When it comes to a business phone system, VoIP is the most important options a business has right now. This brings many businesses to have questions about how it can be used to solve their communication needs (e.g. how many VoIP lines they need).
More than ever, internet security is a top priority for many businesses - big and small. Every business needs protection, and as people are working from home, your business should be protected online as well. If you're using VoIP phones in your business, it's important to ensure that your internet security for VoIP is set up correctly. More than ever, internet security is a top priority for many businesses. Every business needs protection, especially online as well. If you're using VoIP phones, it's important to ensure internet security for VoIP.
There's a big question that business owners need to ask themselves when it comes to their telecoms - are VoIP phone systems reliable? VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), is a technology that allows you to make telephone calls using an internet connection instead of a traditional phone line.
Employees are increasingly asking to work from home, and you need is an internet telephony system to support this. So, why use VoIP for remote workers?
Hybrid working becoming more popular creates businesses to struggle with what they need to offer to support their employees. In this article, you can find what you need to provide in order to support your employees through hybrid working.
The cloud is one of the biggest advancements in recent years, but it can be difficult to get your head round how cloud solutions and cloud services can benefit your business.
The business landscape is changing. With advances in technology, more and more businesses are allowing their staff to work remotely. There are many benefits to this however, there are also challenges that come with remote working.
Business processes are the foundation of every business. They ensure that tasks are completed in a consistent and efficient manner, and they play a vital role in ensuring that your business is successful. However, many businesses do not have an effective strategy in place to ensure their business processes are efficient and consistent.
Communication and collaboration are two of the most important aspects of any business. If you can't communicate effectively with your colleagues, clients, and partners, then your business will suffer.
A regulatory requirement is a law or rule that businesses must adhere to in order to operate legally. There are many different regulatory requirements, and it is important for businesses to be aware of them all.
You should choose a system that will be compatible with your current devices and infrastructure. While most VoIP providers offer compatibility with major operating systems and devices, it’s always best to check beforehand.
VoIP is a technology that has been around for over two decades and was first developed in the early 1990s. It is based on the principle of transmitting voice communication over the internet instead of using a traditional phone line.
One of the most important aspects of running a successful business is having reliable and efficient IT support. But what is managed IT support? And what are the pros and cons of using a managed service provider?
Public networks expose your business to security threats. Switching to a VPN can greatly help in reducing those threats.
Mitigating risks would be nearly impossible if you don't have any type of IT compliance policies for handling data or protecting it from external threats that might seek out personal information about customers who use online services, such as e-commerce websites. Even brick and mortar organisations use software to perform activities like accounting, reporting, back-office management, and so on.
To simplify things, cybersecurity companies essentially live by three steps: prevention, detection and reaction. A lot of individual cybersecurity tactics include one or two of these steps, but not the full coverage.
When it comes to outsourcing cybersecurity, there should be no hesitation. Here are five reasons that explain why.
Leading a small business is a challenging endeavour. According to a January 2021 article published by Entrepreneur, 20% of small businesses fail within their first year of operation. And a staggering 50% fail within five years.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic rendered many business practices obsolete, such as; face-to-face brainstorming sessions, team building activities, even the entire concept of the office.
You've probably heard the classic business email compromise (BEC) scam about Nigerian princes who want to deposit money in people's bank accounts - but first...
With the ability for hackers to establish a beachhead in your business with little to no effort, security awareness training of your employees about current security threats, company security policies, and the personal role each plays in keeping your business safe from cyber threats is essential.
You need more than the latest antivirus software to ensure your company’s network is secure. A cybersecurity audit helps you create a complete picture of your security strategy.
You may or may not be aware of the criminal underbelly of the internet known as the dark web and its potential security risks to your organization. One of the fastest paths to a hacker’s payday is leveraging user login credentials to enter a network or application and then methodically navigate toward theft of private data.
A great IT strategy is not just about the technology. It's also about how it can help your business grow and succeed. With a good understanding of what an IT strategy entails, you'll be able to build one that will work for your business.
In today's world, telecommunications has become a necessity for any business. VoIP phone service is the future of telecommunications and holds many benefits over traditional phone lines. In this blog post, we will discuss what VoIP is and how it can be beneficial to your company.
Our Edinburgh IT Solution services are just one part of the many vital areas your business can work with us to improve productivity, increase security, and reduce overall costs. A forward-thinking, highly motivated company like Onestop will take your business to the next level.
With businesses relying on technology to empower their services, having reliable Managed IT Support in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Central Scotland has never been more important.
With work from home and e-learning still very popular, having reliable Home Office IT Support in Scotland has never been more important...
Outsourcing IT Support Services in Aberdeen is a wise move for SMEs. There are numerous IT Support providers covering Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and central Scotland areas and they all package their services in different ways. At Onestop we provide a wealth of products and support to meet the needs of our SME IT customers. Broadly speaking our IT Services divide into IT Support and Managed IT Services. We work with each customer to create an individual package of services that meets their needs, often pulling in elements of both IT Support and Managed Services.
Outsourcing IT Support Services in Scotland is a wise move for SMEs. There are numerous IT Support providers covering Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow and central Scotland areas and they all package their services in different ways. At Onestop we provide a wealth of products and support to meet the needs of our SME IT customers. Broadly speaking our IT Services divide into IT Support and Managed IT Services. We work with each customer to create an individual package of services that meets their needs, often pulling in elements of both IT Support and Managed Services.
Outsourcing IT Support Services is a wise move for SMEs. There are numerous IT Support providers covering the Glasgow, Edinburgh and central Scotland areas and they all package their services in different ways.
Running a business is no easy task. You have to keep up with the latest IT trends and updates, be aware of any security vulnerabilities, and decide which software to use. This can sometimes feel like too much for one person or team, so it's understandable when businesses are sceptical about outsourcing IT support. But if you choose wisely, there are many benefits! This blog post will go over 5 reasons why IT support should be outsourced in favour of company growth and success.
What is the best VoIP Phone System? Before we jump into our favourite VoIP systems on the market right now, let's look at what a VoIP system is...
Are you looking for VoIP Telecoms in Edinburgh? We can help! Onestop IT provide VoIP telecoms in the city of Edinburgh, so if you're looking for a provider then we are here to help...
When something goes wrong with the technology in the office, productivity grinds to a halt and costs go up. An IT strategy can ensure this doesn't happen to you.
An IT strategy helps you identify your business goals and how IT can be used to make them happen. It also makes sure everything in your organisation, from operations to marketing strategies, are aligned with your business objectives.
Quite simply, VOIP is a way of carrying voice conversations over the internet. In other words, it has exactly the same purpose as your fixed line telephone. However, unlike your telephone, it doesn't rely on a vast array of telecommunications infrastructure to accomplish its goal (the task of allowing you to speak to another human being, instantaneously, from another part of the planet).
No man is an island, and no organisation is, either. We all collaborate with people outside our company from time to time, whether that be with freelancers, consultants, vendors or something like an IT support company.
In our modern-day and age, cyberattacks can seem like a thing of the past. After all, we know so much more about the internet and security than we did ten years ago, right? It’s actually more nuanced than that. Though we do have more advanced technology than we once did, we also have to be on the lookout for new security risks. As new technology is being developed, so are techniques to find vulnerabilities with it. Because of this, keeping your organisation safe is about more than just using secure technology. Keeping yourself genuinely safe is a matter of keeping up-to-date with the industry.
With data breaches increasing annually, businesses need to be more vigilant in implementing security measures. Large companies also experience mega data breaches that affect their business, but the hacks rarely lead to closure. However, breaches in small businesses may not be large-scale, but the affected companies have a slim chance of recovery.
Given the amount of information available, it is surprising that there is so much misunderstanding about the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), which will come into force in May 2018. In part this is down to sensational reporting of the more lurid parts of the regulation; the greatly increased fines available to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the increased reporting requirements placed on companies, the changes to lawful authority for data processing. There is a lot to digest in the GDPR, and that for some organisations it will mean substantial changes to the way data is handled, processed and protected to ensure GDPR compliance. Let us walk you through some of the some of the more persistent GDPR myths and see if we cannot replace them with more useful GDPR facts…
The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) isn’t to be confused with the DPRK or even the DDR, although businesses could be forgiven for thinking otherwise. Press coverage has emphasised the greatly increased powers accorded to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and the substantially increased fines for noncompliance. Although this is true, they say little of the reality of this new legislation and what GDPR compliance entails. The GDPR will apply across the European Union (EU) from May this year and will continue to apply to any company conducting business with EU based clients and customers regardless of the ultimate shape of Brexit.
Here’s a thought; if you would like to have a little fun with the GDPR when you’re next asked in a store for your email address “for your receipt” enquire in turn whether they are now GDPR compliant and what exactly are their terms of consent. We promise blank looks all round… Fun and the General Data Protection Regulation seldom go hand in hand. Data security and GDPR compliance is a serious subject and ensuring your data integrity and confidentiality is at the core of the GDPR. We wouldn’t advise any company to assume that their current IT security provision necessarily meets the demands of the GDPR.
If there is one thing that we in the I.T. industry love, it’s TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms), so let us throw one at you – SAR. Search And Rescue? Sarah’s Aunt Rachel? Sausages Are Righteous? None of those we regret, although we are fully in agreement with the last one; it is actually Subject Access Request, and under the GDPR you are going to hear a lot more about these so it is wise to start preparing now.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) becomes effective on the 25th of May 2018. It represents a major shift in the way data is treated; it is significant that in the midst of their current troubles Facebook are now suggesting that it is the gold standard to which their global operations should adhere. There is much in this, just as there is much in the GDPR which we, as individuals, should applaud. That said, many organisations will face considerable upheaval in order to meet its requirements.
Contained within the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is an obligation to notify the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) of a data breach which meets certain criteria: The GDPR introduces a duty on all organisations to report certain types of personal data breach to the relevant supervisory authority. You must do this within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach, where feasible. If the breach is likely to result in a high risk of adversely affecting individuals’ rights and freedoms, you must also inform those individuals without undue delay. You should ensure you have robust breach detection, investigation and internal reporting procedures in place. This will facilitate decision-making about whether or not you need to notify the relevant supervisory authority and the affected individuals. You must also keep a record of any personal data breaches, regardless of whether you are required to notify.
‘Serious’ is one of those words in the English language that has multiple meanings depending on context. When we suggest that you should take the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) seriously we do not mean that there is a chance that you might regard it as a source of great mirth or even hilarity; if only it were. No, we clearly mean that it has to be regarded as a matter that can have serious impact on your business and should, therefore, be taken, well, seriously.
If you lead any kind of online life you will have probably been inundated with emails imploring you to confirm and continue your various subscriptions. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has had the unexpected benefit of allowing all of us to finally dispose of some of those deeply irritating messages that clog up our inbox, and for that many of us are probably grateful.
From printer troubleshooting to accessing shared drives: How our IT support team improves business continuity Troubleshooting an offline printer “We had one user calling us because their printer was showing up as offline. It’s generally frustrating for people when they can’t use the equipment in their offices, and printers tend to act up quote often. I resolved the issues within a timely manner by assigning a static IT for the device. This solution should also prevent the problem from reoccurring in the future so the client will be able to use their printer just fine from now on! I was happy to help as printer issues can take a while to troubleshoot if you don’t know exactly what to look for. This is a great example of what I call the magic behind the curtain as we are able to work in the background and use our experience to fix issues quickly.” – Michael F.
Backup and disaster recovery planning is, unfortunately, one of those things that too many companies pay lip service to. It is time-consuming, it needs to be regularly reviewed and updated, it should be tested periodically and it doesn’t appear to add anything to the profitability of the business. This is all true until something goes wrong. At that point having a disaster recovery plan can make the difference between rolling up your shirt sleeves and sorting things out as quickly and efficiently as possible or realising that you may never be able to recover at all. If you have worked in the business world for any length of time it is likely that you can think of at least one example of a company that found itself in difficulties that were compounded by the lack of a recovery plan. It isn’t uncommon to see companies focused on the day-to-day challenges and not paying too much attention to “what ifs”.
Did you know, research across the British business sector revealed that 70% of IT security breaches are caused by human error. To combat this IT security risk and safe guard your business, you need to establish an effective human firewall of informed employees. One of the key methods cybercriminals are using is ransomware, most famously the Crypto-locker malware and its numerous variants, which encrypts the files on a user’s computer and demands the user pay a ransom, usually in Bitcoins, to receive the key to decrypt the files. Here are the top 2 ways to safeguard your company against Ransomware:
Most of us would be inclined to think of cyber criminals as a lot of lawless occupants of the deep, a gang of individuals that trade exploit kits and stolen data and operate in a chaotic and disorderly manner. But the reality is, cybercrime is now a multibillion ‘business’ and one that is seeking to be as innovative and disruptive as your next tech company. The only difference is that cybercriminals act in a destructive manner and quite frankly, most businesses blindly deny how effective and ingenious they can be – the perfect storm conditions for any business to get caught off guard and become the victim of cybercrime.
Technology has come to play a crucial role in everyday business operations and most of the times it can either enable or hinder the success of your organisation. In this context, it’s then no wonder that more and more businesses are moving away from managing everything in-house (which can be both time- and budget-consuming), and are choosing to partner with specialised IT supportcompanies. According to KPMG we are entering a “radical new world of outsourcing”, as IT is being recognised as a business enabler. Many organisations are starting to recognise the value in outsourcing their IT and decide to leverage the expertise and experience of top IT engineers by partnering with expert IT providers. (read: Why businesses are turning to managed IT services)
With Christmas season officially open (at least in shops and supermarkets), the end of 2017 is now within clear sight. This makes it the perfect time to review your achievements from this year and start thinking about the next. Here are 3 often overlooked but proven methods for nailing your yearly business review: 1.Prepare an agenda and share it ahead of time
What is the role of technology? Simply put, to make our lives easier. Therefore, business technology should have the sole purpose of making your work-life easier. Yet many companies still struggle to make use of technology in a way that fosters business growth, and employees sometimes find themselves struggling to cope with the devices and applications they use in the office.
When new staff enter your organisation, you need to make your security policies a priority during the onboarding process, to ensure your company will not suffer devastating security incidents in the future. We find that one of the biggest reasons that motivates employees to bypass security measures is saving time and being more productive. This can happen even more often with a new hire who may be eager to add value to the organisation but do not fully understand your company’s procedures and security requirements. They may want to use tools and systems that that used in the past in order to boost performance in your organisation – and this is great! But if this is done outside the eyes of your IT, it can also mean that sensitive data could be put at risk. So how can you prevent this? This is often referred to as ‘shadow IT’ as it implies information-technology systems and solutions built and used inside organisations witho
Few things are more important to your company than the proper management of your systems and data, as these are used on a day-to-day basis by (most probably) the vast majority of your employees. And just as you would not hand over the keys to your home to a total stranger you should not entrust your company’s IT systems to a third party without thoroughly vetting them. So how do you go about doing this? Here are the top 3 important qualities to look for. What is the level of expertise?
Traditionally, people would download, install and run applications on their physical machines or a physical server based somewhere in the building. With cloud computing, users can access the same type of applications through the internet, without the need to have them installed on their own PCs. In recent years, the cloud has won over a lot of popularity with businesses, and in fact today, over 84% of UK organisations have already moved to the cloud. So what is it that makes this technology so popular and appealing, that almost every business uses it? Cloud computing comes with many technical advantages, but in today’s post we want to highlight 3 productivity advantages of using cloud technologies and how this has a positive impact on pretty much everyone in your organisation.
Most small to mid-size businesses think they can or should do it all. And while this mentality may be okay in the very beginning of establishing your organisation, it will soon start to stall the growth of your company. Growth takes time and resources, but when these are spent on tasks outside of your core business activity, you will soon find yourself with very little time to actually do your work. This is why most businesses – small or large – outsource some tasks: payroll administration, human resources and recruiting being the most common.
We live and function in a connected world and there are few if any businesses who don’t rely day to day on external vendors. They might be a delivery company, getting your goods to your customers, or delivering vital raw goods to your business for further processing. Your IT services may well be outsourced, sometimes to multiple companies; who do you contact if something goes wrong or you need to make changes? Even the maintenance of your premises is most likely outsourced – when the roof leaks or the power goes out who do you contact?
Pseudonymisation is literally a mouthful, a portmanteau derived from pseudo and anonymisation. Apart from being a pronunciation challenge, it is a concept that appears repeatedly within the GDPR and it is important to any organisation that will be processing data beyond the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation in May 2018. It offers significant benefits to any organisation engaged in data processing, one key reason for its deployment is the ability to process data beyond the limits stated at the time of its collection.
Are you struggling to build and develop a solid business strategy? Do you have an IT strategy in place that is helping you grow in an ever-changing digital world? At Onestop IT, we believe having a solid IT strategy in place is key to your overall business success. That’s why we have decided to run a workshop to focus on all things strategy.
Your employees are the backbone of your business. The life and soul of the organisation, the people creating and pushing your product or service. So, surely, they can’t be putting your business at risk? Well, that’s where you’re wrong. It’s 2018, and not to make you skeptical, but there’s a lot of malware out there ready to cause you and your business all sorts of security issues.
What is VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol)? And how can modern SMEs successfully deploy the latest intuitive and easy-to-use communications solutions to boost their competitive advantage?
Why is preparing an IT budget within SMEs (small medium enterprises) essential? And, how can having a strategic budget propel your organisation towards success in the modern, competitive marketplace. Here, we delve into the main steps involved in creating an IT budget.
In this post, we examine how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can develop and implement an IT asset database. We also discuss the reasons for having a computerised asset management system, what it should include and some of the issues that could arise without such business information to hand.
If you own a small or medium sized business, typically with between 10 and 150 employees, you may have wondered how to get the best from information technology. If so, read on for some essential tips on how your company can get the most from its investment in computers, given proper IT support. We also offer an insight into how to organise your IT to achieve growth, even in a competitive marketplace.
Almost invariably, the standard of small business IT support received from helpdesks tends to leave a lasting impression on customers. At contract renewal time, exceptionally good or bad service affects repeat business and referrals, too.
Today’s competitive world of business means that IT is indispensable. Over recent years, the processing power of computers has transformed the workplace immensely, from streamlined back offices to high-speed customer care. Similarly, the widespread take-up and use of smartphones has changed how customers browse and shop. As a result, successful modern organisations need to make sure their computing system is powerful enough to rival those of their competitors.
If you are responsible for information technology in a small to medium-sized business with between ten and 150 employees, read on to discover why your company might want to consider changing its IT support arrangements. We also offer some advice about the points to check before making a decision, as well as useful tips to ease the transition.
In this post, we discuss what VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) is. We also look at how modern SMEs can successfully deploy the latest intuitive and easy-to-use communications solutions to boost their competitive advantage.
Here, we explore how IT system failures, however occasional, can affect businesses negatively – both operationally and financially. As well as these important considerations, we provide an overview of the benefits of using a downtime calculator to highlight potential issues. That way, an organisation can be proactive and make improvements, before any weak areas or vulnerabilities become problematic.
In today’s computerised world of business, cybersecurity is more important than ever. Digital networks are almost universal, while fraudsters are increasingly innovative. Around the clock, miscreants and criminals scan unsecured networks (and those with poor defences) to find the latest Achilles’ heels. Unfortunately, chinks in corporate computing armour and the digital defences typically used by SMEs are still too common, if the statistics tell us anything.
IT security covers the integrity of computerised business systems, as well as the protection of privacy, sensitive information, and commercial secrets. Few would doubt the need to assess security, nor the problems that can arise from overlooking it.
Any business is only as secure as its weakest link. These days, hackers and other cyber criminals will use a variety of methods to try and get access to a company’s servers, targeting the weaker points of a security system. These weaker points are commonly associated with your employees who are often the easiest way around your network’s defences
One of your most important jobs as an IT manager is managing your organisation’s IT budget. As your budgeting and planning here will affect everyone in your organisation, it’s essential that you put in the time and effort to make sure you get it right.
The digital security threat landscape is constantly evolving. Leaks, hacks and other breaches are happening more and more due to human error or software vulnerabilities and getting harder to predict or fix. This rise in cybersecurity threats also means that sophisticated endpoint security is becoming increasingly important. Today, we’re breaking down what exactly endpoint protection entails and how our preferred endpoint protection software can help.
Most people have heard of the dark web but many are unsure of what exactly it entails and why it’s so dangerous for businesses. Today, we take a look at this murky part of the internet and go through some simple steps you should take to protect your business from criminals on the dark web.
We all know that backing up our files is important, but unless you happen to work in IT, chances are you don’t really know what the best ways to do this are. Today, we’re covering what problems you might face if you don’t back up your business’ files, some best practices for keeping your files safe and staying GDPR compliant and the best solutions for storing your backup data. So, if you’d like to learn more about ways to safeguard the future of your business through IT security, read on.
After January 14th, 2020, Microsoft will no longer offer support for Windows 7. This means that there’ll be no more patches or updates for this operating system, and they’ll no longer offer free customer support for it. If you’re part of one of the 43% of organisations that still uses Windows 7, you need to understand what this news means for your business so you can make the right choice for what to do prior to January 2020.
With Microsoft ending their support for Windows 7 on January 14, 2020, it’s time to start thinking of an update if you’re still using the 9-year-old operating system. Here at Onestop IT, we’re big fans of Windows 10 and would recommend updating your operating system to it as soon as possible. In today’s instalment of our series on Windows 7 end of life, we go over three major improvements that you can expect when upgrading to Windows 10.
Today, we’re breaking down the pros of having an asset register for your IT resources and how to optimise it so that you’re never left in the dark. We’ll go over what an asset register is and how to set one up or optimise your existing system. This will help you make the most out of this resource that offers greater visibility into your business.
We’ve quickly become very dependent on our smart devices. The average Brit checks their phone 28 times a day; that’s almost twice per hour if they get 8 hours of sleep. So it’s no wonder that personal mobile devices – smartphones, tablets and laptops – have become a very common sight in the modern workplace. Not only that, but with the rise of remote working, people are doing more and more work on their own devices.
When a layperson is asked about cybersecurity, “firewall” is likely to be one of the first phrases that come to their mind. You might well be one of these people. But do you actually understand what a firewall does and how it protects your device and company network?
If you’re interested in gauging how good your organisation’s IT security really is, you should consider applying for a Cyber Essentials certification. Read on to discover how this scheme can help you identify IT security threats and what you need to pass.
Spam is not only annoying – it can be seriously dangerous for your business. While cybersecurity awareness training can do wonders to minimise risks posed by spam, it’s only one side of the coin: you also need intelligent protection in the form of a strong spam filter.
We all know what spam is. No, not the tinned meat kind, but the annoying email messages that look so dodgy you might wonder how anyone could fall for these scams. However, the reality is that many people do fall victim to cybercrime originating from spam and phishing emails. Sometimes, differentiating between scam messages and legitimate emails can be harder than you’d think, meaning that no one is immune to this form of cybercrime
Without encryption, the ways we use the internet today would look very different. Using things like online shopping, banking and other services online would be much more difficult and unsafe. That’s because websites that have access to your personal data, such as bank details and passwords, encrypt it in order to protect you, their customer. This makes encryption one of the best ways to shield your organisation’s sensitive data from malicious cyber attacks.
Do you know how often your employees change their passwords? Do you have guidelines in place around setting strong, separate passwords for each online account? If you do, good for you! However, this alone isn’t enough to secure your online accounts anymore.
Do you know how computer viruses spread? How about what tools hackers use to gain access to your computer so that they can record everything you do on it? Viruses and spyware are terribly scary prospects to most internet users. However, most people don’t have a very comprehensive understanding of how they can protect themselves or their business from these weapons of cybercrime.
Remote and flexible work go hand in hand, and together, they present the future of work. As we mentioned in last week’s blog post, we might soon see half of the UK’s workforce telecommuting at least some of the time. Meanwhile, having some flexibility over the hours you work is a very attractive perk, especially for millennials, 75% of whom said they’d choose flexible working hours over a pay rise.
The word ‘marketing’ might make you think of sleazy sales tactics or glamorous 50s ad execs straight from Mad Men, but in reality, modern marketing is neither. Marketing is vital for any business that wants to make a name for itself and these days, focusing on all things digital is key.
The cybersecurity threat landscape has always been one prone to quick changes, meaning that organisations of all sizes have been left to play catch-up. With a host of new, more sophisticated forms of IT security threats gaining momentum and business networks becoming increasingly complex, your traditional antivirus software is no longer sufficient for keeping your business, staff and clients safe.
Antivirus presents a vital wall of defence against cybercrime and your business. Without it, your devices could be infected with malware within minutes. That being said, as we touched on in last week’s blog post, a host of new, exceedingly complex and intelligent threats is challenging established cybersecurity solutions like nothing before.
In our blog posts this month we’ve talked at length about all the different threats your business networks are facing today. It’s becoming increasingly clear that traditional antivirus solutions are struggling to offer full protection against these new threats. If your business security still relies largely on an antivirus solution, it’s time to consider your options. You could either add another level of security to your business or even fully replace your antivirus with something else.
Remote and flexible working is the way of the future, and the recent Coronavirus pandemic has helped to drive this fact home for more employees and employers alike than ever before. But what are some of the specific benefits small businesses can gain from adopting remote working practices and what are the main hurdles they need to avoid?
Video conferencing is becoming increasingly common as more people work from home. While platforms such as Microsoft Teams make it simple to set up and run basic meetings, it’s very useful to know some of the best practices around running video meetings to make sure they’re as easy and productive as possible. With this in mind, today we’ll take a look at some things to keep in mind for virtual meetings whether you’re an organiser or an attendee.
Many people wonder whether they can trust Microsoft with their proprietary data, and the short answer is yes. For the most part, you can trust Microsoft with your data, as it’s unlikely this huge multinational corporation will run into a cybersecurity attack large enough to risk losing your data. That being said, and as we’ve discussed on our blog in the past, it’s very possible that a data leak takes place on your end within Teams, in which case the amount of support Microsoft will offer you is limited. This is because it’s ultimately your responsibility to protect your sensitive information against data security breaches targeting your organisation. Failing to do so can result in hefty fines under GDPR. While we already touched on cybersecurity in our article on Teams vs. Slack, the topic is important enough to warrant its own dedicated article. Today, we’ll take a look at three potential sources of cybersecurity threats within Microsoft Teams and ways to counteract them.
It takes only a brief visit to your favourite social media site to find out what corporate training experts and marketers alike have known for a while now: video is king. With video content gaining the most views, likes and shares out of all online content, it’s no wonder it has become such a popular tool for employee training programmes. In today’s blog post we’ll take a look at some of the unique advantages of video-based learning in order for you to find out whether it’s the right fit for your team. Without further ado, here are five major perks of video courses for continuous professional development.
The terms “deep web” and “dark web” are ones often thrown around in the media pretty much interchangeably, but there are some very important distinctions to be made between the two. In today’s blog post well do just that, providing comprehensive definitions for both so that you can better understand what cybersecurity risks your organisation faces from those willing to exploit the anonymity certain parts of the internet offer.
Innovations and improvements in technology bring many changes in how organisations and companies handle their businesses. As the changes are inevitable, every person needs to embrace the change. This leads to the world taking this paradigm in every industry by the incorporation of the new technology. Despite the upsides associated with these technologies, there are several challenges that organisations suffer from. Cyber attacks are one of the fast-growing cybercrime that occurs every year. According to studies, there is a significant increase in such crimes due to the novel technology shift. These crimes have impacted the companies affected, causing data loss and huge losses that befall them. To reduce cases, it is paramount to conduct a security audit to aid in the identification of the loopholes that are in the system. Frequently, the phrase “what question should be asked when conducting a security audit” appears during a security consultation by different companies. This article will highlight all the details you need to know about a security audit before implementation.
Over the past two decades, companies have invested billions (probably even trillions) in converting analogue content into digital information. At the same time, we are producing data at a rate unimaginable just a generation ago. Today, we generate and save vast amounts of critical information in the cloud, primarily in Microsoft 365. Data breaches and ransomware attacks regularly make headlines. So how can you be sure that corporate data, whether located in the cloud with Microsoft 365 or on-premises, is protected?
Who wouldn’t want their staff to be more knowledgeable and productive? All training programmes promise this, yet it can be hard for managers to justify the cost of them – especially if they’ve been let down in the past. However, the benefits of offering your people continued development opportunities far outweigh the potential drawbacks once you find the right courses, which is why today we’ll dive into some of the reasons you should seriously consider investing in staff training for your team.
Cloud-based storage and applications are touted as the way of the future, promising organisations greater flexibility and productivity as well as fewer IT-based headaches. But understandably, many business leaders still have their questions about the security of these systems: how safe is their company data when it’s being stored on a separate company’s servers? How effective are these products at filtering out cybersecurity threats? What if our internet cuts out one day? To help answer these questions and more, we’ve put together a guide to the strengths and weaknesses of Office 365, which is one of the most popular of these cloud-based suites available today. Read on to discover where Office 365 excels (pun intended) and where you might want to add an extra layer of protection for your productivity and company data with third-party products like TitanFiltering.
At the end of the day, the success of your business is solely in the hands of your customers. While you could spend all of your money developing great products and services and running sales and marketing campaigns to promote them, this doesn’t guarantee a positive customer experience. This might seem like a slightly depressing reality, but if you think you can’t affect the way people see your business, you are dead wrong. In order for you to effectively optimise your customer experience, you first have to understand what things they like and dislike about you. With a number of great, simple tools out there designed to help you do exactly that, it’s easy to start improving your customer satisfaction. Read on to discover why you need a customer survey tool and what you can do with them.
The way people choose the businesses they buy products and services from has changed fundamentally with the near-universal adoption of the internet and its various review sites. While in the past, people learned about products and services largely through word of mouth, today, online reviews on sites like Google, Facebook and Yelp could make or break your business. These days, people place a lot of trust online reviews: one survey found that 88% of people trust reviews on Facebook and Yelp just as much as personal recommendations. With this in mind, today we’re going over why a strong online reputation is crucial for any modern business and how you can boost this through online reviews.
In this day and age, having a good flow of genuine customer reviews posted about you online is integral to making your business a household name in your local area. Google reviews are one of the best ways to raise your online profile and improve your company’s offering which is why today, we’re going over the reasons behind this as well as how to start getting more reviews from your customers.
As we said in our previous blog post, your business reputation is incredibly important and online reviews of your products and services can make or break your business. That’s why you need a strategy for getting more reviews from your customers and ways to use these to display your excellence. Don’t assume your clients will remember to review you without you offering them some gentle reminders – you can do just this with Ratings & Review Optimisation. Read on to find out how you can use this tool to get more reviews, gain more visibility for your business online and improve on your customer experience.
As Office 365 is hugely popular worldwide, it makes for a very attractive target for cybercriminals. This shouldn’t be a reason not to subscribe to this cloud-based suite, but it is a good idea to understand where Microsoft has built a good layer of security around its products and where it might be a good idea to strengthen those defences with third-party tools. Today, we’ll go over IT security threats posed by malicious websites and spam email and how well-equipped Office 365 is to combat them. We’ll also take a look at TitanFiltering, our preferred product for boosting Office 365 security.
Microsoft’s Teams promises easier internal communications through its chat-based workspace within Office 365. But how does it work and is it the right option for you? In today’s blog post, we’ll go over what Teams promises, some of its best features and positive effects using it could have for your staff’s productivity, teamwork and company culture. We’ll also name some of the most common pitfalls new users of Teams face and how to avoid them. Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about Microsoft Teams.
These days, most of our messages are delivered via the internet: from emails to texts, calls and voice memos sent via free services like Messenger and WhatsApp, there’s no longer a need to worry about your monthly text allowance since WiFi and 4G have irreversibly changed the way we communicate with each other. And why should business calls be any different? In today’s blog post, we’re taking a look at how IP telephony – or more simply put, calls made via the internet – can support your business, drive down costs and generally simplify the day-to-day life in your company. We’ll also go over how VoIP (voice over internet protocol) works in Office 365.
Collaborative work is key to greater productivity and a more satisfied staff and with today’s digital tools, teamwork is easier and more agile than ever. In recent years, Microsoft has added new collaborative tools like Teams to their repertoire as well as building new functionalities for better teamwork to existing applications within Office 365. In today’s blog post, we’ll go over how you can use Office 365’s cloud-based tools for better collaboration within your organisation as well as sharing tips for better communication using Office 365 so that you get the most out of your subscription.
Remote working is definitely a trend on the rise. As much as 50% of the UK workforce will be telecommuting by 2020 if this practice keeps growing at the same rate as it has in the past decade. Whether you’re simply curious about working from home, are interested in offering the option of telecommuting to your staff some of the time or want to shift into having a fully remote team, this article is for you. Here are some of the positive and negative aspects of remote working as well as a description of some of the digital tools that can help you with the switch.
SEO stands for search engine optimisation, a digital marketing practice that improves your online visibility and helps get more eyes on your business’ website, spreading your reputation far and wide. Talking about SEO can get complicated and technical very quickly. That’s why we’ve put together the guide below with a simple overview of what SEO is, why it’s important for your business and what some of the best practices you should follow are. Read on to discover what SEO is and how you can start improving your company’s online presence with it.
Search engine optimisation and paid search – also known as PPC (pay-per-click) – have many things in common. They both relate to your website’s visibility on search engines like Google and are cornerstones in most digital marketing strategies. Additionally, both use keywords to promote your business’ website to the most relevant people. That being said, these two digital marketing practices have plenty of differences too, as well as their own, unique strengths and weaknesses. The good news is, paid search and SEO are complementary services, supporting each other for better overall digital marketing. In today’s blog post, we’ll go over the pros and cons of both marketing practices and explain why you should implement both for better online visibility for your brand.
If you’ve done any amount of research into marketing your small business, you’ve likely come across the term “inbound marketing” at one point or another. But what exactly is inbound marketing – and is it right for you? Inbound marketing is a highly valuable form of digital marketing that we believe should be part of any small business’ marketing strategy. In today’s blog post, we’ll go over exactly what inbound is, why you should be taking a largely inbound approach to your marketing and how you can get started.
Technology has completely transformed the way we do business over the past couple of decades. With quick developments happening in the world of tech all the time, it can be hard to keep on top of the latest updates. In today’s blog post, we’ll go over the many benefits of technology recommended practices around cybersecurity and cloud computing for small businesses, from making sure you stay GDPR compliant to happier, more productive staff and improved communication. This way, you can see the wide-reaching benefits of updating your technology to meet the latest standards and following best practices related to them.
As you might have noticed on our blog in recent months, we’ve moved to a model where every month we focus on a different aspect of business. October was all about getting more business through marketing and November focussed on IT security and the role this plays in the everyday running of your small business.
As we outlined in last week’s blog post, cloud accounting is one of the key components of getting results and making informed business decisions. In today’s article, we’ll take a closer look at how cloud accounting works and what its most important benefits are. Because no technology is perfect, we’ll also consider the potential pitfalls of using cloud-based accounting software and what you can do to minimise these risks.
As 2019 comes to a close, you have a great chance to look back on the year, where you did well and what you could still work on in 2020. In the last few articles we’ve published, we’ve gone over many of the benefits of moving your accounting into the cloud, so if you’ve not already done so, now’s the time to seriously consider it, especially since Making Tax Digital is now in effect.
Using a business reporting or analysis tool provides an attractive opportunity for small businesses: they allow you to gather and analyse large quantities of data without the help of a dedicated business analyst, presenting findings in a way anyone can understand. A reporting tool is a great addition to your business performance management, but before you rush to buy one for your organisation, have a read through our brief guide to the pros and cons of using one to understand what you’re in for.
Does Office 365 back up your data? In short, the answer to this question is yes – but only to an extent. Microsoft will help you recover your data in case something like a natural disaster or a fire, or if you suffer a hardware failure that means you lose important files or emails. They also provide you 30 days of time to recover files moved to the recycling bin before it deletes them completely, offering you some protection against human error as well.
G Suite is a highly attractive collection of tools for SMEs: they’re cheap, even free to use, widely known and cloud-based, allowing you to work from anywhere. Since the productivity suite is owned by one of the world’s premier tech giants, most people trust their data is in good hands when it’s stored with Google.
In the past few weeks, this blog has focused on the shortcomings of the built-in recovery measures of the G Suite and Office 365, highlighting the need for a third-party backup solution. There are a number of myths about cybersecurity and data backup surrounding these two cloud-based suites. People often use these misconceptions to convince themselves they don’t need an external backup solution for their data.
Over the past couple of weeks on this blog, we’ve been going over the limitations popular cloud-based productivity suites Office 365 and G Suite have when it comes to backing up your data. Clearly, if you take your data security seriously and want to minimise downtime and having to redo lost work, you need a third-party backup solution for your files and messages.
Did you know that 64% of data loss happens due to accidental or malicious deletion? Or that 32% of organisations will at one point experience a data loss event? This means every organisation would benefit from a data backup service that saves a copy of their files and messages automatically to protect them from disasters. But what should you keep an eye on when shopping for an Office 365 data backup service? In today’s article, we’ll go over eights features your organisation could benefit from in a third-party backup service.
Data backup is not what it used to be. As we’ve discussed on this blog in recent weeks, neither Office 365 nor G Suite offer comprehensive data backup tools for most organisations which is why investing in a third-party backup solution is so important. This is because the modern features now commonly associated with data backup products are so useful it makes perfect sense even for the smallest of organisations to invest in one. Read on to discover how data backup has changed in recent years and how Backupify, one of our recommended backup solutions, can help with your data retention, business continuity and compliance.
It used to be the case that the most prevalent misconception people had about cloud-based apps was that they were inherently unsafe. This was due to a misunderstanding about how data is stored and protected in the cloud. This is no longer the case, with more and more organisations now relying on cloud-based productivity suites like Office 365 for a big part of their daily work. That being said, there are still many misconceptions people have about the level of cybersecurity Office 365 apps offer by default, which is why today, we’ll take a closer look at what Microsoft can and can’t do to protect your organisation’s data.
These days, small businesses everywhere are facing a very fortunate conundrum: which high-quality, intuitive and affordable productivity suite to pick. When it comes to the G Suite vs Office 365 debate, both offer powerful, popular tools and competitive pricing, so at the end of the day, which one is right for you and your organisation comes down to your personal preferences and what you value and need the most in your day-to-day life. To help you choose between G Suite and O365, we’ve put together the brief guide below to talk about the similarities and differences between the two. Without further ado, here’s what you need to know when choosing your productivity suite.
Within the last decade, businesses have become increasingly reliant on digital communication to operate efficiently and provide more value to their customers. As a result, VoIP has been leveraged by sophisticated businesses around the world to vastly improve their ability to communicate. So, what exactly is VoIP? VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, is a form of modern technology that allows you to make calls over the internet rather than using your telecommunications provider. Put simply, you can make a phone call via the internet using any data-driven device, including laptops, tablets, phones and computers. Since its introduction in the early 1970s, the VoIP market has grown exponentially, with the industry valued at $145.76 billion by 2024. VoIP is recognised as a valuable asset for a variety of reasons that we’ll explain below.
Living in the digital era, we’re all accustomed to instant communication. Whether it’s an update on the news, a WhatsApp message or a notification from Facebook, we settle for nothing less than hyper-efficient messaging – and your business deserves nothing less. Organisations of all sizes are now recognising the importance of leveraging Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to achieve seamless connectivity that will help them unlock their full potential. Although the traditional phone system fulfils its objective effectively – connecting person A to person B – digital technology has made businesses vastly more interconnected with superior ease. The VoIP phone system dates back to 1973, but it’s only recently that it has become a near-mandatory asset for all savvy business owners looking to communicate more effectively and ultimately gain an advantage over their competition. In this article, we’ll break down what VoIP is, how it compares with the traditional phone system and how adopting VoIP technology can benefit your business.
The quality of your phone system determines the quality of your communications which in turn has a lot to do with your business success, and no business can afford to constantly be on the back foot due to poor connectivity with employees, clients, and business partners. When it comes down to it, you need your business to be versatile enough to make calls at any time, at any place and on any device — all without breaking the bank. If you’ve been reading our blog posts from the past few weeks and are looking for a dynamic VoIP phone system that ticks all of these boxes and many more, we recommend you look into switching your small business over to 3CX PBX.
Remote work has been in the news a great deal recently, with attention-grabbing headlines announcing how working from home is better for both employees and their bosses, saving money and promoting a better work-life balance. This is all well and good but doesn’t answer one key question: how you can make sure that your small business can achieve those lofty goals.
The Coronavirus has changed nearly all aspects of our lives, and the way we work is arguably one of the areas of our lives most affected, with so many people having to work from home during the pandemic. Understandably, business leaders everywhere are wondering about the best ways to stay productive in this new environment. That being said, the fact is that it’ll take a bit of distance and perspective to fully understand the impact this pandemic has had, and will have, on productivity.
If your team is commonly experiencing issues like missed deadlines, burnout or cybersecurity compliance issues, chances are you could benefit greatly from employee monitoring software. However, many people are wary of the concept – doesn’t it come off as invasive or like you don’t trust your employees? Not at all – as long as you follow some basic guidelines and remain honest and open with and supportive of your team.
Over the last few weeks, we’ve talked a lot about employee monitoring and its benefits on our blog. Today, we thought we’d take a closer look at our preferred product for productivity tracking, Phoenix Team Analytics. We’ll go over five key features of this software product so that you can better understand the unique value it could bring to your organisation. Without further ado, let’s get started.
The Coronavirus pandemic has changed a great deal about how we do business – and meetings are one of the aspects of the typical workday that have been changed the most. With people working from home, a robust and convenient video conferencing software has become a must – and its importance will still be felt when we return to offices. Zoom and Microsoft Teams are the two leaders in this space – but which one of them is better? That’s the question for today’s article. So let’s dive right in.
Microsoft Teams is a powerful piece of software within the Office 365 suite that can handle all your internal communication needs and keep your entire organisation working collaboratively within a well-organised digital framework. You can do a lot with this software product, but first, you need to set it up and get to grips with using it.
Remote work comes with many benefits, such as a better work-life balance, more time for hobbies and flexible hours. But there are many challenges that come with it, too. Many of these relate to communication because we are a social species. Problems with communication can in turn cause issues for collaborative work as well as employee wellbeing and your company culture.
Over the last few articles on this blog, we’ve outlined some of the many benefits of staff training courses and the specific upsides of utilising video in your staff’s learning experience. In today’s blog post, we’ll take a closer look at our own learning portal and how you can use it to strengthen your team’s skills in both technical areas like IT and supporting mental health in the workplace.
Productivity means everything to a team of any kind. But what does productivity actually look like and how can you boost it? Especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, business leaders all around the world have had to give more thought to how they define their employees’ productivity as teams are forced to remote working. For many, this creates new challenges as we’re no longer able to see our colleagues face-to-face.
Your team’s productivity means everything. However, it’s a term that can elude definition and be even harder to accurately measure. While in the past, many managers have been content with basing estimations of productivity on how long people stay in the office, how long they take for lunch and how often they check their phone, these kinds of checks have been made very difficult recently.
These days, we rely on our screens for a huge part of our communication, and work is no different – even if your whole team works in the same office. Whether it’s shooting a quick question to your manager who is working from home that day or chasing up a coworker on something when they’re sitting across from you but clearly focusing on something with their headphones on, shooting a quick message is the easiest option.
Have you ever been in a situation where your computer crashed, or an employee had their laptop broken? If so, then it may be time to find IT support. Find out how to find the right IT support company with this blog. Our IT professionals here at Onestop share what they look for when searching for the best IT support company. There can be many distinct aspects to look out for when choosing the right IT support company. Here is our checklist that you should use when choosing your IT support provider.
We know that most people will find Information technology (IT) security and all of its various aspects confusing. IT is an overly broad term used to describe the concepts and strategies that organisations use to protect digital information from unauthorised access to files and databases, tampering of data, disclosure of confidential information, disruption of services or destruction/deletion of files. IT security protects all of the above areas and their data in storage as well as during transmission across networks.
Telecoms or telecommunications is a broad term that encompasses technology services designed to connect people and businesses. Telecom’s systems are used every day by millions of people all around the world. The telecommunications industry has been around for over 150 years, with the first telegraph being sent in 1844 when Samuel Morse sent an electrical signal down two miles worth of wireline with his assistant Alfred Vail located just 100 yards away from where he would then decipher it into letters and numbers using light pulses – this laid the groundwork for the business telecoms systems we use today.
In order for you to effectively optimise your customer experience, you first have to understand what things they like and dislike about you. With a number of great, simple tools out there designed to help you do exactly that, it’s easy to start improving your customer satisfaction. Read on to discover why you need a customer survey tool and what you can do with them.
