Taxi! Cab company fire shows need for call centre disaster recovery
- 29 July, 2009 12:15
- Comments 6
Call centre operations at one of Melbourne's largest Taxi companies was struck down by a fire
Melbourne’s taxi industry was rocked yesterday when a fire at Silver Top Taxi’s city headquarters struck down call centre and computer dispatch systems, leaving cab drivers stranded without job notifications.
The fire was a dramatic demonstration of the importance of disaster recovery (DR) and business continuity planning for critical IT and communications infrastructure.
According to media reports, the call centre will be re-established today after about 24 hours of downtime and only with the help of Sydney-based taxi operator Premier Cabs, which donated call centre hardware.
Taxi drivers receive job notifications electronically via wireless radio networks but the calls are taken and dispatched by computers in a central location.
Many drivers complained of a drop in business of about 50 per cent as a result of not receiving bookings electronically.
Maria Padisetti, CEO of Sydney-based VoIP call centre technology provider Digital Armour Corporation, said although organisations can get a telecommunications provider to divert calls, a phone system is still required.
“With more open [telephony] systems businesses that couldn’t afford a second system now can,” Padisetti said. “You can even use a server not identical to the original in order to get things going.”
Padisetti said Digital Armour is working on a DR project for a 95-seat call centre which will use the open source Asterisk at the primary and secondary sites.
“We are working with the telco to switch over in the event of a disaster and, because it’s Asterisk, it’s a fraction of the cost,” she said.
“A fax server that would have cost $50,000 can be bought for less than $20,000, so for that money they can set up a hot DR site [but] they are comfortable with a maximum of four hours downtime.”
Developments in VoIP technology have enabled the concept of a 'virtual call centre' where agents do not need to be in a central location and, if the network is designed to support call routing, more than one IP-PABX can be used for business continuity and DR.
Padisetti said a virtual call centre can help business continuity but the real problem is the PABX going down.
Another call centre and job dispatch system is operated by NRMA, which, as reported by Computerworld, has implemented call centre and data systems DR for better business continuity.
At the time of writing, www.silvertop.com.au was also inaccessible.
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Comments
Anonymous - Volunteer FireFighter and Technical Co
What a mess - I am amazed that the Vic Taxi Directorate allows a company to operate a public service like this without a Business Continuity Plan.
As a Fire figthter I amazed that they operated such a business in a Wooden Framed building, obviously not up to the fire code. I do know this site. I am also amazed that their current Telecommunications supplier had not prepared a BC service nor do I suspect offered then one. If they did and were ignored, then the managers of the Taxi company are not wise to say the least.
Anonymous
A Buisness Continuity Plan is totally separate to a Disaster Recovery Plan.
A BCP may not have any IT component at all.
Anonymous
Silvertop were offered a BC service by the Telecommunications provider, but they were ignored.
Anonymous
Industry representatives are aware of the impact of this disaster and thus the effort put together to bring the service back online has been incredible. Within hours hardware was donated by Premier Cabs in Sydney and more assistance was generously provided by North Shore Communications, Yellow Cabs Adelaide, Yellow Cabs Brisbane and National Hearing Centres.
Technicians from MTData Silvertops dispatch provider, oversaw the implementation throughout the night to bring the call centre back online at 6am Wednesday.
A crisis handled in the best possible way.
Anonymous
it will be interesting to see if they had oh and s plans as well. My understanding is that none of the electrical leads etc are tagged by a qualified electrician and that much equipment is left lying around.
Anonymous - staff member
i was actually working at the time the fire occured and it scares me alot more to think that if we had noticed the fire 5 - 10 mins later it would have been too late, no alarms were sounded and there was only one staircase accessable from the call centre that was upstairs above the office where the fire began. I do try to remember that thankfully all staff members made it out in time with no injuries its still a shock though to see the photo's and to know its all gone.
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