Author Archives: Admin

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We sell phone systems!

We sell Phone Systems!

We can plan, install, setup, monitor and maintain a cost effective, flexible digital phone system that meets your needs. If you already have a VOIP system we can still help and may be able to save you money.

The big Phone Line switch off is fast approaching and it has become the “Elephant in the room” for a lot of small business.

What exactly is happening?

BT are turning off PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) and ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network).

Commonly known as the traditional landline setup you may have at your business. This will all be turned off by December 2025.

Any equipment that currently uses PSTN and/or ISDN will stop working.

Does this really affect me?

YES. If you have not made the switch to VOIP or SIP then you need to start planning and acting now.

In Very simple terms you need to go Digital. If you haven’t done it already then you need to replace your current phone system. The good news is we can help you.

Free Unlimited number of internal extensions

Free Digital Receptionist

Free Desktop App (For your Computers)

Free Mobile App (For you company mobile phones)

Provides an easy to maintain company wide phone book for your contacts.

You can see who is the phone and to whom.

If you like having a physical phone on your desk we do a range of very competitively priced Desk Phones. We can provide a range of wireless or wired headsets for use with the desktop app.

Have you made the switch to digital, but aren’t 100% happy?

What really annoys you about your current setup? Common gripes include:

Its not easy to add contacts that everyone in the business can see and use.

Current system is complicated and difficult to use.

When I’m out of the office I’d like my phone to come with me so I don’t miss important calls.

I’d like to be able to see who other people are on the phone too?

Contact us today for no obligation informal chat about your requirements.

3CX – Your Communications System
3CX is a robust, fully equipped communications system, which allows you to communicate with your colleagues and customers – anywhere, anytime.

Here is a breakdown of why 3CX is the solution for your business:
● Telephony: Web client and mobile apps for remote working
● Video: Included in your system, no add-ons needed
● Live Chat: Talk with your customers in real time via your website or WhatsApp!
● SMS: Allow your customers to interact with you instantly
● Integrations: CRMs and Microsoft 365
● Low Cost: Save on your phone bills, add ons and hardware
● Flexible: Keep your numbers, choose your phones and your provider
● Secure: 3CX includes advanced security features

You can trial a fully equipped 3CX System today – Start HERE

Our team will gladly give you a quick demo and answer any questions!

3CX enables you to take your extension with you wherever you go. With apps for Android, iOS, web browsers and Windows, you are guaranteed to be kept in the loop, always and everywhere. What’s more, customers can instantly reach you directly from your website with the 3CX Live Chat and WhatsApp integration.


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WIN Panda antivirus for your home computer – FREE for one year

What you should be doing. (Computers, Security, Home or Off Site Working)

The lucky winner will get Panda Security award winning Anti Virus for their Home Computer FREE for a year. Winner Drawn 16th September and will be contacted via Email.

Quick checklist for you before we get into the details. Answer honestly , acceptable responses are Yes , No and “I don’t Know”. MAYBE is not an option

• Are users saving their work to their desktops, usb sticks or their home computers?
• Are your home workers using machines with valid anti virus?
• Do people take laptops home or offsite?
• Do you have 2step Authentication enabled on your emails?
• Is anyone still using Windows 7 (I know some of you are – be honest)

Are users saving work to their desktops, usb sticks or home computers?

Not just for home working this one. Nobody should be saving their work just to their local computer. If they are then it won’t be getting backed up and if their computer goes pop they will lose it all. If you have people working from home or on laptops off site, have you given them instructions on what to so with their work? i.e. save to the server when you get back in the office and delete from your local machine? The last thing you need are your kids logging onto the computer to play games and finding all the payroll info on your current employees!

What you should be doing….
• People should be saving to the server or your company one drive. Where that is not possible there should be a procedure in place to get that data into one of those places ASAP.
Are your home workers using machines with valid anti virus?
They are connecting to your network right? They probably have a VPN setup and using remote desktop onto a remote server or desktop computer. Ok so what happens when their home computer gets infected with the dreaded “Give me all your money or you will never see your files again” virus? Your network anti virus will hopefully stop anything terrible happening, but only if its working and up to date – better not to be in that position in the first place. Even worse if they are saving stuff to the infected machine and then bring it into the office on a USB Stick. Quite simply its in your best interests to make sure your home workers are looking after their home computers.

What you should be doing…
• Ideally if someone is working from home then you should have provided them with a computer. That way you know it is safe, has anti virus and other security implemented.
• Ask them! Plain and simple – are your kids using the same computer? Does your Antivirus work?

Do people take laptops home or offsite?
Laptops get lost and stolen all too frequently. If the laptop goes missing encryption means you know your data is safe.

What you should be doing….
• Any and all laptops in use in your business need to be encrypted.
• You should have a policy in place about where to save work and how to back it up.

Do you have 2 step Authentication enabled on your emails?
An oldie, and I’m sure you are sick of us banging on about it, but seriously! People are losing real money because they have failed to make this simple change to their email security. It is not that difficult to do and could literally save you thousands of ££££.

What you should be doing….
• ENABLE TWO STEP AUTHENTICATION

Is anyone still using Windows 7 (I know some of you are – be honest)
Windows 7 went toes up 14th January 2020. No security updates, no bug fixes, no support.
If you still have Windows 7 and it is still able to access the internet then you are in real danger of being a statistic. To put it into perspective the UK is currently experiencing 19 malware attacks every minute. 85% of those are “Zero Day attacks” which means traditional anti virus is pretty unlikely to catch it.

What you should be doing…
• Get rid of windows 7.
• Get really good Anti Virus.

To be in with a chance to win Free Anti Virus Software for your Home computer for a year…

Sign up to our mailing list http://eepurl.com/dqtF5D. You will receive our newsletters and other important announcements.

Facebook Sign up: https://www.facebook.com/CastleComputers/app/100265896690345


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National Clean Out Your Computer Day

 

 

 

 

According to the National Day Calendar, every second Monday in February is supposed to be a day to take some time out of your busy schedule to care for your computer. Over time your computer gets clogged up and like anything, needs a good clean out and organise! Heres a few tips to get you started:

Save your important files properly
We all do it, quickly save a file that we’re working on to our desktop to find it quickly for when we next need to access it. However, this is a dangerous game. If your computer suddenly goes pop one day, this won’t be backed up and it’ll take you a lot more time and effort to recreate the file, than just saving it to your company’s drive on the server. Today, make sure you’ve saved anything you don’t want to lose, to your company drive.

Stop postponing that Windows Update
If you want your computer to be organised and up to date – its best to get your Windows Updates done. Why? Lots of programs you use need to be updated because of security. If you’re not on the latest version of a program/software, your information is not fully secure. If you’ve been postponing a Windows Update, why don’t you schedule it for when you’re leaving work today so that it doesn’t interrupt your work. Get in touch with any queries about your Windows Updates.

Sort out your emails
Delete old emails that you don’t have a valid reason for keeping (keeps you GDPR compliant too!) If you use Outlook, set up Rules to help deal with the constant flow of emails. This organises your emails automatically and makes it more obvious to see urgent emails that you need to action. For advice on setting up Rules, contact us.

For more advice and handy tips on getting organised on your computer, read our blog post at http://bit.ly/2RSEp0a. Contact us if you need any advice!


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Are you still using Windows 7?

 

 

 

 

 

Are you still using a Windows 7 Machine? 
If so, you are by no means alone. As of last month, 35.63% of Windows users were still using Windows 7 so it’s still very common. Right now, there’s nothing to worry about but in less than a years time, Windows 7 Support will end. If you’re not sure which version of Windows you’re using – follow the instructions at 
http://bit.ly/2FLDeZk to find out (use the dropdown box to flick between the systems to see which one works for you).

What is end of support?
It’s actually quite a big deal. It basically means that Microsoft will stop issuing security patches for problems and bugs that come up in Windows 7. This means that Windows 7 systems will become increasingly easier to attack. If you continue to use a Windows 7 system, your PC will be like a light bulb to attackers and be in real danger. Also, other companies will stop supporting Windows 7 after this date, meaning applications you use won’t be supported.

What you need to do
It is vital that you upgrade to Windows 10 rather than sticking with an unpatched Windows 7 system. The internet is a dangerous place, it’s not worth being even more vulnerable than you need to be. You could wait until the end of the year to get this sorted but our advice is to start the process now. Put together a schedule and start replacing your computers gradually so that by the end of the year, you’re all sorted. For more advice on putting together a replacement schedule, visit http://bit.ly/2Ffvkab. You don’t know what complications might crop up and delay you if you leave it until last minute. 

Contact us to talk through some options for Windows 10 machines and if you need any help putting together a replacement schedule!


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4 signs that its time for a new computer

Following our last blog, sometimes we just need to accept the fact that we need to buy a new computer (however much we don’t want to!) We use computers so much at work that it can massively affect our productivity if our computer isn’t performing at its best.

Below are some pointers for when its time to invest in a new computer. If you’re not sure or want a second, honest opinion – get in touch with us.

1. Overall Slow Performance

 

 

 

 

Probably the most obvious reason – things are running slow and applications are taking forever to start up. You come into the office, turn on your computer and make a cup of tea before you can actually sit down and do anything. Sound familiar? This is a sign that there is either something really wrong or your PC is on its last legs. Think about how much time you and your users spend waiting for your computer to startup or load an application and weigh the cost of buying a new PC with the downtime and lost productivity.

2. Your fans are noisy

 

 

 

 

There are a couple of reasons this might be happening. It could simply be dirty and needs a good clean. However, this symptom can also be a sign of imminent failure! Your computer is struggling to keep up with everything it is being asked to do. Computers get hot – the more work that they do, the hotter they get. If they are being overstretched, that fan will be working hard and the working parts of your PC may not be getting cooled properly. At any moment that fan could fail, resulting in total meltdown. (This sounds more dramatic than I first intended nevertheless you need to be aware of the consequences.)

3. Struggling to multitask

 

 

 

 

Modern computers should allow you to run several applications at a time and you should be able to flick between them seamlessly. Are you playing the game where you juggle what applications you can have open?

Word + Outlook = Good
Excel Spreadsheet + Word + PhotoShop = No chance!

When you start seeing a noticeable delay when switching between applications, you should be taking steps to improve the performance of your computer.

4. Software Requirements

 

 

 

 

With an ever-present security threat hanging over our heads, people are becoming much more aware of the need to keep critical software up to date. The problem then comes when the new version of software won’t work on your old hardware with an old operating system. Read more about how to plan for this by introducing a rolling replacement schedule at https://bit.ly/2PnGZFg.

Contact us today for reliable, honest advice if any of your computers are showing these symptoms on 01228 590900 or email info@castle-computers.com


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Surprise! Replacing a broken computer

 

 

 

 

Quite often we find that the cost of replacing a broken PC falls into the ‘surprise’ budget category for SME’s. Hardware failures are never welcome, but unfortunately, they do happen. It can be hard work managing cash flow at the best of times, no matter made worse by suddenly having to find the money to replace an essential piece of kit.

What you need to accept
Like most things, technology has a lifecycle and eventually, your computer will become obsolete. Modern desktop computers are designed to last for around 4 to 5 years. Laptops are only designed to last 3 years. Often, as computers age we don’t notice the slow decline in speed or capability.

It makes sense to maintain the equipment you already have, but often with technology, buying new is the way to go. Would you try to get the battery fixed on your 5-year-old phone or would you get a new one?

Ageing hardware can reduce productivity and older hardware is unlikely to support newer operating systems. This means you won’t be able to run the most up-to-date versions of software you use on a day-to-day basis.

Things to consider
– Are any of your computers unreliable/quirky? Ask your users to clearly list the issues they have.
– How do people use their computers? Would something faster, or a bigger monitor make them happier and more productive?
– Could any of your slower computers, around the 3-year mark benefit from a memory upgrade (RAM) or new faster SSD (Hard Disk) to improve speed and give them a longer life cycle?
– Are you planning any software upgrades? Does your existing hardware meet the minimum specifications?

The Solution: A Replacement Schedule
Planning out a rolling replacement schedule can save you time and money. It can reduce critical hardware failures and allow you to have tighter control over your budget.

There are a few different approaches that companies can take when planning their replacement schedule. For example, the most popular is Time-Driven i.e. PC’s will be replaced on the 4th birthday. If not, you could choose a Performance-Driven approach i.e. replace a PC when performance drops below a predetermined level. This option is still a bit reactive and requires ongoing performance monitoring but is still better than waiting until the system breaks!

A pro-active attitude to hardware replacement can save you time and money. A rolling schedule means you can control when and how many PC’s are replaced and allows you to budget reducing the downtime you experience from unexpected surprises.

Reminder
Windows 7 support ends on January 14th 2020, so if you’re still using it on your machine, you need to start thinking about moving to Windows 10. This will probably mean moving to a new device which uses Windows 10.

Although this comes at a cost, it is so important as technical assistance and security updates will no longer be available for Windows 7. This means you and your data will not be safe and if something goes wrong, there would be no technical support from Microsoft. Thankfully we can offer you various options depending on your budget and which features are important to you. Contact us to discuss your computer needs.

If you need help with planning a replacement schedule or you think it’s time for a new machine – get in touch with us for honest advice and quality products. Contact us on 01228 590900 or email info@castle-computers.com.


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6 ways to improve your business security

Protecting your business security is so important. We live in an online world which can be positive but can also bring many dangers to businesses.
We’ve pulled together a checklist of 6 ways to improve your business security. You might need help with one or two or the whole lot. Whatever the case, don’t delay it anymore – we can help!

1. Two-Step Verification

If you have an Office 365 account, it’s highly recommended to set up two-step verification/multi-factor authentication. It adds an extra layer of security to your Office 365 account. You sign in with your password as well as a verification code that is sent to you by text message. This will protect your account by making it a lot more difficult for someone else to sign in. Contact us for help on setting this up!

2. Anti-Virus Software

Nowadays, where there are more security threats than ever before – having any old Anti-Virus is just not good enough. You need the best protection out there for your business. You might have anti-virus installed – but is it working? Thankfully, we know a few things about anti-virus and can check if it’s working and if you do need to install some – recommend the best software out there.

3. Backup

Your server or PC contains pretty much all the important data that you need – correct? How very important it is then to have that information backing up in case something goes wrong. Something as simple as a computer crash, hard drive failure or a virus infection can mean you lose vital data. Thankfully there are plenty of affordable and reliable backup solutions that we can offer and set up for you. Contact us to discuss the best backup option for your business.

4. Limiting Access

Although I’m sure your colleagues and staff are very lovely – there are some things that I’m sure you’d prefer they didn’t access at work. Whether it be Facebook for Abbie in accounts or a dodgy website you don’t want anyone on – we can help you control this. Also to protect certain data – you may only want chosen people to access certain folders in your company’s shared folder. We can help you set this up so that staff can only access what they need to at work.

5. Proper Passwords

Ahhhh passwords! Seemingly the simplest way of protecting your secure information but somehow the one that so many fail on. Passwords should be strong, complex & memorable to only you. That means including numbers, punctuations, capital letters etc. They shouldn’t be obvious words like the same as your username, the word ‘password’ or your husband’s name (hackers have facebook too!) You should change your password at times too (eg every couple of months). We can set you and your staffs computer up to make you reset your password after a specific time.

6. Patch Management

Updates/patches need to be done when a manufacturer finds a security issue that needs fixing. If you don’t carry out these updates, you’re leaving yourself wide open for security breaches. However, keeping on top of these updates is not easy. There are a lot of updates to cope with especially on a whole office worth of devices. This is where Patch Managment Software comes in. It deals with all the patches/updates for you from one device which can be someone at your office or here at Castle Computers. Contact us for more information on this effective and helpful software.

How many can you tick off?
It’s fantastic if you’re able to able to knock some of these off your security checklist. However to be fully secure, we recommend you have something in place for all 6 points. We can help you to get there so you know you’ve done all you can to protect your business.
Contact us today on 01228 590900 or email info@castle-computers.com


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Nobody’s Perfect – Patience is a virtue

 

 

 

 

 

I am a very patient person… until I’m not! Sometimes no matter how hard I try, that rage-filled monster emerges and a sense of urgency overwhelms me. I press the power button even though Windows told me not to.

You can hear a collective sigh around the world when people restart their computers and get THAT message. “Windows is installing updates, do not switch off your computer.” I know it’s frustrating. I struggle with the exact same issues and there is nothing worse than when you are raring to go and you see THAT message on your computer screen. Be warned though, pressing the power button is your last resort.

I don’t want to blind you with science here as I try to make these blogs as jargon-free as possible. However, I want to try and help you understand why powering off in the middle of the update cycle is so very bad for your computer. To do this I feel it is my duty to explain what is actually happening when Windows is configuring those pesky updates.

Very simply, when Microsoft releases a new update it is usually to add features to your Windows, fix a security hole or fix an issue that has been found with the software. As an example (a very simplified one), Microsoft has decided that they want to fix a problem with Microsoft Word. They have the new files ready to send out to everyone which will fix the problem and so decide to issue a Windows Update.

As you use Word all the time (because you are very busy and important!), Microsoft can’t swap the old files with the new ones while you are logged on and using your computer. Instead, your computer just downloads the update. The update is then ready to install the next time you restart your PC.

As soon as you restart your computer, the update senses it’s opportunity and starts to replace the files on your computer with the new ones contained in the update you downloaded earlier, i.e it’s “configuring and installing updates”.

Imagine it’s halfway through doing this and you turn off the computer. It’s a bit like stopping your washing machine half way through! Sometimes Windows will realise that a catastrophe has occurred and will try to undo the changes it was making by putting everything back to where it was before. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn’t. Your computer now has some old files and some new files and there is a high likelihood that Word won’t work anymore. Even if it does load, there may be bits missing. Remember, you still have the downloaded update sitting there ready to install the next time you restart the PC.

Powering off while doing updates can cause all kinds of damage to your computer including file corruption. You could actually cause physical damage to your hard disk. Not waiting for them to finish may actually cost you more time in the long run!

If you have any queries regarding Windows updates – don’t hesitate to contact us on 01228 590900.


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Nobody’s Perfect: The first step – admit there is a problem and get organised!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stress – it affects us all in one way or another. When dealing with umpteen computer things going wrong or trying to keep organised, it only adds to the irritation of everyday office life.

They always say if you want something done, give it to a busy person. Well, one fateful day this summer – I was that busy person. I was keeping those plates spinning and whilst signing for a parcel with one hand, I answered the phone with the other. My hay fever was playing up at the time so as soon as I had a hand free, I reached into my top drawer to grab my nasal spray. I waited for a suitable gap in the conversation, unscrewed the top and gave a good squirt. Something felt wrong… it didn’t feel normal.

The utter horror when I realised I had squirted the stamp pad ink refill bottle up my nose. I now had to remain professional on the phone with black ink streaming down my face, down the back of my throat and all over the desk. Needless to say, I didn’t get any sympathy from my co-workers, though my eyes were blinded by tears I could still hear them laughing!

Juggling umpteen jobs and trying to keep track of everyone can be a nightmare. I’ve pulled together some of my top tips and tools to use to keep things in the office running smoothly. It also pays to keep your desk drawers organised!

– Use Rules in Microsoft Outlook to help deal with the constant flow of emails. I have set up folders for some contacts and automatically move their emails into them. It just means I can see the wood for the trees and know when there is something I need to respond to immediately.

-Use AutoText in Outlook for paragraphs of text that I have to use often. It saves me so much time typing, proofreading and spell checking every time.

-Have a good filing system for storing your documents etc. That way you know exactly where to find that quote or letter, saving all that time browsing or searching through your computer. Make sure everyone knows the filing system and adheres to it. It might take you a day to get organised and get everything where it should be, but I promise you – it will save you time in the long run.

-Use Tasks in Outlook or the built-in Windows 10 Sticky Notes to keep track of your to-do list. You can’t throw these away by accident and it’s very satisfying marking them as complete at the end of the day.

-Use Microsoft Teams. Depending on your Office 365 subscription you might find you have the ultimate (or at least pretty good) team management software already available to you. You can create plans, store documents and more for a project or a group of people. Collaboration in real time is the key here. For an overview of its capabilities look here or give me a call and I can give you a quick demo. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/teams-overview

Get in touch if you would like assistance setting up these helpful tools to organise your work – info@castle-computers.com, 01228 590900


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Nobody’s Perfect: A True Story – Crime, Punishment and Justice for all!

 

 

 

 

 

Regular readers of these blogs will know that Friday night is wine night. There we were sitting on the couch – happy, relaxed and enjoying a movie. To our horror(!), the doorbell rang. We pondered if we should pretend to be out. From experience, we know that nothing good ever comes from a knock on the door at that time of night. However, as our offspring often forget keys or lose them while pouring themselves out of a taxi, we decided we had better answer the door. (Plus all the lights were on so I doubt we would have got away with it!)

We were right to be horrified. Our very good neighbour was informing us that my car (the other love of my life) had been attacked and was now sitting injured in the back lane of our street. I was dismayed and almost didn’t want to look. Steeling myself for the worst we discovered “Mad Max” had indeed been injured, keyed down the entire passenger side and boot!

Luckily enough the perpetrator was caught red-handed by another good neighbour. I can’t begin to tell you how violated and angry I felt. After being dragged down to the police station, the criminal has since come to my door to apologise and to pay for the damage. (To the Police’s credit they did refuse to tazer her despite angry pleas from myself!)

Knowing this had happened, I wanted to try and ensure it didn’t happen again or if it did, that we weren’t relying on good luck to catch those responsible. Luckily enough I know someone in the computer business! We now have CCTV pointing directly at my car. We had it up and running in 30 minutes with battery powered cameras (rechargeable) connecting to our house Wi-Fi. The cameras even have audio and I can’t begin to tell you how much better it makes me feel.

The cameras we have installed can send us an email or a notification straight to our phone when the motion sensor is activated. We can then see exactly what’s going on even if we are away from home.

We now have a sign up, warning neighbours that our property is protected by CCTV. The system we have installed is brilliant for covering an area such as a parking bay or back garden. The quality is excellent and yes, you can identify people from it. It’s not as expensive as you might think and was up and running in 30 minutes!

We offer several types of CCTV solutions suitable for small home installations to whole works yards or business coverage (internal and external). Give us a call today to discuss your requirements on 01228 590900.