Grant McGregor Ltd

Being able to transfer files securely within your business as well as with customers and partners is an absolute must for businesses today.

The wide range of applications on the market can make it difficult to choose which is the best for your business. When it comes to file transfer, you need to be especially careful to make sure you choose the right service since the safety of your data depends on it.

About MOVEit Transfer

MOVEit transfer (from Ipswitch) is a managed file transfer application that enables users to move critical data securely and while ensuring regulatory compliance.

Many businesses do not have a secure file transfer solution in place and this can easily result in disaster.

MOVEit Transfer comes with many benefits, the most important of which are listed below.

The benefits

• A complete overview of all data transfers – Having a complete overview of all file transfers that occur in your business is essential if you want to protect your data. MOVEit transfer enables business owners to get a clear picture of all data interactions, including people, places and events.

• Advanced security features – Making your data secure means having it encrypted both in rest and in transit. MOVEit Transfer gives you the ability to do this. It also enforces security policies at user and system levels, with authentication and delivery confirmation required.

• Adhere to regulatory compliance – All transfers are logged in a database, which means all data interactions are logged in a way where tampering is evident. This means your business is able to comply with various regulatory standards.

• Transfer files globally – You are also able to upload and download files in any language. This is particularly useful for businesses that deal with clients across the globe. There is support for French, German, Japanese and Spanish as well as traditional and simplified Chinese.

Available Plans

MOVEit Transfer comes with three options for purchasing. Below are the details of each.

MOVEit Transfer Standard

MOVEit Transfer Standard includes –

• Secure repository and transfer

• Encryption in rest and in transit

• API module

• 10 WS_FTP clients

• Free non-production license

MOVEit Transfer Professional

MOVEit Transfer professional includes –

• All Features of Standard Edition

• iOS and Android Access

• Ipswitch Gateway server

• 15 WS_FTP Clients

MOVEit Transfer Premium

MOVEit Transfer Premium includes –

• All Features of Professional Edition

• Microsoft Outlook & Web Transfer

• 20 WS_FTP Clients

Is MOVEit Transfer right for your business?

If you’re considering switching from your current file transfer program; or if you don’t currently have a fully secure system in place for file transfers, then MOVEit Transfer is an excellent choice.

Loss or theft of customer data is a huge concern for businesses nowadays, so the ability to securely transfer files while adhering to regulatory standards is a huge benefit.

The fact that you can get a clear overview of all transfer also means you’re able to quickly stamp out any bad practices that your employees might be engaging in when it comes transferring sensitive data.

Additionally, the range of packages available means that MOVEit Transfer is suitable for both SMEs and large corporations who need a secure file transfer solution.

Pricing

For more information on MOVEit Transfer pricing, contact us.

Try MOVEit

You can get a free 30-day trial of MOVEit by clicking here.

If you’d like to test MOVEit Transfer first, then you can request a free live demo by signing up here.

Why SMEs Should Take Cyber Security Seriously

October 10 2016

Whilst cyber security has frequented news headlines in recent times, these high-profile breaches almost always involve large corporations which can lead smaller businesses and organisations into a false sense of security (no pun intended).

Yet it is SMEs who tend to have weaker cyber security defences, limited either by finances, strategy, apathy or a combination of these.

The trouble is that this has made them an easy target for hackers, and not just in theory.

The very real reality is that cyber-attacks against small businesses are frequent and widespread. Earlier this year, Symantec – a company which specialises in enterprise security technology – published research revealing that nearly half of all recorded cyber-attacks against businesses last year were directed at SMEs and small organisations.

SMEs with weak security can be used as a stepping-stone to larger networks

As with most forms of crime, cyber-attacks are often financially motivated. This is usually what leads small business owners to believe that hackers wouldn’t be interested in their networks.

Why would they, when they could go after the much more lucrative data of large corporations? But in today’s increasingly interconnected world, securing our networks has become as much about protecting the data and reputations of those we are associated with as it has our own.

SMEs with weak security defences can provide a gateway to the larger, more lucrative networks of vendors and associates.

The true cost of neglecting cyber security

According to Government research, the average cost of a cyber-attack on SMEs is between £75,000 and £310,800 inclusive of business disruption, lost sales and compensation payouts.

Such is the extent of the damage to the revenues and reputations of some companies that they do, unfortunately, go under as a result.

Whilst the cost of cyber-attacks to large companies can run into millions of pounds, it is, of course, relative. Most SMEs simply don’t have the funds to weather the effects of dealing with a serious data breach.

But, it’s not just the direct cost of a cyber-attack that can harm a small business’ revenues. The perception of inadequate cyber defences, alone, can be enough to harm am SME’s revenues and prevent business growth.

Large businesses are increasingly insisting that their SME suppliers meet minimum security standards

SMEs that fail to take the issue of cyber security seriously risk losing out on vital contracts.

The results from a recent multisector survey of procurement managers in the UK, conducted by KPMG, indicated that the vast majority of large businesses consider cyber security to be an important factor when awarding contracts to SME suppliers. Of the respondents, a massive 86% said that they would consider removing SME suppliers, if they discovered they had been hacked.

An increasing number of large businesses are now insisting that suppliers demonstrate cyber accreditations (Cyber Essentials, ISO27001, IASME certifications or PCI DSS) during the procurement assessment. Whilst the cost of obtaining cyber accreditations often falls on SMEs, themselves, the benefits will far outweigh the required investment.

Investment in cyber security is essential for business success

With procurement managers placing greater importance on cyber security than ever before, the very existence of many an SME depends on its ability to demonstrate that these issues are being taken seriously.

Investment in cyber security will not only protect a business, its partners and clients, but will also go a long way to helping secure contracts and gaining an edge over the competition. Such an investment is crucial for businesses that want to grow and succeed in an increasingly technological world.

This point has been summed up succinctly by George Quigley, of KPMG’s cyber security practice, who stated that: “Cyber security is not just a technical issue anymore; it has become a business critical issue for the UK’s SMEs”.

A full understanding of the risks is the first step towards effective cyber security

When running a small business with limited resources, it’s easy to bury your head in the sand when it comes to complex issues such as cyber security.

But this is definitely not the answer. It won’t protect your business and nor will it promote growth.

The first step to implementing effective cyber security defences is making sure that you, and your entire team, fully understand the threats and vulnerabilities that exist. From here, you can begin to put effective measures in place to protect your business against these.

Large companies certainly are aware of the cyber threats that exist and the risks these pose to their businesses. This is made only too clear by their growing reluctance to work alongside smaller companies that don’t appear to be taking the issue seriously.

By neglecting cyber security, SMEs not only put their critical business data in jeopardy, but also risk being frozen out of the supply chain.

It’s time for SMEs to take cyber security seriously, or put the very survival of their companies and organisations at risk.

Get a copy of our free 15 Point Security Checklist to help you asses your IT security.

Although the internet has brought about many positive changes, it’s unfortunately also made it much easier for scammers to potentially target anyone.

From phishing emails and CEO fraud to malware and viruses – there are many threats to small businesses that scammers look to exploit.

Below are 5 of the biggest.

1. Naive/poorly trained staff

When most businesses think about how to make themselves safe against security threats, they’re most focused on IT systems. Installing anti-virus software and making sure all software and plug-ins is always a good idea but one of the biggest threats to your business is actually from your own staff.

CEO fraud is a particularly malicious type of scam that relies on naïve and/or untrained staff in order to be successful. CEO fraud has cost businesses millions and is a very real threat, even to small businesses. The way it usually works is by a scammer posing as a high up figure within the business, often the CEO (hence the name) and making contact via email or phone to request a large amount of money to be transferred. They will usually create a huge sense of urgency and make the recipient feel as though they have no choice but to make the transfer… and quickly!

It isn’t just CEO fraud that’s a risk when you have poorly trained staff though. There is also the risk of them clicking on malicious links in emails, not properly updating software and not updating their passwords regularly. This is why it’s vital that you properly train and educate your staff if you want your organisation to be safe from security threats.

2. Outdated browser plug-ins

Modern browsers, such as Internet Explorer, Chrome and Firefox are all being continually updated in order to mitigate the risk of viruses, malware and other forms of malicious software infecting users’ computers. Using older versions of these browsers though, can put your business at significant risk.

The updates and patches that are released and usually auto-updated on newer browsers are not present on older versions. This makes it much easier for scammers to exploit vulnerabilities in the browsers and potentially infect your systems with malicious software.

Whenever possible, you should keep all software in your business updated or patched – this includes browsers, operating systems and anti-virus software. Scammers are constantly trying to adapt and find new vulnerabilities to exploit in unpatched software. Having the latest versions installed is the best way to protect against this.

3. Insecure data

One of the most valuable assets to many businesses is the data they hold.

One of the best ways to make data secure is by encrypting it and using strong passwords or security controls in order to access it, as well as using multi-authentication steps. Another incredibly important part of making your data secure is to use strong passwords and to make them unique. There are arguments for and against changing them regularly as the more important factor is to have a strong, hard-to-crack password.

Some businesses still believe that storing data locally, rather than in the cloud, makes it safer. This isn’t necessarily true, since storing data on physical devices such as external hard drives and USB drives means it can easily be lost or stolen and fall into the wrong hands.

4. Lack of protocols

One of the biggest vulnerabilities that scammers look to exploit is a lack of security protocols or processes. For example, if a large sum of money needs to be transferred, then there should be a system in place with multiple security checks to go through. Those who perpetrate CEO fraud are relying on there being little or no protocols in place in such a scenario and if this is the case in your business, then it’s always going to be at risk of such as scam.

To properly protect your business, you should have appropriate protocols in place for any scenario that could pose a security threat. This means employees should know how to deal with suspect emails, what to do if asked to transfer sums of money, when and when not to give out security credentials to others and what steps to take in order to keep data secure when accessing and sharing it.

5. Service provider failure

With so many services now being cloud-based, it’s extremely important that you select and work with the right service providers. This is particularly important when you’re storing your data in the cloud. A good cloud-based service should not only have excellent security measures but also have a clear disaster-recovery protocol in place.

When a company as large as Sony can have their data hacked, it shows just how big of a risk scammers pose. Although it’s fairly unlikely your business would be targeted precisely in the same way as that, you still need to ensure you take some basic steps to keep your data secure and choose the right service providers for your business.

If you’d like to check how secure your business is then download our  FREE 15 Point Security Checklist here to help you determine how secure your IT systems are and how security-conscious your people are!

Some level of IT expenditure is necessary in a business world that’s increasingly driven by technology.

Investment in IT can even help to reduce costs, by driving efficiency within your organisation. Paper-based methods are laborious and outdated – simply not an option that’s fit for the 21st century. But, if left unchecked, IT costs can very quickly spiral out of control.

To get maximum return on investment, you should be reviewing and refining your IT spending on a regular basis. There are many ways you can reduce your IT expenditure, without compromising on the benefits that technology brings to your business.

Here’s four top cost-cutting tips…

1. Determine what is actually necessary, and what is not

It’s easy to get carried away on the wave of technology.

People, or companies, convince us that we need to invest in the very latest ‘revolutionary’ products and solutions. Whether it’s the promise of our lives being made ‘so much easier’ or our profits ‘increasing dramatically’, it’s easy to get carried away investing in things that we don’t always need.

Whilst many of these products and solutions truly are beneficial, the key is to assess what you really do need and avoid the temptation to spend money on things you don’t. By taking the time to review your current IT expenditure, taking care not to overlook all the small things, you will probably find that you could make significant savings by cutting back to only that which is strictly necessary.

2. Outsource your IT Support

Employing an in-house IT team is costly.

Of course, you will want the best possible talent, but this only adds to the cost because skilled IT professionals are in hot demand these days. The cost of recruitment, paying salaries and investing in ongoing training often proves too much for SMEs.

We don’t need to tell you that mounting operational costs, such as these, eat into your profits. But there is a solution that gives you the best of both worlds – skilled IT expertise at an affordable price.

The solution is outsourcing your IT support to a specialist and good quality provider. This saves you having to invest in recruitment, individual’s salaries and ongoing training. It also ensures that you don’t have to worry about retaining IT staff or the costs associated with replacing members of staff that leave or covering ansence.

Outsourcing your IT support also affords you much greater flexibility. You can choose the type of service and level of commitment that suits your business. You can have access to the expertise that you need, whenever you need it, with a service that’s tailored to your needs and at a price that’s affordable.

3. Explore the cloud

Are you yet to explore the potential of the cloud?

Cloud services can bring significant savings to many companies, compared with their on-premises solutions. This is particularly true for SMEs, simply because the pricing structure tends to make them less cost-effective for larger companies.

Many cloud services are charged per user or per unit of storage capacity; so, when a company exceeds a certain threshold, it becomes more cost-effective to develop in-house solutions.

Cloud services allow you to, basically, rent the infrastructure of a third-party provider.

If you run a small business or organisation, this will, typically, work out much cheaper than investing in your own infrastructure and maintaining it yourself onsite. Because services delivered via the cloud are hosted, you get the added benefit of some inclusive management, which is part of what makes them such good value for money.

There are many different cloud services available; if you’re looking to reduce costs, perhaps compare the price of cloud-based alternatives to existing solutions that you have. As well as reducing costs, the cloud can bring many more benefits besides.

Chief amongst these is the ability to offload some of the burden of data security to your cloud provider. By moving your infrastructure to the cloud, you will also find that you are able to run your business much more efficiently, because you’ll be free to focus on your core business activities.

4. Check You’re Getting Value For Your Money

If your existing contracts are due for renewal, it’s worth checking you’re still getting a good deal.

Often, companies will do whatever they can to keep existing customers, because it’s much easier than getting new ones.

Always make sure that you shop around, getting quotes from different companies to make sure that you’re getting the best value for money. It’s worth your time, especially if it results in a significant reduction in your expenditure.

If you have contracts with multiple IT providers, it could be costing you more. Consolidating contracts with fewer companies can often lead to big savings.

The best place to start, when looking to reduce your IT expenditure, is with a full audit of your current infrastructure including all hardware, software, contracts and any other areas where money is being spent on IT.

Determine what you actually need. Decide whether your in-house solutions are working for you financially, or if you’d be better off outsourcing.

Also, take the time to shop around and negotiate for better deals. And remember, things change so ensure you follow these steps routinely – perhaps once or twice per year – to avoid costs spiralling out of control again in the future.

Here’s what one of our clients fed back to us recently about value for money:

“Grant McGregor’s USP is that you operate differently from the norm to provide an enhanced service yet at a very reasonable cost. You take care in the details of your work and provide appropriate & realistic solutions.

When I first reviewed your website & then visited your offices, I thought there was no chance we would be able to afford your services – and I’m not advocating a price increase – it’s just that other small/medium businesses may experience the same feeling.

Yet, although we now invest more in our IT than before, we actually pay less for professional monthly IT support than we paid for poor service in the past!

I can verify that you provide a truly professional service with no nonsense all at an excellent price. Your services are exceptionally good value for money and I know that the investments we’re making in our IT now are adding the value to our business that we wanted.

Absolutely happy to recommend you as it does not feel like an outsourced service to us.”– Maureen Douglas, HR Director, Forster Group

Contact us today on 0131 603 7910 if you’d like to discuss how you can get better value for money from your IT.

Scam emails pose a big threat to businesses, regardless of their size.

They come in many forms – some want you to take action so the scammers can capture sensitive information while others attempt to extract money from your business by posing as somebody from within your organisation.

Whatever the case, you must know how to spot these emails so you can deal with them appropriately.

Below are 5 ways to spot scam emails and how you should deal with them.

1. Bad spelling and grammar (Bad speling nad gramer!)

One common giveaway of many scam emails is poor spelling and grammar. There are certain email scams, such as CEO fraud, where the scammer will be posing as a senior person with the organisation. If the email is littered with spelling and grammar mistakes then it’s a big giveaway that it’s not genuine. Scammers are getting better at avoiding this though…

So look out for overly formal language which can be another indicator of a scam email. For example if the email starts with something like ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ and comes from somebody you know well then you it is to be disregarded. Check how they’ve addressed you and how they sign-off. Notice anything unusual?

2. Subtle inaccuracies in email addresses

Another big giveaway of scam emails is small inaccuracies in email addresses.

When scammers are posing as somebody from within your organisation, they’ll often use email addresses that are close to genuine people who work there. Often the differences between the email addresses are very subtle and can be easy to miss.

For example the scam email might be john.smith@yourcompany.co.uk while the genuine email is johnsmith@yourcompany.co.uk or vice versa.

3. Use of urgent language

Use of urgent language is a very common tactic used by scammers sending phishing emails.

By attempting to create a sense of panic or urgency in the recipient, they aim to prompt them into taking an action they wouldn’t normally take, such as clicking on a malicious link or transferring a substantial amount of money. If it urges you to act quickly, then be on your guard and check other aspects or follow your internal protocols first.

4. Unrealistic threats are made

Often when scammers send out scam emails, they’ll make unrealistic threats.

For example if they’re posing as the business’ bank then they might threaten to close your account if you don’t take the action they want. The email might even go as far as to threaten your job if you do not take action.

Genuine emails will not make such threats or create that same sense of fear. It’s more likely a sign that it’s dodgy and to be avoided.

5. The email contains suspect URLs

Emails that often look genuine may contain malicious URLs that either redirect you to mock websites (that are designed to capture your information) or to infect your computer with malware.

A good way to determine if a URL is genuine or not is to hover over the link withoutclicking on it. Most browsers will show the actual URL that the link is directing to. If it doesn’t look genuine then don’t click on it. This can often be seen with URLs for your mobile provider or HMRC where they actually go elsewhere or to hmrc.website.com not the genuine Government website.

How to deal with scam emails

The best way to protect your business from the threat of scam emails is to train your employees well.

Training your staff to deal with scam emails is not that difficult and can usually be done in-house. Simply informing them of the common tactics used by scammers, including those listed above, will often be enough to help you seriously mitigate the risk that these emails pose.

You should be sure to train any staff that come into your business about the risk of scam emails and how to spot them too. It only takes one lapse in judgement by one employee that could cost your business a lot of money.

Alternatively, you can employ a service to help test your staff with phishing-type emails (but which don’t have a nasty sting in the tail!) to identify those most likely to click or respond. That can help you to direct further training and education to those that need it most.

If you’d like more advice on steps you can take to make your business more secure, including expanding your IT support services, then get in touch with Jon Towers and we’ll be happy to advise you further.

Windows 10 has now reached it’s 1st anniversary date, although there are still many businesses that have yet to make the switch. Although the deadline for free upgrades passed in July, new PCs are most often shipped with Windows 10 already installed so if you’re considering upgrading then you might choose to invest in new machines that come with the software already installed.

10 great features in Windows 10

If you have upgraded to Windows 10 then below are 10 of the best new features to help you get the most out of the software.

1. Speed

The first great, new feature of Windows 10 is the improved speed of processing and operations. Users ought to see an uplift in ‘boot up’ speed (when you first start up your Windows 10 computer), in hardware acceleration and also on shutdown. There are improvements to the power management functionality too which is good news for those on the go using a laptop or mobile Windows 10 device.

2. Cortana

Cortana is an intelligent personal assistant created by Microsoft for Windows 10 and other operating systems. Cortana was demonstrated for the first time in 2014 and was launched as a key ingredient of Microsoft’s planned “makeover” of the future operating systems for Windows Phone and Windows. It is named after Cortana, a synthetic intelligence character in Microsoft’s Halo video game series.

Cortana can help you by setting reminders, and recognises natural voice without the need for keyboard input, and “it” can answer questions using information from the search engines such as weather and traffic conditions, local facilities, sports scores, and more.

3. Action Center

Action Center is now on the right of the screen in Windows 10 and gives you quick access to app notifications as well as various setting buttons, such as VPN, Project, Connect and Tablet Mode. This new layout will be a welcome addition to Windows Phone and Android users, who are used to being able to access settings such as these with a quick swipe from the top of the screen.

4. Snap Assist

It’s becoming increasingly rare for people to only have one app, window or program open at one time. The Snap Assist feature in Windows 10 helps to keep your currently open windows better organised. When you drag open windows to the corner of the screen they go into snap view. You can use all corners of the screen to make your windows take up a quarter of the screen space. Any unused space is taken up by a window showing the thumbnails of the other windows you have open.

5. Improved Start Menu

One of the biggest criticisms of Windows 8 was that it was too heavily geared towards mobile users. Microsoft have clearly paid attention to such criticisms and the start menu in Windows 10 attempts to give the best of both worlds.

When you click the start button you get a fly-out menu that includes all the options you’d expect to find, such as file explorer, settings and power options. In addition to this though, there are also tiles that appear in their own panes. Unlike Windows 8, these tiles can be ignored if you don’t use them so there’s no disruption to your workflow. There’s also the option to increase the size of the start menu to suit your preferences.

6. Task Switching

Switching between tasks has become much easier in Windows 10 too. Although you still have the option to use the Alt-Tab key combination to switch windows, there’s also a task switcher icon in the taskbar. The thumbnails are now larger in the task switcher too, making it easier to locate the window you’re looking for.

7. Multiple Desktops

When working on multiple projects, the number of windows you have open at one time can soon become overwhelming. To help combat this problem, Windows 10 enables you to create multiple virtual desktops. This means you can easily organise your windows based on projects or by any other criteria you choose.

8. Scheduled Restarts

Another new feature in Windows 10 is the ability to schedule restarts that are required due to an upgrade or update. In past versions, you’d be able to put off the restart for a few minutes or even until the next day but there was no ability to schedule exactly when it would happen. This is no longer the case and you can now specify exactly when you want the upgrade/restart to occur. This is extremely useful for business users who are working to a tight schedule.

9. DirectX 12

The inclusion of DirectX 12 with Windows 10 means the graphical performance is greatly improved. This means that any highly demanding graphics tools that are written to DirectX12 will be significantly sped up.

10. Windows Hello

Windows Hello is a great new feature that will be particularly appealing to those who value strong security. As well as the ability to use fingerprint scanning technology, Windows Hello also enables you to log into your PC using an iris or face scan. In order to use face scanning, you’ll need to have a compatible 3D infrared camera, which can detect the contours of your face.

Technology is about innovation and innovation in business is all about doing things differently in order to provide better products and solutions, and an improved service to customers.

Technology is not just essential for day-to-day business processes, but it can also help companies to achieve growth and success when utilised effectively. Successful businesses don’t view technology simply as a way to automate processes, but instead use it to open up new ways of doing business.

In this article, we explore some of the many ways that technology can support business growth.

Utilising digital technologies for effective marketing

Businesses are now operating in an era where having a strong digital presence is essential, not only for success, but often simply for survival too. The lack of a strong digital presence is thought to be a contributing factor in the failure of many SMEs, half of which are failing in their first five years of existence. With limited marketing budgets, SMEs need to be wise about how they utilise digital technologies for maximum impact.

They key is to develop a clearly defined digital marketing strategy, including your aims, your tactics and how you’re going to measure performance. Many companies are digitally active, but not following a defined strategy. This can lead to resources being wasted and opportunities being missed.

A good website will, of course, be essential for the vast majority of businesses. This doesn’t just mean something that looks pretty; an effective website should be user-friendly, mobile responsive and optimised for search engines. The latter, in particular, requires ongoing attention.

As well as a good website, channels such as social media marketing, Email marketing and pay-per-click advertising can be extremely effective. Digital technologies can accelerate business growth because they allow companies to reach a wider audience and build lasting relationships with customers to promote brand loyalty.

Utilising productivity software to reduce costs & improve customer service

Many different elements contribute to business growth. These include providing a good level of customer service, minimising operational costs and maximising revenues.

Technology can help businesses to achieve all of these objectives. Increasing productivity and efficiency is key to reducing costs and maximising revenues, which can then be invested into growing the business.

Productivity software is designed to help businesses improve operational efficiency, replace laborious paper-based processes and reduce costs. The most commonly used productivity software packages include those for office productivity, accounts, communications and email.

The scope of business productivity software has expanded considerably in recent years, with the development of cloud and mobile technologies.

Cloud-based applications are often ideal for SMEs because they tend to carry a lower up-front cost and limit the burden of in-house management. They can also be used across a range of different devices and all locations where an internet connection is available, which further helps to boost staff productivity and efficiency.

Business growth also depends on acquiring and retaining customers. This requires businesses to provide a consistently high level of customer service. Technology can help with this, also.  Modern customer relationship management (CRM) software and Professional Services Automation (PSA) is reaching new heights of utility, benefiting both businesses and their customers alike.

It’s all about integration, these days, and the latest CRM and PSA solutions can integrate seamlessly with business communications systems to provide insights that help boost customer service levels and promote first contact resolution.

Utilising mobile technologies

Mobile technologies can bring a multitude of business benefits that all help to bolster growth.

Both the extension of flexible working rights in the UK and advancements in mobile technology have contributed to the increasing number of people working outside of the traditional office environment.

Investment in mobile technologies can help businesses to promote a happy workforce, with staff enjoying an improved work/life balance. This is generally thought to be beneficial for companies, as a happy workforce leads to increased productivity and reduced costs as a result of increased staff retention. Everyone’s a winner.

Mobile technologies can give a significant boost to efficiency and productivity because they allow users to complete a wide range of tasks from virtually any location. It has become possible to have full office functionality on-the-go. This simply means that more gets done, because staff don’t have to wait until they are at their desks to respond to colleagues and customers or read and edit important documents, for example.

Mobilising the workforce via technology can also help a business to make those all-important savings that are necessary to maximise profits and encourage growth. With employees able to work away from the office, savings can be made on physical space and the running costs associated with maintaining larger office premises.

To utilise mobile technology for optimal results, businesses should not only invest in mobile devices, but also consider cloud solutions that allow users to access the same applications and services from multiple devices and locations. These will also enable effective collaboration, so employees can work well as a team even when they’re not in the same physical space.

If businesses are smart about their investments in technology, adopting the right solutions for the specific needs and challenges of their business, then growth and success becomes easier than ever before.

At Grant McGregor, we offer a range of IT software, solutions and consultancy servicesto help businesses on their path to growth.

Contact us today on 0131 603 7910 for an initial chat about how to use technology positively to grow your business

Broadband internet has opened a Pandora’s box, both for home users and businesses. The advantages of the internet are obvious but it has also brought a lot of downsides, particularly for businesses, such as distractions which decrease productivity and increasing the risk of data leakage.

When employees have unfiltered and unmonitored access to the internet, then there’s a good chance that they’ll be using it to access social media and other types of websites that have little or nothing to do with work.

With this in mind, below are 6 vital reasons you should filter web traffic through your IT network.

1. Increase productivity

There’s no doubt that the internet is one of the biggest disruptors of productivity in the workplace. Social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are particularly bad for distracting employees but there’s also gaming, shopping and general browsing. By filtering web traffic you’re able to limit or block access to these websites and others like them and in return increase productivity in your business.

2. Protect your brand

Another key reason to filter web traffic in your business is to help protect your brand. If you have a lot of employees working in your business then there’s always the chance that they could be posting things on social media that are inappropriate or less than flattering about the company.

It might not even be that an employee is posting anything directly negative about the company but something that reflects badly on them and therefore the company too. By filtering web traffic, you can cut down this risk significantly.

3. Protect your data

In order to properly protect your data, you must have a combination of protocols and the right technology in place. While encrypting and storing company data securely is always recommended, there is still the risk of employees leaking the data, either accidentally or deliberately. Filtering web traffic will enable you to carefully monitor what information employees are sharing online and take any necessary action.

4. Prevent access to potentially malicious sites

There are plenty of malicious websites online (including well-used websites that have been hacked to deliver viruses to visitors) that could potentially infect your systems with malware or other forms of harmful software. Having good anti-virus and anti-malware software is certainly an essential way to protect yourself but when you add a further layer to your defences to filter web traffic you can cut the problem off before it can enter your business systems.

5. Monitor employee activity

If you suspect that one or more of your employees are visiting websites that you know to be harmful or you simply want to cut out time-wasting behaviour then being able to monitor the online activity of your employees will enable you to do this very effectively. You’ll be able to see what websites they’re visiting as well as what information they’re sharing about the company.

Generally, access control can be pretty flexible to enable you to be very specific about what, when and who to limit access to.

6. Reduce bandwidth costs

Another very good reason to filter web traffic is to reduce your bandwidth costs. High bandwidth sites like YouTube or streaming sites can very easily increase the amount of bandwidth being used, especially when multiple employees are accessing these types of sites. Web filtering will enable you to monitor whether these sites are accessed and block or limit them as required. You can even put a usage quota in place for each user, device or application (not all services offer this).

How to filter web traffic

If you do want to filter the web traffic at your workplace then you can either have your IT department do this or use a third party service. Such a service should enable a great degree of control; limiting usage by user, website category and website URLS. It must enable you to enforce your web usage policy and to continue to offer a common-sense approach to limiting time wasted on the web or the risks from the darker side of the internet.

If you run a smaller business then it might be better to have a third party take care of web filtering for you. Alternatively you can outsource the task to a remote IT support service.

Grant McGregor offers a number of web filtering solutions. There is an on-premise software solution such as GFI WebMonitor to allow busy IT administrators and IT managers to wrestle back control of the Internet.

Alternatively, we provide a full-managed, outsourced web protection service that requires no software to be installed, just an agent on each user’s laptop or PC. Finally, there is also a cloud-based system for IT departments to control themselves.

If you’d like to find out more about web filtering solutions then get in touch and we’ll be happy to advise you appropriately.

Can you believe that schools are back already? (Well here in Edinburgh anyway). And everyone’s getting ready for the new term.

Well if the thought of summer being over and the days getting shorter fills you with dread, then it might be time to get ready in all respects. For example, are you worried about going back to work and having to deal with an unhappy IT situation or a provider that isn’t working well for you?

Then why don’t you start the new season on a high with a new IT support provider in Grant McGregor!

Whether you currently don’t have an IT provider, you are looking to improve your IT set up or you’ve lost trust or respect for your existing provider, then Grant McGregor is ready to help.

The idea of reviewing your IT situation and having to choose a new IT provider can seem daunting and perhaps stressful. To make this process that bit easier, we have complied some tips to help you understand what your business requires regarding IT and how we can help.

Appropriate new IT software and solutions

The first areas you need to evaluate are your IT software and solutions. Are they producing the results you need and helping you to run your business more efficiently? If the answer’s no, it may be time to see what else is out there.

Similarly, if your software and solutions are reaching their end of life or require an expensive upgrade, you’ll be wise to shop around and see if there are other solutions that can better meet your needs.

This is something that the team here at Grant McGregor can help you with. Whether you’re looking to migrate to the cloud or facilitate remote working, we can help you find the right IT solutions to do it.

We have been awarded Gold Partner Status by many of our software vendors due to our excellent product knowledge and dedication to finding clients the best solutions to meet their needs.

Straight-talking IT consultancy

Could you do with a little extra guidance? Perhaps you’re looking to expand your IT operations but don’t know where to start? Do you trust in the advice you’re getting? Whatever your requirements, our expert IT consultants can help you by assessing your systems and providing unbiased recommendations.

Unlike other IT companies, we’re not tied to one particular vendor, so you can have the peace of mind that we won’t just offer solutions that help to increase our sales quotas. Instead, our IT consultants will work closely with your business to ensure you get everything you need out of your IT systems.

From improving productivity to increasing security, we can help you improve your business going forward. What’s more is that we’ll provide our advice and recommendations in plain English, so you don’t have to worry about getting confused or caught out by tricky IT jargon.

Effective IT support

Now is the perfect time to evaluate the effectiveness of your IT support company. Are they providing the services you need and delivering the promised results? If they are lazy (or non-existent) with their software updates, fail to answer the phone or your emails and have left your business exposed to vulnerabilities; perhaps it’s time to look elsewhere.

Grant McGregor understands just how stressful the thought of changing IT support providers can be and many businesses are put off changing their IT support company as they think it will result in months of disruption or chaos. But it doesn’t have to be this way. As an experienced IT company, Grant McGregor has carefully developed smooth processes which will make the changeover process as easy as possible. What’s more, we’ll also provide you with an IT Service Guarantee for your complete peace of mind.

Better the Devil?

If you’re still not sure whether to take that first step in contacting us, find dozens of examples of how well this turned out for other businesses like yours here on our Testimonials page. In this example from Forster Group you can see that we not only significantly improved their experience of IT but we saved them considerable money on support costs too.

No matter how big or small your company is Grant McGregor will offer dedicated support services to meet your needs. It’s not just the technology we support either. We provide support to those who matter most – your people.

So let Grant McGregor help you get over the doom and gloom of summer being over and kick-start the new season on a brighter note! Call Jon Towers on 0131 603 7910 for an initial chat to discover if we might be a good fit for one another.

In the meantime, enjoy the rest of the summer, now that the sun’s finally arrived!

Finally, if you feel you’re putting up with an average IT service and getting poor value for money, then get yourself a free copy of this guide on 5 Steps to Better Value IT. Discover why a better-the-devil-you-know approach can fail you and your business and how to rectify that.

What do you have to lose…?

Is document storage and management taking up valuable time, space and money in your business? If so, you’re not alone.

Many businesses still use conventional paper-based document storage systems, which can be costly to implement and time consuming to manage. You may not even realise how much time is lost looking for documents, which could be spent on business development and boosting productivity. If document storage is getting out of control in your business, it could be time to go paperless. In six simple ways, you can seize control of your document storage with our paperless cloud-based document storage system.

Volume is a sophisticated, yet user-friendly, paperless document storage system that is used and loved by organisations of all kinds worldwide. The system allows you to replicate how you currently file with customisation options allowing you to create your own virtual files and cabinets.

With the drag and drop feature, you are able to move your documents around the system as easily as paper. And, best of all, you will no longer have to index to find your documents. By eliminating one of the most time-consuming elements of document management, you can boost productivity and spend more time developing your business.

Here’s 6 simple ways that Volume can help you to seize control of your document storage…

1. Microsoft Office integration

Volume integrates with Microsoft Office so you don’t have to change how you are working. Emails and files are automatically captured to save time and hassle. Mail merge documents can be captured and stored automatically as they are generated in Word. Automated change control allows you to hold all Word and Excel amendments. You can streamline your document storage process with one click access, automated updates and, best of all, there’s no need to index.

2. Data imports

Documents can be imported from virtually any source including existing and defunct document management systems, digital data repositories, data stores, Outlook and Windows folders. Test imports are available at no cost and, with the expertise of our software technicians, data transfer will be quick and easy.

3. Scanning services

We can help to make the transition to paperless document storage as hassle-free as possible by assisting with document scanning. We work with approved suppliers with the highest security level clearance to give you complete confidence that your documents are in safe hands.

4. OCR searching – Automatic file finder

With its automatic file finder, Volume reduces time spent searching for documents. You can enjoy full OCR and text search capabilities. Searching for documents is quick and easy with Volume, which automatically identifies words, phrases, dates, policy numbers, monetary values and more within document images, emails, PDFs, Word, Excel and most other electronic file formats.

5. Locked recycle bin

With Volume, you have peace of mind that documents can never be deleted. This is one of the things that many people worry about with digital document storage, but our solution has got it covered. If and when documents are deleted, they go into the recycle bin where they will remain and cannot be deleted permanently. You can also include recycle bins in any system-wide document searches, all of which are governed by system security.

6. Tracking & auditing

System Audits allow you to view and monitor the full document history by both document and user. You can track and audit user actions, document tracking and movement, document change/version control and page tracking. All audit levels contain hyperlinks to document in question to make things as quick and easy as possible.

By going paperless with your document storage, you can save time, space and hassle.

Volume is a sophisticated, yet user-friendly, system that can revolutionise your document management processes and free you up to run your business much more efficiently.

For more tips on managing your digital documents, see our Watermark page on our website.

Visit our Volume software page if you would more information, or Contact Us at Grant McGregor.

Security is one of the most important aspects of running a business. If you don’t have good security software then your company data might be vulnerable to attacks from hackers. Having your company data hacked, especially customer data – could prove to be disastrous.

GFI LanGuard is an award winning security suite that includes a network scanner and patch management tool. It’s used by countless businesses to scan, identify and fix vulnerabilities in their network.

If you’re not 100% satisfied with your current security set up then the purpose of this guide is to help you decide if GFI LanGuard is right for your business by giving you an overview of its features as well as covering installation and pricing.

Features

Below are some of the most beneficial features of GFI LanGuard.

• Patch management – Patch management is one of the most important aspects of keeping your network secure. GFI LanGuard enables you to do this, either automatically or on demand. It works across all major operating systems as well as a host of third party applications. All types of patches are managed by the software – ensuring that your environment is secure and up to date at all times.

• Vulnerability assessment – The ability to scan and treat vulnerabilities is essential with any kind of security software and GFI LanGuard really excels in this area. It gives you the ability to scan for more than 60,000 vulnerabilities across all devices on your network, including mobile devices on any platform. It also gives you the tools required to fix any vulnerabilities that are identified during the scan.

• Integration with third party applications – GFI LanGuard integrates seamlessly with a vast array of security applications to ensure you’re protected in all areas. These include antivirus software, firewall, browsers, IM services, P2P and disk encryption to name just a few.

• Network auditing – Network auditing in GFI LanGuard is extremely comprehensive and will give you a complete overview of all devices connected to your network, including mobile devices. As well as scanning the software and hardware of the devices on your network, it will also inform you of any weak passwords that are being used. Analysing scan results is easy and will enable you to make informed decisions when it comes to things such as deleting users or groups and disabling certain access points.

• Works with virtual environments – If your organisation uses virtualisation then using GFI LanGuard won’t be a problem. It works perfectly with all popular virtualisation software, including Microsoft Virtual Server, VMware, Citrix, Parallel and Microsoft Hyper-V.

• Comprehensive reporting capabilities – Reporting in GFI LanGuard is easy to understand for both management and IT departments. Reports are available in all major formats, including PDF, HTML, CSV, XLS and RTF. Reports can be used as templates and are easy to send securely via email.

• PCI DSS compliant – Ensuring that you comply with the security standards of major credit card companies is a must when handling customer card numbers. GFI LanGuard makes it easy to make your network safe and measure the effectiveness of your compliance programs.

• Agent technology – The agent technology in GFI LanGuard enables you to scan thousands of machines in a very short amount of time. It also helps with accuracy since you can set agents to perform local scans even when the machine is not connected to the network.

The key benefits to your business

• Saves time – One of the biggest benefits that using GFI LanGuard in your business provides is that amount of time it can save you. If your business is currently using different pieces of security software for different applications and machines, then you’re spending a lot of time that could be put to better use. GFI LanGuard eliminates this problem by providing a fully integrated solution.

• Improves security – Of course the purpose of any good security suite is to improve the security of your network as a whole and GFI LanGuard does an excellent job of this. If there’s any aspect of your network that’s not secure – whether it’s a weak password or an out dated plug-in, you’ll be informed and giving the tools to fix the problem.

Interface

Even though GFI LanGuard is feature-packed, it wouldn’t mean much with a clunky and cumbersome interface. Thankfully the LanGuard GUI is very intuitive and makes auditing and patch management a breeze.

One of the most important aspects of a good GUI when it comes to this type of software is being able to easily find what actions have already been performed and what needs to be done to fix outstanding problems. GUI LanGuard makes this process very simple and lets you scan as many machines as you need in just a matter of minutes.

Ease of installation

Installing GFI LanGuard is a straightforward procedure. You simply download the software, activate it with the licence key sent by email and follow the on-screen instructions. The installation takes less than 5 minutes and opens at a home screen that includes the option to open the dashboard, correct security issues, activate antivirus, manage agents or launch a scan. Once the software is installed, vulnerability scanning is automatically available on the local machine and scan is done. You’re informed of the level of vulnerability and are given the option to see a more detailed analysis, which includes the most important issues that need to be addressed, such as software updates and vulnerabilities.

Pricing

Pricing for GFI LanGuard is dependent on the number of nodes.

The 1-year subscription plans are grouped into 3 categories as follows –

25-49 nodes – £17.00

50-249 nodes  – £9.33

250 – 2999 nodes – £6.67

Custom subscriptions are available on request for businesses with fewer than 25 nodes or more than 2999 as well as 2 or 3-year subscriptions.