The IT Check Up
It’s that time of year again, your annual checkup from your Doctor. You know things have been feeling a little off lately, but you’ve been pushing through the aches and pains.
He has bad news. Things are not going well.
But you don’t understand, you’ve been taking the other doctors recommendations. How could things be going so badly?
Sticking plasters have been applied to your entire business. Chronic illness has been seeping into your network. Those recommendations? From 2010.
Your previous technology doctor does not have the team to keep up with the latest technology or cybersecurity recommendations.
You have to make changes quickly or the infection will continue to spread!
Okay… that might be a little dramatic. But your business is your baby. Don’t you want a second opinion on the health of the technology at your business?
We’ve created an IT Checkup specifically to give you a true gauge on the technology of your business. What’s going well… and what needs immediate attention.
We promise we won’t use any pushy sales tactics and there’s no obligation to work with us afterwards, simply visit our website (www.beeskneesit.co.uk) and book in your IT Checkup or call us on 01274 955509.
Copilot could soon auto-open in Microsoft Edge
Is Edge your business’s browser of choice? Microsoft’s thinking of automatically opening Copilot when you use it. It could boost productivity, but there are privacy concerns to be aware of…
How concerned should you be about cyber attacks?
You’ve probably heard a lot of talk about cyber attacks but how worried should you really be? Well, very, because cyber criminals are getting smarter. We have good news to share about how you can protect your business
How to create secure passwords
Weak passwords are one of the biggest security risks to your business. Why? Because cyber criminals are getting smarter than ever before. If they manage to crack just one password, they could gain access to your sensitive business data, financial information, or even gain control of your entire system. Cyber criminals use automated tools to guess passwords, allowing them to try out millions of combinations in seconds. So, if you’re using something like “Password123” or “CompanyName2025”, you’re practically handing them the keys to your business. A compromised password can lead to big issues, such as: • Data breaches • Financial losses • Identity theft • Reputation damage But how do you create strong passwords without driving yourself (and your team) mad? Think of your password like a secret recipe, where only you should know the ingredients. It should: • Be at least 14 characters long (the longer, the better) • Include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters • Contain a few numbers and symbols (like @, $, %, or &) • Not contain any common words or easily guessable information (like birthdays, names, or the word “password”) Instead of using a single word, you could try a passphrase – a short, random sentence that only you would understand. For example, instead of “Sailing2025”, try something like “Coffee&CloudsAreGreat9!”. This is much harder to crack, yet still easy to remember. You should also steer clear of these common mistakes: • Using personal info (your name, birthday, business name, etc.) • Reusing the same passwords across multiple accounts • Using simple sequences (“123456” or “abcdef”) • Storing passwords in an easily accessible place (like a sticky note on your desk) If remembering unique passwords for every account sounds impossible, there is another option: Password managers. These generate strong passwords, store them securely and autofill them for you. With a password manager, you only need to remember one strong master password for the manager app itself. The rest are encrypted and stored safely, reducing the risk of data breaches. Even the strongest password isn’t foolproof, which is why multi-factor authentication (MFA) is also important. MFA requires a second form of verification, like a one-time code sent to your phone or generated from an authentication app. If you have employees accessing your business systems, it’s a good idea to have a password policy in place to explain your rules and why they’re important. This should include: • Unique passwords for each system and account • Regular security training on password best practices • Business-wide use of MFA for critical systems • Scanning for compromised passwords regularly By making password security a priority, you can reduce the chances of a cyber attack creating a nightmare for your business. And if you need help making your business more secure, get in touch.
Email Security – have you got a grip on it?
Small and medium business sized owners often make the mistake of thinking they aren’t on the radar of criminals.
More than 40% of cyber attacks are targeted at SME’s with email being the usual route.
Read our new guide and see how you might be vulnerable, how to protect yourself and what to look out for.
For any help or advice feel free to call us on 01274 955509.
CLICK HERE >>Get a grip on email security
Cloud Security – What you need to know
Cloud computing has completely changed how we work.
No longer do we have to commute and are tied to our desks.
However, with this freedom brings some security challenges.
Our new guide gives advice on how to stay safe and how to protect your business.
For any help or advice feel free to call us on 01274 955509.
CLICK HERE >> Cloud Security – What you need to know
8 tech trends to keep an eye out for
December is traditionally the month when you start to plan for the year ahead
Instead of planning for the next 12 months, why not think about what’s coming up over the next 10 years?
Will you choose the right tech for your business?
Here’s our month really useful guide to 8 tech trends to look out for.
For any help or advice feel free to call us on 01274 955509.
CLICK HERE >>8 tech trends to look out for
How to get faster WiFi in your office and remote working
Lets list the basic essentials for life: Food, air, water and fast Wifi!
Without fast and stable WiFi your business couldn’t function and the quickest way to annoy staff is giving them poor internet.
It not only creates frustration, it can be a real productivity killer and severely affect your business.
But fear not!
We’ve produced this really useful guide on making you WiFi faster and more stable whether you’re in the office or working from home.
For any help or advice feel free to call us on 01274 955509.
CLICK HERE >> How to get faster WiFi
Your complete guide to phishing and how to keep your data and team safe
Chances are you’ve heard about email phishing.
It’s where you receive a fake email and it’s pretending to be someone else in the hope you’ll click on a dodgy link or download a dangerous attachment.
It’s now one of the biggest kinds of cybercrime and sources of security breaches.
But do you know what the danger signs are?
Download our free guide on how to stay a step ahead of cyber criminals.
For any help or advice feel free to call us on 01274 955509.
CLICK HERE >> Your complete guide to phishing
How to get the perfect video call setup, whatever your budget
Ever been on a video call, and the other person looks and sounds AWFUL?
Perhaps they’re staring down at a laptop webcam (never a great angle). And they’re badly lit so look like a criminal. And have a cheap microphone which makes them sound like they’re on a bad phone call?
Video calls are here to stay. If there’s any risk your team are video calling like this, it’s time to give them an upgrade.
We have advice on improving video calls for all budgets in our new guide. Download your copy instantly.
For any help or advice feel free to call us on 01274 955509.
CLICK HERE >> The perfect video call setup, whatever your budget
An overview of EOS
As IT professionals, the idea of an operating system is a basic principle for us. Without Windows, macOS or even iOS, our devices wouldn’t run.
But what about an operating system for your business? Is that a crazy idea?
That’s where EOS comes in.
Have you heard of it before? EOS is a framework to help optimise how your business runs.
EOS has the potential to become the very core of your business, helping everyone to understand what they should be doing, and why.
It’s something that we feel not enough business owners are aware of and we feel it could become an important tool in your business’s growth and development.
For any help or advice feel free to call us on 01274 955509.
CLICK HERE >> This guide is your introduction to EOS
The business owner’s briefing: Reduce the burden on your brain
When you own or manage a business, your cognitive load can be overwhelming.
Not only do you have your own work to think about, but your focus often has to be split between that and what your people need from you.
That can mean interruption after interruption; a mounting to-do list; and never quite achieving that work/life balance.
Not good.
Fortunately, there are loads of tools available to you right now that can help free up your time, reduce interruptions and give you better focus. And many of them are already included with your Microsoft 365 subscription.
I’ve written a business owner’s briefing to help you decide which ones could work for you.
For any help or advice feel free to call us on 01274 955509.
CLICK HERE >> Reduce the burden on your brain
What could digital IT transformation do for your business?
We have all seen a LOT of change over the past couple of years.
We’ve changed the way we work. The way we shop. And the way we interact with others.
How has your business changed?
What change do you need to make in the years ahead?
And how does your technology help to power that?
We’ve written a new guide about something called digital IT transformation. It’s how you use modern technology to bring on a revolution.
It’s what Netflix and Lego did… and Kodak famously didn’t. Read case studies about this, and how digital IT transformation affects businesses of every size, in our new guide.
For any help or advice feel free to call us on 01274 955509.
CLICK HERE >> Digital IT transformation
Essential cloud migration strategy checklist
Everyone’s heard of the cloud. But do you know what it is?
When you access something in the cloud it means you are accessing information or using an application that’s on someone else’s servers.
Typically these are in huge buildings placed around the world. It means you can access anything from anywhere on any device.
It’s fast, easy and secure.
When it comes to using the cloud for your business, what exactly does that mean? It’s about moving all of your business computing services – like your databases, your systems and applications – to be stored in the cloud, rather than in-house on your own servers.
For any help or advice feel free to call us on 01274 955509.
CLICK HERE >> Your essential cloud migration strategy checklist
The 7 KPI’s for ROI from IT
How to ensure your business’s spend on IT is an investment and never an expense.
In the years we’ve been looking after businesses, we’ve noticed the are two different ways that owners and managers buy IT and technology:
- Some see it as an expense
- Others see it as an investment
We choose NOT to work with the first group. It never ends well!
Read our latest guide on how we use KPI’s to ensure Return On Investment from IT.
For any help or advice feel free to call us on 01274 955509.
CLICK HERE >> The 7 KPI’s for ROI from IT
How to keep your business’s data ultra-safe during the Work From Home revolution
Love it or hate it, Working From Home is huge and here to stay.
Many businesses have become more flexible with a mixture of office-based workers, hybrid workers and fully remote workers.
Work just doesn’t look the same as it did in 2019. And because of that, cyber security in 2022 doesn’t look the same either.
When you have people working away from your office you need to take additional security measures to keep your data safe.
For any help or advice feel free to call us on 01274 955509.
CLICK HERE >> The security problem on John’s ‘other’ laptop
The start of the new year is always a good time to think about what you want to achieve with your business. While you’re thinking about this, let us tell you the two technology areas that will be the most important this year. They are Defend and Invest.
- Defend is about protecting your business from cyber criminals. We believe cyber-crime is going to rise again this year, to levels never seen before
- Invest is about making sure technology is powering your business forward, not holding it back
For any help or advice feel free to call us on 01274 955509.
CLICK HERE >> Defend and invest
Here’s a crazy question: Are you paying your IT support partner enough?
But it’s important you do. Because in the world of technology, there’s a definite link between what you pay, and the quality of the service you receive.
Picking an IT provider on price alone is a false economy. If you’re paying too little, you’re running one of four big risks.
For any help or advice feel free to call us on 01274 955509.
CLICK HERE >> Are you paying enough?
Windows 11 is here and you may not have even heard of it yet! Click the image to the left or below to read all about it.
For any help or advice feel free to call us on 01274 955509.
CLICK HERE >> Windows 11 Guide
BE PREPARED: Sooner or later your business WILL be attacked! Click the image to the left or below to read all about it.
For any help or advice feel free to call us on 01274 955509.
CLICK HERE >> Ransomware Guide