JMC is holding urgent talks with network supplier X-TANT after a systems failure cost the operator thousands of pounds of business.
The crash, during a peak booking period, was the second time since Christmas the system has failed. JMC is now seeking compensation and has assured agents it is working with X-TANT to avoid a repetition.
JMC sales director Dennis Wormwell said: “For eight years we have not had a problem but we have had two major glitches in a few weeks. Around 250 agents were logged out of the system when the problem started and we were running at half capacity from noon until 2.20pm which is the peak booking period.”
Wormwell estimated that JMC lost 500 calls every three minutes – more than 23,000 in total.
“Not all would have resulted in a booking but it’s fair to say we would have had a better trading day on Saturday had it not occurred.”
During the first glitch, the system was running slowly which restricted agents’ access and cost JMC more cash in connection fees.
Wormwell said the system failures have allowed JMC to test its call centre in Bradford.
“We were flooded with calls from agents and we coped.”
An X-TANT spokesman said the first problem was caused through sheer weight of agent demand but said the system did fail last Saturday. “We reacted the minute there was a problem,” he said.