is the safest distance to drive by yourself? Me and my wife are relocating back to St.Louis from Fort Lauderdale next week. What is the safest amount of driving to do by ourselves we will be following eachother? Also where do you think the best stopping point would be?

 What is the safest amount of time to drive by yourself.?
Depends are you packing up the car for three hours before you start? Are leaving first thing in the morning after a nights sleep or after a day at work. ONLY YOU know when you are tired . Only your wife knows when she is tired.
It is about 19 DRIVING hours.
Did you plan on stopping for gas, something to eat or maybe a bathroom stop?

For planing purposes budget your time for two nights of sleep. You could do it in two days if you want to arrive at your destination exhausted and vulnerable to accident a few miles from destination.
With stops for food and gas your driving time is closer to 22 hours.
Have you taken into account things like rush hour traffic or construction delays along the way? In traffic expect it to take about 24 hours.on the road. Two long days of driving and a short one to finish.

Drive as far as you can the first day and then adjust your schedule as circumstance dictate for second day and the third day of a few hours driving to arrive awake and alert for the next part of your adventure.

Some can drive 12-14 hours a day others can drive 6. Only you know how many you can HONESTLY drive. 

 

When we go anywhere we take the same car, but seeing as you will be in different cars, drive until you are tired. It is extremely dangerous to drive tired, so I would say drive from morning to night, when night rolls around, either pull over or find a place to stop for the night to sleep, wake up early, and repeat. 

My fiance and I are going on vacation in June to Panama City. This will be our first time there, What are some things to do and is there anything we need to be aware of while we are down there?

Nice choice friend! Panama City beach is the best city in Florida to enjoy vacations. I have been visited in this city before couple of months. It has a lot of attraction for enjoyment and feel the natural beauty of God. According to your requirement I want to share some famous thing to do in this city. I hope you like and enjoy in these places.
1- Gulf World Marine Park
2- St. Andrews State Park
3- Club La Vela
4- Miracle Strip Amusement Park
5- Miracle Strip at Pier Park

Panama City Beach, with its trademark white sand and warm Gulf waters, attracts everyone from spring breakers to retired person, and singles to families.
These are my favorite destinations over there:
• Water Planet
• Gulf World Marine Park
• Shell Island
• Hombre Golf Club
• Shipwreck Island
• Zoo World Zoological Conservatory

Panama City beach offers the visitors plenty of entertaining spots to visit. It is the popular vacation destination. Frank Brown park offers the outdoor recreational activities and the sports activities are most well known there.