Our latest webinar featured a conversation with Tracey Wright, Managing Director of Magrathea. During the session, resellers learned about numerous important regulatory updates and industry developments. From Ofcom compliance requirements to fraud prevention, our team at VIP VoIP found these insights essential for both legal compliance and top-quality customer service.
These insights are important to resellers like yourself, not only for mitigating risk but to maintain compliance and support your customers effectively. Following this webinar, here’s what we took, and how we can help you stay ahead.
VoIP Emergency Calling: What to Communicate
Resellers like you must ensure customers understand the limitations of VoIP services, particularly when it comes to accessing emergency numbers during problematic times. Ofcom regulations require that end users be made aware of the risks and limitations of VoIP services when accessing emergency numbers such as 999.
Unlike traditional PSTN services, VoIP depends on internet connectivity and power availability. This means that if users experience disruptions – anything from a network disruption to a power outage, emergency dialling may be affected. Because of this, it is also very important that, as a reseller, 999 EHA (Emergency Handling Authority) address details are regularly kept up to date.
Call blocking is also another key area of focus. Restrictions must be implemented properly and follow compliance regulations. Resellers must understand that:
Actions must match issues: When restrictions may occur and why they have been applied (as defined in contracts and acceptable use policies.
Fair notice (where possible): Particularly for billing issues. They also require a clear warning before restriction.
Emergency Access: Even when services are restricted, emergency calling should remain where technically possible.
Complaint Handling: Customers must have access to a complaints process. The Escalation route must include the Communications Ombudsman (or CISAS, depending on provider).
However, there are restrictions surrounding blocking. A supplier could get into trouble if they:
- Block calls without a contractual basis
- Fail to give notice when required
- Block emergency calls
- Apply restrictions in a discriminatory or arbitrary way
- Didn’t provide a way to resolve the issue
Owning Customer Relationships
Even though you provide white-label services, responsibility for the customer experience still rests with you. Our team at VIP VoIP are at hand to support you behind the scenes, so you can deliver professional, compliant service with confidence. Your only role? Knowing how to sell.
Within this webinar, the importance of the following was shared:
- Communicating clearly with customers
- Maintaining accurate emergency address records
- Providing a complaints process and escalation route
This also means avoiding common pitfalls, such as applying restrictions without backing or failing to give proper notice.
Navigating Complexity, Without Slowing You Down
Being a VoIP reseller today is more than just about selling services; it’s about delivering trust, transparency, and reliability. Our pledge at VIP VoIP is to support you while you do exactly that.
Get in touch with our team to chat. You don’t need technical skills or specialist equipment, just a drive to provide your customers with the best service.