PC versus Mac or Microsoft versus Apple

As the Director of a busy IT support company I deal with PCs, laptops and Macs on a daily basis. I am constantly asked by both businesses and home users which device is the best. This question is like asking which car is the best, and just like that analogy is as subjective. “Best” begs the question, in what terms and to who is anything the best, but in this article I will attempt to put both sides of the argument as it currently stands and aim to pre-empt those questions that are regularly asked of me. I am not setting out to write a didactic piece of techno-babble aimed at having you rushing out to swap your computer for one or the other of these devices, but rather a reasoned and balanced set of discussion pieces, so that you dear reader can at least have the benefit of some of my knowledge and experience, which you can judge for yourself how useful it is in the quest to decide which is the “best”.

In my opinion there are 7 key aspects that differentiate the two products and these fall into the rough category of: cost, looks, security, likeability & usability, interface, compatibility and support. 

In terms of cost there is no doubt an obvious and very large difference between Mac products and PC products. However, it must be said that to buy a MacBook Pro equivalent in a PC laptop in terms of components fitted would bring the obvious price differential much closer if indeed it did not overtake it. So, the issue here is that Apple does not sell cheaper end models with low end processors and memory whereas there is a plethora of PC manufacturers all vying for the market share, so causing market forces to push the prices down. The obvious maxim here would appear to be that generally you get what you pay for, but that if all you need is a basic machine to do e-mails and a bit of web surfing then you may ask do you need that performance offered by Mac for that price tag.

As far as look’s go, PCs both laptop and desktop have caught up in recent years forgoing their traditional boring design, now offering some very attractive product ranges and also featuring the monobloc design, always offered by Apple with the base unit and monitor integrated for that refined and minimalistic look. Again, what we have here is personal taste as to what you like to see and feel when you are working or perhaps what looks good in your lounge, although most people when presented with an Apple Mac in stores are always attracted to the Apple look and feel – perhaps most readily drawn by the Apple design philosophy i.e. single aluminium block bodies for their laptops, separate and lighted keys on the keypad and bright glossy LED glass displays. 

Nearly all internet security companies would agree that both Macs and PCs are just as much at risk from an internet security perspective, particularly from phishing attacks, but here is the big difference, the number of viruses and malware written for PCs far outweighs the number for Macs. Based on the most recent statistics Windows dominates the world’s operating systems market with a 91% share of that market, Apple having only 5% and the other 4% being owned by other operating systems. This bare fact alone, discounting the many and varied discussions about how robust the actual operating systems are, Windows or Mac OSX, just the sheer target scope for Windows to be attacked make them a far easier opportunity and although Mac OSX is intrinsically no more secure than Windows Vista or Windows 7 they have far fewer attacks as there are far fewer people writing hacks for them. What defines the security is that for either product if good anti-virus and malware software is run and updated regularly and all patches are downloaded from the relevant OS vendor then – in the main – all should be as well with one as the other providing the user is cautious.

Users of computers - in a very wide sweeping generalisation – appear to fall into two main categories; the mainstream and the uber-cool individualistic type, and as you may guess PCs and Macs appear to fit in that order. In terms of likeability people who don’t care about the general opinion tend to go for Apple whereas a lot of people like the large scale presence of PCs. There are lots of reasons for people’s choice here, but some of it may be down to being comfortable with Windows or not wanting to convert and having to learn a new operating system all over. Some of this is driven by the difference between a known – for many – OS such as Windows and a different way of working which is the Mac OSX. The interface is intrinsically similar but different enough in many key ways to cause many to pause in their choice, particularly driven by what they use at work or having already owned PCs or having children who use PCs. Traditionally the feedback from users in terms of usability of Macs is always extremely positive, with nearly all users asserting an extremely positive user experience, quoting simplicity, and productivity i.e. “my Mac just does it” also people like the look and feel of the Mac OSX, whereas there are many tales of frustration from PC users, although again the market balance means that there are countless more happy users and with Windows 7 this seems to be on the increase.

Some of the most strident voices against Macs as opposed to PCs are raised in the area of compatibility. This is a fact that is hard to argue on both sides, as again with Windows having the 91% market share nearly all software is developed and written with Windows in mind and all hardware is developed to connect and work with PCs first and perhaps Macs second. That is not to say that there is not always a way of finding something that will do the job from an alternate supplier, with a bit of searching, but frustration levels can be high when software and hardware bought and then taken home and installed or connected fails to operate correctly.

Finally, there is the support issue, once you have purchased your choice of computer, for fixing problems and faults that arise or maybe an upgrade is required or wanted. The sad fact is that there is minimal good quality IT support for Macs around and when you do find a good support company they will undoubtedly reflect the fact of their scarcity in their pricing.  PC support is widespread and there are many companies to be found that can carry out any fix, support or upgrade required. The last issue of upgrades is also tempered by the inability, on the whole, to upgrade Macs whereas PCs are easily upgradeable with new components if this is your choice or requirement; if you don’t have the skills or the interest but do have the need again there is a good company around the corner. Apple would say that once purchased it is extremely unlikely – due to the quality of the product – that you will need to upgrade your Mac.

Therefore, in conclusion the decision is as before one of very personal choice, driven by your personal requirements and ultimately what you want to pay and what you like the look and feel of and whether you are willing to go for the unique or happy to be mainstream. In essence the choice is how you feel the device of your choice will match your life and work and pocket. I hope I have at least clarified some of the areas around the choice.

CRM Guide for Small Business

CRM Guide for Small Business

CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management and covers methods and technologies used by companies to manage their relationships with clients. In technology terms a CRM system usually refers to the software to help manage this process.

CRM systems vary massively in what they do but in simple terms they store current and historical information on existing (and sometimes potential) customers. Most CRM systems also enable information about those customers to be extracted and reported on in various ways. Additional features of more sophisticated CRM systems include:

1. Workflow automation – ensures the business follows a set of steps by automatically leading the users in one or more departments through proven and agreed processes.
2. Marketing - generate automatic personalized marketing based on the customer information stored in the system.
3. Product and service information - stores information about your products and services, and enable relationships between these and your customers to be set up to enable quotes, invoices, etc to be automated.
4. Sales force automation – the entire sales cycle can be automated, tracked and measured.

Unfortunately many SMEs rely on numerous spreadsheets and disparate pieces of software to help run their businesses and those that do have a true CRM system rarely maximise its use.
A well designed and fully utilised CRM system can transform a business by massively improving customer service and providing valuable insight into business performance.

So what should SME’s focus on when considering implementing a CRM system?

1. Make sure your business processes work There is no point in implementing a CRM system that reflects a bad process. Make sure that the way your business processes work is effective and then make the CRM system reflect or, if possible, improve on this.
2. Understand your real business goals and communicate them Make sure that when you implement a system you know exactly what you are trying to achieve in real business terms (E.g. Speed up the quotation cycle) and communicate these goals to staff and the CRM provider. Don’t implement technology for technology’s sake!
3. Focus on your customers Remember a CRM system should make things better for your customers, not worse. Sometimes internal issues take over and the result is a system that does nothing to help the customer. Improve the customer experience and the rewards will come back to the business.
4. Get “buy in” from your staff Most staff are very good at what they do and know what will and won’t work. Engage your staff so they can see how this will improve things and if they have concerns, don’t assume they are awkward and against change, they may have some great ideas.
5. Keep it simple Many CRM systems offer an incredible array of functionality but for most businesses this just serves to confuse. Don’t be taken in by wonderful looking systems with bells and whistles. Think about your business and what it needs, think about your customers and think about your staff. Keep it simple to maximise its effectiveness.

Where can a CRM system make a positive impact?
The most basic CRM system will contain all current and historical information about a customer enabling any member of staff to have instant access to what they need to provide and personal and knowledgeable experience for the customer. How many times have you been frustrated at having to repeat information to a company representative? Just this simple availability of information can speed up internal processes, improve customer perceptions and ultimately lead to increased business.
A web based CRM system (which we highly recommend) improves access to information which can aid with flexible working practices and can speed up service delivery. For example, compare a sales team that whilst out with customers are able to instantly access all the information required to produce a personal quote, which the customer can sign then and there, to a team that has to go back to the office to prepare and send the quote. The flexible and responsive team will save time and close more business.

By linking products to customers the system can automate quotes and invoices which saves time and reduces errors.

Finally, reporting can provide an invaluable insight into how you can improve your business. For example, you can determine the profile of the customers that are your most profitable, you can see which marketing source produces the most or best quality leads, you can see which staff deal with the most calls, and so on.

To summarise, if you don’t have a CRM system then you need one, if you do have one then check that you’re making the most of it.

Beware of IT Phone Scams | Computer Support Blog from The PC Support Group

Beware of IT Phone Scams | Computer Support Blog from The PC Support Group

PC Support Group advice - how to choose an ISP

	How to choose an Internet Service Provider (ISP) An Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a company that provides its customers with access to the Internet. They also often provide email accounts and some space for hosting a web site too. In the UK there are hundreds of ISP’s from relatively small companies to large well known names such as BT and Tiscali. So how do you choose the right ISP for your business? There are so many ISPs out there that it can be difficult to know which one is best. The truth is that there is no single perfect provider so you have to find the one that is right for you. In order to figure which one that is, there are some things you should consider… Check the package. The bandwidth advertised doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re always guaranteed that bandwidth. What upload and download speeds are guaranteed for the package in question. How many of your neighbours are you likely to be sharing your connection with (known as the contention ratio)? Is there a maximum data download per month? And what happens when you reach this limit? If you need web hosting, email or spam services then does the package provide these and if so, are they adequate for your requirements? Research service levels. Access to knowledgeable, helpful and responsive support is essential for any business. See what testimonials or awards they won for customer service. If possible ask other users about their experiences, read reviews and speak to an expert. And perhaps most importantly, find out whether they provide telephone support and in what time you can expect a call to be answered. It has been known for customers to wait for hours on a support line and eventually give up with frustration. Read the small print. Contracts vary enormously and the devil is often in the detail. Look particularly for the clauses around cancellation – how and when can you cancel? Are there any penalties? Price. You will obviously want to consider price but you will ultimately pay more in time and lost business if you don’t ensure the package is right. Given the general pricing of ISP packages in the UK, it’s our opinion that businesses should focus on their requirements and the level of customer service above price. The saving of £10 or £20 per month compared to lost time and business through a bad service simply doesn’t make economic sense. The best ISP is the one that works the best for you and your business. Take your time and investigate all of the above. Think about the needs of your business and match them up with the offerings.

Office Networks for business

Office Networks – What and Why?

So what is a computer network and why does any business absolutely need one? 

Computing and computers have come a long way in the last 20 years, and now, no matter what size of business you are – whether it’s a SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) or a larger SME (Small Medium Enterprise) utilising a more corporate LAN (Local Area Network) – your business needs access to the internet and probably a local workgroup (multiple computers at the same location sharing files and resources between themselves) or local central resources such as a server. A computer that stands isolated and unconnected is almost an unusable resource carrying no value to the business.

No matter what size of business you are, you need your computer or devices to be able to talk to your other computers or servers within your premises or access the internet. Access to other devices on site may comprise other computers with information on them that you or your staff need to access, a network printer that is either connected to another PC or sits directly on the network or an external hard drive of varying size and type, perhaps VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phones or lastly a server – supplying endless central resources and access to e-mail, internet, web resources, spread sheets, databases applications etc etc. 

As a company that provides network designs of all shapes and sizes to fit any organisation I can tell you that the main drivers behind your decision to choose the particular model that suits your business are; the size of your business and your premises, the way in which you store and access your resources and information and the budget you have available to provide the quality of network access you require.

Structured Cabling 

 

Structured Ethernet cabling provides resilient, robust and high bandwidth connectivity between any number of devices of any type within your business and is expandable to suit your growth. Typically this is provided by Category 5e cabling (steadily being replaced by Cat6 and 6a) professionally installed into the fabric of your building designed and installed to suit the nature and IT requirements of your business.  On the upside of this technology it can provide almost any bandwidth but always provides the best available bandwidth for any device or number of devices. Typically, wired connections rely upon the type of network card installed in the computer and the router or switch that these connect back to, typically at the very least 10Mbps would be the minimum, and recently this has extended to 100Mbps with the possibility of 1Gbps if the correct equipment and cabling is installed. It is robust and reliable once installed and can support any size business from SOHO to corporate enterprise. If you have a server or want to access local resources from any other device in your premises then this system will provide the very best speed and bandwidth that you will require and for any number of users and computers, printers and VoIP phones.

On the downside structured cabling is relatively expensive to install and once in place is bound to the physical location that the cabling connects from and to – in a very similar manner to the way in which power outlets  are installed.

 

This method of providing connectivity between IP devices has been revised over the years but the basic methodology has remained the most popular and reliable and is still to be found in nearly all business premises in some form or another, whether it is some lengths of patch leads strung between computers and the internet router or whether in the more formalised manner of structured cabling installed by professional firms.

Wireless

 

Wireless connectivity has exploded over the last 10 years to the point we are currently at, where the technology is almost ubiquitous and every laptop and portable device embodies some type of wireless card capable of connecting them to a wireless network.  This technology has some very positive sides and allows for a free of wires approach to working, providing that a wireless network is available and open for connection.  In a small office environment a simple wireless router will allow for anybody with a wireless device to connect to the router and thus shared local resources and have internet access.

Wireless technology, in response to demand has been making steady progress in recent years enhancing the available range, throughput, bandwidth and security available. The primary standard for wireless has been the 802.11 standard and we have moved through b/a/g/n leaving a wireless connection currently capable of a theoretical 248 Mbps data rate and an indoor range of 70 metres (obstacles allowing). Security was a concern for wireless and still can be if not setup and configured by a professional IT company, and open or poorly setup security is an open invitation to hackers and thieves; particularly to be avoided is the older WEP security.

So on the up side of Wi-Fi, provided in a WLAN environment (Wireless LAN) it allows unfettered access to wireless networks, therefore allowing you and your staff to work anywhere within range of the wireless router and the more recent devices that support the latest “n” version of wireless standards can provide better bandwidth, range and security if correctly configured. Another point in favour of Wi-Fi is the cost of using wireless networks – for a simple implementation the cost is negligible as laptops come with the required technology, wireless USBs for PCs are cheaply available and wireless routers are barely any more expensive to buy than non-wireless routers. 

On the downside wireless devices provide very low bandwidth and slow connectivity to the router compared to the wired connectivity offered by a structured cabling approach, also contention is direct, whereas if two people connect to the same wireless connection then they will have to share that connection directly therefore effectively halving their available bandwidth and this effect is cumulative as more people connect to the router. Also, wireless connectivity only provides for half-duplex as opposed to the full duplex connection of wired cabling; what this means in real terms is that a full duplex connection allows for send and receive traffic to operate at the same time, much like we as human beings can hear and talk at the same time. With a half-duplex connection send and receive has to happen separately, therefore to maintain the analogy you would have to listen, then talk, then listen etc. only able to do one of these at any time.

Therefore, for the odd one or two devices a wireless connection has many advantages particularly cost and the flexibility to roam around the premises and maintain connectivity, assuming that you are in range, however if you sit at the same desk all the time then a wired connection way outweighs the advantages of mobility as it is suddenly not a requirement.  Also, expect performance to be generally poor – in comparison with wired – which will markedly decrease as more people utilise the same network connection, particularly if the connection is for more than simple internet access, for instance if you are trying to access local shared file or server resources.

Combinations

There are two other possibilities or combinations for networking. The first is the cheaper HomePlug solution which utilises a combination of wired Ethernet cabling and your ring main electrical circuit. With this solution each plug has a standard Ethernet RJ-45 connector and can be plugged into a wall plug near your router and then plugs can be used wherever you want network access and each one connected to your computer using a standard Ethernet patch cable. This utilisation of your electrical ring main as your network significantly reduces the cost of providing a network for your business and can provide a theoretical 200Mbps, a significant improvement on wireless and comparable with a traditional Ethernet structured cabling bandwidth, although in reality nearer to 100Mbps would be nearer the true mark.

 

This is a good solution for a small business that does not want to invest in a full blown structured cabling solution but wants good quality connectivity not presented by wireless technology, and as the cost is purely for patch cables and the plugs themselves this really is a cheap and practical alternative.

Lastly, we have an option that utilises structured cabling with wireless to provide a Wi-Fi solution that is typically aimed at organisations wanting a wireless solution that covers a larger physical area, such as a multi storey building or one with a larger floor area; perhaps an organisation that wants wireless for visitors in its meeting rooms or reception areas or hotspots around a large building.

 

This concept requires structured cabling being delivered to points around a building where a wireless AP (Access Point) would be fitted, and therefore provide wireless access to those targeted areas. The advantages of this are that you provide a targeted Wi-Fi to specific areas of your building which provides good quality reduced-contention wireless not affected by range or obstacles such as walls etc.

Unfortunately, although this is a very good quality solution to specific needs of an organisation it is an expensive solution and more appropriate to larger businesses.

Conclusion

Here I am returning to my initial precept of what factors define a business’s requirements for a network and what sort they require.

In this review I have covered four concepts of networking: structured cabling, wireless and combinations which covered HomePlug and access point wireless and tried to give some basic information and guidance on uses and costs.

Structured cabling allows for the business that really uses their network for high bandwidth applications and large amounts of local access such as those who have server environments or who share large amounts of data locally and who want good quality bandwidth access that is robust and relatively maintenance free and have a relatively large budget to cover the install setup costs. Wireless access allows greater flexibility and low cost networking but at the price of much lower performance of the network and certain complexities over the correct setup of that network. The combinations are two ends of the spectrum, with the HomePlug solution offering a reasonably decent quality bandwidth solution – in-between wired and wireless - for a low cost, which is suitable for small businesses who are not ready to take the step towards a fully cabled implementation but require better performance than wireless offers for a small number of devices. Lastly we have the AP offering which is the highest cost solution for specific business needing to offer wireless in select areas of a large building without degrading that wireless performance.

Each of these solutions exposes some pros and cons dependant on the organisational situation, but ultimately the choice revolves around the quality of network required and how much the organisation can afford.  Hopefully, I have offered enough guidance for any business to start to make some informed decisions on which products suit them best, but I would strongly recommend any business thinking of changing their network to contact a good IT company for bespoke advice based on their particular needs.