The world is highly connected. Few places in the world do not have access to the internet and the copious amounts of information held there. Text messages, social media and even the humble telephone can pose a risk to client confidentiality. Let’s start with common sense Some things should go unsaid, but we should voice… Read more »
There is an argument to suggest that some IT is brought into schools because it is entertaining and engaging. Anything done on a computer, on a tablet or through the students’ smartphone can stimulate interest immediately. Educationalists might argue that the task is as effective off-screen as it is on, while some would say it… Read more »
There is no sector more shaped and improved by IT developments than accountancy. From the thick ledgers of old, with paper receipts and a calculator, we are now in the world of the cloud with software that covers all four areas of accounting. Charting the route to the best IT solutions for accountants now focuses… Read more »
Each day a solicitor is required to handle a massive amount of complex information; categorise this effectively and analyse it for its worth, before storing this for future use. Much of this data will need to be cross-referenced with other data and made available to a select number of people. Privacy is a significant concern,… Read more »
There is so much potential technology available to schools. With the growth in education-specific software, lesson enhancing apps, as well as reporting, monitoring and communication software, a school has an opportunity to revolutionise its offering with IT. Yet, add to this the potentials of hardware, from iPads to smartphones to interactive displays, laptops and desktops,… Read more »
The concern which, above all others, causes IT heads to think twice about migrating to cloud computing is security. This is understandable: from the hacker’s point of view, the cloud has a silver lining – a rich store of sensitive (and therefore valuable) data. This is why it is important, if choosing a provider, to make sure… Read more »
Surveys of business owners consistently reveal that among their biggest concerns at the moment are the uncertain economic outlook and cyber risk. While Serval Systems cannot, unfortunately, promise to speed up the economic recovery, we can certainly assist with data recovery (should the worst happen) and safeguard your system from cyber attacks. Here are our top ‘data… Read more »
The Lessons Every Business Should Learn From 2014’s iCloud Hack The 2014 iCloud hack that saw intimate images of celebrities being accessed and posted on the net, brought the security of the cloud into question last year. But is it the cloud itself that is the problem here? Many argue that cloud computing is actually more secure… Read more »
Legal firms are directly in the firing line when it comes to cyber crime thanks to the large amount of sensitive and confidential information they hold. Yet while such bounty is highly prized by hackers, surprisingly few law firms are prioritising IT security, making their business protection much weaker than that of other industries. Remote access to sensitive… Read more »
Why are IT Policies Necessary? Clear policies about how IT is or may be used lead to a well managed, effectively run business. They provide a set of instructions to ensure the smooth running of operations on a day-to-day basis. An up-to-date, fully functioning IT system is now fundamental for the majority of businesses to… Read more »
Hundreds of new pieces of information are being created in your business every day and what a costly disaster it would spell if all of it were to get lost. As you know data backup is essential for every business, but it can be difficult to know which one is best for your business. The right backup… Read more »
Anti-virus and firewalls may be the front runners in the battle against security threats however you may have another weak link lurking in your midst. Unless properly trained, your own staff could be the biggest threat to the security of your business network and information. Nowadays massive data breaches can be tracked back to a single click made… Read more »
Enhancing Your Business with the Right IT Solutions for You During our 15 years in the industry we have seen how IT improves businesses. However, simply adopting every kind of software that comes along is not necessarily going to do the trick. Instead you need to know which will be the right IT solutions for… Read more »
When you leave the office at the end of the day you lock the doors behind you. The same should be the case for your computers, in order to protect the information stored on them. A firewall is that locked door to secure your business IT network, designed to block unauthorised access from other, less secure networks… Read more »
Is your business using a co.uk or org.uk domain name? It might now be time to secure the new slimmer model .uk. Last month saw the release of new leaner domain name .uk by UK domain registry organisation Nominet. In its first 24 hours after launch .uk registrations surpassed 50,000 and Nominet expects this will rise… Read more »
Offsite backup is an essential component to any business’ disaster recovery plan. Without one you’re at risk of losing vital data should the unexpected happen, such as a fire, flood, theft or a major software or hardware failure. Protecting your essential data from being permanently lost with offsite backup will enable your business to continue functioning as… Read more »
Disaster has struck, you have had a major hardware failure, a fire or flood, or accidentally deleted critical data – what are you going to do? What would happen to your business should one of these scenarios strike? Long periods of downtime Unhappy customers Permanent loss of data With an effective disaster recovery plan (DRP)… Read more »
Ever had an email from an ‘official’ organisation asking you to disclose personal information, but you were not sure whether to trust it? Your instincts may be right. Scammers are sending emails disguising themselves as legitimate organisations, linking recipients to a fake log-in page in an attempt to hijack personal information, known as phishing –… Read more »
Every day businesses are becoming more reliant on the internet – from storing data in the cloud to running their systems through computers and the internet. But lurking in the shadows sophisticated malicious software is being created, e.g. viruses, worms and trojans, ready to exploit weaknesses in networks and steal personal data. For instance, did… Read more »
Cloud computing has been hailed as an IT game changer. Thanks to the Cloud, you can now discard your internal, complex infrastructure and manage your business’ data through the internet. Cloud computing is fully encrypted to your business and you are in charge of who accesses your company information. It is very secure, in fact it is… Read more »
Have you ever been on the move or sat at home and really needed access to documents from your office at work? If your documents are hardwired in the office server then they aren’t going to budge, leaving you unable to complete the task you intended to work on. But what if you could put… Read more »
The idea of the paperless office has been around since computers first arrived on the business scene and yet, all these years later, it is still largely a myth. Why does the thought of relying completely on electronics give us such cause for concern? Well, first, we’ve all heard the horror stories – from information… Read more »
Have you heard that web domains such as ‘.com’ and ‘.org’ are running out? Now new domains are being created such as ‘.london’ and ’.gallery’ and even wacky ones including ‘.ninja’ and ‘.cool’. This could mean big business for companies in the future. The first of the new top-level domains have been released, and over… Read more »
Productivity is a key component to achieving business goals and is a firm indicator of success, or possible failure. So what steps do you need to take ensure high levels of productivity? How do you know your employees and business are performing productively to maximise your business success? Using IT, such as business productivity software,… Read more »
As a business owner or manager you’ve probably made some resolutions, from how to grow your business with new leads through to ways to increase engagement with your existing customers. Why not follow our tips below for business success: • Get your IT systems in order Before you can consider increasing your leads and customer… Read more »
Imagine being able to run your warehouse more efficiently, without having to be concerned with making human errors or boring stock taking. Did you realise that a reliable IT support system can take care of many processes and help you manage your warehouse much easier. IT support manages most warehouse processes – from pulling orders… Read more »
Christmas is just around the corner, which for most of us means a mass exodus from the office. Opening hours at this time of year vary from business to business, so ensuring your employees or colleagues have their ‘out of office’ response set on their emails is an important part of your communications with your… Read more »
Spam emails are a modern day pest. In the same way we are hounded with junk mail through our letter box, we are pestered with unsolicited mail electronically as well. Spam or junk email has many of the same characteristics as postal junk mail, but its aim is often far worse. What are Spam Emails?… Read more »
Bustling offices, small businesses and internal IT support have never mixed well. Busy offices have limited resources and a working week is packed with day-to-day tasks, leaving little spare time for staff to focus solely on IT. Often it isn’t financially viable for small and medium businesses to hire a staff member dedicated to managing… Read more »
We all know how frustrating it can be to receive incorrect wages. But to ensure that we all get paid the right amount at the right time, accountants must rely heavily upon access to data, such as payroll information. While IT systems can make or break an accountancy business, a well designed network will ensure… Read more »
The introduction of hosted telephony has revolutionised the way in which offices work. With more flexibility and ease, businesses across the UK are reaping the benefits of VoIP hosted telephony technology. What is VoIP? Firstly, what exactly does VoIP mean? Voice over Internet Protocol (or IP) simply means that calls are made over the internet. VoIP operates… Read more »
Security and data protection are a major concern for businesses when it comes to working remotely. We’re often asked by our clients how safe remote access is, how it works and what the benefits are. Here are our most frequently asked questions about remote access and the best tools around: What does remote access mean?… Read more »
Poor IT infrastructure and processes not only affect customer satisfaction, but also employee productivity. If IT systems are letting you and your employees down, read on to find out how making improvements now could help to keep your employees happy and their productivity levels up: How IT Improves Employee Productivity Minimises the need for paperwork… Read more »
Anyone working with computers on a daily basis will be familiar with the IT problems which regularly arise. Both small and medium sized businesses rely heavily upon IT infrastructure, regardless of the sector you operate in. Having either an in-house IT expert or outsourcing to an IT support company is vital when it comes to… Read more »
We live in a digital world and running a business without any form of digital technology is nigh on impossible. Storing vital data, sending and receiving emails, capturing client and customer details – can you imagine attempting to run your business day-to-day without even the most basic technology? Finding an IT solution to match the… Read more »
As an integral part of your business, a working IT system keeps your employees and customers happy. Stories of big name companies whose IT systems have failed their customers are never far from the headlines and the damage can be long-term. Outsourced IT support services however allow your team to focus on their jobs, whilst IT… Read more »
As a company you are almost completely reliant on IT for day-to-day operation, it has never been more important to have a business continuity plan in place to ensure your business can continue to trade in the event of a crisis. Having IT support in place prior to a breakdown can ensure your business is protected 24/7 when… Read more »
