Gone Google: Chris Hall Architectural Services

A Scarborough-based architect’s designs for a better way to handle on line business have paid off.

Chris Hall Architectural Services has “Gone Google” with assistance from AGUK Solutions Limited, thus solving frustrating communication problems and improving technical procedures.

As a domestic and commercial architect, business owner Chris Hall undertakes a wide variety of commissions from new build projects to extensions, conversions and renovations.  Project management services include drawing up designs, obtaining planning permissions and building warrants.

On a day-to-day basis Chris Hall Architectural Services liaises with different planning departments, deals with a range of clients and building contractors, and gets to grips with innovative design plans and complex planning applications.  Communicating via email is an important part of the business and losing email access, even for a few hours, causes significant headaches.  The unreliability of his email provider prompted Chris to take action.

The solution, devised and implemented by AGUK, was a complete migration and configuration set-up service to the Google Apps cloud.  Since then, all email difficulties have been resolved and not a single outage problem has been experienced.  Further benefits were derived from AGUK’s strategy.

While Google Apps scans all files sent by email, the work undertaken by Chris Hall Architectural Services involves handling complex documents and files via both download and physical storage options.  To deal with this, and as an added security measure, AGUK then installed PrevX, a leading cloud-based PC and Internet Security system which is fully managed and supported.

Thanks to these steps, Chris Hall Architectural Services can now concentrate on doing what it does best:  planning, designing and constructing buildings and infrastructures for form, function, utility and beauty.

To discover how Google Apps from AGUK can help your business be more productive and save money, please contact us or visit our website.

 

Gone Google: Tricia Douglas Interiors

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Another business has successfully “Gone Google” thanks to the help of AGUK Solutions Limited.

Tricia Douglas Interiors, the award-winning design consultancy based in York, specialises in modernisation, renovation and restoration, offering a full interior design and project management service.  

The company, established in the 1990s, required a solution to its remote working problems as its creative team is often on site producing bespoke designs for apartments, starter homes, show homes, period properties and country mansions.  Commissions from clients in the residential, commercial, corporate and rental sectors of the market, are for projects not only within Yorkshire, but further afield.  

Operating on a national and international basis poses no difficulty for Tricia Douglas Interiors.  However, its designers consistently found themselves experiencing problems accessing emails, contact details and diary information while out of the office.  Director of Business Development, Anne Ma’aye, turned to AGUK for its Google Apps expertise.

As well as undertaking a complete set-up and migration service, AGUK provided a training session to Tricia Douglas Interiors, with on-going support part of the package.  Its switch to Google Apps included migrating existing data from both Windows and Mac systems to the Google Apps cloud.  In addition, iPhone and iPad devices were configured so that team members could share inboxes, contacts and calendars, and access important information remotely.  The end result has undoubtedly improved the design consultancy’s internal operations.

“Google Apps has allowed us to be much more productive and connected to each other.  The team can now get on with what we do best – interior design – without battling against email problems and IT,” said a delighted Anne Ma’aye.   

If you would like to learn how Google Apps from AGUK can help your business be more productive and save you money, please contact us[link] or visit our website.

 

Gone Google: Bailey Cooper Photography

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One of AGUK’s clients has reaped the rewards of using its Google Apps services.

Bailey Cooper Photography, a York-based business, has “Gone Google” with assistance from AGUK Solutions Limited and immediately benefited from the switch.

Paul Cooper, Director at Bailey Cooper Photography, undertakes a range of commissions throughout the UK from weddings and commercial projects to portraits and studio work.  While on assignment, the multi award-winning photographer needs to keep in regular contact with his studio and access his emails.

Before switching to Google Apps for Business, Paul used a small in-house Microsoft Exchange server running on a standard ADSL line.  This meant accessing emails when out and about was sometimes problematic.  Additionally he had reservations about his system’s security and safety because there was no real back-up in place. 

Paul described the move from his small business server to Google Apps as seamless, thanks to the help of AGUK’s managing director Andy Gambles, with positive results.  

“It has removed a major weakness from our business email system as remote access relied completely upon our office broadband connection being on 24/7.  Our emails and diaries can now be accessed wherever there’s an internet connection, and is so easy using any combination of mobile phones, iPads and PCs. 

“Overall, moving to Google Apps has made us more efficient, accessible and resilient – and saved us money,” said Paul, adding “We’re now in the process of moving our regularly used files into Google Docs so these too will be accessible from wherever we happen to be in the world.”

If you would like to learn how Google Apps from AGUK can help your business be more productive and save you money, please contact us or visit our website.