When is it time to update your technology? Has the question got you thinking about when you last upgraded your technology?

People do seem to fall into two categories – those who are perpetually looking for the latest innovations and those who use what they have until it isn’t working properly, or when it breaks down completely. Technology is advancing even while you are reading this and it would be impossible to keep renewing your systems.

However, there will come a time when the technology you have doesn’t do what you want it to and becomes outdated. It is no longer ‘fit for purpose’. Hardware can fail and processes become inefficient. So how do you know that it’s time to update your technology? In this article from Relativity, the business technology specialists helping clients globally from their base in East Sussex, we look at the top nine signs that your systems need replacing.

Signs That it’s Time to Upgrade and Update Your Technology

1. The device is no longer supported by the manufacturer
2. Performance is slowing down and/or crashing
3. Employees are frustrated
4. Reduced productivity as technology is holding employees back
5. Your IT does not support you being agile
6. More vulnerability to a cyber attack
7. Your hardware doesn’t support software upgrades
8. Your business is growing in terms of scale of operations
9. Operating costs are escalating

Frustrated Employees Will Be Less Productive

If your systems no longer get security updates, it is time to replace them, as you are more vulnerable to being hacked. If your systems are taking too long to respond, it will lead to more downtime, employees getting frustrated which will ultimately demotivate them leading to lower productivity. Systems need to be compatible throughout the whole workforce so that there is harmony between the different departments.

What Will Updating Your Technology Bring?

• Improved security
• Enable growth and better performance
• Increased productivity
• Enable effective marketing
• Improved customer service
• Reduction in running costs
• Utilisation of mobile technologies

How Can Relativity Help You Update Your Technology?

Ever-changing technology does create opportunities, but it does present challenges for businesses of all sizes. In order to work effectively, businesses must be smart with their investments into technologies. It’s important to adopt the right solutions for the specific challenges and needs of your business. Updates to technology can massively benefit your business, but there is a cost involved. Get in touch with the experts at Relativity and we will be able to advise you on the most suitable technology for your business so that you get the maximum return on your investment. Call us on 01825 280123 or email info@relativity.co.uk for more information.

Have you ever wished that you had two monitors when you were using your computer? Have you found it frustrating to swap between different programmes and pages? And if you are a business owner, do you want your team to be more efficient and productive? It’s probably pretty easy to answer ‘yes’ to all three. So it’s surprising that two monitor (or more) work setups are quite rare. In this article from Relativity, the business technology experts based in Uckfield, in East Sussex with global clients, we look at the reasons why it makes a lot of sense to invest in more than one monitor. It could be just the solution you are looking for and it’s relatively inexpensive to do.

What is a Dual Monitor Setup?

This allows you to use two screens that operate from a single computer. It therefore extends your workspace and most computers have the capacity to handle two monitors. You can run multiple applications all at once without having to change windows. And it isn’t that difficult to set up a second monitor although you may have to think about a bigger desk! With more people now working remotely, it’s definitely important to have the right setup to ensure high levels of productivity and focus are maintained.

Why Invest in Two Monitors?

• A more convenient way to work
• Inexpensive and easy to setup
• Saves you time and effort
• Benefits the whole team
• Helps you maintain focus
• Brings increased productivity

Increased Productivity and Focus with Two Screens

It may only take seconds to close one window down and open another but when you consider how many times you do this every day, those seconds soon mount up. It’s not difficult to see how over a year, how much time could be saved with two monitors. You’ll also be able to maintain your focus better as you can have your emails open on one screen whilst dealing with something else on the other screen. You can stay focused on what you are doing unless something really urgent comes up on the other screen.

Better Team Communication and Collaboration

Why Invest In Two Monitors? A second monitor will make it easier to collaborate with colleagues, as you will be able to keep shared ideas on the one screen whilst working on the other. You’ll have that additional space to collaborate with team members. You can also keep in touch with customers and clients without interrupting your work. Virtual meetings have of course become key during the pandemic and a second screen becomes invaluable, whichever system you are using.

• Reduced downtime – if one monitor fails, you can still work
• Simple to drag and drop data from one application to another
• Participate in a video conference call whilst collaborating on another project
• Reference materials can be on one screen during a call or meeting
• Easily compare different files and projects

How Can Relativity Help Your Business Become More Productive and Efficient?

Here at Relativity, we hope that you have found our article interesting and an option that you might consider using to boost productivity, collaboration and communication in the workplace. We hope we have answered the question, why invest in two monitors. If we can help with any of your IT services, do get in touch. We will be able to advise you on the most suitable technology for your business. Call us on 01825 280123 or email info@relativity.co.uk for more information. And remember, there are very few situations when one monitor is better than two. As with all things, it may take a short time to get used to it, but the benefits will certainly be worth it.

What is the best technology for remote working? The business world of today looks very different to what it did 15 months ago. News stories seem to indicate that many people will continue to work from home either permanently or in part (hybrid working) even when they can return to the office. The BBC questioned 50 of the UK's biggest employers and 43 said they would embrace a mix of home and office working, with staff encouraged to work from home two to three days a week. Mark Read, chief executive of WPP, the creative transformation company said, "We're never going to go back to working the way we used to work." In this article from Relativity, the business technology specialists helping clients globally from their base in East Sussex, we look at the best technology for remote working and Zoho’s answer, Remotely.

Working from Home Has Boosted or Made No Difference to Productivity

BusinessLive reports that working from home is here to stay. It cites that Nationwide, the UK’s largest building society, has announced that its 13,000-strong workforce could ‘work anywhere’ in a new flexibility scheme allowing employees more control over their own lives. The Guardian claims that more than 70% of employers told a survey that home working during the pandemic had either boosted or made no difference to productivity.

Technology You Must Have for Flexible Working

• Cloud computing
• Business apps and/or bundles
• Mobile devices
• Project management tools
• Video conferencing

Cloud Computing is Cost-Effective, Scalable, Convenient and Very Secure

Cloud computing, on demand delivery of IT resources over the Internet is essential for starters – OK, we know you’ve probably already invested in it! It’s cost-effective, scalable, convenient and very secure. You can rely on it for creating quick backups, storing company documents in one place and enabling access from multiple devices. Now, you can use cloud-based business apps allowing remote staff access to all they need without being in the office. You’ll also need a project management tool to give structure to your work and assist individuals or teams to organise or manage their projects and tasks effectively. And of course, you require video conferencing, which will allow out of office workers to speak and see each other in real time.

Communicate, Collaborate and Be Productive with Zoho Remotely

With Zoho Remotely, your office is where you are. Perhaps as the world shifts away from the centralised office concept, Zoho Remotely could be the technology for remote working you are looking for. This complete suite of apps will allow you to communicate, collaborate and be productive as you work away from your office.

• Meet online and communicate from anywhere – Zoho Cliq, Zoho Meeting, Zoho Connect
• Collaborate seamlessly from wherever you are – Zoho WorkDrive, Zoho Sprints
• Remote assistance from anywhere – Zoho Assist, Zoho Lens
• Achieve productivity when working remotely – Zoho Writer, Zoho Sheet, Zoho Show

How Can Relativity Help Your Business with Technology for Remote Working?

Businesses, in order to work effectively, must use the right technologies. Remote working is here to stay. The pandemic has accelerated working from home practices and demonstrated that people can be away from the office environment and work productively. For more information about Zoho Remotely and other Zoho bundles, call the experts at Relativity. We will be able to advise you on the most suitable technology for remote working for your business. Call us on 01825 280123 or email info@relativity.co.uk for more information.

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Our process is fine, we are as efficient as we could be. Are you sure? Lets look at the process to make a cup of tea: Fill kettle, wash dirty cup, put in tea bag and sugar in cup, turn on kettle, wait to boil, pour boiled water into cup, get milk out of fridge, remove tea bag add milk as required.  It’s a process that gets you a cup of tea but is it an efficient process. Not so much, turning the kettle on as soon as you fill it will reduce the time to make a cup of tea as would getting the milk out whilst the kettle boils or what about washing up cups whilst waiting for the kettle to boil will save you doing it next time.  Now this may only save you say 10 seconds, but assume you have 10 cups a day, thats 100 seconds, over 260 days of the year that’s 26000 seconds or nearly a day. 

Ok, so analysing and streamlining how your staff make the tea may not be the best place to start but looking around your business for small savings in efficiency may make a big difference in your office. So how should you go about reviewing your process? What should you consider?

All very simple points to remember and that is what the process in your business should be, simple. If you would like more information on business processes and the integration of technology into the business process contact us.

OK, I admit it straight away I am going to say Strategic, but as one of my roles is acting as a virtual Chief Technology Officer (vCTO)/Interim IT Director for companies, I would say that. So why do I ask the question in the first place? I am always stunned by the number of people I come across who think of technology as just a tool and do not use it to help drive their business strategy. What makes it funnier is that the strategic planning is invariably pulled together through the use of technology. Word documents and Spreadsheets are used to write the business plan, email to ask for comments and suggestions from business stakeholders and mobile phones to get advice. Yet does it get actual consideration? Very rarely. So I would like to take the next 5 minutes to discuss why technology should be a driver in your business strategy. So let’s think about a few strategic decisions a company might make and possible technology solutions.

In each of these scenarios the Business Strategy has been decided and technology does become a simple tool to implement the strategy. But let's look at these from a Strategic Technology perspective.

All of a sudden technology looks to be one of the drivers for your business strategy rather than just the tool to implement it. So why does technology so often stay as the tool? Often this is simply because technology is not represented at board/strategic level, the CFO/Finance Director, who is often left in charge of IT is too busy preparing Management Accounts to be keeping up with technology or your business is just too small to warrant the cost of this role.  But there are a few things you could consider:

Technology is constantly moving forward and should be seen as something to help drive your business forward. Getting good advice or forging a relationship with a technology specialist will help your strategic planning for the future of your business.