28/06/16

Expanding Business – Managing IT Across Multiple Sites

As business grows there often comes a point when you have to consider operating out of multiple sites and locations.

The aim, of course, is to attract new customers by offering new, different or localised services or products.
But apart from the obvious hurdles of branching out such as finding the right location for the new office or shop, there are other considerations and possible complications which may not immediately spring to mind.
For example how do you effectively manage your IT across multiple locations?
Suddenly you’ve gone from one office to two or maybe more and there is now a need to share information and data across sites but how do you do this securely, effectively and smartly?

At Network Support Solutions we have a long history of working with expanding businesses and have therefore developed a number of solutions for clients.
Take for example our client ABC Day Nursery – a successful chain of nurseries in Telford run by owner Penny Hustwick.
Penny started out with just one nursery site more than 20 years ago.
However, due to the increasing number of parents choosing to return to work after having children, demand for quality childcare has risen dramatically and Penny now operates four individual sites at Hollinswood, Hadley, Lightmoor and Hoo.

With an increasing reliance on technology within the business she came to us for help when she realised she required an IT system which could be used safely and securely across all four sites.

She said: “We have a lot of documents which need to be shared with staff at all four nurseries – things like health and safety documents, registers and calendars – so having a system in place that enables this to be done securely is paramount.
“The team at Network Support Solutions was brilliant and came up with a solution almost immediately by providing a server which links all the nurseries and allows for the secure sharing of data.
“It’s given me real peace of mind and I know if there are any problems a member of the team is just a phone call away to be able to provide advice and assistance.”

We’re proud to have found a workable IT solution for Penny and we’re proud to be assisting lots of other businesses in Shropshire with their plans for growth and expansion.

So, if you’re planning to grow across multiple locations make IT a priority.
Think about consistency across different sites, will you require a central server or will you use cloud computing?
Is there Wi-fi access or suitable high speed broadband?
There’s lots of solutions and it’s a good idea to invest some time to consider your options before committing to a new site.

At Network Support Solutions we can help you manage your business across multiple sites, just like Penny.
Please call me, Katy Jones, on 01743 290588 if this is something you’d like us to look at for you.