Myths about Office 365 and the Cloud

Many employers hit brick walls when it comes to introducing new technology within their business and this usually comes in the form of staff, often the IT department themselves, who have a resistance to change.

Employees are often swayed by the many myths about new and rapidly changing technologies and as an employer you often have the difficult task of changing their perceptions.  From experience, Office 365 often has negative “perceptions” attached to it.

As a Microsoft Cloud Partner PearceIT we thought we would help you to bust a few of these myths so you can then use the information to break down any barriers your staff may have!

Myth #1:  Office 365 is only available online.

the platform is conceptually web-based, but it is able to be used offline, depending on the plan adopted.  Office Desktopclient, OneDrive for Business and Office for iPad or Androidallow users to access their corporate data whilst offline.

Myth #2:  Data in the Cloud is not secure  

Cybercrime is headline news but keeping information in the Cloud is no more insecure than leaving it floating around the office! In actual fact Microsoft invests enormous amount of expert personnel, time and money into ensuring that Cloud security is un-breached.

Office 365 has multi-layer security and a dedicated threat management taken to a level that no private company could replicate.  All data stored in Office 365 is encrypted both in transit and at rest. Enhanced protection is achieved through multi-factor authentication, rights management and mobile device management technologies.

Also Office 365 has a 99.9% service level agreement (SLA) / guarantee and Microsoft’s data centres meet the latest privacy standards, such as HIPAA, FISMA and ISO 27001. Note:  details can be found at the Office 365 Trust Centre.

Myth #3:  Everything has to be moved to the Cloud

Not true! It is unlikely that any business would want to move all of their data at the same time – this would put a lot of pressure on all employees not just the IT department!

Most implementation starts with a hybrid approach, moving one application (for example, email) at a time and expanding form there.  The Cloud is a consistent platform allowing an organisation to control the ebb and flow and respond to its own business demands.

Myth #4:  Moving to the Cloud is too big a task for my business

Yes it’s a daunting prospect but PearceIT provides support and suggested routes for all businesses – regardless of size and complexity.  We can advise on everything from firewall configurations, to reverse proxy requirements, to identity options and to the use of existing tools and processes!

Myth #5:  It’s expensive!

Actually, Office 365 is reasonably priced with the average cost-per-user falling between £3.33 and £15.00 per month (depending on the plan option).  For example, considering elements such as data storage, access and licenses for all products included in a plan, moving in the Cloud can offer high percentage savings over a similar on-premises solution.  Many IT departments assume that hosting everything internally and paying for software upfront will prevent recurring fees, however because Office 365 offers pricing structures it means solutions can be more cost-effective and scalable.  For example, savings can immediately be realised due to the lack of software upgrade fees and daily maintenance!

PearceIT understands that many businesses are often over-awed by the technical jargon, are influenced by the naysayers and put off by the seemingly complex processes involved in adopting a new IT strategy.  To this end PearceIT can confidently recommend the structure and capability offered by the pre-packaged, instantly available and eminently scalable Cloud.  Also, with no capital investment it is an option that is friendly to accountants and partners alike.

PearceIT is a Microsoft Cloud Partner and can provide the full migration of business IT to the Cloud – from design to implementation, as well as offering remote support and hosted application services.

Want to know more?  Give us a call on 01452 222 000

Cyber Security and how to reduce your risk

As you may have seen in the press recently, Cyber Crime has been at the forefront of focus for many businesses.   Not only are the large enterprises being affected by cyber-crime, there are thousands of small and medium businesses being affected just like yours.

With the recent outbreak, you may have seen how whole networks can become infected with an unwanted application.

At Pearce IT, we pride ourselves in keeping abreast of the latest technology and making sure this is correct for your business.  With that in mind, every product or solution we advise on always has Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity at its forefront.   With our partnership with both Microsoft and ESET, we have a zero % infection rate to date of customers being contaminated by these exploits.

So, should the unexpected happen we are always available to make sure we can get your business back up and running with the minimum downtime.

Here are some basic steps you can take to reduce your risk.

• Make sure your windows updates are enabled – by default we enable this setting on everything we supply.
• Make sure you are using a brand leading antivirus – by default, we recommend and install ESET Antivirus. They are a many award winning antivirus provider with software which will cover Mac’s, PC’s, and Android Tablets, including cross-contamination of these.  Home use or free antiviruses are available however we have found these do not offer the cover required nor are free versions to be used in a commercial environment.
• Secure Online Backup – This needs to be UK based for compliance both for GDPR and speed of recovery. –  We offer full UK hosted backup which can be quickly and easily restored.   Backup and cost as little as £5 a month.
• Be cautious of emails you receive. – Just because you recognise the name of the user doesn’t mean it necessarily from them. If in doubt with websites, hold your mouse over the link to check whether the link name is the same as the address disclosed.   If different, this is usually the case of a fraudulent email.

Want to make sure you have everything covered?

Please give us a call on 01452 222000, to speak to myself or a member of the team where we can talk through your concerns and make sure everything is covered to reduce your risk from attack and data loss as much as possible.

Pearce IT are also a member of the Cyber Club helping businesses like your stay safe online and helping to reduce the likely hood to be at risk from the exploits of others.

For information, direct from the National Cyber Security Centre please visit https://www.ncsc.gov.uk

Revolutionise Your Business With VOIP

Whether you are a home-based business, a one-man/woman band or you employ a team of people there is a telephone system that can revolutionise your business – that system is VOIP.
VOIP (Voice over IP) uses the Internet rather than traditional, labour intensive telephone lines to transmit phone calls and brings many benefits to business owners.

I am being asked a lot about the benefits of VOIP and I thought I would share some of the ways I believe it can revolutionise YOUR business.

#1 Cost

Cost is just one of the benefits of VOIP. VOIP is cheaper than traditional land-lines and utilises the technology that you are undoubtedly already using and paying for – the Internet. No new connections need to be installed and there are no high call costs.

#2 Flexible Working

Do your colleagues work in different offices or different locations? With a VOIP phone system you can put calls through to any destination and have your phones ring on multiple phones, all setup through a simple web browser.

#3 Call Screening

Increase productivity by only taking the calls that you need to. Imagine how satisfying it will feel to ignore and disconnect those annoying ‘can’t take no for an answer’ sales calls. Prioritise calls and choose which go through to your well-crafted answer phone message. This ensures you are not distracted from what you are working on and taken off on an unnecessary tangent – remember your time is very valuable too.

#4 You Decide Who Is Connected With You and When

This is a must-have feature for those of us who aren’t in front of our desks all of the time. Call twining lets you create a list of people and numbers that get redirected to another number (i.e. your mobile) before your business number voice-mail kicks in. You can set the number of ring times before the call divert is implemented and the number of different numbers the call is diverted to before voice-mail eventually is received. Make it easy for those important clients to reach you wherever you are.

#5 Voice-mail to Email

It is not always easy to discreetly check your voice-mail using your mobile, however with the rise of the SMART phone and accessibility to email wherever we are you can have flexible and easy access to all of your messages. VOIP will send your voice-mail messages straight through to your inbox allowing you to listen to them anywhere you are.

#6 Make It Easy For Your Callers To Speak To EXACTLY Who They Need To

VOIP’s auto attendant feature is one of the most useful for larger companies. I call it the electronic receptionist! Callers are able to interact with a selected menu of extensions appropriate to your business. Again you set the extensions and messages so you get a completely unique service that represents your business exactly how you want it to. And if that isn’t enough you can create a call plan to set the times of day that calls are routed to who and where you wish.

#7 Do Not Disturb

This feature does exactly what it says on the tin…set it when you are in meetings, focusing on an important piece of work or just having a five-minute breather to recharge. You can programme the Do Not Disturb Feature so your callers do not feel unloved and ignored and direct them to another destination or your voice mail.

#8 Business Continuity

You will remember last month we focused on the importance of being open for business and business continuity. VOIP is an essential risk management tool that will enable you to transfer your telephone services instantly should the worse ever happen – you just plug your handset into another network socket in any location and you are good to go. This will not only keep you accessible to your customers and allow you to maintain a service for them but will also enable you to make all those calls that will be needed to get your business back up and running. As well as this any amendments can be made to your call plan by simply logging into your online portal and making those changes live.

Call me on 01452 222000 for a no obligation quote and find out how VOIP can benefit your business from only £13.49 including unlimited 01/02 numbers.