Tag Archives: Computer

IT Support – help with technology

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Chances are you are reading this because you need help now!  IT support is one of those things that you never think about until something goes wrong or you need to do something but have no idea how to do it. This guide will look at how to get support and what you must consider.

Information Technology (IT) support refers to any assistance given with technology-related products and services. The role of an IT technical support engineer is primarily to help monitor and maintain computer systems and networks across an organisation.

WHY is keeping my IT running so important?

If your computers and technology are not working you may not be able to make any money, it may also affect your customer service to valued clients. IT support can be critical to your small business to get you running again.

WHAT does IT Support cover?

IT stands for Information Technology and in your business could extend to your computers, phones, printers, network, software, and cloud solutions you use like an accounting package or POS system.

IT support will come in three forms:
  1. Advice & installation of solutions
  2. Repair of issues
  3. Monitoring and optimisation of your IT

The actual support is provided by experts who are most likely running their own small business servicing clients like you. Some of the most common services would include:

  • Hard drive, email, and network configuration
  • Software installation
  • Software, hardware, and network upgrades
  • Desktop support
  • Application solution recommendations
  • Server and application support
  • Cloud services integration
  • Preventative maintenance and network audits
  • Data backup and recovery
  • Virus protection and removal

HOW do I choose the right IT support for my Small Business?

You should consider the following points to determine what you will require from an IT vendor:

  1. Do you need onsite support or do you just need to visit your local computer store where you bought your PC or other IT devices?
  2. Might you require out of hours support?
  3. Can the IT support representative talk to you in plain English so you understand what is going on?
  4. Are phone support and remote interrogation offered?  This will save both time and cost.
  5. Area of coverage. If you have a 2nd location can this firm provide adequate support?
  6. What sort of response times do you need and what can be provided? Rule of thumb here is the more critical the resolution, the better the response time needed. You could represent this by how much money you are losing if an IT solution is not working.
  7. Do you want a Service contract that would provide you a predictable fixed cost per month or pay by the hour or a hybrid of the two?
  8. It is possible to have an IT support business monitor your IT environment which could mean issues are fixed before you are aware of them? This could be as simple as creating an alert to notify the internet is down.
  9. What is the process to log a service request and to check its status?  Many IT service companies offer a portal where “tickets are logged” via an internet portal providing you extra peace of mind.
  10. Does the proposed IT services business have a good reputation?  You can ask for references and also search on the internet.
  11. How much are you prepared to pay to keep everything running?  It may come as a surprise to many that the cost of IT support can far exceed the cost of the hardware (PC) in the first place.

You can find IT support by googling small business IT support, asking associates for recommendations, or even asking your local computer store. Note it can be hard to find a good vendor.

HINTS

  • Reliability comes in two forms.  Make sure the business you deal with is reputable and delivers consistent service.  Having great customer service in the first month is no good if it is bad in the 3rd month. Also understand the actual person visiting your office of a multi-person firm may not be as reliable as another.  If the individual is sub-standard insist on a different person servicing your business.
  • Confidentiality is critical.  Remember you are giving access to an external party to your confidential information held on your computers.
  • If your IT device such as a printer is not working is it a configuration issue or is it just broken and need a warranty repair.  If it is a warranty repair, this will in theory not cost you anything.  Having an IT person in your office to tell you this will incur a per hour fee.
  • Same day service and service out of normal business hours will most likely cost you more.
  • We have a whole guide devoted to back up however if you do nothing else ensure you back up your data and keep it securely on the cloud or at an external location. If everything goes wrong, you will still have a copy.

SUMMARY – Reliable Tech Support

IT support may seem expensive until you need it, and at that time you will be prepared to pay a lot to get back up and running.  Pick a reliable support organisation that you can call on when needed.

Which computer should I buy?

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You need a new computer, some are $300 others are $3000. Where do you start?  What do you need?  In this guide, as we don’t understand your circumstances we cannot recommend the right computer but we will help you make that decision yourself.

PC is an abbreviation for personal computer. Personal computers allow us to write papers, create spreadsheets, track our finances, play games, and do many other things. If a PC is connected to the Internet, it can be used to browse the Web, check e-mail, communicate with friends via instant messaging programs, and download files. PCs have become such an integral part of our lives that it can be difficult to imagine life without them!

WHY do I need a new or different Computer?

The fact you are reading this guide means you are already considering a new PC. 

The most common reasons for a new PC are:

New staff member
Old PC is too slow
Old PC has failed
Existing PC will not run the program you need
PC has been written off from a financial perspective or deemed too old to continue being reliable.

The question that needs answering here is what is the difference between a PC for home versus a PC for work? Not a great deal depending on what you do for work.  These days a lot of home PCs have features built in to support gaming which is not much use at work unless you are doing graphic or video work.

A PC will not last forever and any moving part like a disk drive or fan is the most likely component to fail.

WHAT do I need to understand about a PC?

Walk into a retailer or go online and you will be presented with lots of choice and price points.  There are some key decisions you need to make upfront before we look at how to evaluate a PC.

  1. Desktop or Laptop – Laptops may also be called notebooks, which are generally slightly smaller. A Laptop is portable whilst a desktop is not.  A desktop can be more powerful, have more connection port options and upgradeable but few people except for gamers ever upgrade their desktop by replacing components. Historically desktops are cheaper for similar specifications but not always.  If the user will work away from the office they should have a laptop.
    1. Desktop – come as either a tower unit which is large upright box, compact or small form factor which places everything in a sandwich sided box, or an all-in-one which combines the components into the back of a monitor.
    1. Laptops –  are a self-sufficient solution with battery including screen, keyboard and touchpad (mouse).  Features, screen size and weight distinguish models.
  2. Operation system – Today there are four main types:
    1. Microsoft Windows – most common and will run almost every software.
    1. Apple Mac OS – traditionally favoured by creatives or anyone who has gone down the Apple ecosystem.
    1. Google Chrome – a cheaper solution that combined with a lower specified hardware set without a hard drive will perform most functions via a browser and the internet.  Popular in education today.
    1. Linux– an opensource operating system which is very cheap and generally only used in specialised applications.
  3. Tablet as PC replacement – Some modern tablets are so powerful they could be used as a laptop replacement.  When combined with a keyboard they are essentially the same with a different operating system.

As more and more applications and solutions go to the cloud, the operating system is becoming more irrelevant and all you need is to run a browser connected to the internet.  However, you do need to ensure that any specialist software or application your business will use can run on the device you buy.

HOW do choose which Personal Computer?

Now you have picked your form factor and operating system this starts to narrow down your selection.  Next, you can compare at various retailers instore or online, alternatively visit a specific manufacturers website who sell direct like HP or Dell.

Very simply the higher the specification on each of the below technologies the more expensive the PC will be. If your needs are basic the most basic solutions will do the job but we will make some recommendations below based on value for money and suitability for 3 to 4 years usage.

Key technologies include:

Screen or Monitor:  built into a laptop and often bundled with a desktop.  Similar technology as a TV.  Two factors to consider are screen size measured in inches and resolution.  For desktops, we recommend a 27-inch display with Full HD (1920×1080 pixels) resolution.  Those doing graphics or video work should consider a larger display with a 4K resolution.  More money will also buy more accurate colours.

Processor or CPU: This is your brains of the PC and will be an Intel or AMD product. The bigger the number the faster it will complete a task but at a higher cost.  A good sweet spot is an Intel Core i5. Those doing complicated mathematics or graphics should spend more money here.

Memory or RAM:  This is the PC’s short term memory. It controls how much it can remember in real-time.  8GB is the sweet-spot, however, most devices can be upgraded if not enough.

Storage or hard drive:  This is the long term memory and the place you store all your applications and files. A standard hard drive has moving parts and is cost-effective and can store large amounts of data.  A modern alternative is a solid-state drive or SSD which essentially uses computer chips to store data.  An SSD is very fast to boot and access files.  If you are using a laptop we recommend using an SSD of 256GB, if using a Desktop SSD would be good but 1 TB drive is the sweet spot.  In a desktop having both an SSD and hard drive will give you speed and greater storage.

Graphics card:  Unless you are using graphic intensive programs, we don’t suggest you need this functionality as the basics are built into the processor.  Graphics cards are very popular with home gamers.

Connections:  This is how you connect devices to your PC.  We recommend you ensure you have the following ports-

  • HDMI to connect an external monitor.
  • USB 3 to connect keyboards, mouse, printers, memory sticks, camera’s etc. Two or more ports recommended.
  • Thunderbolt (not essential but replaces both of the above).
  • WiFi is how you might connect to the internet wirelessly (see Set up a WiFi network guide).
  • Ethernet will only be required if you want a cable connection to the internet from the PC.
  • Bluetooth allows you to connect wirelessly to a mouse, keyboard or your smartphone.
  • Speakers are included in a laptop but generally needed to be added to a desktop.
  • SD card slot (not essential) makes it easy to transfer from this medium used in cameras and phones.

You will need to consider software for your new PC and further details on this can be found in our guides on office productivity software and internet security.

HINTS

Visit the gadgetguy website to see reviews and recommendations on various PC products.

How to choose a Windows laptop – a guide for home and office use 2021

Watch out for specials. As this is such a competitive market they are always around and will save you some money.

Next year’s technology will always be better so just accept your PC is out of date soon after you buy it.  However, most 3-year-old computers can handle any solutions currently available today.

Ensure you also read our guide on Backup- keeping your data safe.

Your IT support business or computer retailer can also recommend suitable models.

SUMMARY – understand the computer jargon

Buying a new PC can be a daunting task with lots of jargon and so much to choose from.  If you stick to reputable brands and understand the implications the various technologies have on the performance of a PC your decision becomes easier.  Make sure that what you buy will support the applications and solutions you need to run within your business.