Blueface Nov 16th Special PAYG Offer

Blueface today announced that it ranked number 16 in the 2011 Deloitte Technology Fast 50, a ranking of the 50 fastest growing technology companies in Ireland. Rankings are based on average percentage revenue growth over five years. Blueface acquired a substantial number of business customers during this period, which has helped create significant growth for the company.

The Fast 50 programme, now in its twelfth year in Ireland, ranks the fastest-growing technology companies in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. This year, there are 14 companies from Northern Ireland in the ranking. The average growth rate of the Fast 50 companies named in this year’s ranking is 674%

To Celebrate our 16th Place position we want to give all our business and residential customers a 16% bonus on all PAYG credit purchased on November 16th. Simply log into your account, select the amount of credit you wish to purchase and you’ll immediately receive  16% Bonus on whatever value you top up by. On Behalf of all the Blueface Team we would like to thank all our customers, both new and existing, for their continued support. Let’s hope for even more success next year!

Your Business Landline is now in the palm of your hands.

Get Business Landline calls on your iPhone.

Dublin: Monday 26th of September 2011. Three, Ireland’s largest high speed mobile network and mobile broadband market leader, has together with Blueface launched a new and innovative business offering designed to deliver big business service at small business prices. Three and Blueface are today announcing the introduction of Ireland’s first telephone App delivering a mobile landline service for Three business customers on their iPhone.

This new telecom App is primarily targeted at the SME market, delivering significant cost savings versus existing services with all the flexibility of a mobile network. With Fixed Line penetration currently at 71%, Three and Blueface see a significant opportunity for growth through delivery of a high quality service with a very competitive cost structure.

It is widely acknowledged that Irish businesses currently pay some of the highest landline costs in Europe with Comreg estimates putting it as much as 40% higher than the UK (€25 compared to €15 in the UK). Blueface is a landline app that is free to download with no monthly charges or landline rental, allowing users to make significant savings. It enables you to create a brand new landline number or carry over your existing landline number. With this service, if your customers try to contact you on either your mobile or landline, you can be instantly reached.

Eoin MacManus, Commercial Director at Three commented on the launch: “This agreement with Blueface gives Three a significant advantage over our competitors in the SME market. This simple, easy to use service will mean businesses can now have all the benefits of a fixed line number with the flexibility of mobile communications at exceptional value. We are delighted to bring this innovative product to the market and look forward to working with current and potential business customers to offer them some of the best value business communications solutions in Ireland.”

Alan Foy CEO, Blueface revealed his delight at the deal: “Blueface are delighted to be partnering with an innovative operator like Three to launch this unique landline service to small businesses. The Three landline App not only provides business customers with an innovative way of accessing a fixed landline but also enables customers to save costs by removing fixed cost monthly line rental and by using Blueface’s low-cost international call rates. Blueface are continually innovating to provide our SME customers with big business communications services at a small business price, and we look forward to providing even more developments in the near future.”

This new offer from Three combines innovative new technology with an attractive pricing structure. The App is free to download and there is a once off activation fee of €10 (ex VAT). Charges to make or receive calls are 15c (ex VAT) peak, off peak and weekends. The service is available on a Business Solo Plan with Three costing €75 per month. This includes
unlimited Mobile & Landline ROI and UK calls, unlimited texts for ROI together with unlimited Data. International calls cost 12c EU, 10c US and Canada and 20c Rest of the World. Roaming charges include: EU calls are 25c to make, 11c to receive; making and receiving calls from US are 75c; making and receiving calls from Rest of the World cost 99c and world Data Charges are 99c per MB.

Blueface developed the award winning app in connection with Vennetics, an innovator in telecommunication and IT application solutions, using GSM OneAPI specifications. This partnership between Blueface and Vennetics resulted in the companies winning the North / South Collaboration Award at the Irish Times Innovation Awards 2011. The App is not only the first Telecom App in Ireland but also a world first in terms of the newly adapted One API specifications as agreed by the GSMA.

Three has launched a number of ground–breaking initiatives including Ireland’s first ‘All you can eat’ data offering on both Postpay and Prepay, allowing customers to surf for free, with no excess charges. Three is proud sponsor of the Irish National football team and the Football Association of Ireland. Three’s “Dare to Dream” affinity scheme offers Football Association of Ireland-affiliated clubs across the country the chance to earn cash when their members switch to Three which helps with its support and development of grass roots football

What a great week for Ireland eh?

The National Rugby team triumph in New Zealand, this year’s All Ireland Final provides one of the most entertaining football matches in recent memory and ‘Arthur’s’ is just a day away. We at Blueface never like to miss a chance to promote a bit of generosity and this time is no different, so make sure to Top-Up your account tomorrow, Sept 22nd, to get a whopping great big 17.59% extra on your purchase. For those of you who haven’t figured out why we chose 1759, have a quick look at the little logo on that glass you’re holding tomorrow, you’ll probably figure it out, if not, then you’re probably drinking from the wrong glass.

The Promotion is simple. Log in to your account, top-up, get rewarded.

In keeping with the tradition of raising a glass on Arthur’s Day we’d like to raise your Pay As You Go Balance with a bonus 17.59%. All you have to do is purchase any amount of PAYG credit on September 22nd and we’ll immediately add 17.59% to whatever value you top up by. Simple as that.

The top up promotion is open to all Business and  Home customers so don’t miss out, as it’s for one day only. That is until we launch another exciting offer next month.

Cheers!

The Blueface Team.

We are delighted to announce our support for Blue September.

Blue September is celebrated in USA, Australia, New Zealand, UK and now it has come to Ireland! Blue September is an international men’s health campaign that seeks to tackle the fact that men are far more likely to develop and die of cancer than women. It is a fun way of delivering a serious message and we at Blueface support the idea in spades.
By painting faces blue, delivering simple health messages and fundraising for Irish cancer charities it is a way of breaking down barriers of discussing men’s health. As well as helping men reduce the risk of developing cancer by making better lifestyle choices the campaign seeks to raise funds for cancer care in Ireland. We would urge our customers to consider donating to one of the charities mentioned on the BlueSeptember site or simply take this time to go get a check up at your local GP. For those of you looking to making a bigger impression, you may want to consider something like this.

We’ll be getting involved where we can, and so should you! so get those face paints out and make this September Blue!

We’re hiring again. This time we’re looking for enthusiastic and experienced Sales Specialists.

The role of SME Sales Specialist is a desk-based, dynamic opportunity to be part of a team delivering a rapid expansion of Blueface’s SME solutions. Blueface are looking for highly motivated, talented and driven sales professionals that want to join a team that is transforming the telephony and communications landscape in Ireland and the UK.

If you’re interested in applying for one of our SME Sales Specialist roles, you can apply here. Please include a short cover letter along with your contact details and CV.

Best of Luck!

The Blueface Team.

We’re delighted to get involved in an upcoming initiative being led by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to encourage entrepreneurship among young people across Ireland.  This initiative is called ‘Young People Creating Jobs’.  It’s a programme which challenges 15-22 year olds to generate a business idea that they believe will lead to job creation.  The young people will be invited to submit business plans or projects to develop an idea that they believe will create sustainable employment.  Successful applicants who demonstrate that their idea has capacity to generate employment will be shortlisted and interviewed by a judging panel.  All participants will receive feedback on their proposals from the business leaders. Winning applicants will receive a market research prize of €15,000 to support their business idea and also spend time shadowing selected senior businesspeople.

The top proposals will win a week shadowing a CEO or Directors of a major Irish company. They include:

- Directors from Google Ireland

- David McRedmond, CEO of TV3

- Colette Twomey, Clonalkilty Black Pudding and Veuve Cliquot Businesswoman of the Year 2011

- Alan Foy, CEO Blueface (Telecommunications technology)

- Dylan Collins, Internet Entrepreneur

It goes without saying that Ireland has undoubtedly faced challenging times over the last few years. In order to emerge from our economic constraints, the next generation has a huge responsibility to return Ireland to prosperity and full employment.   This Government initiative assists, albeit in a small way, to encourage our young people to confidently chart an ambitious future for them and for Ireland.   Collectively we have a shared responsibility to promote an entrepreneurial spirit among young people.  We also have a responsibility to pass on the lessons learned along the way.  Hopefully the next generation of entrepreneurs can avoid many of the mistakes of those who have preceded them and confidently chart a sustainable, successful future for Ireland.

You can find details about the initiative here of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs Website

Blueface, the leading Internet telephone service provider has launched its Brighter Enterprise program with Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI). This affinity program aims to support enterprises that are in start up mode and who want to manage their telecommunication costs. All of SEI’s Network members around Ireland can avail of Blueface’s full suite of business products at a significantly discounted rate.  As part of its arrangement with SEI, Blueface is providing free telephone services for a year to the three 2010 SEI award finalists.

Blueface is also supporting entrepreneurship in Ireland by providing SMEs with their telecommunications services at a fraction of the cost of traditional operators, with a typical saving of 50% over other operators.  Blueface has a full suite of call plans, including conference and eReception services.

The SEI awards focuses on and promotes the work of outstanding social entrepreneurs.  This year’s finalists who will be availing of the Blueface service are Dara Hogan, Frances Black and John Lawlor.  Dara Hogan set up Fledglings Early Years Education and Care, as a not-for-profit social franchise to support and mentor early years educators in disadvantaged communities; Frances Black set up The RISE Foundation, to assist families dealing with addiction, to understand the impact of addiction and its effects on relationships; and John Lawlor set up Bridge to College, which works with young people to lift educational horizons based on a new model of team-based workshops and technology mediated learning.

“Blueface is delighted to partner with Social Entrepreneurs Ireland to sponsor the communication needs of its members as part of its Brighter Enterprise program. Some of Ireland’s brightest entrepreneurs are coming up with innovative approaches to tackle current and further challenges, well believe there is great synergy between Blueface and SEI and are delighted to be able to provide this level of support ,” said Alan Foy, Chief Executive, Blueface.

Seán Coughlan, Chief Executive, Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, said: “In order for social entrepreneurs to turn their vision into reality and tackle some of our entrenched social and environmental problems they need encouragement and support. By making this generous offer Blueface has shown real leadership in stepping up to the plate, providing significant support to our network of social entrepreneurs. They are to be applauded as their support for social entrepreneurs will ultimately lead to long term benefits for communities throughout Ireland.”

Blueface

What is an Entrepreneur? It all depends on who’s talking. Members of the political class, media, industry, academia, and the general public have a variety of perspectives on entrepreneurship.   Often, it means something altogether different for each cohort.  The unfortunate thing about entrepreneurship, however, is that it is sometimes completely misunderstood, and worse still, entrepreneurs themselves are viewed as having almost enigmatic and somewhat obscure personalities.  Are they mad, attention seeking, unscrupulous, greedy, independent, ingenious or terrifying?  Or are they simply misunderstood?

Our perspectives are often driven by a textbook definition which can be a linear interpretation of what it means to be an entrepreneur.   From a leadership perspective, we apply a “great man theory” lens to entrepreneurs.  We assume that they have some magical, charismatic and mystic quality that makes them entrepreneurs.  At some levels, we believe that entrepreneurs are born, not made.  They take risks that the ordinary man or woman would not take.  Why?  Because they have some extraordinary genius that makes them, well, entrepreneurs…

Personally, I would like to challenge that thinking.  Firstly, I would argue that having met a range of highly successful entrepreneurs in Ireland over the last few years, that each one of them would attribute their success to the team they have around them.  People are key.  In fact, the most successful would put even more emphasis and value on the people that surround them; their attitude, their teamwork, their energy and their competence.  The most successful companies of all time have built high energy “hot spots” (check out the book by Lynda Gratton) and which are built around cultures of performance.  High performance people create high performance cultures.  The problem is that “culture” is a very esoteric and fluffy term.  From the start-ups and SME’s that I have seen, the culture of a business is created and built by people working in the business.  Culture is more than the original founder, although they have a huge impact on the business.  But it’s more than them.  It’s a collective thing, a way of operating and set of behaviours, all of which are reinforced by the team.   The entrepreneur is more like a team captain.  They are not the team, they are a part of it.

Secondly, in my opinion, entrepreneurship is about innovation.  It’s not all about the next big thing.  It’s not all about revolutionary, game changing technology.  We can be entrepreneurial in existing businesses.  We can find new, better and more innovative ways of doing business and serving our customer.  Some of the most recent successful, enterprising ideas have been centred around business model innovation like DELL or Amazon or Ryanair.   I can safely say that the majority of entrepreneurs don’t see visions of the future and then arrive back on earth to prepare a business plan and seek funding.   Business, as in life, just doesn’t work that way.   Entrepreneurship is about serving a need or a gap and fixing it.  I would even go so far as to say that most inventions have been a reaction to a gaping lack of something and a clear, identifiable need.  It’s not about sitting on top of some mountain somewhere and strategising.  It’s about knowing your customer and their needs and doing everything in your power to serve them and address those needs.   Entrepreneurship firstly involves identifying gaps and weaknesses in the current order of things.  But coupled with this, entrepreneurship involves actually doing something about it.   This is what differentiates entrepreneurs and this is potentially why we elevate them to celebrity status.   But we forget that sometimes these entrepreneurs weren’t so visionary, so talented or so lucky.  Sometimes they needed to make a living.  They had to take a risk which led them down a path they might not ordinarily have chosen.  They committed themselves to a course and a trajectory, which either worked or did not.  But it’s safe to say, they almost never went it alone.

Alan Foy

“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses” – Henry Ford.

Mr. Henry Ford  I salute you, but we at Blueface feel a little differently about our customers! We’re a communications company, customers are our business and only through interaction with you, our customers, will we be able to continue to deliver the products that you want and services that you need. We’ve embedded a short survey, which should take no more than 5 minutes to complete, on our customer call history page and we we be very grateful if you’d take some time to log into your account and complete it anytime over the next  4 or 5 days. The survey has some basic questions about what services you use, what features you’d like added and how we can improve your experience online.

This information will be used to develop new products and services as well as helping us improve the services we currently have on offer. We’d like to thank you in advance for taking the time to do this it will be of great use to us over the coming few months.

To take the survey, please go to : Customer Satisfaction Survey

Regards,

Alan Haverty

Blueface