Doubtless you’ve heard over the last week about Apple’s conflict with the FBI: the FBI wants Apple to help it break in to the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone, and Apple is refusing on the grounds that such technology could end up in criminals’ hands and endanger the security of millions of iPhone customers.
It’s the kind of privacy vs. security argument that has arisen over and over again since the internet, and now smartphones, have given law enforcement a whole new realm in which to seek and gather evidence.
The arguments on both sides can be compelling. In general, the tech industry argues that building in “backdoors” that would allow law enforcement to access encrypted information on cell phones, laptops, or tablets would also allow hackers to access that data, endangering the privacy of consumers everywhere.
Law enforcement, on the other hand, argues that this kind of data can be extremely important in helping to crack a case or further an investigation.
While many people have been and continue to be sympathetic to both sides of this argument, this case of the San Bernardino shooting seems to be drawing out stronger emotions than usual.
For one thing, this was the worst mass shooting in America in three years, as well as the deadliest attack on American soil to have been inspired by the Islamic State.
For another, the FBI is requesting a very specific type of access to a single, specific phone - they want to be able to break the passcode to the shooter’s iPhone to access the data inside, using a computer that can make millions of guesses very quickly, according to The Daily Beast. Since the iPhone renders information inside inaccessible after a certain number of incorrect tries, the FBI needs Apple’s help if they’re going to get in.
Considering these points - as well as the fact that Apple has complied with law enforcement requests to provide information or assistance 70 times in the past for previous versions of their iOS operating system - we at KOVA believe that Apple should comply with the FBI’s request.
On Feb. 16, a federal judge in California ordered Apple to assist the FBI in circumventing the passcode. Apple has denied to give that assistance, with CEO Tim Cook being very vocal about why. He echoes the same argument that has been made multiple times: that doing so would build that backdoor into iPhone data that any hacker could then use to compromise consumers’ security.
As of Feb. 23, tech industry leaders have come out in support of Apple, with one notable exception: Bill Gates.
The Microsoft founder and philanthropist has said that Apple should comply with the FBI’s request, telling The Financial Times “This is a specific case where the government is asking Apple for information. They are not asking for some general thing, they are asking for a particular case.”
Whether or not Gates’s comments will have any sway over the outcome of the case remains to be seen.
On Sun. Feb. 21, FBI director James Comey wrote an opinion piece in the national security publication Lawfare about why the FBI is fighting Apple over this issue. “We simply want the chance, with a search warrant, to try to guess the terrorist's passcode without the phone essentially self-destructing and without it taking a decade to guess correctly. That's it,” the article says.
It continues, “We don't want to break anyone's encryption or set a master key loose on the land. I hope thoughtful people will take the time to understand that.”
Many news outlets, including The Daily Beast, have commented on Comey’s decision to take his argument to the court of public opinion, saying it raises the stakes of this already high-stakes legal battle.
As for which side is winning in that fickle courtroom, it seems that the government may be slightly ahead. According to a Pew Research Center survey that was conducted between Feb. 18 and 21, 51 percent of respondents believed that Apple should assist the FBI.
Among iPhone users, that number is slightly lower, with 47 percent of respondents saying that Apple should comply.
As a company that takes both cybersecurity and public safety extremely seriously, KOVA will be closely watching as this case develops. In this instance, we feel that more weight must be given to public safety, and that doing so will not create security issues for the millions of law-abiding people who store their data on iPhones.
Most often, drones are in the news because of their military application. We hear about drone strikes targeting terrorist cells in Iraq, or sending back surveillance images of a dangerous tribal area in Afghanistan.
But drones are increasingly being used closer to home - much closer to home, in fact. Some public safety offices around the country are either already using or considering using drones to help prevent and fight crime.
While law enforcement and public safety officers are generally enthusiastic about how the new technology can help them do their jobs, many people outside the public safety industry have worries about how drones may be misused.
Given how new demilitarized drone technology is, it’s not surprising that people are uncomfortable with it. As in other parts of the technology world, individual privacy must be protected in an effective manner.
At the same time, however, the benefits drones can offer public safety organizations are very real. So what are these potential benefits, and how can they be balanced with concerns over privacy?
Drones can provide critical information for law enforcement and other public safety professionals.
For police officers who must go into tense, volatile situations - hostage situations, shoot-outs, etc. - a drone that can provide live, aerial video of the crime location can save lives.
In this way, drones become part of the agency’s situational awareness strategy, which is a vital element of protecting the lives of both officers and private citizens.
For instance, a drone could help monitor the surrounding area, letting police officers know if there are additional victims or criminals they need to be prepared for. A drone could surveil areas where escaped convicts or missing persons are thought to be (provided that area is public).
Fire departments can use drones for situational awareness in large-scale incidents, decreasing the chance that firefighters will be put in situations of unnecessary risk.
Out West, some fire departments are looking into ways that drones can help fight wildfires. There’s potential that these unmanned aircraft could pick up and dump water where it’s needed, again saving firefighters from having to go into highly dangerous areas.
Drones in the hands of trained professionals are different from recreational drones.
You’ve probably heard the horror stories of private citizens flying drones close to airports and manned aircraft - in fact, a 2015 report found that there were more than 240 near-collisions between drones and manned aircraft, including 28 occurrences in which pilots actually had to veer away to avoid hitting the drones.
These drones were operated by people - mainly private citizens - who either were unaware or careless of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) rules regulating drones, which include not flying within 5 miles of an airport or above 400 feet.
Public safety agencies that use drones, on the other hand, follow strict protocols and guidelines for their usage, just as they do when it comes to police warrants or EMS transport. Many come direct from the FAA, while others are determined by the agency itself or the local or state government that the agency is a part of.
Regardless of who is setting the rules, it’s a fair bet that no law enforcement agency is going to hover a drone outside a random person’s window to take pictures of them having breakfast, or getting home from work. Not only would there be no legal justification, but the outrage from the public would be impossible to avoid.
Drones are still in the early stages of adoption by public safety agencies, and there’s a lot that still has to be figured out.
According to the NPR station KQED, a little more than 100 public safety agencies have been certified to fly unmanned aircraft by the FAA, as of August 2015. That may sound like a lot, but it’s just a tiny fraction of agencies in the U.S.
Because drone usage by public safety is in such an early stage, the government is still in the process of working out how best to regulate them. The American Civil Liberties Union is urging rules that would require local elected bodies to approve the use of drones, as well as restrict their surveillance activities in public areas.
Interested in other developments in public safety technology? Visit our Info Center for whitepapers, videos, and webcast recordings on everything from 911 training to airport security.
Just as security technology continues to evolve, so too do the tools that criminals are using to commit their crimes. From hacking into secure computers, to breaking into restricted areas, the crimes that people are committing against businesses and organizations are becoming more and more sophisticated.
This is one reason that more organizations are using things like physical security information management systems and situational awareness technology. In 2016, these systems could become even more important, as security and personal data breaches become more common and coordinated.
Is your organization prepared to defend against these threats? Take a look at this list of some of the top security concerns that you should be aware of in 2016.
This is something that security staff must keep in mind in the event of a breach as they search for a motive.
In a social engineering situation, a criminal might initiate a fraudulent relationship with an employee to gain access to sensitive information, or even to manipulate the employee into sabotaging his or her own company.
This is, of course, one of the oldest tricks in the book, but social media is now making it even easier to do. Employees who over-share on their social media profiles can become easy targets for unscrupulous individuals. To help prevent this sort of issue from arising, companies may want to invest in a quick training session to let employees know about the possibilities of their social media profiles being exploited for nefarious reasons.
In the past, security breaches have gone undetected for months or years. But now, companies are seeing that in order to protect themselves, they need to take the time (and money) to identify their specific risks and invest in the staff, technology, and knowledge they need to protect themselves.
We see this in large organizations, which are increasingly investing in things like physical security information management technology. This allows individuals to collaborate and share information on potential security threats and events.
In addition, situation management technology is becoming more common with not just organizations, but entire cities. While security departments may still have to fight to get the budgets they want, they may find that the struggle is a bit easier in 2016.
At the same time, however, cloud security is ramping up. SaaS providers know that they’re facing increased threats from hackers, so they’re taking measures like creating back-up systems, improving their encryption, and putting their services through extensive vulnerability testing.
KOVA offers some of the best and most secure technology in the public safety and workforce management industries. If you’d like more information on how our public safety software solutions and enterprise workforce optimization software solutions can help you keep your data safe and secure, contact us!
Every business recognizes the importance of physical security. Whether you use something as complex as a full system of surveillance cameras and a cadre of security guards, or just a simple alarm system, security is something that no organization can do without.
But what about Physical Security Information Management (PSIM)? Put simply, PSIM is a type of software that allows for greater collaboration among security staff, as well as for integration of various types of information across the system. PSIM software is part of KOVA’s Public Safety software solutions.
With PSIM, different people in different locations can both share and view data from intrusion alarm, video, radar, and other communication systems and databases. The point is to improve the ability to see an overall picture, or common operating picture, of what is happening at your organization.
For example, let’s say an intruder attempted to enter an energy facility and started a small fire. The fire alarm would go off, and the intrusion alarm would go off—but the two systems wouldn’t be communicating, and the employees would have to decide which to respond to first.
With PSIM, on the other hand, the users who are operating the software receive a continuous flow of information throughout the course of the incident. That data is also prioritized, so that an alarm that is more important—the fire alarm, perhaps—is placed above others that may be less important. This way, operators get a full view of the situation at hand and are better equipped to handle it appropriately.
With PSIM, protocols can be automated so that the exact same thing happens in a given situation no matter what employees are working, how experienced or inexperienced they are, or whether they’re at the start of a 12-hour shift or the final half hour of one. The response is always the same.
This not only ensures that situations are handled in the most effective, efficient manner possible, but also decreases liability for both employees and the organization as a whole.
PSIM also makes it easy for users to communicate and share data, and is able to keep people in sync without flooding them with information. This prevents mistakes that happen as a result of breakdown in communication—using the above example, that could be something like a security door not being closed because an operator doesn’t realize that there’s an intruder in addition to a fire.
After an incident like the intruder-fire situation, detailed reconstruction is not just expected but required by most large organizations.
When traditional security systems are in use, this means that staff have to piece together what happened on their own, combing through any data from surveillance cameras or audio recordings to find relevant information, then combining that with information from the alarm systems. You’d also need dates and times that emergency personnel were called, along with recordings of the phone calls made.
There could even be photos or recordings that employees took that are related to the incident. Without PSIM, leaders would have to rely on the employee coming forward with that evidence in a timely manner—something that is likely, but not certain.
With PSIM, however, employees who see something suspicious and take a picture or video can do so through a PSIM app. Then, that photo or video is catalogued by date, time, and even GPS location, which allows the system to recognize it as part of the incident being investigated. It’s pulled into with the rest of the data without anyone having to dig for information.
With PSIM, data is not just integrated, but contextualized.
Is your organization ready to dramatically improve its physical security procedures? If you’d like to talk, contact us at KOVA—we offer the Nextiva PSIM platform, which can be integrated into existing systems, making it a cost-effective security solution. Call us at 1-800-204-5200, or you can fill out this form to request more information on our Physical Security Information Management solutions.
Once upon a time, the idea of working while hanging out on your couch was just a fantasy for those who couldn’t stand their jobs—people like Office Space’s Peter Gibbons, who can barely bring himself to open the door to his workplace each morning.
But today, working from home is a happy reality for all kinds of people, from marketers and accountants to—you guessed it—contact center agents.
Contact centers have been using at-home agents for a decade, but it’s only in the past several years that they’ve really embraced the practice fully. There are lots of advantages to using at-home agents—lower turnover, easier scheduling, and higher productivity, for example—but there are also some adjustments you or your managers may have to make in order to make sure you’re optimizing your at-home workforce.
Easier said than done, right? Hiring practices can be difficult to get right, and no matter how many interviews or run-throughs you do, you’ll never be able to guarantee a 100 percent perfect workforce.
But with at-home agents there are a few definite things you need to be looking for. For one thing, anyone working at home must be able to work well independently, without supervision. They’ve got to be self-starters who have the motivation to get out of bed and start work on time, even if it’s in their pajamas.
Something that will help you out during the hiring practice is the fact that because you’re hiring at-home agents, you have access to a much larger talent pool. You’re not limited by geographical constraints. In addition, you’ll likely get more mature, experienced applicants when the job allows them to work from home. Parents, for example, who want to remain available to their children during the day—while you’d rarely see them applying for an in-office agent job, many do apply for at-home positions.
When using at-home agents, it’s vital that both your contact center organization and the agents have suitable, reliable technology. On the organizational end, that means they need access to the same training materials, knowledge libraries, and other resources that your on-site agents have. That’s a relatively easy proposition nowadays, as many contact centers use at least some cloud services.
Your agents need a dedicated cell phone with reliable service as well as a laptop with reliable wi-fi. Other than that, little equipment is needed. As far as working space, at-home agents need a dedicated workspace. Preferably, it’s one that can be closed off completely, but as long as it’s well-screened from outside noise and interruption, the space should work.
A best practice for optimizing your at-home workforce is to instate a formal trial period—three months is a generally agreed-upon length of time. This allows two things: first, it lets you ensure that the people you hire as at-home agents are capable of performing their work well in that setting. Second, it allows on-premise agents to switch to an at-home setting to see if they actually like working that way. With a trial period, agents who find they don’t like working from home can simply switch back to on-premise instead of simply quitting or going to another company.
Managing a remote workforce can be an adjustment for managers who’ve never done so before. Just as you need to make sure your agents have the training they needed, you need to make sure your managers have the resources they need to succeed.
For instance, ensure that managers know how and are willing to conduct coaching sessions via video chat. They should also realize that they need to be as available to their at-home agents as they are to on-premise workers. The only difference is that at-home workers will be contacting them via chat, video chat, or email.
To learn more about workforce optimization and at-home agents, read the whitepaper “Home-Based Agents and Workforce Optimization.” And be sure to look at KOVA’s Workforce Optimization software suite, which can help you with everything from scheduling to forecasting.
Long pauses. Changes in vocal tone. Mentioning a competitor. These are all things that happen regularly during a call from a customer to a contact center, and they can offer all kinds of information to a contact center manager—which upselling or cross-selling programs are working, how well your agents are sticking to their scripts, trends in customer satisfaction. It’s amazing, really, what can be learned simply from a person’s voice and the words they use.
But of course, all this information is pretty useless unless you have a way of capturing it. Agents can’t do it during live calls, as their focus has to be on resolving the issue at hand. And managers certainly don’t have the time to listen to massive samplings of calls to identify common problems or successes.
That’s why so many contact centers are using speech analytics software. What this software does is listen to every call and then analyze various characteristics on both the agent’s and the customer’s end. It can then provide users with trends and insights that allow them to make decisions that will move their contact center further toward success.
And one of the best parts for busy contact center managers? You don’t have to listen to any calls in order to gain those insights. Instead, they’re all laid out for you by the speech analytics software itself.
That, no doubt, will make contact center staff happier. But it can help on the customer’s end, too. Here are a few of the ways that speech analytics can help you make your customers happier.
One thing speech analytics is able to do is analyze and categorize calls that have long periods of silence. Customers rarely like being put on hold—that much everybody knows. But it may be hard to figure out ways to avoid these long hold times when using the typical quality control methods, like random sampling.
Most speech analytics software can block these calls into a single category, so that contact center managers are able to see what process seems to be resulting in the long hold times. Is it the need to access more customer data than is available in a single screen? Is it a slow, overworked computer system? Perhaps you need to take a look at your technology. Or perhaps it’s that your agents having trouble addressing a certain kind of issue. In this case, some extra training could be called for.
Being able to eliminate unnecessary holds can go a long way toward increasing customer satisfaction, plus make your agents more efficient and able to handle more calls in less time.
In industries where compliance is an issue, it’s even more important that your agents stay on script and offer the right options to customers. Speech analytics software can aid in this by listening to the call, then giving real-time prompts when the agent needs to use a certain word or phrase.
These prompts can also be used to aid in other issues, like urging an agent to talk more slowly, or providing information to help them respond to a customer’s question or comment. This can create smoother, more effective calls, which in turn can lead to happier customers.
Resolving the customer’s problem on the first call is an important goal for contact centers, as is increasing first call resolution rate. Speech analytics can help with this, too. One way is through the live prompting agents receive from the software, which can not only help them remember to say the right script, but also remind them to provide the caller with all the necessary information during the very first call.
Another way, however, is live quality monitoring. With live quality monitoring, the software can detect when an issue is being escalated, a customer is becoming angry, or other undesirable situations are occurring, and flag the call for intervention from a supervisor. That way, it’s more likely that whatever issue the caller is having will be resolved before it gets out of hand.
Do you think your customers could benefit from your contact center’s use of speech analytics software? To learn more about the system, watch our video on Verint’s Speech Analytics. If you like what you see, contact us!
“Digital disruption”: it sounds like something out of an action movie. Is it a technique used by international spies? A deft method of disarming an opponent using only wifi wavelengths?
Well, the CIA may know more than we do, but as far as we’re aware, digital disruption is neither of those things. In fact, it’s just a fancy term for the way our analog, physical world is quickly becoming more and more digitized.
Along with books, we have e-readers; along with check-out clerks we have self-check-out machines; instead of multi-volume, hard-bound encyclopedias, we have Wikipedia. Even the digital disruption is being disrupted, as tablet and mobile use outstrips that of laptops and desktops.
Digital disruption is a hot topic in business, as it refers to the way that digital technology is disrupting the traditional market. Take the retail industry, for example. Formerly, most people’s first interaction with a clothing store or electronics store was by going inside an actual brick-and-mortar location. The only other real option was to use a mail order catalog.
Today, of course, an overwhelming number of people first interact with a brand online, whether by visiting an online store, checking out its social media feed, or looking for reviews. As we all know, this has irrevocably changed retail, and countless other industries too—including contact centers.
So how does digital disruption apply to contact centers? One major way is the number of channels through which customers now expect to interact with companies. Instead of just calling, customers want to be able to text, email, chat, and interact via social media with the companies they contact.
There’s even a possibility that in the future, customers will move toward abandoning phone contact all together.
Forward-thinking companies are already offering these capabilities, giving their customers multiple ways of communicating. But, like anything, multi-channel communication comes with its own set of challenges that must be addressed if contact center agents are to be set up for success.
One issue that many companies are seeing is that in order to access all the communications a customer has made—say, an email and two phone calls—agents have to have, on average, three screens open at a time. Toggling back and forth and searching for necessary data to move the call forward can take up precious time, resulting in the very thing multi-channel communication is supposed to lessen: customer frustration.
To avoid this, some companies are putting in place desktop optimization software, which allows agents to access data from multiple channels on a single screen. This can help lower average handle times, which makes the customers happy, but it’s also good for contact center agents.
After all, many of them are Millennials who are just as accustomed to instant, easy access to information as the customers their companies serve. Having to search for and manage various pieces of data on different screens or through different programs, only makes their jobs harder. It can even become a contributing factor to agent turnover, which is already high in the industry.
To combat this, smart companies are using an analytics-driven approach that results in both happier customers and more satisfied employees. Speech analytics, customer surveys, and Enterprise Feedback Management and workforce optimization software can be pulled together to create a true Voice of the Customer program that allows companies to gain a more in-depth view of what customers think of their company. This can be what differentiates customer-centric companies from the ones who are just continuing to do what they’ve always done.
Is your contact center ready to face the digital disruption head-on? To help you get started, read our whitepaper, Fundamentals of Contact Center Analytics. And if KOVA can help you give your agents the tools they need to succeed, contact us!
