Could you benefit from an upgrade to Office 2010?
There are so many benefits of using Office 2010 that now may be the time for you to upgrade.
Some of these benefits include:
- Improved visual tools – allow you to express your creative and visual ideas. This can help you to engage with your visual prospect better when giving presentations or creating proposals. Why not use Excel’s improved tools for better data visualisation. This will also help you make more informed business decisions when you need to.
- Boost productivity with easy to use tools – improved navigation through the menu allows easy access to tools. The tools in Outlook can help you reduce
information overload! And help manage e-mails more efficiently. - Create your own sophisticated marketing material- In PowerPoint you can create amazing digital content in 2010 that comes to life with cutting edge audio/video capabilities and animation enhancements. You can also create timelines and brochures in Word and Excel too.
- Protected view – Office 2010 provides a Protected View feature to help Protect and guard you against malware in your e-mail attachments and Internet files, as well as your documents.
Microsoft offers a 60 day trial offer so why don’t you take a test drive and see for yourself? Click HERE and download a copy now.
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To Outsource, or Not to Outsource: That is the Question! Should You Keep Your IT Support In-House or Look to an External IT Company?
Your IT systems are fundamental to the smooth running of your business. You want to make sure that whoever looks after your IT is highly skilled, efficient and dependable. If you are used to keeping your IT support in-house, the thought of handing over control to an IT company may be unnerving. What if they don’t live up to expectations? What are the financial implications? What about vendor accountability?
In this blog I am going to look at the subject of outsourcing, some of the main objections and how ultimately, with the right IT Company, outsourcing makes good business sense.
OK, let’s start with objection 1: ‘I don’t want to deal with multiple vendors who always pass the buck’
Dealing with multiple vendors can be a real headache. Blame is often shifted around and you can end up wasting valuable time as piggy-in-the-middle trying to resolve IT issues.
However, if you outsource to a company who include liaising with 3rd party vendors as part of the support package this burden can be lifted and IT issues resolved without infringing on your time. The companies can work together to troubleshoot issues more effectively and the end result will be a faster resolution time.
Objection 2: ‘IT is already one of our biggest overheads, outsourcing IT support will just add to IT expenditure’
This is a common misconception – outsourcing IT can be the easiest way to cut IT costs.
For example, if you compare the salary of a 2nd line technician at £25,000-£35,000 to the cost of contract IT support (a team of 1st, 2nd and 3rd line engineers providing unlimited remote and on-site support) for a company of 50 employees at £12,000-£17,000 per annum you can see a reduction of over 50%. In this current climate, these savings are hard to ignore.
Objection 3: ‘Issues are resolved quicker when IT support is in-house’
Everyone wants a speedy response to their IT issues so they can get on with their work. But what happens when your technician goes on annual leave, is off sick or doesn’t have the skill set to solve IT problems?
Have you considered that outsourcing can actually improve productivity?
If you outsource to an IT company with a wide pool of highly skilled engineers, you not only have access to the round-the-clock support but your IT issues can be resolved quicker and more effectively by a team who are continually training to keep up to date with all the latest technologies.
Objection 4: ‘My technician has worked here so long; he understands the business inside-out. I don’t think I’ll have the same level of continuity or trust with an IT company’
Good IT companies will assign a dedicated person who is responsible for understanding your business needs and will be held accountable for the level of service being provided – a Client Services Manager, Account Manager or a dedicated Technical Engineer. A forward-thinking IT company will do everything they can to attribute to the success of your business as they have a vested interest – your success is their success.
Objection 5: ‘I won’t get the same level of service from an IT company’
It’s not all about fixing issues; an IT company can proactively manage your IT infrastructure and handle procurement of hardware/software, 3rd party liaising, anti-virus/anti-spam management, business continuity and disaster recovery, research of relevant new technologies and much more.
Because of the resources available and the wide-ranging experience looking after a variety of businesses, an IT company can give you a level of service which goes above and beyond the limited experience of just one technician.
Outsourcing your IT will allow you to focus on your core competencies, leaving IT issues to be dealt with by engineers of a calibre that only large organisations can usually afford to employ.
Do you have any other objections? I would love to discuss these with you! Get in touch via email: suzie@supremesystems.co.uk or call me on: 0121 3090060
Suzannah Evans, Business Development Director, Supreme Systems
MoreCreating Secure & Easy-to-Remember Passwords
MoreTime is running out. Upgrade to Windows 7 Soon!
As you may know Windows XP, the Grand Doyenne of Operating Systems will soon be retired by Microsoft. Support for Windows XP SP2 ended on July 13, 2010 and by 2014 support for the entire OS will be redundant.
So what does this mean for my business?
Don’t worry if you are not currently running the latest version of Windows. Your PCs should continue to start and run as normal.
The only concern for your business is that when Microsoft withdraws support for an Operating System (OS—i.e. XP, Vista and Windows 7. An OS is like the petrol in your car—it powers your PC) it stops producing critical security updates to protect your PCs from viruses, spyware and other malicious software.
What should I do to protect my network?
If you are currently running XP SP2 (32 Bit) you will need to upgrade to XP SP3 to ensure your PCs remain protected. XP SP3 will continue to be supported through to April 2014. If you are an SS customer we will have programmed your PCs to automatically upgrade to SP3.
You should also consider upgrading to the latest Microsoft Operating System – Windows 7…
Windows 7 you say? Tell me more!
I am glad you asked. Windows 7 is the new kid on the block as far as Microsoft OS is concerned and has been acclaimed by many as the best OS by Microsoft to date achieving what the much derided Vista attempted to do but failed miserably.
You may have seen the adverts on TV about the new OS (”I am a PC and Windows 7 is my idea”) which demonstrated some of the key features of Windows 7.
Let me outline some of these features and tell you why they will benefit your business if you upgrade.
1. Security. Windows 7 is more secure than XP and offers better user controls
2. Greater compatibility. Unlike Windows Vista, most hardware and software is readily compatible with Windows 7 and will work right out of the box, with no need to download and install additional drivers
3. Lower system requirements. Windows 7 does not need as much resource to run in comparison to Vista so you can pretty much run 7 on your current hardware.
4. Simpler Navigation. Features such as Aero-shake and Aero-Peek make navigation so much easier in Windows 7
5. Better Multi-Tasking. Windows 7 now offers a more aesthetically pleasing, icon-based taskbar that lets you permanently pin and organize favourite programs on it. You can additionally point to icons to get thumbnail previews of open files and windows associated with each program, all accessible with a click
6. Simpler File Organisation. Libraries, which serve as all-purpose containers, allow you to conveniently catalogue photos, music, video and files in single locations, no matter where they live on your hard drive. Because of this, it’s a breeze to keep all materials related to the same work project organized in one readily retrievable location.
7. Better overall performance. Enjoy faster boot times improved desktop responsiveness, more reliable desktop search functions, simpler document retrieval. Making it infinitely simpler to organize, store and navigate both your desktop and supported applications.
To find out more about upgrading to Windows 7, get in touch now – 0800 001 5942
MoreMoving to the Cloud
MoreShare and Share Alike – The Joys of Using SharePoint: Microsoft’s Software Platform for Collaboration, File Sharing and Web Publishing.
We’ve been using SharePoint for a while here at Supreme and have introduced the platform to a number of our clients.
OK, I know we’re partners with Microsoft so you may call me biased but I’m pretty impressed with SharePoint and I’m going to tell you the reasons why!
1. SharePoint is great for simple file sharing:
Along with most companies, we have a fair amount of documentation which we need to share and access when we’re either in the office or at home. Personally, when I’m out and about in meetings I like to be able to access files easily. Using SharePoint I am able to easily gain access to files from anywhere using a secure login. I can show potential clients PowerPoint’s or other documents on my laptop which I’ve been working on using my desktop in the office or my laptop at home. It means that a colleague can be working on a document at the office, save it on SharePoint and I can have it on my laptop wherever I am. The built-in version control and permissions management makes editing files safe and avoids the confusion of multiple versions of the same document.
2. SharePoint can deliver your business needs for an Intranet/Extranet
Fancy having your own, private internet for your company? A place to share important news, policy documents and information?
When we want to share some good news within our company like getting a new certification or accreditation, we post it on the intranet home page. This is a great communication tool that goes alongside our regular internal meetings so that everyone is up to date with company developments. It’s a good place to store important documents such as Fire Safety Regulations, Annual Leave Request Forms and Company Handbooks so they are easily accessible to everyone. There is also a shared calendar which is a great way to keep track of employee annual leave.
3. You can access SharePoint from virtually anywhere with an internet connection without purchasing a Server!
The familiar Microsoft SharePoint Server technology is available as an online service as part of Office 365, Microsoft’s latest offering in Cloud Technology. Office 365 brings together online Office collaboration software for email, document sharing, web conferencing and more. I’m going to be exploring Office 365 and what it can do for your business in my next blog so keep an eye out!
If you would like more information about how we can take care of your IT so you can focus on what’s important to you, give me a call on 0121 3090060 or send me and email to suzie@supremesystems.co.uk
MoreWhat does your e-mail say about your Company? Part 2
Finally! Fame at last!
Since the inaugural edition of “Joined Up Thinking” I have had any clients come back to me to ask how they can control signatures across their companies. You may think why – you would want to control signatures? Well a uniform signature gives continuity to your brand and can protect you against legal action.
Let me explain.
An email signature management console can deploy a standard email signature across your user base. You can include your awards, accreditations, testimonials, Twitter and Facebook pages and excerpt of a case study with a link to your website for visitors to read more. Most importantly you can include a standard disclaimer at the bottom of your signatures too. Now a disclaimer is very important. Have you ever thought about what you would do if one of your staff accidentally messaged the wrong individual with confidential information? Well a disclaimer could help in this circumstance.
There is a solution that most of our clients currently use that will allow you to do this. It is a solution that works brilliantly as an Anti-SPAM and Anti -Virus solution and also doubles up as an email signature management console. Interested? Well give me a call and I will explain more….
MoreToday’s Top Tip – Creating Secure Passwords!
Here at Supreme we are passionate about IT, continually training to keep up to date with the very latest technologies, ideas and news in the IT world.
However, what I’m going to show you today is one of the oldest tricks in the book!
As technology is increasingly integrated into our every-day lives we find that we have to remember more and more passwords so we can securely log in and out of our various devices and accounts. If these passwords are not secure, we become vulnerable to hacking and our personal information/ reputation can be compromised.
Here is a step-by-step way to easily create and remember very secure passwords.
1) Think of a random fact, for example: ‘I like Supreme’ – but don’t use this one as it’s on this blog…
2) Delete the spaces between the words: ‘IlikeSupreme’
3) Swop out the letters for symbols and numbers. So this becomes: !l!ke5upreme
4) For an even more secure password, go one step further and add a number at the end which is meaningful to you: !l!ke5upreme2009
Simple, yet effective!
You can check the strength of your password using Microsoft’s password checker here:https://www.microsoft.com/security/pc-security/password-checker.aspx
For more information about Supreme Systems please take a look around our website. Have you met the Supreme Team yet? Click here to get introduced!
MoreWhat do your e-mails say about your Company?
Recently I was tasked with finding a venue for an event we are due to hold in July (I will tell you more about this Next month). I had requested various quotes from venues in Birmingham so whilst sifting through the myriad of proposals I couldn’t help noticing how different the signatures at the end of each email was. Some were very basic showing the senders name and company name only, other signatures included the company address, telephone number and web address. For me the email’s which stood out more where those that included much more within their signatures. Many listed their awards and accreditations, some included testimonials, Twitter and Facebook pages. One email I received had an excerpt of a case study with a link to their website to read more (which I duly followed…).
Well to cut a long story short – as a prospect it made it easier for me to whittle down my list by choosing the venues that had best showcased their “wares” and given me valid reasons to pick them over the other suppliers at a glance. I did pick a venue – The ICC. They happened to be the company that included a link to a case study, which took me to their site and got me looking around!
So the moral of my story is – create a signature that truly encompasses your company’s attributes. The awards you have won, the partners you work with, what your customers/clients say about you and how your clients/prospects can stay in
touch with you. It may just be the edge you need to close that deal!
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Microsoft, Google, RIM, Apple, Twitter , Facebook – We Thank You!
This post is really a letter of gratitude to the movers and shakers of the technology world – to say thank you for how they have truly revolutionised the way we live and work.
Last week my colleague Suzie hit a brick wall when trying to find some information on behalf of our client. “Why don’t you try Google” said Sim – Client Services Manager. Within 10 minutes of conducting a search on Google she had found the information she required. “Where would we be without Google!” she shrieked and clapped her hands in glee!
Where exactly! And not just Google, in fact – where would we be without the technological advances of brought to us by Microsoft, Apple, RIM, Facebook and Twitter. Most PCs and Laptops that we use both at home and at work are powered by software developed by Microsoft; Smartphones such as RIM’s BlackBerry are a business person’s best friend and Apple’s iPad has revolutionised the way we use computers. Where will Facebook and Twitter users be without their daily updates, retweets and the like?
The effect these tech giants now have on our day to day lives became more evident to me on a recent holiday trip.
After strong arming “workaholic hubby” to take some time off we agreed on a 12 night cruise to the Mediterranean taking in ports such as Madeira, Lisbon, Lanzarote and Gran Canaria. Although I was glad for the time off there was a sense of dread that I would be unreachable in case of emergencies especially as we had just kicked off a new marketing drive. What if I was urgently needed to redraft a piece of literature? What about new leads that came in? Would I be able to respond accordingly or at least instruct the team on how to respond? What if I was unreachable? I noticed there were two sea days on the itinerary (when you are on the sea far from land and far from any form of communication). This meant that I would be completely out of reach during those days!
I needn’t have worried.
My trusted Blackberry ensured that I received every email message sent to me even during sea days because although we were stuck at sea the ship was fully equipped with its own telecommunication mast that allowed us to receive email messages. Because we were on an American ship, our mobile phones assumed we were in America and adapted its frequencies accordingly. Communicating with the team back in England was also simple and using Blackberry’s Messenger service all messages sent to the team was free. Bonus!
I had planned to finish an article which formed part of the marketing campaign but on reaching the ship I discovered that I had left the usb stick with the article at home – along with some material which I had planned to use as a resource. I remembered that I had emailed the document to myself prior to leaving for the holiday so I knew I could simply download the document from my email account which could be easily accessed using OWA (Outlook Web Access). Once the document was downloaded, I quickly located the missing resources using Google and I was able to complete my article as planned.
Imagine what would have happened if I did not have the tools mentioned above to hand? The cynical amongst you may well say “you would have had more of a holiday” but I disagree. In all honesty, I was able to enjoy my holiday more because my mind was at rest knowing that a) I could be contactable in case of any emergency and b) if I needed to do any urgent work it could be done without hassle.
I am sure you all have your own stories about how Technology saved the day. I for one will never stop singing the praises of the technology giants that have made my life easier. So once again thank you!
Honor Roll (feel free to make your own suggestions)
Microsoft, Apple, RIM, Amazon, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Google, Yahoo, EBay, PayPal, Skype, Dropbox, Wikipedia,
