Tech Support Download
Please click the button below to download the support application. Run the file when downloaded and follow the on screen requests and a Help Desk Technician will be with you shortly.
DownloadHow the installation of a new cloud-based server has enabled a respected North London estate agent to stay resilient and maintain its trusted reputation throughout the challenges of the pandemic.
Anthony Webb Estate Agents in North London has a 20-year established reputation for results-orientated exceptional customer service. The agency is also very much involved in the local community, working closely with local schools, charities and groups in Palmers Green, Southgate, Winchmore Hill and nearby areas.
With such an important standing in the community, and a respected reputation to uphold, it is vital that Anthony Webb Estate Agents is able to present a well-organised front, and remains in a position to continue to deliver its services in an efficient manner, regardless of any challenges that may be thrown its way.
The agency was however starting to experience difficulties with its IT system. Server freezes were happening all too often, leaving users unable to connect to the network, making it impossible to browse the internet and access the files they needed to carry out their vital roles and keep clients up to date.
Furthermore, they were running Microsoft Small Business Server 2011, for which support had ended in January 2020. Without this support, security patches and updates were no longer implemented, leaving the server and its workstations vulnerable to security breaches. A huge risk to the business.
Lastly, the agency was not set up for flexible working, which had become a must for business continuity during the pandemic.
Our remit was to deliver a server upgrade, and to enable remote working and hot desking for the ultimate in flexibility, and the ability to serve clients and maintain the community commitment the agency was renowned for.
The team at PC Docs came up with a solution that would provide the agency with a modern, cloud-based server that delivered in every respect in terms of cyber-security and therefore risk mitigation, and that would also meet the brief of enabling flexible working so that the agency could continue its service uninterrupted throughout the restrictions laid down as a result of the pandemic.
We recommended the cloud-based Microsoft Windows Server 2019. The latest security measures were guaranteed courtesy of the most up to date operating system, and with the server noted for its speed and performance, efficiency and productivity were improved. Users commented that everything felt faster, even faster than what an office-based server could deliver.
Cloud-based servers offer the benefit of lowered capital investment with no need for expensive hardware. A typical office based server replacement could cost anywhere between £6,000 and £10,000, whereas we had the client up and running for an initial investment of only £450. Ideal in an uncertain economic climate.
An off-premise cloud server also means there is no risk of hardware and therefore data theft, and because individual PCs run by connecting to the cloud server, they can be much more compact in size, offering space-saving benefits.
The agency would also benefit from the ultimate disaster recovery plan, with a server that could be reinstated from a backup within just 15 minutes.
Thanks to the cloud server, the remote working and hot desking functionality that the agency needed were enabled. Logging in to a cloud-based desktop via a secure Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection meant that documents, files, data and software applications could be accessed from anywhere on any internet-enabled device.
The hot desking system allowed users to jump onto any machine as required, making social distancing measures easier to implement as users weren’t tied to any one machine.
“PC Docs have been looking after my computer systems for at least 15 years. They have on many occasions got me out of lots of sticky situations. John and his team are always at the end of a phone line when things go wrong and with a joke and some stardust sprinkling they make the problem disappear. They always go above and beyond what you would normally expect, always trying to keep their customer happy, and I know I can be a tricky customer on occasion. I genuinely could not run my business without them.” Tony Ourris, Director.
Anthony Webb Estate Agents has been able to enjoy the ability to react swiftly and efficiently to the regularly changing lockdown situation, with staff able to work from home at the drop of a hat with the greatest of ease, and no disruption whatsoever, all for a small financial commitment.
At PC Docs, we specialise in fully tailored IT solutions that are unique to the individual needs of our clients. If you are looking to set your business up for remote working so that you can ensure business resilience, failsafe disaster recovery and the ability to react to changing situations, we welcome you to talk to our team.
For more information on our remote working solutions, please do get in touch.
