When your business grows without a defined plan, it can be easy to run from either redesigning your IT infrastructure or even implementing new ideas to help your productivity increase.  Wires get tangled, services slow down, and before you know it, you’ve got a problem whenever you hire a new employee or try to move your office around for a bit of a change.  Or say you want to host a new website, but your own server is no longer up to standard.

These issues are not problems you need to have on a regular basis; if your original IT infrastructure just isn’t working for you, then have it redesigned and work something new out.  We can help you with a huge number of tasks which can improve your productivity and make what you already have work even better.  Here are just a few of the services we offer for you.

1.      System Design & Requirements Analysis – We will have a look at your system design and identify the problems and benefits it’s currently providing to you.  If you can’t do this yourself but you suspect you’ve got a problem, we can check that out for you and deliver you a detailed report.  If you’re setting up a new business, we can design and install every aspect of your IT infrastructure; we will work out, based from information you provide to us, your requirements and how best to implement them in the space you have in your office.

2.      Router Configuration & Installation – If you are changing internet providers or are just looking for a change, we can make sure your router is delivering the internet access you need to get your daily jobs done.  Perfect if you’re not actually that technical and you’re looking for something that simply works when you need it to.

3.      Virus Protection Planning & Implementation – Viruses are a big risk when you’re running a large number of computers on the same network.  If one computer gets a virus, it’s likely that it will spread to the others and infect the entire network, leading to thousands of pounds of repair costs and possibly even more expensive data loss.  Quite simply, don’t let it happen to you.  Allow us to provide you with a robust plan for managing your virus protection software.  We’ll also install it and maintain it through our managed support plan, so you’ll never even have to think about the threats that hit your network every single day.

4.      Mail System Specification, Installation & Migration – Email is one of the most important aspects of your business.  Your employees will probably receive and answer thousands of emails a week.  Believe it or not, you’ll be hit with even more spam.  Make sure you’re protected and that your genuine emails will get through.  It’s also worth checking to ensure your email systems are easily scalable so all new employees can be added simply to the system, and even that you can grant outside access if necessary.  We’ll take into account your current and future requirements and implement an email system that will work best for you.

Changing your IT infrastructure or improving it to make your life more efficient doesn’t have to bring on headaches.  Just call us today and let us take care of it for you; you’ll truly be relieved.

At Octavia, we offer different levels of IT support.  We work closely with your business to determine which of our services will suit you best, and of course we also are prepared to work with you on one-off projects, such as the installation of VoIP phone systems or office moves.  But if you’re after our core business, which is supplying IT support to businesses at a lower cost than hiring new employees, then we have a couple of different options for you – and we’re always thinking about how to innovate and provide you a better product, so watch this space for exciting new announcements and services.

In the meantime, here are our current two levels of support service, along with details to help you decide which is best suited to your company.

1.      Managed IT Support Service: This is our flagship service and is what will serve as an entire IT department for you.  Essentially, we take on all the tasks that your normal IT department would do.  We’ll manage your servers, install software and updates to all of your PCs or Macs, and give you all the support you’ll need.  We provide regular reporting and system documentation so you’re always aware of how your systems are doing.  We’re constantly monitoring, so we know when things start to go wrong and can fix them before you even notice that there’s been a problem.  If you need us, we’ll come out and fix your problems, with a guaranteed onsite response time within London of 2 hours.  Octavia’s managed product will give you the peace of mind you need to carry on with the more important aspects of your business.  We’ll even handle backups for you.  Considering our service is actually cheaper than hiring the full time employees to do this job for you, you simply can’t lose.  Our managed service is best suited to larger companies that genuinely do need a full IT department and all that implies.

2.      Our Flexisupport service works on a pay as you go system.  We don’t monitor your business or get involved in any way when you haven’t asked us to.  When you do have a problem, we can be there within your chosen response time, whether it’s urgent and we need to be on site in two hours or it’s regular maintenance and you don’t need us for another week.  The only thing you need to keep in mind is that we’ll be there when we need you, and that is the only time you’ll pay us.  This package is perfect for small companies who can handle most of their IT services alone, but would like us for advice or larger jobs which are difficult for a single employee to handle on their own.  We can provide the peace of mind without the cost attached.

If you’d like to talk to us more about your IT requirements, please do contact us today through our website or give us a ring on 020 7940 6100.

Does purchasing license after license for software that you don’t always use frustrate you?  What about the fact that you can only access that software on a work PC?  If you’re not given a laptop to work at home, you may even be expected to foot the bill for your own version of that particular software, or stay at work very late trying to get projects done on the software that’s on your computer.  If you’re running a business, why not try out a cloud computing solution?  We use and recommend Microsoft’s Business Productivity Online Services, an extensive software package that provides all of your cloud computing needs at a reasonable, low prices.  Here are just a few of the services that Microsoft offer with this package:

1. Email, calendar, and contact through Microsoft Exchange Online.  These services function together in a familiar way, so that everyone familiar with Microsoft products will be able to easily navigate the services.  Because it’s all hosted in the cloud, you and all of the service’s users will be able to access your data from basically anywhere.  Each user receives 25 GB of email storage and the ability to send attachments as large as 30 MB, which is enough for virtually any user, and in addition to accessing your email at work through Outlook, you’ll be able to use webmail anywhere.  Your calendar will also be shared, making it easier than ever to schedule appointments and keep track of your commitments.
2. Security.  Your data is stored regularly in a variety of locations to ensure reliability and replicated on a constant basis to ensure that you’ll never lose your essential services.  Microsoft also offers a centralised, web-based administration centre so that your IT administrator can be in control of the services 24 hours a day, no matter where he or she happens to be.  Microsoft guarantees 99.9% uptime and will provide refunds if less than this is provided, which should give you that critical peace of mind when signing up for the service.
3. Backwards compatibility.  Microsoft have a variety of methods to bring your historical data into these new services, whether you’re switching from an older Exchange or a different environment altogether.  You can even integrate your on-premises Server with your online storage to manage which documents get to the cloud and which ones are stored locally.
4. Microsoft SharePoint Online uses the regular SharePoint collaboration software but delivers an experience that operates through the cloud instead of locally.  It’s easier to build and collaborate when your platform is located in the cloud, which means that your employees all over the world can get together to work without having to be in the same location.  You needn’t let everyone access the same documents; SharePoint Online also lets you create groups so certain people can work on certain projects together without accessing information to which they should be not exposed.  The service also lets employees search through all documents at their security level, so even if you’ve amassed large amounts of documents you should still be able to access them at any given time.

If you need your employees to be able to work on critical projects, access their email, or schedule meetings away from the office, then it’s very possible Microsoft BPOS would work for you.  Get in touch today to see if we can simplify and reduce the cost of your online productivity suite.

There comes a time over the lifespan of many businesses when moving operations to another premises is necessary.  Rent might be cheaper elsewhere, your number of employees may have shrunk or grown, or your revenue may have climbed to the point that a more attractive office becomes a possibility.  When you’re looking to move, we have a few tips to help you get your operations from your old office to your new one without any hitches – and perhaps even save some money along the way.

1. Consider the way your office has been running.  Is it as efficient as it could be?  Chances are your new office will have a different layout and may present opportunities or challenges to your projected layout.  Consult with your in-house or external IT support when planning out where to move everything and how to make the best use of the space presented to you.
2. Take the opportunity to have a clear out.  Do you have any paperwork that is now unnecessary?  Go through your file cabinets before you move and consider what you need and perhaps what you can scan in and store digitally.  It’s easier to find files when they’re stored digitally. Saving that paper space can be a big help in organising your new office and ensuring that everything continues to run smoothly and clutter-free.
3. Renegotiate contracts with your suppliers.  For example, can you get your printer for less?  Your new office move gives you a good reason to reconsider which bits of rented hardware and suppliers are most convenient to you and do away with the rest, or try and negotiate a discount.  Moving could be an expensive job, but new contracts will save you money over the long run and may help to combat the sting.
4. Pile on the cost savings by implementing a VoIP phone system.  These run over your broadband line, which you’ll already need to run a business in this day and age, and can be installed right alongside your online systems.  You’ll enjoy free calls to other branches with VoIP systems and to remote workers who are equipped with your technology.  You will also receive advanced features which would cost money with a traditional PBX phone system, like voicemail to email and conference calling.  You could save more than thirty percent on your phone bills, which can really make a huge difference over the long run.
5. Make a budget and carefully plan each step of the move.  It’s important to try and minimise the effect on your operations, so you don’t lose any money while in the process of moving.  An external IT support company can move all of your equipment and services over across a weekend, so everything will be in place for you on Monday to continue working.

Office moving will likely always be a difficult and stressful process, but these tips can not only help you get that done, they will also help you save money over the tenure of your company in the new office.  If you have any advice of your own to share, please do let us know in the comments.

Every workplace is essentially based around projects.  Managing each person’s time and tasks can be a monumental project in itself, especially if it must be done by hand.  It’s even harder to create a central database from which all employees can find what they need to be doing and when.  The challenges similarly ramp up when projects are finished ahead of or behind time; it’s impossible to edit a manually made schedule on the go without confusing everyone involved.

Microsoft Project 2010 tries to make this task just a little bit easier by introducing an easy, central way to plan out each project and even compare them against one another.  Planning works in every stage of a project, as you can pick and choose just how much detail to include in each project’s file.  Even when the central phases of projects are unclear, you’ll still be able to plot out what you do know and make realistic estimates for the middle stages of various projects.

The new Timeline feature shows at a glance what work needs to get done and by whom.  You can keep track of key milestones, so you’ll easily see whether you’re behind or ahead and by how much.  The timeline is easy to share and easy to understand in its most basic view.  It can also be expanded to see exactly what’s involved with each individual milestone.  You can add milestones based on what’s already in your project, so once you’ve plotted it out you needn’t do so again.

Since Microsoft Project 2010 is based on the same design as many other Microsoft Office products, most people will find  it very easy to use.  Even if you’ve never used a Microsoft Office product before, the “Ribbon” is designed to be intuitive.  It’s easily modifiable to place your most important information in front of you at all times.  If you’ve used Excel in particular, you should find it extremely easy to use as many of the features are similar.

Perhaps one of the most useful tools is the Team Planner View.  This allows you to list which employees are available to work on a certain task and how best to use them.  You can drag each job established in the project on to the resource best equipped to handle the job.  At a glance, you can then see how well you’ve organised your available resources and whether or not they’ll actually be capable of handling their assigned workloads.  This is also an easy way to communicate to everyone what’s required and when, especially if you have a Microsoft server installed and can seamlessly share between employees.

Start organising your projects better today with Microsoft Project 2010.  If you think it would suit you, you can call your IT support to install the necessary software and arrange a training session so everyone in the company can make use of this fantastic software.

Last week, we introduced the new features of Microsoft PowerPoint 2010, an essential part of Microsoft’s latest Office suite for business users.  This week, we’re going to share a few essential tips for using the new Word 2010.  Just like PowerPoint, this is an essential program for everyday use in every office-based business.

Word 2010 hasn’t made many changes to things it does right.  The ribbon is staying largely the same as it was in Word 2007, which is certainly a relief for those who were already frustrated by the drastic changes made from Word 2003.  The functions you’ve used will still be in the same places.  If you’re still using the earlier version, now is a great time to upgrade, as at this point there have been significant improvements in functionality and layout.  You can now customise the ribbon if you’d like to access certain functions more readily than others, which should make your workday much smoother.

In addition, Word 2010 boasts the same collaborating features that the rest of the new Office suite enjoys.  In the case of documents, this generally allows both of you to type at the same time, with a handy chat window near the bottom for discussions about your work.  You can work together without having to be in the same location, so it’s ideal for companies with employees that frequently travel or work from home but might still need to give input on important documents.  If you’re collaborating in the office and run SharePoint Foundation 2010, you’ll be able to use this functionality even if you’re behind a firewall, and you’ll even be able to run a voice call through just the software.  Non-business users can use the free Windows Live service to chat and collaborate with others.

It’s also even easier these days to recover documents you accidentally closed without saving.  You can recover different versions of documents, even if you told Word not to save them.  This is done through Microsoft Word’s new backstage view, which is a new way to organise all of your file management in one place; it replaces the more traditional File menu and represents the largest change in versions.  They have also made it easier to browse and search through your document with new tools redesigned specifically for this purpose.

Microsoft Word 2010 also has new, more sophisticated image editing features that not only allow you to edit imported pictures but to create formatting effects on text and shapes created directly in Word.  Create professional looking headers and shapes by adding shadows, glows, reflections, gradients, and bevels directly to text.  It’s also easier than ever to create themes, so you’ll be able to maintain a branded presence across all of your platforms.  As with PowerPoint, you can also edit images directly in the document, making your experience more seamless than ever.

With offices worldwide switching to the newest version of Microsoft Office 2010, it’s important to learn what’s different before you choose to invest in the switch.  The new version is most recommended for those still using Windows Office 2003, as the updated functionality will become essential in the years to come.

Setting up a new business is a thrilling venture.  You’ve raised some money and you’re ready to get on with your plan for your business.  But before you get into the swing of things and set up your office, you should first consider your IT needs.  Who else to consult than an IT support company?

You’ll have a number of considerations for setting up an office.  By far the most important question to ask yourself is how many employees you plan on hiring and whether or not your business is the type that will expand massively over the following years.  You’ll need to estimate your data usage, storage, and internet requirements so you can determine what type of server you need and what type of broadband you should sign up for.

You’ll also need to make a choice about your phone system.  Do you have a traditional PBX system in mind?  If so, you’ll need to determine how expensive it will be to buy or rent the equipment and handsets as well as working out how much it would be to add on extra extensions in case you need them in the future.  If you choose a VoIP system, you’ll likely have to ensure you have the best quality broadband for your area, though it will probably be cheaper overall.

On top of this, you’ll also need to purchase all of your hardware for all employees, install operating systems and necessary software, and customise each PC to fit each role.  Obviously, you as founder would not actually do this; you’d hire a few IT experts to do it.  Instead of reaching out to whoever is available and changing things in the future, why not consider your IT support more carefully from the beginning?

If you provide us with your plan for your business, we can plan your IT needs from top to bottom, not only making suggestions for your infrastructure but implementing them and setting them up from start to finish.  We’ll make the start easier for new businesses and a move easier for businesses looking to expand.  Don’t try and suffer through it on your own; contact us for a quote today.