We are pleased to announce that MADScience (East Midlands) have chosen Your IT Department Ltd to provide ongoing proactive IT Support Services for their business.

The decision to choose Your IT was mainly down to the need to free up the management team to focus on business critical tasks. Over 3 years IT had become and important indispensable tool for the business, but the management team were increasingly being asked by staff to look at problems.

By passing the responsibility of all IT related services to Your IT Department Ltd, the management team are now free to focus on the business, while staff now have a reliable and responsive point of contact for all IT problems.

Here are the things that you absolutely have to do after you have turned on your brand new PC and set up your Internet connection for the first time.

Install the Right Antivirus Software
Most desktop computers nowadays come along with a free trial version of an affiliate antivirus software provider, but this usually only lasts thirty days. Afterwards, your computer could be prone to many corruptive programs. If you do not have the means to buy the full version immediately after you have set up your new computer system, or if you are not too fond of the antivirus program, then we suggest you scrap it and install a powerful free antivirus program like Microsoft Security Essentials, which is available for a free download on the official Microsoft website. The antivirus program can protect computers from the major known threats, and a good antivirus solution can even safeguard against new ones. AVG is also a good alternative.

Uninstall the Applications You Don’t Want
Just because some applications came with your computer does not mean that you have to keep them. If you do not plan on using some of those programs, then uninstall them. Do not let them clutter up your hard drive and take up precious memory space. Include, but only if you choose, free trial applications and e-mail or network set-up programs.This could take quite a while, depending on how many applications you wish to take out, how big those files are and how embedded they are into your computer system.
Be very careful when you are doing this task. Take a good long look at the applications listed on your Add/Remove Programs portion of the Windows Control Panel. Do not remove any program you think you might need in the future. This is not yet the moment for getting completely miserly with your disk space.

Run Windows Update
If the icon does not automatically pop up on your task bar then manually visit the Windows Update URL and install all of the current Windows patches. Set up your PC to receive automatic updates. This way, you can ensure that your computer system will always be updated and relatively secure.
This process may also take a while and require a number of reboots.

Download Microsoft Office
This is the heart of every PC. You will most likely be doing the bulk of your work in at least one of the software compilation’s major applications such as MS Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. If your PC came with a trial version of the MS Office Suite then it is highly recommended that you buy the full version as soon as possible. If you cannot or do not have the means to purchase it, then you can consider comparable free downloadable office suites such as OpenOffice.

Download a Good Internet Browser
Sticking with Internet Explorer is fine but there are other options out there. Both Firefox and Google Chrome make for faster, more customizable alternatives to the PC’s default Web browser.

Check Input-Output Compatibility
After covering all the basic software configurations, see if your Windows desktop computer has a digital output that is better than the standard VGA (15-pin) output. If this is the case, look for the corresponding input on your monitor and buy the right cable. You will find your monitor displaying better picture resolution because of the input-output compatibility.

IT support has become a necessity now more than ever. Outsourced support for small businesses saves companies time and money, while allowing them to benefit from a reliable IT infrastructure. One of the services that a good IT solutions provider offers to small businesses is remote IT monitoring which takes care of businesses’ IT systems from a remote location.

Your IT network as an integral part of your business
If your company’s IT infrastructure is a key aspect of your business, it needs to be in tip-top shape 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure that your business runs smoothly as it should. You don’t want to have your business’ workstations and servers crash at a critical moment when information is needed most. You don’t want your customers to feel underserved just because your company’s network is inaccessible.

How your business will benefit from remote IT monitoring
Businesses that are heavily dependent on their IT systems but do not have the resources to have a dedicated in-house IT support team monitor their systems round the clock should ultimately consider outsourcing. Remote IT support is a convenient, efficient and affordable way to maintain your company’s IT system. With this type of support, your business shouldn’t need any additional personnel just to monitor the company’s network and workstations all the time.

Through remote IT monitoring, your system’s operations will be monitored and can be fixed when the need arises. Deleted files can be retrieved, application software can be installed, application errors can be fixed, and restoring connectivity between computers and other hardware within your company’s network can be conducted.
Remote IT monitoring specialists routinely check your systems from a remote location outside your company’s premises. Whenever they spot a problem on your network, they can work on resolving the problem without having to go to your office to tinker with your hardware. This can save your company significant amounts of time and money while allowing your company to focus on business concerns.

With today’s modern networking technology, virtually every conceivable means of remote accessing a computer is possible. When implementing a remote IT monitoring system, the IT services company installs a client application on your business’ servers and other computers. Once installed, the program will then allow the IT service provider’s technicians to access your company’s servers and workstations, and monitoring software can also be installed which can provide the IT service provider real-time status reports and messages in case of system downtime or critical failures. The software can also spot potential problems within your network before they happen, and alert the IT support provider’s technicians.

When a technical problem is detected, the technical support team of your remote IT service provider will troubleshoot the problem without having to physically go to your office through the connection that has been installed between your network and the service provider’s own systems.

With this set up, your company can take care of your core business without having to worry too much about your IT infrastructure. With a reliable remote IT monitoring service provider, the burden of having to check up on your IT infrastructure will be taken off your back. And because your systems are constantly being monitored, problems will be taken care of even before you realize your system had one.

So if your company’s IT network is critical to your business’ operations, for your peace of mind, it’s time you explored the benefits of outsourced remote IT support and monitoring services.

We guarantee to save you money on your IT Services!

Your IT Department Ltd works hard to form relationships with some of the biggest vendors and suppliers within the UK IT and Communications industry.

Our Guarantee:

We guarantee that by moving your IT services to Your IT department you will reduce your annual IT services costs and also see a marked increase in system reliability and staff productivity.

If we cannot demonstrate any areas within your business where we can save you money on IT or Communications, we will give your business a service of choice free for 1 year*

Call 01158 220 200 for a cost savings analysis

Your can test your internet speed by going to www.speedtest.net.  there are also other tools available.

An IT expert has claimed that internal IT support departments are “ineffective” and too expensive.

IT Computer Support of New York said companies could benefit from outsourcing their IT services to another provider as they would have access to professionals who are experts in computer support.

According to the technology specialist, doing so could also lower firms’ IT management expenses.

“Companies have cut their IT costs, improved their IT performance and gained competitive advantage through wise selection and use of technology by outsourcingIT support to specialists,” the company continued.

It explained that expenses associated with internal IT departments, such as taxes and benefits, workspace, training and equipment, could be cut by using an external provider.

The National Federation of Independent Business says that although the strategy of outsourcing IT departments may result in cost-savings, it can mean that the IT team no longer has intimate knowledge of an organisation.

Your IT Department Ltd has today officially launched it’s OnDemand Support Pass service.  This service provides businesses with access to an IT support team when needed without the need to pay large up front fees or get tied into annual contracts.

New customers will benefit from £200 worth of OnDemand credit on their account once registered, and best of all its free of charge to register.

Register now at http://your-itdepartment.co.uk/index.php/what-we-do/ondemand-support-pass/

Most UK businesses are frustrated by the level of support they get from IT suppliers, a survey has revealed.

http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2009/08/03/237140/companies-frustrated-by-it-supplier-support.htm