Up to date phone system ready to ring

A new phone system is set to go live at Orkney Islands Council later this week.

Modern day phone technology has been installed at School Place which will take over the handling of calls from the old switchboard and exchange that has been in service for nearly 20 years at the Council’s HQ.

OIC’s main phone number 01856 873535 will remain the same, as will most extension and direct dial numbers.

The new internet-based system will enable staff to take and make calls whether they are working from home or at the Council offices.

Customer services reception at School Place will be closed for visits from the public on Friday 13 August, so the team can help with any queries from colleagues as they get used to the new system. But customers services staff will still be available by phone from 09:00 to 13:00 and 15:00 to 17:00.

Online access to services is available here and the face-to-face customer service point at the Warehouse Buildings in Stromness will remain open from 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 16:45pm on Friday.

Karen Greaves, OIC’s Head of Executive Support, said: “We’ve been aware for some time of the need to thoroughly modernise the phone system at School Place and at a number of other Council sites.

“The system we’re replacing served us well for many years, but is ageing rapidly with much of the technology it depends upon now obsolete and replacement parts difficult to source when repairs are needed.

“There’ve been high-profile incidents in recent years where phone services across Orkney were badly affected following lightning strikes, including a major incident in June 2019 that damaged the old switchboard at School Place.

“This, and the difficulties we faced in restoring services afterwards, heightened the need for an up-to-date, robust and reliable phone system.

“Customer services staff and IT colleagues have been working hard to get the new system in place ready to go live – we look forward to it serving us well over many years to come.”