The Future is Bright with The Cloud

SMB’s no longer need to spend large sums of money to implement the same standard of technology as larger corporations.

Cloud services offer huge benefits over traditional on-premise server based IT solutions including:

• Reduced costs – less hardware, software, licenses and support overheads.
• Improved Accessibility – access your email, documents and data such as quotes, invoices and manuals from anywhere with an internet connection, at any time .
• Increased Productivity – providing staff with the ability to work from anywhere means that winter weather, transport problems and strikes don’t have to interrupt your business!

In addition, Microsoft Office365 comes with Lync technology which provides the ability to hold secure virtual meetings whilst sharing and collaborating on documents and project materials with staff, suppliers and clients.

Eitex are now Microsoft Cloud Accelerate Partners which means we are helping businesses of all sizes take advantage of the benefits offered by online “Cloud” services such as Microsoft Office365.

If you would like to try Office365 you can do so for free here.

For more information on Eitex and Office365 visit our website at: http://www.eitex.co.uk/microsoftoffice365.asp

Why worry about geography when you have IT?

IT solutions can make a massive difference to businesses and where they locate themselves operationally. 

In a recent article by one of our Regional Director's published on the Burnley Bonholders site we discuss how businesses can benefit from reduced costs through the effective use of IT.

http://burnley.co.uk/blogs/technology-can-benefit-burnley-based-business/

Eitex Provides Visionary IT Support



IT Support provider Eitex, have been selected by a Blackpool based charity for the visually impaired to support their computer systems.

N-Vision, who provide services and support to anyone with reduced vision living in the Blackpool, Fylde and West Lancashire area were referred to Eitex by FusionCRM, the company providing the charity’s customer relationship management solution.

“We frequently work in conjunction with FusionCRM and this referral ensured the client got the best possible service at a price that works for them,” commented Lee Hezzlewood, Eitex’s Regional Director for Lancashire.

“We even made sure the client was able to take advantage of our May Special Offer for Lancashire based customers.”

This meant that, although the initial quote and service negotiations were completed prior to the offer being announced, N-Vision was able to benefit from Eitex’s “3 Months Free IT Support” offer for new customers in the Lancashire region, saving them a considerable amount of money on their standard IT Support rates.

“At Eitex we believe in creating Win:Win relationships with our clients, and as such we were happy to ensure they received the best possible price for our fantastic IT Support service,” said Mr Hezzlewood.

For more information about N-Vision and how they support the visually impared visit their website http://www.nvision-nw.com/

New Contract won by Eitex Bradford

Donald Race and Newton Solicitors.

Today is a good day for Eitex Bradford. We are proud to announce that we are now supporting Donald Race and Newton Solicitors who have offices in Burnley and Colne.

They were looking to get the most out of their IT and came to Eitex for advice on how to go about this. As a result over the next few months we are going to be implementing some pretty exciting projects with them which should see them really benefitting and getting the most from their IT.

If you want to see how you can get more from your IT then simply log onto www.eitex.co.uk and find your nearest Eitex office and get stress free IT.

A rather interesting job.

Sometimes in the IT world we are presented with some interesting jobs that can make you think out of the box for a solution.

I was presented with a request a while back that needed just such thinking.

A fellow BNIer came to me and said that someone had given him a scanner with an ADF (automatic document feeder) and would I have a look at it for him.

So I popped around and after a brief chat found that there were no discs or manuals with the device and that it was a model that was about 12 years old. My BNI friend, after being interrogated by me for as much info that I could glean to help me, was not holding out much hope in getting his free scanner up and running and also networked into his business.

But, never being one to turn down a challenge I set about my research and found some old software online and came up with an alternative solution to the problem. After tweeking, configuring and quite a bit of testing we had a solution that worked and he was so happy that he wrote me this testimonial:

"I gave Gareth an old scanner with no manuals and asked him to integrate it with my IT suite. Bizzarely, he's done it saving me money and I'm now heading to paperless utopia. He's good"

So it just goes to show that in IT there is always a way. If you need some expert IT support ask us at Eitex.

Eitex wins contract for leading Oracle Partner

Oracle partner, RPC UK Limited offers Oracle training, solutions and consultancy for medium to large organisations all over the world.

As a growing business RPCuk needed to upgrade their IT facilities to cope with demand, logistics and customer expectations.

RPCuk approached Eitex for a Microsoft CRM solution and Pro-Active IT Support.

Director Peter Gable commented “We are a successful and expanding Oracle solutions provider and need to ensure that our mission critical systems are robust and resilient, remain fit for business and take advantage of opportunities presented by new technological innovations. The proactive and forward thinking Eitex approach enables us to meet those criteria. Eitex delivered a comprehensive Microsoft CRM solution as well as providing precision ongoing support and maintenance of our IT infrastructure.”

If you would like to discuss your IT requirements, please get in touch via our Enquiry Form, or call 01924 488 612.

Eitex wins new IT Support Contract for Akeroyd and Topham

As a growing business Akeroyd and Topham needed to upgrade their network systems to cope with business expansion. A&T were looking for shared calendars, mailboxes, and secured areas on the network where sensitive data could be stored.

Eitex were recommended to A&T by a third party. Director Paul Babington said “Eitex came highly recommended and the word-of-mouth referral we got from the third party gave us the piece of mind that we’d found a reputable IT Support company. Eitex have since installed a Microsoft Small Business Server and given us the functionality we were looking for and the stability and building blocks for future growth.”

Eitex are now supporting the network of A&T on a pro-active IT Support basis.

If you would like to arrange a free consultation with Eitex, please visit www.eitex.co.uk

My BNI 60 Second Song

I'm really enjoying this being creative with my 60 seconds in BNI Utopia.

This week I did a parody of Don Mclean's American Pie. So put the tune in your head and sing along.

Long long time ago, back in seventeen ninety one
A man named babbage had a dream
He designed and he built his first computer it was a hit
And he hoped that it would change the world
Then in 1975 a small company came alive,
Called Microsoft and as we know, they proceeded to grow

But! that dam software don’t deliver
This stupid computer makes me quiver
Why has it just frozen
The backups all are broken

I cant remember if I cried
When I heard that the hard disc was fried
I just need some help from outside
The day the hard disc died

But no more computer stresses for me
Cos I found Eitex and they helped me to get computer stress free
With their IT support and their clever approach
Now I use my works computer with glee
Cos I find I’m now computer stress free

My BNI 60 second poem

Here is my 60 second elevator pitch that I did in poem form to mix it up a bit.

I come to BNI Utopia every Thursday morning,
And sometimes find that I can never stop yawning,

It isn't the people that does this to me,
It's the 6:30 start, it's early you see!

For 60 seconds I stand,
And talk about computers while waving my hands,

Well this is my job, this is what we do,
If you're having computer problems then Eitex is for you!

I'm looking for referals into solicitors in Skipton you see,
Charlesworth Wood and Brown, Sterratt and Co, Armstrong Luty, Makin Dixon, Foster Law, Hallas and finally Mewies

What IT Support Companies do wrong!

I have been having a problem with my car for the past couple of months. It has been into 2 Vauxhall garages 5 times in total, and nobody has been able to identify the problem. It was almost as though there wasn’t actually a problem, and I am being paranoid, its driver error, not the car. I began researching on the internet, but I didn’t know what to look for. I felt very frustrated indeed.

I took my car somewhere else and ‘hey presto’ they identified the problem! I felt relieved, and finally I had brought my car somewhere where they actually know what they are doing.

The guy who was looking at my car told me the problem was related to my DPF filter. I am telling you this because the majority of you won’t know what this is, which is exactly how I felt! What’s a DPF filter?

The guy said they would ‘regenerate the DPF filter’ which can be done under warranty. Again, I don’t know what that means, and I am taking this guys word for it that what he is saying is correct. I would have preferred him to say “a filter is causing a blockage, clearing it will resolve the problem”.

Anyhow the filter was regenerated and thankfully this seems to have cured the problem. There wasn’t a charge either, which was a bonus!

The whole experience allowed me to empathise more closely with PC users, who are often bamboozled  with technical terminology by ‘engineers’ employed to tell them  why their computers aren’t working as they should, and what they need to do to fix them.

-    Does this guy know what he’s doing?
-    Is what he’s saying correct?
-    how will I ever know?
-    What is the cost going to be?
-    I’m in the dark!

Why do IT Companies always make it so difficult to understand? This is what IT Companies do wrong, over complicate things!

Here at Eitex our company motto is “IT Made Easy”. We never use terminology that the client doesn’t understand. We explain IT Support issues in a clear and concise manner, and allow the user to understand!

What could be simpler? The client feels comfortable dealing with us, and finally, understands the problem, without understanding the technicalities.




Eitex, IT Made Easy!

Hate Computers?

I hate computers! They really annoy the hell out of me. Isn’t that what people think?

But here is the down side we are massively reliant on them in our day to day lives. There isn’t a day that goes by where we don’t use one. Our business depends on them ruthlessly.

When they break then it’s the end of the world. Whether it’s the one at home or the ones at work and if the server goes then, oh no, it’s worse. All these people sitting around doing nothing but being paid all the same. It’s nothing but stress and frustration.

So the question that I have to ask is why? Why did the system go down? Why did it break?

After all I’m sure that you kept the system well maintained and regularly checked out. Didn’t you?

Ah, no you didn’t. But your car is covered by insurance and you are with the AA or RAC. All the contents of the building are insured even the building itself is covered and not just by the roof. Yet there is more chance of your IT failing than the building burning down, being hit by an earth quake or suffering at the hands of god.

In theory it is more convenient to have the servers stolen than them breaking as long as you backed them up daily and check that the backups worked.

Did you back them up? Ah! Oops.

It’s all very complicated isn’t it? Why? It doesn’t need to be complicated. All you need is IT support.

In house support is expensive, we all know that. But so is having in house accountancy. So what do we do there? We outsource our accounts so why don’t we do the same with our IT?

It seems that when it comes to IT people have an ‘It will never happen to me’ attitude. Yet when you speak to them they profess to knowing nothing about IT or having the time to care.

Another situation that we often come across is the people who don’t actually know what it is that they have bought and what it does. To some people IT is like modern art. It cost me a fortune, I didn’t know what I wanted and I have no idea what it is.

This is why we at Eitex offer a free mini audit for everyone so that you can at least have a basic understanding of what your IT does and what its potential is.

From the one man band with his laptop to a firm with a 100 users they should all be aware of what their system does and how stable and resilient it is. I know that you always hear IT people harping on and scaremongering about resilience and backups but that’s because we hear so many people complaining when it all goes bad. Yet with a bit of advice and direction it can all be prevented.

All of our staff at Eitex are from a technical backround, we don’t have just sales people. Yet all of our staff pride themselves in their ability to be excellent translators of geek to English. We provide remote assistance so what your business actually has is a virtual IT department.

We provide multiple levels of support that has been designed over time to be tailored to suit any business's IT needs that will also fit their budget.

One of my favourite phrases that I enjoy hearing is ‘Why do we pay these IT guys? The system is fine.’ Why do I like hearing this? Quite simply it means that we are doing our job well. Our goal is to keep you going because your success is our success.

At the end of the day IT is a tool to enhance your business. Sometimes tools break, like cars. Yet if you maintain them then the chances of failure are less and less.

Let’s change peoples attitudes from:

‘It will never happen to me’

To

‘If it happens, I’m covered by Eitex.’

Moving forward then! How can YOU help people YOU know achieve this? Well the next time you’re talking to someone and you hear that famous phrase ‘Sorry to keep you waiting but the system is running a bit slow today.’ Tell them about us, Eitex. It’s a FREE audit after all so why not help them get their slow systems sorted out. After all you are the one who has spent YOUR time waiting.

Next time you are speaking to your solicitor or your accountant ask them ’Who looks after your IT’ and if they tell you that they don’t worry about that or that no one does, then maybe you should worry about them.

Tell them about us, Eitex.

Even if it is as simple as someone thinking about getting that new laptop that they always wanted. Tell them about us, Eitex.

Eitex Wins IT Support Contract for Eclipse (IP) Ltd Scotland

Leading security company Eclipse (IP) Ltd went in search of an IT Support provider to fulfil their ongoing IT needs. Many IT companies were available to choose from, but there was only one who was able to offer specialist advice and service for the security industry.

At Eitex we have a wealth of knowledge and many years experience within the Security Industry. New client Eclipse IP recognised this and chose Eitex as their full time IT Support provider.

Eclipse offer IP Cameras & CCTV Systems, Access Control, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), perimeter and intruder protection from there head office in central Scotland and are able to provide full UK wide service for all your security needs. 

For more information on Eclipse IP visit www.eclipse-ip.co.uk or complete their enquiry form at www.eclipse-ip.co.uk/contact.html

For more information on Eitex visit www.eitex.co.uk

Dean Spencer

Eitex IT Support Services

Snowed in?

So you woke up the other morning and the land was covered in snow. Fab, it looks good and the 10 year old in you starts jumping up and down. However, you still need to get to work but then so do your employees. Now you start thinking about the losses that you could face and the 10 year old gets shoved aside… again.

So as usual you decide to make the effort only thinking that it will be a long walk back, and that if you do get there you will probably be the only one because no one else has the same commitment as you.

Then the wife tells you that the schools are closed. You expected that, but, someone has to stay with the kids and you are the boss after all. Why cant you take the day off, she has a job to try and go to.

At the end of the day it’s a pain and it isn’t just when it snows it’s when the kids are ill or one of your employees kids are ill or the car breaks down etc etc.

Now I would like to ask you a question. Why in the 21st century should these things be a problem? Yes it snows! Yes the kids get ill, as do we! Yes employees can’t make it in etc!

BUT!

We at Eitex ran our entire operation from home with each employee in their own house providing all the IT Support that was needed to be done and keeping in constant communication with each other. Snowed in, no problem! Kids off school, no problem!

Ok, everyone has a computer in their house, well almost everyone. I love the quote by Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp. in 1977 when he said ‘there is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.’ Classic! He obviously never played Call of Duty. So most people have a computer of some description or other so why can’t they work from home? In this day and age the technology is there all you need is the knowhow and that’s where we at Eitex come in. If you feel that your business could have better weathered, excuse the pun, the cold snap then why not contact us. We will come in and see you, carry out a free audit on your systems and get you and your employees up and running from anywhere in the world.

Windows 7 Benefits

As your IT Support provider Eitex have provided you with a no-thrills, straight to the point, bullet point list of the benefits of Windows 7, let’s get started.

Windows 7 combines the best of Windows XP, Vista, as well as offerings its own unique and clever features, such as:

• Windows XP mode - Windows XP Mode is specially designed for small and medium-sized businesses to help ease the migration process to Windows 7 there is more about this on WindowsSteamBlog. Here at Eitex IT Support we believe this to be a good transition path for our clients.



• Windows 7 Aero Snap - it is a new feature of Windows 7 that can be used to manage Windows in the Windows operating system. It can for example be used to move Windows to the right or left side of the screen to resize them automatically so that they fit half the screen of the computer monitor. See Aero Snap here in action http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS7a0xDwvlM



• Easy Networking – Windows 7 makes it easy for you to use your networking equipment, as it is more user friendly and not as complicated to access.



• The Jump List – Windows 7 has a jump list; this is on the taskbar and makes it easy for you to open your apps as they are stored in your taskbar. See it in action here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqiin8qmbeY



• 64-bit support – Windows 7 supports both 32 bit and 64 bit processers to make Windows that little bit better for your optimisation needs.



• Windows touch – if you have a tablet PC or touch screen, this will make searching and indexing a lot easier with just a flick of the wrist. See it in action here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5WXxLecW4Q



• Windows 7 themes – people like Windows 7 for the looks and themes that are offered as they are a good range and quantity to choose from.



• The Taskbar – the Windows 7 taskbar is bigger and sharper than Vista and XP, getting more detail out of your taskbar may mean a lot to some users. See the task bar here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykFn0ZT64iw



• The Flag – the flag is on the taskbar, and what that does is hide Windows notifications such as your antivirus and other applications, this can be configured to leave some apps alone too.



• The boot up – Instead of just a plain boring green bar going past your eyes, Windows 7 have a new boot screen, showing the user what it is doing and loading with a nice animated logo instead of a green bar.



• Grouping – your active applications are grouped, however you can turn this feature off if you want, but like in other operating systems your applications are grouped if you have more than one open, in Windows 7 if this occurs, it will group your applications and if you highlight your mouse over it will bring up an image of every page that is open.

If you would like to discuss the benefits in more detail, and what they mean for your business please do not hesitate to get in touch. We are also able to arrange a demo at your convenience.

Eitex IT Support.

Eitex Franchise in Kirklees Business News

Kirklees Business News have today published an article on our ambitious IT Support franchise plans.

The article can be read here Kirklees Business News - Eitex embarks on Franchising Route to Expansion

Eitex IT Support