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Jersey talent stands tall next to the world’s largest businesses

JT’s frontline Customer Experience teams are up against some of the biggest business names from the business world after being chosen as finalists in two categories at the International Digital Experience Awards.

Two of JT’s customer experience (CX) initiatives have been shortlisted twice in the Best Use of Customer Feedback category, and JT’s Field Engineering Worx App, developed in-house, during the COVID-19 pandemic to help digitise the case management for JT Engineers, is in the running for the Best Use of a Digital Platform.

Both CX entries are competing in the same category as the global energy giant Shell and the Indian telecoms company Tata Communications.

The winners will be announced on 22 July after presenting their initiatives in full to a distinguished panel of judges from around the world.

Graeme Millar, JT’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “I’m so proud of the individuals whose hard work, dedication and brilliance shine a light on Jersey. It’s not the first time our Customer Experience teams have been up against some of the biggest names in the world of business, so we understand the challenges of being measured alongside these brands and are delighted to be recognised as their peer. It really demonstrates, that our local talent is up there amongst the best and how technology and the use of digital channels is improving the customer experience.”

Tamara O’Brien, Group Head of Corporate Communications, Brand & CX , said: “Making the shortlist with not just one, but three entries is a fantastic achievement and I’m so thrilled that our people are being recognised for their genuine dedication to providing great customer service. They did that while we were all facing daily challenges during the pandemic, at a time when what we do best suddenly became essential, every JT team member played a key role in keeping our community connected.’’

The International Digital Experience Awards recognise innovation and best practice as millions of people moved to becoming digital-first customers during 2020 and 2021.



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JT supporting diversity and inclusion for future senior leaders

JT has signed up to the I WILL programme, supporting the Government of Jersey’s plans to expand the range of skills for those holding senior positions within the government.

The telecoms group has placed diversity and inclusion among its key goals to become a more sustainable business and has appointed Alison Rogers, who is the Government of Jersey’s Group Director of Strategic Finance, as its first Board Apprentice. The I WILL initiative was introduced to address inequality and increase the number of women in senior leadership positions following a review of the gender pay gap.

Alison, who has had a career in the public and private sector spanning over 25 years, will spend a year under the mentorship of JT’s Board.

Graeme Millar, CEO JT Group, said: “At JT, we put people at the heart of what we do, and we believe in a digital future for all, helping to bridge any skill gaps in our society and achieve a better future for the communities we serve. That’s why it’s so exciting that JT is hosting Alison as a Board Apprentice, she will witness first-hand what it’s like to work on large scale digital transformation initiatives and what the process is to govern them. Everyone deserves the chance to rise to the top of organisations and the I WILL programme champions those aspirations, creating a pool of board-ready people capable of taking top positions in Jersey’s private, public and third sectors.’’

Alison Rogers said: “I have worked predominantly in finance, within both the private and public sectors, and I am relishing the opportunity to experience first-hand how the JT Board operates. Throughout my career I’ve worked very closely with operational areas and always gained a good understanding of the business needs. I value the collaborative approach to working and I’m really looking forward to sitting in with my hosts on the JT Board and drawing on their extensive business experience at the very top of their industry. It’s refreshing to know that there are companies such as JT operating in the Channel Islands who put diversity and equality at the heart of what they do.”



macmillan with JT phone cases
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JT donates phone accessories to help cancer charity’s community project

JT are donating smartphone accessories to Macmillan Jersey to help towards their fund raising for a cancer support space at The Lounge charity book café in Burrard Street later this year. Macmillan Jersey was chosen by JT for a second year of support following the enormous impact the successful partnership had on both the telecoms group and the cancer charity in 2020.
The accessories, which are currently on sale in The Lounge, include covers and screen protectors for iPhone and Samsung smartphones. These are for phone models no longer sold in the JT shop but still widely used in the community, giving islanders the chance to purchase at a heavy discount with 100% of the proceeds going to the charity.

Graeme Millar, JT Group CEO, said: “Providing critical cancer support services for our community is so important and we’re really pleased to be able to continue to help towards these vital services, that connect people living with or effected by cancer to information and support from the very heart of our high street.

Our teams have worked together for the past eighteen months, embracing change, overcoming personal challenges and creating innovative ways to generate awareness and raise funds. To be able to recycle, repurpose and reuse while supporting our chosen charity who work tirelessly for our community is at the very core of JT’s values. The stock items we are donating we no longer sell the phones they are designed for, and we want both Macmillan Jersey and islanders to be able to benefit from that. We hope that the sale of these items will mean the charity will be able to pay for the improvements needed to bring their vision of a town centre support hub to life.”

Steph Gibaut, from Macmillan Jersey, said: “At Macmillan Jersey, our vision is that everybody affected by cancer in Jersey has access to emotional, practical and wellbeing support, through whatever their preferred route of contact is.

Later this year, we’d like to refurbish the upper floor of our town hub, The Lounge Charity Book Café, to transform it into a much more flexible space for cancer support activities. This would create a new cancer support suite in a central location for people to drop in on their lunch breaks and after work or school to speak to one of our cancer support team. It would be in addition to our Cancer Support Centre, The Oasis at The Lido Medical Centre. In order to do this, we need to raise around £15,000 to renovate our current office and we’re delighted that our partners JT continue to help us find new ways of raising the money needed to reach our target.



Daragh McDermott at Strive
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JT works with new elite sports academy to develop the skills of the island’s youth

JT is proud to be working with Strive to help talented young people excel at sport and reach their full potential, as well as assisting to put Jersey on the map as a location for elite sports.

Strive is a pioneering centre designed to provide the best knowledge and expertise to train athletes and sports people and to encourage greater participation in sport and wellbeing within our community. Its core belief is that a healthier lifestyle should be available to everyone and Strive is committed to providing opportunities for young people by teaming up with local secondary schools to develop the skills of students through its dedicated Academy programme.

As sponsors of the Academy’s Education Room, JT has provided the digital equipment required to support the Academy’s health and fitness education programme.  It will teach young people how sport ties in with leading healthier lifestyles and give them the knowledge and ability so that they can inspire their families and friends to lead healthier lifestyles as well.

An additional aim of Strive is to support local athletes and teams with a desire to improve, giving them access to the services that are essential for those dedicated to pursuing excellence in their sporting endeavours.

Strive will use JT’s Managed Wi-Fi service throughout the premises, providing world-class, reliable, secure and hyper fast Wi-Fi for members, local athletes and visiting professionals, such as the British & Irish Lions rugby team during their upcoming training camp in advance of their tour of South Africa.

Daragh McDermott, Managing Director, JT (Channel Islands), said: “We recognise the importance of working alongside such a pioneering project to elevate the profile of the Island and more importantly support the learning of Jersey school children. This venture will enable an equal platform of opportunity for children to grow and flourish, presenting athletic opportunities that, without this facility, may not be achievable. The centre will offer a diverse range of sports activities, thereby securing continued participation in sports and its important link to a healthy lifestyle. Designed to support a healthier life, Strive is a state-of-the-art facility that combines the services normally found in a health club with the expert coaching and advice associated with elite sport, enabled by state-of-the-art facilities and underpinned by JT’s world-class fibre network.”

Ben Harvey, Managing Director, Strive, said: “We are partnering with all Jersey’s secondary schools and are really excited to be nurturing the aspirations of our young people to live more active and healthier lives. We are working towards empowering young people with purpose, self-esteem and leadership and we are grateful for the support and expertise that our partnership with JT is securing for this centre. We see it as our mission to provide fitness and health education to all young people in Jersey.”

For more information about Strive visit https://www.strive.je/



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JT telegraph poles given new lease of life at Grouville School

More than 20 telegraph poles that are no longer needed to carry telephone lines have found a new home in a conservation project run for Grouville School.

JT are donating the poles to the newly formed McGugan Family Trust to build a raised walkway in a meadow next to the primary school that is used for outdoor lessons and activities by school children and other groups.

The meadow is prone to flooding in the winter and the Trust wants to improve accessibility.

Grouville Constable, John le Maistre, is Chairman of the Trust, and he asked JT for help: “The meadow needs work to provide better access and in particular we want wheelchair users to enjoy the wildlife. The idea is to put a boardwalk around it but that requires pillars, and telegraph poles are ideal because they are treated and last a long time. JT were extremely helpful, donating  telegraph poles that are no longer being used thanks to the advances made in digital technology. So this provides them with a new purpose that benefits our community.”

JT agreed to deliver the poles which were still in the ground waiting to be cut down and recycled. So far, tree surgeons have removed 13 of them from sites around the island and cut them to the right size for use in the project, with more to follow.

Graeme Millar, CEO, JT Group, said: “Twenty years ago, a platform next to the pond was built using similar poles and the Trust told us they are as good today as when they were put in. We are delighted that something we no longer need is being used to help our community and at the same time provide a valuable lesson about sustainability and the importance of repurposing and recycling whatever we can.”

Reservists from the Jersey Field Squadron will construct the walkway on the site, and it is hoped it will provide an outdoor classroom that other local groups, such as the Scouts, will use too.



Macmillan charity chill
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JT supports Macmillan Jersey for a second year

JT’s people have chosen to extend their support once again to Macmillan Jersey for a second year following the enormous impact the telecoms group had on the cancer charity in 2020. Pledging a further year of assistance will see the JT team focus on more fundraising efforts, continue with its current digital and network support package to the charity and help to increase awareness of the charity’s vital work on the island.

With JT’s help, Macmillan Jersey was able to react quickly to COVID-19 restrictions, implementing new systems to allow the team to work from home and adjusting fundraising efforts to reach a wider audience using digital channels. The new ‘Get Together for Good’ campaign in September, launched in partnership with JT saw a total of £26,346 raised through encouraging people to connect both virtually and in person and JT’s own people topped that up in December, by raising nearly £4000 on an internal fundraising raffle.

Steph Gibaut, Head of Income Generation for Macmillan Jersey, said: “We are so thrilled to have the support of JT for a second year. Alongside fundraising they were able to offer us cloud-based phone systems for our support services and loan phones for local cancer patients going off-island for treatment which proved invaluable to the charity and to our patients.

“As a direct result of our ‘Get Together for Good’ campaign we also received a substantial donation, along with a commitment of support for the charity for the next two years. For this to come at a time when, like everyone else we were facing financial challenges and having to cancel events was truly amazing. It was the lifeline we needed to help those who access our services. We continue to be so grateful and can’t wait to start working alongside the JT team again this year.”

Graeme Millar, JT Group CEO, said: “With restrictions still in place we recognise what a difficult time this can be for families dealing with the impact of cancer treatment, which is why we have chosen to support Macmillan Jersey again this year. It’s both amazing and refreshing to see just how impactful a simple message can be in uniting our community for a good cause.  We’re really keen to explore new ways of supporting Macmillan Jersey using our technology, expertise, and network. It’s been our absolute privilege to work with and support a team so dedicated to supporting others so that those facing the fight against cancer may never have to feel alone.”

Macmillan Jersey relies solely on fundraising events and the generosity of the public and corporate partners. All funds raised are used on island to help those with cancer and their families access community and emotional support, information, and wellbeing advice.



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 engineers with old phones
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Charity receives old school phone system thanks to JT Engineers

The phone system that for years dealt with calls at the old Les Quennevais School has been given a new lease of life after being donated to a local charity.

The Beresford Street Kitchen needed to upgrade its phone system to one that was able to handle multiple calls but had been putting it off due to cost until two regular customers made a welcome suggestion.

JT engineers Peter Vasse and Vinnie Harkin, who often take their lunchbreaks at the popular café in town, were asked to look at the aging phone system. Knowing there was one at the old Les Quennevais School that was no longer needed, they asked the school whether it could be given to the charity to cover its needs instead.

Alexander Richardson, Business and Facilities Manager of Les Quennevais School, said: “Peter knew the old system backwards. He had helped install it and worked with us at the school to keep it working properly. We like to maintain continuity in our relationships with outside companies and when Peter and Vinnie moved with us to the new school and started installing the new system, Peter had the lightbulb moment. We are really pleased we were able to help out and we had no idea that it could be put to such good use. The old phone system was perfect for what the charity needed, and we were happy to support his great idea to donate it to Beresford Street Kitchen and further strengthens the school’s links with JT who we were able to collaborate with to help this charity.”

Gabby Ellmers, Managing Director of Beresford Street Kitchen, commented: “We have always enjoyed having Peter and Vinnie as customers and it was so typical of them to come up with a way of helping us out. As we’ve grown over the last 3 years, our phone system simply couldn’t cope with what we needed it to do. It meant sometimes missing calls, crew members not being able to get through and a lot of running around the building to get messages to areas with no phone lines.  We are extremely grateful for the generous donation from Les Quennevais School and to Peter and Vinnie for the many hours they put in at night installing the system. Now with the help of the school and JT, we are always able to answer those important calls from our crew, partners and customers and it will help support our future growth to enable us to provide training and employment for more people with learning disabilities and autism.”

Tom Noel, JT’s Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, added: “At the beginning of this year we set up a Sustainability Team to pool ideas from across the company to help achieve our aim of becoming a carbon neutral business and a contributor to a carbon neutral island by 2030. We welcome and encourage all ideas and opportunities to recycle, reuse and reduce and when Peter and Vinnie suggested this, it really was a no brainer. We’re already making great strides in reducing waste, and this idea is at the heart of what we as a company are trying to do to minimise our impact on the planet. We’re really proud that our people feel empowered to help others and can be part of change for the better. Peter and Vinnie fitted the system in their own time, wanting to get the charity’s new system running as soon as possible. Not only is this a great example of a circular economy, it’s also a really great example of how we can all work together to achieve something good within our local community.”



JT electric car
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JT vehicles to go all electric within next few years

JT has become the latest large company to begin replacing its vehicle fleet with zero emission alternatives. Ten years ago, it was hard to imagine being able to drive more than a few miles in an electric vehicle, on a single charge – today it is very different and with an ever-growing network of charging facilities, more and more Channel Islands businesses are making the transition from fossil-fuel to low carbon electric transport.

JT have begun their transition by purchasing ten Nissan electric vehicles, starting by replacing the oldest of JT’s fleet of Suzuki vans, supporting their goal of achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2030.

Tom Noel, Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, said: “JT has one of the largest commercial fleets in Jersey, with almost 100 cars used daily by our engineers. Our aim is to not only replace all petrol and diesel vehicles but to reduce the number of vehicles on our roads, supporting that with charging points in key locations. As a business that has placed sustainability at the heart of everything we do, we’ve made initiatives like this a key priority of our Sustainability Strategy over the next decade.”

The EV’s may be new to JT but all have been bought at auctions having previously been used by councils in Scotland in keeping with JT’s policy to reuse, reduce and recycle wherever possible.

JT’s people are key participants and drivers of JT’s sustainability programme with many of their ideas now being adopted companywide, including going 100% paperless for note taking by using Rocketbook Fusion notebooks, re-usable water bottles, a solar panelled building and an employee voucher scheme for e-bikes.

‘Moments of global crisis often lead to historical change and the recovery from the pandemic presents a huge opportunity for Governments, businesses and individuals to put action on climate at the heart of their efforts,” said Tom.



Daragh Mcdermott
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JT provides additional support during COVID pandemic

Following the announcement of the ‘circuit breaker’ over Christmas and New Year, JT is providing a series of measures to help its customers, many of whom will be working from home or self-isolating.

In addition to the 1GB broadband speeds, which have continued to be available island wide since March, customers can make free landline calls to local numbers while the restrictions announced on Wednesday remain in place. Customers who are not already on an unlimited home broadband contract will not be charged if they go over their monthly broadband usage limit during this time.

Daragh McDermott, Managing Director JT Channel Islands, said: “We wanted to act quickly to support those in greatest need at this time of year. We also wanted to support the Government’s plans to keep islanders safe which is why we’re making it free for our customers to stay in touch as we head towards Christmas. We’ve got one of the fastest networks in the world and we want to make sure that all of those who are now working from home will have the same access as they would if they were in the office. Whilst the vast majority of our customers are already on unlimited packages, for those who are not, no further charges will be applied in the event of them going over their allowances for usage while this period of uncertainty continues.”

During December, JT will be keeping a close eye on COVID-19 developments and will continue to work closely with the Government and the Regulator to support the community as the pandemic continues.

COVID19 Initiatives

Supporting our Islands through COVID-19 >