Local Business and Franchise Owner, Stewart Berry of Computer Troubleshooters -Riverwood Bankstown and his senior technician Daniel Berry were honored at the Computer Troubleshooter’s Annual Asia Pacific conference in Brisbane this year. by being given the NSW Franchisee of the year in recognition of service excellence and professionalism in supporting local business with their IT Needs. This is the 2nd year that Stewart and Daniel have won this award.
Passwords are your keys to accessing electronically stored information. In many cases you may not notice until it is too late that important details, regarding your identity or your business, have been used. It is critical to create ‘strong’ passwords and keep them well protected, whilst also being able to remember them.
A strong password is one that appears complex and would be difficult to guess. Here are some tips to help you create a secure password
Here are our 5 BIG IT Tax Tips - with end of the Financial Year 2010/11 fast approaching you need to ensure your business and personal IT positions are tax effective.
The recent Federal Budget in May 2011 held few new advantages for this financial year from an IT perspective however many options remain. Here are our 5 IT Tax Tips you might consider with advice from your tax advisor
Details of a new virus spreading through PDF files, that renders your information unreadable unless you pay them for a fix. Learn more about it and how to prevent it.
The virus ‘Trojan.Ransom-U’ does indeed encrypt your files and tells you to wire transfer $120 and email datafinder@fastmail.fm for a fix. It also threatens to delete your files permanently if you seek outside help. The ransom note is contained in the How to decrypt files.txt file on your desktop.
If your technology stopped working, would your business stop functioning too? Is your business totally reliant on the information stored on your computer systems or could you continue to deliver 95% of your products and services and catch up on the computer work later? No matter which end of this scale your business is at, you will fare much better during a major technology outage if you plan in advance, before it happens. This month we take some of the mystery out of Business Continuity Planning.
Business Continuity Planning (BCP) is the process of working out how your business will continue to function during a disaster.
When a business or a home office consists of more than one person, questions arise about how to share critical business information and technology resources such as printers. Most small businesses start to link computers together with a network and are unaware of the benefits a ‘server’ computer can bring to them and that it may actually be within their budget.
But why do you actually need a server - we thought we would summarise a few tips so you could judge for yourself if you need a server for your business .
Microsoft’s release of Office 2010 has been somewhat overshadowed by the recent Apple iPad release, however the new version of Office has some fantastic improvements that are worth shouting about. This month, we highlight a few of the features that will make your life easier.
First impressions count and today it’s likely that the first impression of your business will come from your website. So what does your website say about you? Is it permanently ‘under construction’? Was it last updated in 1998? Or is it an effective and measurable marketing tool?
To begin with, your website must say who you are, what you do and why you are different than or better than your competitors. Deciding on a structure for your website doesn’t need to be daunting. Go back to the basics and decide what the purpose of your site is.
As the end of the Financial Year 2009/10 approaches we are starting to think of ways of ensuring our business is tax effective, so now is the time to start planning and implementing. The recent Federal Budget in May 2010 held few new advantages for this financial year from an IT perspective however many options remain. Here are our 6 IT Tax Tips you might consider with advice from your tax advisor.
Isn’t it great to know that your business’s computers are in the hands of an expert? You no longer have to worry about that entire part of your operation. However, remember that although the general I.T. tasks may be outsourced, the responsibility for this part of the business still ultimately lies with you. Here’s our list of what all business owners should know about their own computers.
Once upon a time we managed our lives and ran our businesses without email. In the 1960s and 1970s, email existed as a text-only messaging system for people connected to the same mainframe computer. Today, nearly every teenager has an email address and it is now viewed as a ‘mission critical application’ in most businesses. Now we’re struggling with email overload. We’re receiving newsletters, defending ourselves from unsolicited commercial email (spam) and email viruses and sifting through work requests from clients in amongst jokes and recipes from friends. This month we look at how to tame the constant flow of information and turn email into a productivity tool, not an overflowing bookshelf.
With much fanfare, Apple has now unveiled its ‘iPad’ computer. Weighing 1.5 pounds and being 0.5 inch thin, it delivers a 9.7 inch touch screen without the bulk of a traditional laptop.
At this time of year, many technology experts unleash their predictions for the next 12 months. Instead, Computer Troubleshooters surveyed you, our clients, to find out what you want to see in 2010. Your responses did not include house-cleaning robots or flying cars, but focused on better core technology components like security, file sharing and internet browsing. Here’s what you told us will be important in 2010:
Season's Greetings from Everyone at Computer Troubleshooters Riverwood. We really do appreciate your business. Have a wonderful holiday season & a prosperous New Year. Have a wonderful break and we will see you in the new year!
Powerbuys mission is to help Australian small businesses buy the right I.T. products at the best possible price. The true value of PowerBuy is in the ability to deliver substantial savings to their members by negotiating significant discounts with I.T. manufacturers. Powerbuy has years of experience working in senior positions for global I.T. manufacturers, so they know how to negotiate with them.
As we start winding down 2009, it’s time to start thinking about plans for the year to come. For most of us this includes things like financial planning and budgeting, updating our business plan, updating our marketing plan, and perhaps some year-end tax planning too. But have you thought about your 2010 technology plan?
On October 22nd Microsoft launched its Windows 7 Operating System, with all the fanfare and media attention it deserved. Many IT professionals, however, remember when Windows 7’s predecessor, Vista, launched with similar fanfare and positive reviews but quickly became unpopular with users and technicians alike. How has Windows 7 held up in it’s first month of real world usage? Computer Troubleshooters (the world’s largest IT support franchise with almost 500 locations globally) surveyed its franchise network in late November to find out.
sometimes we need to escape the tether of our desk. But what if you need access to files or emails to work on your business challenges?
This month we highlight the things to consider when working away from the office (such as Remote Access and Mobile Email Solutions).
we hope you find this report on the top 10 technology mistakes small
businesses make (and tips for avoiding them) a useful tool
for gauging your business’ technology infrastructure
Having issues
getting used to the Office 2007 ribbon interface?
Use these cheat
sheets to find where different functions have moved to. Simply look at the tab
relating to the old menu and then look at the line corresponding to the command
you were looking for and it will show you where the command has moved to.
This months newsletter highlights some of the new features in Windows 7 to help you be more productive and some of the reasons you may choose to upgrade your PC to Microsofts newest Operating System Windows 7.
Social media allows users to interact with each other and discuss shared interests. Popular social media sites include: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, MySpace, Wikipedia, Digg, Delicious, Friend Feed, Flickr, Ning, Skype, Stumbleupon and many more. However, the three most popular sites include Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn which is what we will discuss this month.
Repeat business comes from providing quality and value, but also from keeping in touch with your clients, reminding them of your services and promoting things you think they can benefit from. Email marketing is an easy and effective way to remain at the top of a customer’s mind for that next transaction, as long as your email marketing messages are appropriate and effective. Although it may seem difficult for a small business to manage an ongoing email marketing campaign, there are many simple and effective tools designed to make this easy and affordable. This month we highlight what to look for in an email marketing tool.
We often get asked “what’s the best anti-virus software?” however that’s like asking a group of people what the best car is. Raise the subject of anti-virus software with a group of computer experts and you will get many different opinions. Here are some things to consider when selecting security software for your computer.
Did you know that you can have all of the business benefits of a server, without physically owning a server? These benefits include a common storage location for shared information, email and calendaring features and remote access, to name a few.
Did you know that when your computer is connected to the internet, it has over 131,000 ports that a hacker could connect to? These ports are like doors in a building and if they arent protected properly, then someone could sneak in without you noticing. If the hacker is not installing a virus, they can still do some serious damage without alerting your security software, including transmitting your personal information. So how do you watch all of these doorways to your information? You need a firewall!
Need email while on the go that inegrates with your exchange server? Then maybe Blackberry professional software is the solution you have been looking for. Click Below for information about our install package.
As the end of the Financial Year approaches we are often thinking of ways of ensuring our business is tax effective, so now is the time to start planning. Here are 6 Tips for IT from Computer Troubleshooters you might consider with advice from your tax advisor
Technology is always changing and evolving, but most businesses cant afford to keep pace with the latest trends. Instead, focus on laying a solid foundation for your business technology, with a plan and a budget for ongoing support, maintenance and replacement. Its just as important to get the technology basics right as it is to have a strong financial or marketing plan. This month we touch on the ten technology basics that should be in place in your business.
Often technologys little problems or hassles are put up with, instead of being given the attention needed to resolve or improve them. Lets start the New Year by dealing with a few areas that can be easily and inexpensively solved. Watch out for part 2 of this article next month.
Areas we service are: Roselands, Lakemba, Wiley Park, Punchbowl,
Beverly Hills, Narwee,
Riverwood, Mortdale, Peakhurst, Kingsgrove, Lugarno, Padstow, Revesby, Picnic Point,
Bankstown, Condell Park, East Hills, Panania, Georges Hall, Yagoona, Bass Hill,
Villawood, Chester Hill, Sefton
Copyright 2006 Computer Troubleshooters. All Rights Reserved.
