Riverbank It management

Thirty two Riverbank clients use inexpensive software called Exclaimer to make sure they add an e-mail disclaimer to every e-mail and ensure they comply with the requirements of the Companies Act. They also have the opportunity to add a marketing message to every outbound e-mail.

If your company uses Exclaimer you need to be sure that you are taking advantage of this ability to promote your business. It could be anything from “Winner of the south-east technology award 2010” to “Find out about our new product launch at www.etc”.

If your company uses Exchange as its central e-mail database and you don’t have Exclaimer you should get it. You should get it because you need to know that your company is legal and you should get it because you need to take every opportunity you can to go for growth.

It’s the BlackBerry software that makes the BlackBerry such a delight to use. It’s just easy to get the job done. If you use a BlackBerry here are some little features that make it even nicer to use.

• Upper case? Hold down the key and it automatically switches to upper case.
• Full stop. Press the space bar twice.
• Typing a URL into the browser? Use the space bar for the dots.
• Typing an e-mail address? Use the space bar for the @ sign and for the dots.
• When browsing through your e-mail press B for bottom and T for top.
• Don’t forget that you have copy and paste available to move text. Highlight the text (Shift and roll across the text) and press the menu button. It automatically selects ‘Copy’ for you.
• Rearrange the screen icons so the ones you use most frequently are on the top row. Press the menu button and select move. Just move the icon and press the roller button to drop it.
• To switch between ring and vibrate press Q.
• Use the speed-dial option to get single-key calling. In the list of recent calls highlight the person you want. Press the menu button and select Add Speed Dial. You can also do this from the contacts list – open the contact and highlight the phone number. Then press the menu button.

Have you got any favourite BlackBerry tips? If so, share them through the Riverbank newsletter. Full credit given!

If your business is going to grow in a flat market (let’s be optimistic about the wider economy) you have to do so by winning market share. That means taking business from your competitors. To do that you have to be better than them. You also have to communicate your message to your potential customers.

What underpins your success at attracting that new business is your systems – the way you run your business. Here are seven ways that IT can contribute to your success.

1. You have to be more efficient and get more results for less effort. Without a doubt one of the most effective tools you can use is CRM software – Customer Relationship Management. CRM software enables you to store the intelligence (call back in six months, birthday is 15 May, etc). It also enables you to track your successes and your failures so you can establish what works and what doesn’t.

The hype around cloud computing could be reaching a peak, but are companies actually doing it? Many large firms are apparently holding back from making a drastic change to their IT systems, preferring to wait until others have gone before them and made their mistakes. Many smaller businesses are hesitant about committing their entire business to a single Internet connection. They are also worried about the security of trusting their intellectual property in an environment where they feel they have little or no control.

But fortune favours the bold, so should you be brave and take the plunge into cloud computing? Are you even sure what it is or what it's supposed to do for your businesss?

Cloud computing is the first of the Riverbank lunchtime workshops for 2010. If you would like to understand what lies behind the hype, what it can and can't do for your business, and whether now is the time to be brave then come along to "Cloud computing -  what's in it for me?" on Tuesday 30 March. Contact Amber Juffkins to reserve your place.

I attended a PGP event this morning to hear the latest news around IT security and encryption (by the way 'PGP' stands for 'Pretty Good Privacy' and it's also a world leader in encryption technnology).

The news is that spending on IT security is increasing even during a recession, because companies recognise the importance of staying secure and the damage any security breach can cause (prison, for example).  Many firms have now got all their laptops encrypted and are now starting to take email encryption seriously. After all, what's the point in keeping everything nice and secure on your computer and then broadcasting confidential information on the digital equivalent of a postcard?

The PGP message is clear. You can implement a fully-automatic email encryption system quickly and easily. And with zero impact for computer users it won't get in your way. If you would like to find out more about it do call me on 01844 278036 or e-mail malcolm@riverbank.co.uk.

Dell have a 0% finance deal on offer for server purchases. The finance deal can include software and Riverbank services, but must have a total price of at least £10,000 to qualify. The offer runs until the end of April.

 Contact Chris Jones for more information.

The Sophos Security Report for 2010 has some thought-provoking predictions for 2010. One is the impact of cloud computing. As more data is stored on the web so the security threats will migrate to those sites and the individual desktop computer will become less important. Before you commit your data to a web-based system you might want to know how good your supplier's security protection is. If a major data store did suffer a security breach the impact could be enormous.

More worrying on a global scale is the arrival what Sophos calls a third phase of security threats. The first phase was the hobby virus writer whose interest in writing such stuff usually ended when they found a girlfriend. The second phase was the arrival of organised criminality out to sell fake goods, get access to your bank account or steal your identity. A new third phase is happening at government level with attacks aimed at getting commercial, military or political gains.

As individuals and businesses all we can do is to make sure that we protect all aspects of our computer usage including personal computers, servers and mobile devices like iPhones, BlackBerrys and Windows Mobile phones.