Software Hothouse

Our Capabilities

Develop

We develop high performance, complex software systems. We specialise in VoIP, audio processing, recording, computer-telephony interfaces (CTI), computer communication protocols and high availability.

We are the original developers of the Avaya Contact Recorder voice recorder, which is part of the WFO suite delivered to Avaya by Verint.

Consult

We provide professional services for call centre recording environments. We have worked on Avaya Communication Manager (CM) based systems since 2003 and have an in-depth understanding of CM interfaces and fault tolerance strategies.

We provide audits to help our customers achieve and maintain compliance with PCI-DSS, HIPAA and GDPR.

Assist

Our senior principals are highly experienced in software development, professional services and complex troubleshooting. We have served as expert witnesses, interim CTOs and non-executive board appointees.

We can help you to protect your intellectual property, working with you to implement your IP and patent strategies.

Our Story

ABOUT US

The company was founded in 2003 by Chris Blair and Richard Heap. Richard passed away in 2026 and the company continues under Chris's leadership.

High Performance Wizards

Our founders knew each other since they were both at Cambridge University. Their first jobs were at a subsidiary of British Telecom writing software for dealing turrets, which in those days meant squeezing every last ounce of performance from a microprocessor or data link.

Chris moved onto the emerging industry of digital voice recording, where be became CTO of Eyretel through its IPO. Richard stayed close to dealing rooms, specialising in high speed market data at several Wall St companies.

After they joined forces again at Eyretel, they revelled in building one of the first software-only voice recorders, using Avaya's brand new DMCC softphone API. Their combined experience in high performance systems allows the recorder to record and compress thousands of channels on off-the-shelf servers.

Seasoned Firefighters

Experienced troubleshooters used to working with large, complex, high-speed systems - and with large, complex, irate customers.

People behind the firm

Chris Blair

Co-Founder

Chris holds an MA in Electrical Sciences and a PhD in computer communication protocols both from Cambridge. He has spent thirty years developing software - primarily in the computer telephony arena. Prior to Software Hothouse, he was Chief Technology Officer at Eyretel plc - providing innovative voice and data recording products to call centres, trading floors and lawful intercept systems.