Loredana Emmerson, Author at Codus

A new world of hybrid work with Microsoft 365 improvements

Posted on 14.02.202214.02.2022 by Loredana Emmerson

To successfully grow in this new hybrid world, every organisation needs what Microsoft refers to as a digital fabric that binds the business together with secure communication, collaboration, and creation. The aim is to enable flexibility and strengthen connections across departments and teams, but also smoothly extend to include customers, partners, and suppliers.

Here are some of the latest updates from Microsoft to enable such a platform.

– Collaboration: Microsoft are building Mesh right into Teams, recreating a lot of what people value about being together and extending productivity beyond what was previously possible. Mesh for Microsoft Teams introduces a new generation of 2D and 3D meetings, with personalised avatars and the use of AI to imitate movements and gestures that will enable people to bring their physical presence into the conversation.

– Teams meeting experience: Microsoft want to foster more inclusive and productive hybrid meetings. Users will be able to assign roles from the scheduling form and see the order of raised hands to ensure that all the voices are heard. The mobile overflow menu is also getting an update with a notification drawer for in-meeting system messages, so users can preview, collapse, and clear all notifications with one tap.

– Cross collaboration: Microsoft understands that for work to be carried out effectively in a hybrid world, it needs communication and collaboration with people both inside and outside a business. Updates to Microsoft Teams Connect will aim to remove barriers and make collaboration easier and more secure.

These will be rolled out through 2022 and will include:

Share a channel with individuals and teams across multiple organisations

Schedule a meeting and collaborate in real-time on apps

Share channels with up to 50 teams and as many organisations as you need

Enabling users to chat with team members outside the organisation with a Teams personal account

– Events: New webinars and broadcasting capabilities due to be rolled out this year will make it easy to set up and deliver professional experiences to internal and external audiences. The virtual green room will enable presenters to socialise, monitor chat, conduct Q&As, manage attendee settings, and share content before the event starts. For the events and hospitality industry, Cvent management platform is now integrated with Teams and later this year users will be able to use Cvent to manage the event lifecycle via Teams.

– A new all-in-one digital contact center solution: Powered by Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service and Teams, this will bring together traditional contact center, unified communications, and customer service capabilities into one software as a service (SaaS) solution.

Windows is made for a hybrid working environment. There are many more updates and you can find out more on the Microsoft 365 latest blog post here. You can also speak to our team to see how we can help you find the right digital solutions to help you thrive in a hybrid world, and allow your team and your business to work smarter in 2022.

AEW Office Move

Posted on 17.11.2021 by Loredana Emmerson

AEW, a leading architectural practice, have recently completed their office move to Trinity Court, Manchester.

With complex IT challenges to overcome as part of the move, our team played an integral role in the successful relocation.

AEW are one of Codus’ original clients, and we therefore have a deep understanding of their business needs. We were able to apply this knowledge to devise an innovative IT strategy to both seamlessly relocate their office and better support hybrid home/office working.

With Covid19 changing the way AEW worked, we needed to develop a remote working solution that would be effective for a company who regularly deal with large files and high-quality graphics. Common issues faced by remote workers included slow download speeds and poor navigation of designs and drawings due to a lag resulting from variable home internet connections.

We rose to the challenge to overcome these issues and, along with a significant investment in hardware and software by AEW, used the office move to implement a new remote working solution that now provides resiliency, speed and security, regardless of an individual’s home internet quality.

We designed and specified everything from the communications room, networks and firewall, to hardware requirements, relocated and installed everything with ZERO downtime during office hours. In fact, the downtime out of hours was a mere two hours whilst the servers were physically moved.

The new IT infrastructure has enabled AEW to move into a higher quality office with less floor space, now focusing on “hot desking” within a flexible working environment. The solution is also future proofed with capacity to allow for growth and expansion in the coming years.

“We’re delighted with the support Codus have provided to us in the planning and implementation of our office relocation. With new robust and secure IT Systems in place, our teams can now work seamlessly from home or the office with no reduction in connection speed or quality – helping our team to work where they need to, when they need to”– Andy Rainford, Managing Director (AEW Architects).

If you have similar issues to AEW or require support as you adapt your IT infrastructure to hybrid working, give us a call to see if we can help. We’re in a changing world and we’re helping businesses adopt safe and secure working practices in a cost-effective way to keep your business running – remotely or on site.

Windows 11: Is your computer compatible?

Posted on 06.10.2021 by Loredana Emmerson

The biggest update since 2015, Windows 11 launched on 5 October, 2021. However, it doesn’t mean your computer will automatically upgrade. Microsoft will likely stagger the roll-out to spread out the number of people downloading it at the same time. If you’re really keen and want to jump the queue, you can download Windows 11 directly from the Microsoft website and install it manually.

Windows 11 is designed to bring you closer to what you love and is releasing at a time when PC is playing a central role in the way we connect, create and play. When setting the minimum system requirements for Window 11, Microsoft focused on three principles to guide great user experience:

Reliability

Security

Compatibility

Windows 11 vs Windows 10: What you need to know

Design and interface

Windows 11 brings a more Mac-like interface to the OS, with a clean design, rounded corners and pastel shades. The iconic Start menu moves to the center of the screen along with the Taskbar. However, these can be moved back to the left, as they are in Windows 10, if you prefer.

Android app integration

Android apps will be coming to Windows 11 (though not right away) in Microsoft Store, via the Amazon Appstore. This is something Windows users have been waiting for and marks another move toward the merging of mobile and laptop devices.

Better virtual desktop support

Windows 11 will let you set up virtual desktops in a way that’s more towards the Macs layout, toggling between multiple desktops at once for personal, work, school or gaming use. In Windows 10, this was harder to set up and use.

Easier transition from monitor to laptop

Snap Groups and Snap Layouts – These are collections of the apps you’re using at once that sit in the taskbar, and can come up or be minimised at the same time for easier task switching. They also let you plug and unplug from a monitor easily, without losing where your open windows are located.

Microsoft Teams added to the Taskbar

Teams is getting a facelift and will be integrated directly into the Windows 11 taskbar, making it easier to access.

Touchscreen, voice and pen support

Microsoft has aimed to improve the experience for touch, with more space between icons on the taskbar. Windows 11 also adds haptics to your digital pen, so you can hear and feel vibrations as you use it for taking notes or drawing. The OS also introduces voice typing and commands across the system.

Assessing Upgrade Eligibility

Microsoft knows that some customers will want an easy-to-use process for determining if their PC meets the minimum system requirements for Windows 11 and is eligible for the upgrade. To help with this, they are providing the PC Health Check app for Windows 10 PCs. In addition to diagnostic checks, there is a push-button simple way to check upgrade eligibility for Windows 11. Once Windows 11 is released, Windows Update will also offer a way to assess upgrade eligibility. You will be able to access this from Settings > Update & Security. These options are designed for customer PCs that are not managed by an IT administrator. If your PC is managed by an IT administrator, you should check with them on options for assessing eligibility and upgrading to Windows 11.

For those who ultimately are not able to upgrade their existing PC to Windows 11 due to device ineligibility and are not ready to transition to a new device, Windows 10 remains the right choice. Windows 10 will still be supported through October 14, 2025, and we recently announced that the next feature update to Windows 10 is coming later this year. Make sure to give us a ring to find out more.

What’s new in Microsoft 365

Posted on 12.09.202112.09.2021 by Loredana Emmerson

Microsoft 365 allows you to be productive from anywhere, at any time. Recently, Microsoft have introduced additional collaborative apps, a new Q&A app for Microsoft Teams, a new Communities app, and much more. We have summarised all the latest feature in this blog.

Take notes and edit records right within Teams

Confluence Cloud by Atlassian was introduced to Teams, designed to enable more effective meetings where users can take notes with a Confluence notes panel inside a Teams meeting. This allows users to format notes such as action items, decisions, mentions, and tables. These notes are then formatted and automatically shared in a Teams channel.

Salesforce for Teams

Sales and service teams using Salesforce Sales Cloud or Service Cloud can now bring account data and records into their Teams workspace. Users can now pin Salesforce records to channels, chats, and calendar meetings to easily keep access to them.

Virtual health workflows for frontline healthcare workers

To help healthcare workers schedule and manage virtual appointments, Microsoft has introduced Microsoft Bookings with Microsoft Teams in all Microsoft 365 for frontline workers product licenses. This provides a low-cost licensing option for healthcare providers that are interested in using Teams to support virtual health and care team collaboration.

Q&As for Teams meeting

A new Q&A app has been introduced that enables attendees to ask and reply to questions before and during a meeting. Organisers and presenters can mark best answers, filter responses, moderate and dismiss questions, and pin posts. The Q&A app will be generally available in September.

Communities app in Teams and Outlook for web

The Communities app for Microsoft Teams is powered by Yammer, into Microsoft Teams. In the coming weeks, Microsoft are updating the app’s design, bringing enhancements to notifications and adding new capabilities like suggested communities, which will use AI to recommend valuable communities to join.

Microsoft wants you to take breaks

Research has shown that small breaks throughout the day make a big difference in employee wellbeing. Because of this, Microsoft are introducing new features in Outlook and Yammer to help ensure you can plan breaks as needed throughout your working day.

Pin messages at the top of your inbox

For a busy inbox, finding a specific email can be tedious and disruptive to your workflow. Microsoft have added the ability to pin a message, moving it to the top of your inbox so it’s easy to find later. Pinned messages is now generally available to all users in Outlook for the web, Mac, and mobile.

Additionally, message reminders in Outlook on the web help you stay on top of things by bringing messages you might have missed to the top of your inbox.

Microsoft wants you to be productive

Planner now supports suggested attachments in tasks. This means that, when you want to add attachments to a task, Planner will show you a list of related files for you to select from. To experience the new capability, within a task in Planner for the web, scroll down to the bottom of the task to find the Suggested attachments section and select Add next to the file you’d like to attach.

Create shapes in your diagrams in Visio for the web

Microsoft have added Draw Shape tool, enabling you to draw shapes, including rectangles, squares, lines, circles, and ellipses, at the size and location you prefer. To create a shape in your diagram from the Insert tab, select the Draw Shape drop-down, select the shape you want, click anywhere in the canvas, and then drag to draw the shape.

To find out more about the Microsoft packages available and how they can help you work smarter, simply contact our team on 0161 763 4529

Risk-based approach to securing your data and systems

Posted on 29.07.2021 by Loredana Emmerson

Taking a risk management approach to business allows you to make informed decisions, with the right balance of threats and opportunities being considered. When dealing with cyber security, risk management helps to ensure that the technology, systems, and data in your business is protected, with the right resources aimed at the right assets.

Benefits of risk management

Improves decision making based on real information

Helps delegate decision making to the right people and departments

Allows you to answer effectively to new threats and opportunities

Cyber security risk management

When deciding to take a risk management approach to your cyber security, think about what your business does, your priorities and objectives. This will set the scene for your cyber risk management. Thinking about the risks you would, or would not, be willing to take with your technology will help make decisions on the steps you need to manage cyber security risk.

You should ensure that your board collectively has a good understanding of cyber security and how it supports the overall business objectives. They should get the information they need, in a format that they understand, at the time they need it to enable decision-making.

Where you need to apply cyber risk management

It is important to think about the range of technology, systems, services, and information that your business uses and relies upon daily. Talking to those who use, manage, or are affected by the systems or services will give you useful insights into what you want to protect, and why.

Consider those elements outside of your direct control, such as your supply chain, use of third-party services and cloud services. Your management of the cyber security risks will need to include how your staff are supported to use all the different elements securely. Systems involve people, processes, and technology – your approach to cyber risk management should take account of these elements and how they interact with each other.

A cyber security risk management approach that is right for you

With a variety of tools, methods, frameworks, and standards to choose from, it is important that you establish an approach that is right for your business and one that will bring good risk information about your systems and services.

You could use a baseline such as Cyber Essentials to provide information on the basic controls needed to protect your organisation against most common cyber-attacks. However, in this instance, only the risks generally considered by the Cyber Essentials scheme will be covered. To manage all cyber security related risks that your organisation may face, it is important to gain a more tailored perspective, conducting risk analysis and assessment to address specific needs.

Your chosen approach should help you identify and prioritise risks, making decisions on how to manage them. Always ensure you are taking into consideration a wide variety in risk information and seek out information from experts or trusted sources.

Communicate effectively cyber risk management

Make sure that you communicate your risk management approach to staff and decision makers, so that they understand how cyber security risks should be managed and help them make the right decisions.

It is also important to understand what risks remain after you have applied the controls. Whether you are taking an approach bespoke to your business or a baseline such as Cyber Essentials, it is not possible to eliminate risk entirely. The remaining risk (known as residual risk) should be understood by those responsible and accountable for the risk within your business. Seek confidence that the package of mitigation measures you put in place have effectively managed the risk you identified and consider how you will maintain that confidence as your systems are used into the future.

Remember that technology is constantly changing, as does the business environment and their associated threats and opportunities. Regularly review your risks to ensure that the ways you have decided to manage them remain effective and appropriate.
You will also need to review the methods, frameworks, and tools you use for risk management to ensure they continue to be effective in your business context and in the face of a continuously evolving cyber security and threat landscape.

This is a big job to perform and maintain in-house and we deal with many businesses on a daily basis who have opted for industry experts to manage their cyber security. If you would like more information on how we can help, simply contact us on 0161 763 4529 or via email at hello@codus.co.uk

What is Cyber Essentials and why it is important

Posted on 05.05.2021 by Loredana Emmerson

As explained by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Cyber Essentials is a simple but effective, Government backed scheme that will help you to protect your organisation, whatever its size, against a whole range of the most common cyber-attacks.

What is the National Cyber Security Centre

Launched in October 2016 with headquarters in London, the NCSC is an organisation of the UK Government that provides advice and support for the public and private sector in how to avoid computer security threats. They provide a single point of contact for SMEs, larger organisations, government agencies, the general public and departments, nurturing the UK’s cyber security capability.

Why is Cyber Security important?

Cyber security’s main responsibility is to protect the devices we all use (smartphones, laptops, tablets and computers), and the many online services we all access. It’s also about preventing unauthorised access to the vast amounts of personal information we store on these devices, and online.

Online banking and shopping, email and social media. We all need to take steps that can prevent cyber criminals getting hold of our accounts, data, and devices – both at home and at work.

Cyber Security for businesses

It is true that as a business, you can never be totally safe. Most online attacks can be prevented or detected with basic security practices for your people, processes and IT systems. These steps are as important as locking your doors at home. It is possible to manage your online security in the same way you would protect any other aspect of your business.

With more customers demanding that their suppliers are secure, this is becoming a business necessity. You can save money through adopting an efficient risk management approach of planning, implementing and reviewing. This will help your business gain a competitive advantage by being seen to take security seriously.

Planning:

What information assets are critical to your business?

What kind of risk could they be exposed to?

You are being attacked, can you continue to do business?

How can you manage these risks on an ongoing basis?

Implementing:

Have you put in place the right security controls to protect your equipment, information, IT system and outsourced IT services?

Do your staff know what their responsibilities are? Do they know what good practice looks like?

You have suffered an attack, how will you deal with it and get back to business? Who will you turn to for help?

Reviewing:

Are you reviewing and testing the effectiveness of your controls?

Do you monitor and act on the information?

Are you aware of the latest threats are?

The biggest vulnerability in cyber security is human error. Organisations who do not have a staff awareness training programme in place, face an increased possibility of someone making an avoidable mistake. Examples: reusing a password on multiple accounts, falling for a phishing scam, or failing to properly dispose of sensitive information when it is no longer needed.

Most businesses know that they should be doing more to protect themselves. It can be difficult knowing where to begin. If this is the case for you reading this blog and want to learn more about what is cyber essentials, then keep following us as we dive deeper into each risk management stage in our next piece.

Feel free to contact our team on all aspects related to cyber security and they will be happy to help. You can reach us by phone on 0161 763 4529 or via email at hello@codus.co.uk

Time Management Tips from Microsoft

Posted on 03.03.202103.03.2021 by Loredana Emmerson

As February is known as National Time Management month, we thought it would be fitting to research some of the top time management tips from Microsoft and share them with you all.

Time management is usually one of the most common issues in the way of productivity under normal circumstances. However, working from home comes with its own additional challenges. Time has always been one of the most precious and scarce resources. In today’s real life, we find ourselves managing work and personal time, as well as our digital time where we keep track of all the various apps we use.

In August 2020, Microsoft reported a 30% increase in scheduled meetings and a 1000% increase in video calls. They reported that 30% of the meetings scheduled were running over the scheduled times. The study also highlighted a 52% increase in the number of instant messages sent between 6pm and midnight – reflecting the home schooling challenges and disrupted work-life balance.

Spend less time preparing for meetings

Understandable, online meetings have replaced the everyday face-to-face meetings, as well as the informal office conversations, catch-ups and social conversations. With more meetings comes more time to prepare and the need for effective time management.

Being able to find the information you require quickly will make a significant difference in your daily time management. Outlook has a very cool feature which allows you to find the information you need for your meetings in one place. Meeting Insights brings the email messages and files that may be relevant for your meeting right into the event details on your calendar.

Microsoft have also made it easier and faster to see all the details for a meeting right from your inbox. You can switch between messages and meeting details, see who is attending and even add an online meeting link.

Outlook and Teams have come on a great deal. However, it is possible you may receive a meeting invitation from alternative online meeting services. For this, Microsoft have added a one-tap JOIN experience in Outlook mobile. So whether the invitation comes from Teams, Zoom, Webex or other platforms, all you need to do is tap JOIN and off you go!

Protect your personal time

Last year, Microsoft embarked on an insightful research (The Future of Work), set to uncover both good and challenging aspects of remote work. This allowed them to accelerate product development in the right areas and anticipate how work will change in the future. It also helped their customers thrive in this new world of work.

The report mentioned that the concept of 9 to 5 was fading away, with a more flexible schedule on the rise. Over the last 12 months, people have been working at the hours that are convenient for them, considering their personal and family commitments. Because of this, Microsoft reported that working hours increased in the mornings, evenings, and weekends.

With personal and working hours blending together and feeling the need to always be switched on, it is important to also consider time management personal matters.

It is now possible to add your personal calendar to your work account. This allows you to manage both work and personal time in one place. Microsoft have also thought about your privacy: the events in your personal calendar will show confidentially in your work account (set as busy with no details) when someone is looking to schedule a meeting with you using the Scheduling Assistant function.

To tackle the issue of ‘out-of-hours’ activity, Microsoft have introduced a scheduling feature in Outlook. You can now compose an email and then schedule for it to be delivered at a time that is convenient. This stops the ‘out-of-hours’ replies, as research suggested that people felt they had to reply to incoming emails no matter what time they landed in their inbox. Furthermore, it is now also possible to snooze and email so that you can come back to it at a better time or when you have the information you need to reply. You can do this my right-clicking on the message in Outlook on the web or swiping on the message in Outlook mobile.

Manage your calendar effectively

Microsoft suggests that getting things done at a convenient time and making sure you prioritise your to do list and breaks in your calendar can help you feel more in control and balanced.

It is now possible to crate tasks from a mobile email message. These are synced and available across Microsoft 365, include the same email subject and the original email content, as well as a link to the conversation in Outlook for quick reference from To Do.

However, sometimes the email subject is not detailed enough to be created as a task and we need to be more specific when we add an email as a task, so we know exactly what we need to do quickly. This can now be done by highlighting part of an email message and add it as a task. You can also use My Day in the calendar to make sure you are assigning time to complete the tasks that are important in your day and week.

And if you really want to make the most of the Microsoft time management tools, check out Play My Emails in Outlook. You can let Cortana read out your new messages so you can listen hands-free, stay connected and quickly learn if someone has made a change to your calendar. Of course, always check who is around you before using this tool in case some of the messages contain confidential information.

Microsoft 365 is constantly evolving and looking for ways to keep up with today’s demands. If you run Microsoft 365 but you don’t think you are using it to its full potential feel free to contact us on 0161 763 4529 and we will help you unblock the fantastic features at your disposal.

Secure Remote Working: top tips when working from home

Posted on 29.01.2021 by Loredana Emmerson

With remote working continuing to be the norm for the time being, we thought we would start our new year blog with some useful tips for staying secure while working from home.

We will take you through the benefits of:

Multifactor Authentication

VPN Encryption

Mobile Device Management

Managed Anti-Virus & Security

Backup Your Data

Multifactor Authentication

Having a strong password often isn’t enough. Multifactor authentication involves an additional step to add an extra layer of protection to your accounts. The extra step could be an email or text message confirmation, or even a biometric method such as facial recognition or a fingerprint scan.

Even if you are diligent and aware of the threats of malware and phishing, criminals can still steal your password. By using MFA, a hacker will not be able to access your sensitive data, even if they have your password. This extra layer of protection requires you to authenticate the session, making sure your team is one step closer to secure remote working.

VPN Encryption

VPN encryption is a method to generate a key to encrypt digital data so that unauthorized parties cannot access it. You can use encryption to protect and secure files on your computer or the data you send and receive. VPN encryption secures the data between a VPN client and a VPN tunnel, barring anyone from exploiting it.

Imagine you and your friends create a coded language that others cannot decode when they hear you using it. The only way to decode it and turn it into an understandable language is with a specific decryption key that only you and your friends have, and that cannot be stolen from you. A VPN encryption does the job for you by encrypting the everyday language you speak and turning into code while it travels to the recipient. This method helps you to protect sensitive information as well as stopping hackers from eavesdropping on your browsing activity.

Mobile Device Management

The average office worker will probably have more than one work device, probably a laptop and a smartphone, especially during a lockdown! These devices are deployed across multiple mobile service providers and across a number of operating systems. This can be little tricky to manage.

A mobile device management (MDM) solution allows IT administrators to control, secure and enforce policies on smartphones, tablets, and other endpoints. It relies on an endpoint software called an MDM agent and an MDM server that lives in a data centre, either on premises or in the cloud. IT administrators can configure policies through the MDM server’s management console. The server then pushes those policies to the MDM agent on the device.

Managed Anti-Virus & Security

Sometimes firewalls are not enough. Online threats can still get through. A good anti-virus software can act as the next line of defence by detecting and blocking known malware. Even if malware does manage to find its way onto your device, an anti-virus software may be able to detect and, in some cases, remove it.

The impressive growth in the selection of available anti-virus software is no accident. As computers advance and implement exciting new features, hackers have also progressed, making today’s computers and mobile devices vulnerable to increasingly complex attacks. This makes choosing the best anti-virus an increasingly important decision that should be taken in careful consideration. Viruses can take many forms, often infiltrating your system without any indication. It is important to make sure that all your devices are protected. One compromised device can be a gateway into your entire home network.

Backup Your Data

Data can be lost in several ways. These can include human error, physical damage to hardware, or a cyber-attack. While hardware backups are still an option, one of the most convenient and cost-effective ways to store your data is in the cloud. Cloud backup services come with a wealth of options enabling you to customise your backup schedule and storage options.

We have covered what you need to know on cloud computing previously in our blog. However, should you require any assistance with data back-up, cloud migration or secure remote working, simply get in touch.

You can reach us 0161 763 4529 or via email at hello@codus.co.uk

Also follow us on Twitter @Codus_IT for all the latest news, advice and helpful tips.

Digital Transformation Key Steps

Posted on 07.01.202117.01.2021 by Loredana Emmerson

Following on from last month’s blog about digital transformation, we are closing our 2020 content with further tips and advice on tackling this hot topic in the new year.

According to recent research, 51% of businesses want to start digital transformation initiatives but are hindered by legacy IT systems. 57% quoted that technology complexity is a barrier to delivering compelling customer experiences.

Furthermore, 88% of businesses view the use of cloud technologies as important (43%) or critical (45%) for digital transformation to be successful, with third-party providers playing a key role for at least one aspect of their strategy.

Let us recap on a few key facts:

– Digital transformation is the process of incorporating the use of digital technology into all aspects of an organisation

– The process is set to drive changes to the traditional ways of doing business that would improve the functionality and performance of the business

– It is set to improve the value delivered to customers

Innovation and Digital Transformation

Innovation is known to lead to change, which in turn leads to transformation. The use of cloud technology as an innovation will often lead to new ways of doing things. These changes will either enable, accelerate, or force the transformation to take place.

While many individual factors can bring about the change required, these can largely be categorised into three broader areas:

Technology: as new capabilities and possibilities arise from technical developments, businesses need to change to remain relevant or risk falling behind competitors who are quicker to adapt.

Customers: as people find novel ways to use new technology and expect the same functionality everywhere, businesses need to transform to meet this demand or risk pushing away their customers.

Eco-systems: economic, political, and regulatory changes can all force transformation as businesses must evolve to continue operating.

These factors can be difficult to predict and require agility from businesses to keep ahead.

Digital Transformation Key Steps

We have used our expertise in this area to put together a simple list of digital transformation key steps to consider.

Step 1
Analyse the digital capabilities across customer, technology, operation, and innovation. Create a holistic view of digital maturity across your business.

Step 2
Identify where improvement and investment is required. Develop a true transformation strategy with a clear path.

Step 3
Prioritise digital capabilities based on your planning. Provide a view across the whole business, helping you to highlight focus areas.

Step 4
Put a plan in place to standardise business processes across customer, product, and operation to bring about speed and simplicity.

Step 5
Start a strategy to automate business processes with digital technologies to lower costs and improve quality.

A successful digital transformation requires IT services to be delivered in a fast, agile, and streamlined manner across the entire organisation. As a result of your business using to the right expertise and continuous support required, you will not only start the transformation, but keep your business moving forward.

To find out more simply get in touch on 0161 7634529 or drop us an email at hello@codus.co.uk

Also follow us on LinkedIn for all the latest industry news and advice.

Understanding Digital Transformation: Be Prepared In 2021

Posted on 10.12.202017.01.2021 by Loredana Emmerson

The words ‘Digital Transformation’ have been popular this year. Businesses found themselves having to rely on their technology and digital solutions to remain active during the pandemic.

As we carry on being urged to work from home, a growing number of businesses are looking into the digital solutions available and joining this rising transformation.

So, what do we mean by Digital Transformation?

Digital transformation is a combination of innovative tools and processes leveraged to solve difficulties and provide customer satisfaction. It requires all departments to work together in creating the changes required, introducing new business models and new revenue streams, whilst considering changes in customer expectations around products and services.

What drives digital transformation?

For the past several years, businesses have embarked in digital transformation to counter the potential for disruption from competition. Retailers, for example, have been answering Amazon’s digital march by refining their logistics and ensuring that products quickly make their way from local warehouses, before their store locations run out. There has also been a rise in e-commerce platforms for business, selling online either through a website or making use of social media.

However, the pandemic has forced businesses to reprioritise their strategic IT roadmaps, with many adopting cloud software for video collaboration and remote-access solutions. The main driver today is mainly to survive. For organisations to keep ‘business-as-usual’ they’ve had to face the digital solutions and make use of them to match their requirements.

Experts in the field predicted in March that, by 2024, over 50% of all IT spending would be directly for digital transformation and innovation – this being up from 31% in 2018. We would probably be safe to predict that if they were to carry out the research now, the percentage would be even higher.

A research business impact report conducted in July also highlighted that 59% of IT decision makers expressed pressure from the pandemic to accelerate their digital transformation efforts.

The people factor in digital transformation

A successful digital transformation demands not just innovative technologies, but changes in processes and the ability of organisations to get the most out of their employees. It is known that employees who feel inspired and collaborate well perform better than the rest, and the right digital solutions made available across all department can create harmony across the business.

Inspiration, communication, and collaboration—along with better use of technology and data—can drive innovation and greater levels of productivity. However, it is also important to make sure employees do not rely solely on digital and can carry on with their work should anything happen. It can be very tricky to get the balance right, and that’s where our expert team comes in.

Our clients across Manchester and other parts of the North West are benefitting from our knowledge and experience in creating the right digital platform for their business, with continued support and effective disaster recovery plans in place.

Make sure to follow our blog as we close 2020 with our top tips for tacking digital transformation.
Our team remains available to explain all the latest digital solutions currently available to businesses in the North West. Simply contact us on 0161 763 4529 or drop us an email at hello@codus.co.uk. Also follow us on Twitter @Codus_IT for all our latest news, tips and advice on everything IT.