Keep Working When It Snows This Winter

Despite one of the mildest autumns on record, the weather oracles are predicting a cold snap over this December and January, with the prospect of some heavy snow, particularly in the South East. A few years ago that meant severe disruption for many businesses with staff unable to get into work because the transport system, roads and trains would come to a predictable, grinding halt, often for days on end.

The good news is that bad weather no longer means your business has to be put on hold while you wait for the snow to melt and your staff to return. If you have a virtual desktop you can access all the tools you need to work remotely from home, or anywhere else in the world for that matter.

What is a Virtual Desktop?
One option is a virtual desktop that gives staff access to all the applications they need, whether they are working from home, in the office, or visiting clients. This includes providing a desktop that contains all the right programs and file access, as well as a hosted email service which means staff can keep in contact with each other.

The other advantages that come with having a virtual desktop hosted by a reputable IT consultancy is that you get an affordable IT solution that requires no additional hardware and can develop as your business grows.

Microsoft Office 365
One of the most powerful cloud services available for SMEs in today’s hi-tech world is Microsoft Office 365 which offers hosted email as well as great collaboration tools such as Word and Excel that can be accessed on a variety of devices from desktop and tablet to your smartphone. It can be purchased on a per user basis which means you get more value for your money rather than buying the software licences outright and comes with Microsoft’s enterprise level security that keeps all your staff safe online, wherever they’re working on any particular day.

Flexible IT Services Make Senser
It’s not just when the bad weather strikes that having a cloud managed service proves to be a big advantage for many businesses. Cloud services have made it possible for:
• Sales staff to access company data and services whilst they are on the road visiting clients.
• People to work from home without having to worry whether they have all the tools they need.
• Allowing you and your colleagues to be more connected, all the time.
• Improving productivity and helping to retain valuable staff who need a more flexible approach to work.
• Employing vital staff with the right qualifications outside your normal office catchment area.

There’s no doubt that technology is making it increasingly easy to work remotely, from anywhere, and with anyone, in the world. This powerful networking solution is helping SMEs across the UK develop their business whilst helping to keep costs down, remain secure and operate in a more productive and flexible way.