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Game-changing tech

Communicating is so easy these days, but doing it well needs constant focus, investment and adjustment. In the latest edition of Business Brief, JT’s CEO, Daragh McDermott, talks about JT’s recent signing of a contract with Ericsson to install the next generation networks that will provide mobile and fixed line services, setting JT’s network strategy in place for decades. As well as offering improved speeds and security, the network modernisation will bring improvements to voice quality on mobile calls, more bandwidth for mobile users and improved coverage. The program will also enable future 5G and technology ambitions in the Channel Islands.

Islands to be met. Meriel Lenfestey, Chair of JT said ‘Like Ericsson, we have for over a century been connecting people, evolving and learning all the time, keeping our customers, their needs and how we deliver them at the forefront of everything we do. This is an exciting prospect for our islands, it is almost impossible to comprehend the breadth of capabilities it will bring, long into the future.’

Read the full story here



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Tech talent finds a welcome home at JT

Nurturing new talent and ensuring JT is a great place to work for them, is at the very heart of our business strategy. Riley Aslett, began as an intern with JT having signed up to Digital Greenhouse’s intern programme. After an impressive six-weeks Riley was awarded a JT Bursary by her JT mentors, and she has been a key team member ever since. Committed and interested young people like Riley represent the future of digital technology and we are privileged to have the opportunity to share our knowledge with her and watch how it has helped with her studies and her chosen career path.

As Riley is about to embark on the JT Post Graduate scheme, read about where her journey began.



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JT Community Giving – Supporting our community

In November 2022 we launched our new funding and support scheme, ‘JT Community Giving’, and since then over 70 charities and not-for-profit organisations have received some much-needed extra assistance. We’ve been a big part of this community for over 135 years and in that time we’ve helped some wonderful charities and supported some unforgettable events. Being part of a community is what makes us and is what makes Jersey a very special place to live, work and play.

Read all about what we’ve been up to >



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Interview with JT Chair, Meriel Lenfestey

Change seems to be happening at an ever-increasing pace, whether in our home lives or our work lives. In May’s Edition of Business Brief, JT Chair, Meriel Lenfestey, takes an insightful look into the future and how the telecoms industry – and in particular JT – is tackling modernisation, transformation and keeping pace with change.



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JT accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management for their future leaders programme

JT has become the first employer in Jersey to become accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management after having two of its Internal training programmes independently assessed against the Insititute’s robust framework, to become Institute Approved. The accreditation further marks the business’ commitment to the development of its people and future leaders.

The telecoms company has signed up 29 of its people onto the courses with the introductory sessions starting last week. There are 12 people from JT on the ‘Aspire’ course which gives them the opportunity to accelerate their careers through the development of a range of early management skills. A further 17 members were put forward for the ‘Accelerate’ programme, which enhances the capability of JT’s talented people managers to create and support high performing, highly engaged teams.

The Institute of Leadership and Management has an active community of over 50,000 leaders, managers and coaches. They create award winning learning resources and undertake practical research to support individuals and businesses, such as BT, the Royal British Legion and Siemens Energy in developing and inspiring great leadership everywhere.

Gaynor Lewis, Director of Strategic Partnerships, from the Institute of Leadership and Management, said: ‘It is so great to see businesses like JT investing in the development of its people and providing them with lifelong skills. We’re very proud to support the two programmes and we wish JT’s employees the best of luck as they develop and grow into the leaders of tomorrow.”

Nicola Reeves, JT Group HR Director, said: “Being accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management is a real boost for our training and development plans and provides a world-class leadership development experience for our people. JT is committed to supporting the ambitions and drive of our team members, investing in our people and helping them grow. We want to attract and nurture the very best island talent as we encourage a culture of continuous learning, building on our reputation as a great place to work and grow a career. These programmes will equip our people with world-class skills and qualifications that will help them to succeed and give them the recognition that they deserve as valued members of the JT team.”

JT is also a key advocate of Learning at Work Week. Commencing next week (16th May), leaders and specialists from around the business are hosting a series of virtual showcases with the aim of providing colleagues with new skills and knowledge sharing.



Angus Flett - JT
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Former BT Executive added to the JT Board

A former BT executive who helped the organisation achieve a world number one ranking for customer services has been appointed as a Non-Executive Director of JT.

Angus Flett is the CEO of Smart Data Communications Company, he has an extensive background in telecoms, including roles in product management, marketing and service operations. He held a senior role at Vodaphone, where he was Senior Vice President for Global Enterprise Products.

While at BT, Angus was the Managing Director of Customer Service and Customer Relationship Management, where he was instrumental in BT’s world number one ranking for agent technical expertise and number two for agent responsiveness. He was also responsible for BT’s Internet Service Provider division which was the fifth largest white-label ISP in the UK, providing services to EE, Vodaphone, Post Office and SSE.

Angus Flett said: “JT’s reputation among much larger businesses in the UK and overseas is already excellent and that reputation is growing rapidly. It is a forward-looking company that is doing remarkable things in the Channel Islands and around the world. That’s why I wanted to join the JT Board, and I’m delighted to be working with such a creative, ambitious and diverse company. What impresses me more though is how well embedded JT is in its community. This was demonstrated this year when it won Silver at the UK Customer Experience Awards, beating BT in its category, I might add. Listening to customers and acting on their feedback to develop products and services shows JT is a company that is moving forward and taking its core customers with them.”

JT Chairman, Phil Male, said: “We are really fortunate that we are able to attract people with such a broad level of experience in senior management as Angus. His leadership at some of the world’s most well know telecoms companies will be a huge asset to the JT Board and will no doubt help with our long-term vision for growth and sustainability both in the Channel Islands and internationally. The business world is facing uncertainty at the moment, but this appointment will further strengthen the ability of the Board to oversee JT’s operations and services.”

Graeme Millar, CEO JT Group, said: “We’re delighted to welcome someone of Angus’s calibre to JT. His expertise and experience will greatly bolster JT’s long-term plans and strategies. It is also hugely beneficial that he comes from a background of customer service and customer relationship management, an area that is very important to us and our people as we continue to provide and receive positive customer experience feedback, which is crucial to the success of our business.”



JT and Macmillan Jersey
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JT supports Macmillan Jersey in raising over £23,000

The 27th September marked the end of Macmillan Jersey’s ‘Get together for Good’ events week with JT. The week was all about encouraging people in our community to come together virtually or in person, whist adhering to government advice, to support the local charity. Throughout the week there were movie nights at The Savoy Hotel, a virtual corporate quiz, customer games in De Gruchy, various coffee mornings, a pre-loved and new clothes sale and a virtual yoga session amongst the events organised.

Islanders were encouraged to either attend an organised event or host their own. Macmillan Jersey have been blown away by how many islanders embraced the concept and really engaged with the week of activities to support them in their effort to raise much needed funds. To date, the fundraising total for the ‘Get together for Good’ week is over £23,000.

Steph Gibaut, Head of Fundraising at Macmillan Jersey said “We truly can’t thank everyone that took part in our ‘Get together for Good’ week enough. We are so humbled by the generosity and support of the people of Jersey. All our events have been cancelled this year so the money raised from this event is greatly appreciated and will allow our cancer support team to continue supporting local people affected by cancer. A huge thank you from everyone at Macmillan Jersey must go to JT and their people, without their support, expertise and commitment this week would not have been possible.’’

Tamara O Brien, Group Head of Customer Experience for JT, said: “Every year we ask our people to choose a charity for us to support and this year, driven by one of our own Macmillan Volunteers, we put our hearts and minds behind Macmillan Jersey. We all know someone who has been affected by cancer, and with each person’s experience there is a story. For many islanders Macmillan Jersey plays a huge part in their story, supporting them and their loved ones in good times and bad. Now was the time they needed our help as a community, and I’m so pleased that so many of us came together to raise so much money for such a worthy cause. It was our privilege to be part of a new and inspirational fundraising challenge that raised awareness, raised funds and importantly, raised a lot of smiles. ‘’

MacMillan Jersey helps people with all types of cancer and has provided over 3000 support sessions in the last 12 months alone.

To find how to donate visit www.macmillanjersey.com



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JT wins silver at national awards for putting customers first

JT has won Silver at the UK Customer Experience Awards, the biggest ‘CX’ event of its kind in the world. The win for JT’s Customer Experience and Marketing Team adds to the two major awards won in August and once again, JT was up against tough competition from household names such as BT who took Bronze in the Use of Insight and Feedback – Programme category.

The category recognises organisations whose initiative has driven cultural change and achieved extraordinary CX as a result.

The judges were impressed with the way the team at JT listens to and uses the feedback from customers to improve services, products and communication. JT started a programme five years ago to improve customers’ experience as it transformed the business from an on-island telecoms provider to a world-class communications brand, pioneering digital technology supported by a first-class customer experience.

Graeme Millar, JT’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Winning Silver when up against big companies like BT is a huge testament to the talent and dedication of our teams. We put the customer at the heart of everything we do, and the comments and suggestions we receive, whether positive or critical, help us make sure we are delivering what they want. We are delighted and thrilled that the way we value the good relationship we have with our customers has been recognised in a national award, especially given the importance of telecoms this year.”

Tamara O’Brien, Group Head of Marketing, Brand and Customer Experience, said: “Our people know how important it is to have good face-to-face contact with our customers, and while that has been difficult this year, we have found ways of reaching out so that we know what their needs are and how we can help. We work hard to make sure we deliver a great service and a lot of that is about listening to and learning about the people that use our services and products. We have had a huge amount of contact from our customers this year, and our teams adapted and, in some cases, changed roles to make sure we were able to respond to any problems and questions as quickly as possible. We are immensely proud to have come so far from when we started our customer focused strategy, making JT more than just a job for our people.”

The Customer Experience Awards, now in its tenth year, celebrates the work of CX professionals from around the world. Virgin Money and InMoment won Gold, JT Group won Silver, with BT Consumer winning Bronze.



Katie Corbett JT - Mitel Platinum status
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JT meets Mitel’s Platinum Partner status

JT has further strengthened its reputation as a leading telecoms company after receiving the highest level of accreditation from global market leader in enterprise communications, Mitel.

After achieving Gold last year, JT has now been awarded Mitel Platinum Partner status which recognises companies that have achieved the highest standard of sales and technical accreditation in Mitel’s products and solutions. This accolade has only been afforded to a select few, and JT is the only Platinum Partner in the Channel Islands.

Katie Corbett, Director of CI Enterprise and Business Services at JT, said: “We are so pleased that all the hard work and commitment shown by our team, especially over the last few months, has been recognised as we continue to provide a high level of service for our customers. That means making sure we meet the exacting standards set by global businesses like Mitel and to have been recognised for going beyond the point we achieved last year is extremely satisfying.

“With Platinum Partner status, we will continue to offer an enhanced service to our business customers here in the Channel Islands and around the world.”

Mitel is a leading provider of business communications solutions for a range of organisations – from the small, single site offices to the multi-site, large enterprises. They offer customers a wide array of solutions, from simple business communications to sophisticated unified and collaborative communications, whether on-site or in the cloud.

Nigel Tyler, Head of Channel UKI at Mitel, said: “Over the past months, we worked very closely with JT to grow our partnership, with JT showing continued commitment to our range of communications and collaboration solutions and services. They clearly met the criteria and, just over a year after awarding JT the Gold level, we are now delighted to promote the team to the highest status of our partner programme’.



Macmillan Jersey volunteer
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JT provides Macmillan Jersey with lifeline digital equipment to continue supporting vulnerable islanders

Research from Macmillan Cancer Support in the UK shows an estimate of around 2,000 people a week are going undiagnosed and nearly half of cancer patients have had their treatment changed, cancelled or delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Macmillan Jersey wants to remind islanders that health services are still open for other concerns and conditions too. With JT’s help, the local charity has made various operational changes and by using the powers of technology has continued helping islanders and their families at home and away throughout.

To be able to support Jersey patients and their families from a safe distance, JT has helped Macmillan Jersey by providing the charity with Cloud PBX technology, a phone system accessed through the internet, which enables the Macmillan Team to work remotely and continue emotional support and wellbeing services for patients and their families.

To make sure families stay connected to their loved ones while they undergo treatment and care away from home, JT will be loaning a number of basic mobile phone which will have incoming and outgoing calls and texts included free of charge. JT will also be loaning some portable mobile Wi-Fi devices which connect to the patient’s loan mobile phone to enable the use of free Wi-Fi.

Lauren Perchard-Rees, Chief Executive of Macmillan Cancer Support Jersey, said: “We are so thankful to JT for providing this lifeline equipment for our teams and patients to remain connected. It will make a tangible difference to their lives and improve the overall wellbeing of patients separated from loved ones due to self-isolating or ongoing treatment. Cancer affects the lives of so many of us, in so many challenging ways and we’re grateful at Macmillan Jersey that we can continue to operate. Charities have been hit hard due to Covid-19 and we need the support of our local community to enable us to continue helping islanders and their families living with and beyond cancer.”

Tamara O Brien, Group Head of Customer Experience for JT, said: “Part of our purpose at JT is keeping our customers connected and doing the very best we can for our people and our communities. We are all proud to support Macmillan Jersey, helping them to maintain their services in supporting islanders living with cancer and keeping patients in touch with their families. We know now more than ever how vital digital technology is, which, for many has been the only way of communicating with family and friends during lockdown. During such challenging times, it’s important we help those most vulnerable and raise awareness of the excellent work Macmillan Jersey does in caring for our loved ones within our community.”