Press Release

BT and Charity Technology Trust offer charities a new platform for collecting telephone donations
London - March 2010

Charity Technology Trust (CTT) has announced a partnership with BT to enable charities to significantly cut the cost of collecting telephone donations while reducing the risk of theft and fraud with the launch of BT’s SafePay payments system.

BT SafePay is a dedicated automated telephone interactive voice response (IVR) system for securely collecting credit or debit card donations using CTT’s card payment processing system. It enables charities and other organisations to avoid the expense of using call centres and guarantees every call is answered.

Launched by agilemedia, BT’s  wholesale interactive communications and payments division, the IVR platform in conjunction with the BT Buynet card payment solution has already been used successfully, prior to partnering with CTT,  to support BBC Children in Need and the recent Disaster Emergency Committee’s appeal for Haiti. 

The fully automated platform can be up and running in a matter of hours and allows calls to be managed 24 hours a day minimising lost donations. Once money is pledged the payment is authorised and deposited with the charity within 48 hours – giving charities the opportunity to maximise the interest earned on donated funds.

The platform is also designed to take Gift Aid Instruction, so that donors can register a declaration that they are a UK taxpayer - allowing charities to reclaim income tax paid on donations compliantly.

BT SafePay has been independently audited and is currently the only platform of its type to be certified Tier 1 compliant to the card payment industry's highest data security standards (PCI-DSS).As part of the partnership with CTT, BT SafePay has added the Trust's Tier 1 PCI-DSS compliant card payment processing system, CP Terminal, a system used by over 1500 UK charities.

“Telephone donations are a very important method of collecting donations for charities. Every missed call or human error is very costly and there is always the risk of card fraud when card details are being given over the telephone” said James Redhead, Development Director, CTT. “BT SafePay will significantly reduce the costs of collecting telephone donations and ensure the supporter's card information is secure.”

Pat Wilson, Fundraising Manager for DEC, The Disasters Emergency Committee endorsed the value to a charity this payment solution provides, “DEC used the BT SafePay Service to support its Haiti Earthquake Appeal 24/7 automated telephone donation line.  The response to our appeal from the UK public was phenomenal and BT SafePay was able to process high volumes of donations within 24 hours, helping the DEC member agencies to deliver emergency aid.” 

"We are delighted to be working with CTT to bring the highest level of security and flexibility to charities when collecting donations. It is great to be able to help charitable organisations with their fundraising” said Graham Pottie COO, BT agilemedia.

David Ramsden CEO of BBC Children in Need comments “Through the agilemedia team, BT has continued to help us improve the efficiency of our on the night operation, meaning thousands of supporters can give many thousands of pounds to the charity, and we can be sure that we keep up to date with all relevant compliance regulations.”

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Notes to Editors

About BT agilemedia
BT agilemedia is a communications and payments specialist division of BT Wholesale, based in London.  We specialise in services that help consumers interact with high profile media events, charities, businesses and each other, via IVR, mobile and online channels. Our products are used to make interaction easy and commercial transactions simple. Organisations that use our services include all the main UK TV and radio broadcasters, Communications Service Providers, charities, dating companies, magazine and web publishers.  For more information call 0800 731 3050.

About Charity Technology Trust (CTT)
CTT is an impartial, non-profit-making organisation which provides the charitable sector with information technology and support services including hardware, software and support for creating and maintaining websites. To date CTT has already provided over 3,000 charitable organisations with new technology often donated by the manufacturers. Formed in 2001, London based CTT is the only UK registered charity devoted to improving the operational efficiency of charities through the use of information technology. http://www.ctt.org

About BBC Children in Need 
The BBC Children in Need Appeal is a charity registered in England and Wales (802052) and Scotland (SC039557) whose aim is to make a positive change to the lives of disadvantaged children and young people across the UK.

Every year, thanks to public donations and the amazing efforts of fundraisers, schools, businesses and corporate partners, BBC Children in Need is able to make a difference to thousands of young lives.
For further small grants information and application forms please visit  bbc.co.uk/pudsey/grants
The Small Grants programme is in addition to BBC Children in Need’s Main Grants programme

About Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC)
The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) was formed in 1963. We are an umbrella organisation for the leading 13 UK humanitarian aid agencies.  At times of overseas emergency in the world’s poorest countries, the DEC brings together a unique alliance of the UK's aid, corporate, public and broadcasting sectors to rally the nation's compassion, and ensure that funds raised go to DEC agencies best placed to deliver effective and timely relief to people most in need. The DEC's remit is to unite agency efforts in times of disaster - such as flood, earthquake or famine, to maximise funds raised, ensuring they are spent in an effective and fully accountable way. For more information call 020 7255 9111

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