Testing times call for top-class business technology. As we discussed in our previous article, gaining maximum value from your IT has never been more important, and with technology playing an ever more critical role in maintaining a competitive advantage, choosing the right solutions is critical to business success.
From solutions which empower enterprise mobility to platforms affording productivity gains through the power of automation, the tech market is saturated with transformative enterprise tech products.
Let’s now explore four of the most compelling solutions which we believe offer an optimal blend of capabilities and value for money. Each of these offerings require very little in the way of front-loaded capital commitments, yet all offer the potential for operational transformation in the respective domains.
Cloud Hosting
The ‘cloud’ refers to a worldwide network of internet connected servers, which via cloud service providers, host a variety of computing services. ‘Cloud-hosting’ is the practice of using cloud computing services to accommodate systems and services traditionally hosted in-house.
Websites, enterprise software and email servers are some of the business tech components that can now be hosted off-site in a cloud data centre.
So why might you want to do that?
Simple…economies of scale. You can still choose to host all components of your business technology in your on-premise network, but doing so no longer makes financial sense when the cloud offers infrastructure, development platforms, and ready-to-use enterprise software on a more cost-effective basis.
Powering/cooling equipment, maintenance of hardware and the implementation of physical security is all handled en-masse by the cloud service provider – saving you both hassle and money. Inherent in almost all cloud services is the ability to adapt the resources to suit fluctuating business demand: your monthly IT bills will closely relate to the point-in-time demand for a particular service.
Microsoft 365
Since its inception way back in 2011, Microsoft 365 (then known as ‘Office 365’) has cemented its reputation as the world’s foremost enterprise productivity suite. At its core you’ll find the familiar ‘office apps’ (word, excel, PowerPoint etc.), but these are now supplemented by a range of new collaboration and workplace productivity tools which combine to make 365 more than a sum of its parts. Offering storage, email, workflow management, automation capabilities, communication and collaboration tools in an intuitive, remote-capable package, it’s not hard to see what Microsoft 365 occupies its dominant position in the business tech marketplace.
Some of the key platforms within Microsoft 365 include:
- Teams. Teams has become a household name in the past few years thanks to its role in assisting remote workforces during the pandemic. Offering smart calendaring, live document co-authoring, shared file libraries, instant messaging and video conferencing capabilities and host of other customisable features, Teams brings all the must-have and nice-to-have collaboration tools into one intuitive interface. Perfect for improving productivity among remote, hybrid and in-office workforces.
- SharePoint. SharePoint isn’t just document storage, it’s the single-source-of-truth platform for business departments and collaborative activities. Centre project resources in one place, and give your team a central hub containing the files they need and the data which supports collaboration. Alternatively, set up a SharePoint communication site and broadcast pertinent news and information to you team in the style of an intranet. Endlessly customisable, SharePoint sites can be used to support any group project of business domain.
- Outlook. The keystone of the Microsoft 365 experience, Outlook is one of the most capable and feature-rich email clients around. Incorporating automation, intuitive calendaring and deep integration with multiple other 365 platforms, Outlook is an email service with productivity wired in.
Microsoft 365 is a prototypical SaaS (software-as-a-service) offering, with packages available on a monthly per-user basis. With various configurations to choose from, there is bound to be a package to suit your business needs and budget, and the flexible nature of the pricing means you can provision the platform for the exact number of users requiring access.
Cloud-hosted VoIP
With the impending shutdown of the UK’s PSTN (public switched telephone network) infrastructure pressing the need for businesses to adopt futureproof alternatives, organisations are fast discovering the high-value and feature-rich telephony afforded by cloud-hosted VoIP. Offering value-for-money call packages, little in the way of hardware expenses and a host of features which make light work of call handling, cloud-hosted VoIP offers a compelling alternative to the cumbersome legacy phone systems of yesteryear.
Cloud-hosting means your office phone system become portable, with the ability to make and receive calls wherever you are provided you have an internet connection. Features such as auto attendants, call queues, call groups and IVR (interactive voice response) often come as standard and make it easy to manage high call volumes.
Some systems also allow for the integration of other communication media into the interface in a process known as ‘unified communications.’ By bringing the likes of email, instant messaging and data into the same sphere as your phone system you’ll make your team more efficient and productive.
As unlikely as this may sound, cloud-hosted VoIP offers a route by which to acquire a phone system with zero hardware considerations. Using ‘soft phones’ (software that mimics the functionality of a physical telephone) your existing endpoint devices can function as access portals to your phones system, with optional handsets available to purchase for a slightly more ergonomic calling experience. With very little physical hardware to contend with, the maintenance burden is virtually non-existent, as the servers which underpin the system are managed and maintained by the VoIP service provider. Additionally, call costs are dramatically cheaper compared to conventional telephony products, with attractively priced call bundles offering affordable calls particularly to foreign numbers.
Managed Security Services
Deploying technical measures to safeguard your network and instituting the policies and procedures needed to protect sensitive information can be an expensive and time consuming business. With so much to consider, and the pressures of running your business vying for your attention, why not outsource cyber security to an experienced and capable managed security provider and give yourself the breathing space to focus on value-adding activities.
With their insights, knowledge and experience, a managed security provider can establish the checks and balances required to comprehensively secure your systems and data. They can ensure your business-critical assets are backed up and recoverable in the event of a crisis, and deploy a range of technical instruments to protect your network from the damaging effects of malware. Remote monitoring systems can also be used to scan your environment for inherent vulnerabilities, and threat detection tools can be deployed, allowing action to be taken against cyber threats as soon as they appear on your network.
While it is possible to assemble the capabilities described above in-house, doing so as comprehensively as a managed security provider is likely to prove cost inhibitive due to the costs (both in time and money) associated with assembling a dedicated team of IT security specialists. Outsourcing security is therefore the far more cost-effective option for SMEs.
While security services might not at first glance seem like a value-adding proposition, it’s important to remember the financial penalties that can come with a data breach. An experienced managed security provider can put the structures in place to help you meet your obligations under the GDPR, and through a range of safeguards, dramatically reduce the chance of a data breach decimating your business’s finances.
Your Success is Our Success
We’re a young, fun, and enthusiastic bunch of down-to-earth people that strive to relieve our clients’ IT headaches. We love to engage and create enjoyable relationships with our clients, but, ultimately, we’re here to help your business to run smoothly and securely. Our team has many years of experience in IT Consultancy, Website Development, Email/Web Hosting, Server Builds/ Installations/Maintenance, Network Issues and IT Security… and more! Contact us now to find out how we can help you.
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