The Small Business Owner’s Guide to successful #WFH

“Working from Home” has become a reality. What does this mean for you on the technology front? How do you stay safe? What happens if something goes wrong? What hardware and software do you need?

Most important of all is your workspace; ensure you have a healthy set up with space for a comfy chair, a decent monitor (24” or higher), an external keyboard and mouse. DO NOT work permanently on your laptop’s touch pad and small keyboard as it can cause long term health issues.

(See the interiors column on P25 for advice on how to create this extra space in your home)

With your health looked after, what about your technology?

Hardware

For a new PC we suggest buying from a Tier 1 manufacturer to get 3 -4 years minimum from your investment. Go for at least Intel i5, 8GB memory and 256GB SSD. We can supply a machine fully setup and delivered for £450 If you already have a PC that is less than 5 years old and runs Windows 7 / 10 there is the option to upgrade the hard drive to an SSD. Cost: £125.

Software

There are 5 core business applications you need: Email, Data, Communication, Backup & Virus Protection. You will hear terms like POP, IMAP, GMAIL. EXCHANGE, OFFICE 365, ONE DRIVE, GOOGLE DRIVE, DROPBOX, ZOOM, TEAMS. So, how do you choose?

• Email - We recommend Exchange / Office 365. It gives you an email address that can be used on any platform (Android, iPhone,

PC, MAC) and will synchronise across all devices. Cost: £4.99 per month per mailbox. • Data - It’s time to embrace the Cloud if you haven’t already. Massive data centres, replicated across multiple locations, look after your data which you can access on your PC, MAC, mobile or any browser. We recommend SharePoint for any Small Business. Cost: free with Office 365.

• Communication - Aside from email, it is essential that you can now video conference.

Zoom has dominated the headlines and it does the job admirably so download it and use it. Teams is also free with Office 365.

• Backup - You will accumulate Gigabytes (if not Terabytes) of data. But what happens if the machine fails or your laptop gets stolen?

You MUST have a backup. Do not rely on

“you” backing it up every night; it won’t happen. You need an automated process that just does it every day. Cost: £2 per month per user • Protection - The world is full of scams, rogue emails, and get rich quick schemes. You must always be on your guard. It’s essential that you have good quality virus protection installed on your PC / MAC (Yes MACs can get a virus). Cost: £25 per annum

Support

What happens if something goes wrong or you have a question about your technology? With a support contract you can contact Worx24 anytime and we will help you. We will also monitor your PC and make sure it is up to date, fully protected and running at its best. Cost: £15 per month for 1st device and £7.50 for each subsequent device. All prices quoted ex VAT.

This article was contributed by Angus Kerr. Angus is the director of Worx24, a Colintonbased business IT support company. www.worx24.co.uk