Month: May 2014

Facilities management is a complex and challenging role, often presenting a problem even to those who attempt to define it.

Essentially, the management requirements vary from facility to facility. The one constancy, to put it simply, involves handling the basic functions of the facility in question, allowing the other related businesses to go about their own day-to-day functions.

Facilities management is a £173bn a year industry, but it would be nothing without the use of two-way radios.

For a job that requires interaction with so many people and related parties, communication is key.

Think of a retail centre, an office block, a school or a hospital. Now imagine how many people visit, work in or use such a place, every single day. It boggles the mind, doesn’t it?

For now, let’s focus on the example of a retail centre. This space is likely to have multiple shops (all of which with their own staff, customers and management personnel, as well as health, safety and security concerns), car parks (which need to be monitored regularly), cafeterias and eateries, toilet facilities (including baby changing facilities) and an on-site office for the smooth running of things – and that’s just for starters.

The manager of such a facility will need to be able to speak to everyone, at any time. Two-way radios are the only clear and reliable way to achieve this. The manager will need to respond to safety issues, security concerns and any other problems that arise, she/he will be responsible for emergency procedures, use of resources and the smooth operation of the site itself, every single day.

Even analogue radios struggled with these tasks, so now most sites are using digital radios to relieve reception loss in various signal ‘black spots’ that were plaguing the bigger and more complex sites around the world.

For the modern facilities manager, a quick, clean and efficient two-way radio network, capable of supporting each and every layer of management, security, outside contractors, businesses, vendors and any other related group is absolutely essential to the smooth running of things.

Two-way radios are a massively important element of most contemporary businesses. The same system employed by the emergency services, the armed forces, building contractors and police is being used, every day, in our leisure facilities, shopping centres, office spaces and housing properties. Two-way radios are an amazing, indispensable part of day-to-day life across countless industries the world over.

The short answer is yes. If you are planning on using a radio system for commercial purposes anywhere in the UK, you will need a radio broadcast licence. According to Ofcom’s official site,

“If you use a radio system for your business then you will need a licence from Ofcom. Business radio users range from taxi companies and factories, to hospitals, care homes, industrial sites and transport operators. To begin the licensing process – and learn more about the specific licence you’ll need – (it then diverts you to a special application link)”.

The quote below is from Icom UK.co.uk. They offer a comprehensive page that you should probably check out before buying your radios. Their advice as is follows:

“You will need a radio licence to operate your two way business radios. This is issued by the Government Agency, Ofcom. Licensed frequencies are allocated on a case-by-case basis. You can get your dealer to program them into your radio”.

They also advise the buyer to,

“Get your local dealer to help with the licence application, they will advise on the best way to apply to get the channel you need”.

And also say that,

“If you wish to use your radios all over the UK and are not based in one fixed location, you can apply for a Business Radio Simple UK licence which is £75, renewable every 5 years”.

On the subject of price, it does appear that I can’t tell you how much it’s likely to cost, as pricing is an individual thing and it depends on your needs. When asked how much a licence will cost, Icom UK says,

“OK, the big question…unfortunately that is the one question we cannot answer, but your local Icom business radio dealer can. Often you will find that the radios you actually need are much more affordable than some you might have first looked at. Icom have a very comprehensive range at all price levels while still having the same quality and you could consider spreading the immediate cost by leasing rather than outright purchase”.

Icom then provide a link to finding a UK dealer, which I’ll add to this answer HERE.

Basically, any business radio use will require a licence, so it’s pretty important that you learn as much as you can about them (and what they entitle you to do).

Do not be disheartened, however, gaining license to broadcast isn’t as difficult as you might think and the costs are likely to be more manageable than you’re probably dreading they will be. Whatever you think of it, you’ll have to pay the fee, that’s just the way it is. In America, the FCC governs the licensing. Here in the UK, broadcast licensing is maintained and regulated by Ofcom (as stated earlier).

According to Walkie-Talkie radio.co.uk, there is a reason beyond naked profiteering:

“Most countries have some government agency in charge of who can use what radio frequencies. This is necessary to ensure that different organizations can use radio communications effectively without interfering with each other”.

So do a little research, fill out a couple of forms and move on to the next problem.

For us, the customers, shopping can be a fun-filled trip into town on a pleasant sun-dappled afternoon, complete with good company, interesting conversation and tasty treats.

However, a shop is actually a lot more than a pleasing Saturday afternoon’s distraction for the people who run it. The average high street store is, in fact, a tightly run combination of clever marketing, well-planned store layouts and hard working employees, all of which come together to create a state of the art consumer environment. Two-way radios are a big part of this operation.

How? Well, there’s health and safety to consider first and foremost. Shoppers need to be protected, with rapid medical attention provided should any problem befall them.

Then, there’s security of course. Allegedly, in 2009 alone, over 800,000 people were arrested for shoplifting. The following year, The BBC reported that shoplifting had cost UK stores £4.4bn in less than a year. Apparently, thefts add around £180 to the average family’s annual shopping bill. Security employees need to be more vigilant than ever, but without imposing their presence on (and thus discouraging) innocent shoppers.

A reliable two-way radio system is a great way to achieve this. Using radios, security personnel can monitor a potential situation quietly and discreetly, questioning (and if need be, apprehending) the suspect without causing too much of a fuss.

But those aren’t the only reasons that radios are vital to a retail environment. Staff and shoppers need to be protected from potentially volatile situations as well. We’ve all seen a seemingly mundane situation grow out of control for one reason or another and it’s down to the store’s management to see that these incidents are controlled and diffused in a quick and professional manner.

Of course, we also need to consider the larger retail environments like shopping malls and large centres of commerce. Across areas as big and sprawling as these can be, security, safety and customer comfort are all key concerns that become that much harder to monitor and manage. On that scale, every concern becomes amplified. In these situations, radios need to be reliable, able to operate over long distances and run with a relatively long battery life.

Two-way radios are ideal for the task at hand, allowing management to oversee complex operations and staff to perform their duties in a safe and respectful working environment. Without two way radios, a Saturday afternoon’s shopping would be a far less appealing prospect…