| How the latest technology is lowering costs and | | | | provides virtual secretarial services to businesses |
| improving business flexibility. | | | | and individuals; converting spoken dictation to |
| Yes this 70's drink is making a comeback but not | | | | documents and letters, sometimes within minutes. |
| in the form you know it. This is the latest | | | | Its services have been shown to reduce in-house |
| buzzword being used around the most innovative | | | | typing related costs by up to 60% and their |
| companies in the UK. | | | | clients regularly report a massively improved |
| "Martini" employment refers to flexible working | | | | document turnaround. |
| arrangements where employees are able to work | | | | But these amazing results have not been |
| "any time, any place, anywhere". | | | | achieved by accident... Document Direct ensures it |
| According to a Mori poll, eight million of us prefer | | | | has availability of staff at all times (practically |
| 'Martini' employment to a regular 9-5 job - and it's | | | | 24-7) and the ability to cope with urgent |
| not hard to figure out why. Modern lifestyles | | | | requirements through its highly trained and flexible |
| mean that many families have two breadwinners | | | | network of home based typists and secretaries. |
| yet they still have to fit in all the usual chores | | | | This wider resource model works perfectly but it |
| such as banking, shopping, cleaning, dropping off | | | | means that the company cannot afford for their |
| and picking up the children from school or | | | | technology to let them down. |
| nursery... the list goes on. All this means more | | | | Jayne Smith, Document Direct's Head of |
| stress and less quality work! | | | | Operations says "Our business structure means |
| Flexibility as to when and where people work | | | | we can react quickly to our clients needs and it |
| enables them to work and live more effectively | | | | equally means we get to tap into a fantastic |
| with benefits to employers and employees alike. | | | | resource of talented people who can't necessarily |
| Simon Albert, Director of The PC Support Group, | | | | commit to 9 to 5 office based jobs." |
| a rapidly expanding nationwide IT service | | | | To enable the operation to run smoothly, |
| company, has found that many forward thinking | | | | Document Direct utilises a number of technologies |
| businesses are recognising the massive benefits | | | | and can't afford for any of them to fail. This |
| of creating 'virtual offices': "It used to be the case | | | | means having the right technology partner is |
| that a home or mobile worker could use their PC | | | | paramount. |
| or laptop anywhere but they couldn't necessarily | | | | The PC Support Group ensures their network of |
| connect to the internet or head office, or if they | | | | home-based staff receive ongoing, high quality IT |
| had a technical problem they couldn't get help | | | | support to guarantee their computers and the |
| because the IT support was only office based. On | | | | software, on which the business relies, work |
| top of this, they weren't part of the central | | | | without fail. They also ensure that the |
| telephone system so they couldn't receive calls as | | | | technologies at head office and those at each of |
| they would in head office. All that has now | | | | the home-based operators work together |
| changed" | | | | seamlessly. |
| "Anyone can now connect to the internet and | | | | Martini working can also help to deliver "green" |
| their head office using high speed connections | | | | improvements, important in our ever more |
| from practically anywhere: home, coffee shops, | | | | environmentally aware society, and can lead to |
| hotels, airports... new wireless connections are | | | | direct cost savings throughout a business. |
| popping up every week" | | | | Just imagine how many unnecessary hours are |
| "As for support, The PC Support Group uses | | | | wasted (not to mention fuel) through unnecessary |
| technology that enables us to fix 90% of IT | | | | journeys to and from head offices and even to |
| related problems remotely without us even visiting | | | | and from customer premises. By changing the |
| you. Providing you have an internet connection we | | | | way they work and fully integrating computer and |
| can help. You could be at home or even in a hotel | | | | telephony systems even small companies can |
| abroad!" | | | | make significant savings. |
| "Now with VoIP, telephony over the internet, the | | | | The PC Support Group practices what it preaches |
| virtual office is complete. Calls taken centrally can | | | | and operates out of small locally based offices |
| now be directed to anywhere in the world as if it | | | | throughout the UK whilst each office is linked to |
| is an office extension... and at no extra cost! In | | | | the same central telephone system and uses the |
| fact we use this to transfer support calls to our | | | | same support software and systems. This means |
| regional offices throughout the UK." | | | | the business has all the advantages of a large |
| So what specific benefits does this bring to a | | | | headquarters such as great communication and |
| business? | | | | high quality systems but without the overhead. It |
| Well firstly it means that offices need not be as | | | | also means that their customers receive a local |
| large, as staff can work from other locations | | | | and personal service. |
| equally efficiently. Walk into any office on any day | | | | Simon Albert says "This total integration means |
| of the week and you will see empty desks. Why | | | | we can transfer calls as if our offices were on an |
| not have less desks for those that really need to | | | | extension at the next table and if we record |
| physically come into work. This in itself can save | | | | customer information it is instantly available to |
| thousand or in some cases millions. | | | | those that need it, wherever they are in the |
| Large companies such as IBM have been | | | | country." |
| advocates of flexible working for some time. | | | | By using the latest remote support technology |
| They say "Organisations can gain competitive | | | | The PC Support Group has also improved the |
| advantage and improve customer service through | | | | speed and efficiency with which their customer's |
| a radical review of the way their employees | | | | computer problems can be resolved, reduced |
| work. Changes in the way office space is | | | | 'dead' time through unnecessary travel, and saved |
| allocated (non-territorial working), opportunities for | | | | costs through reduced fuel usage. |
| staff to work from home (home-working) and | | | | Simon added "Our customers get a superb |
| the ability of staff to connect with information | | | | service while we save money and are kinder to |
| and systems while on the move (mobile working) | | | | the environment. It's a win, win, win situation so |
| have the potential to reduce physical | | | | everyone's happy." |
| infrastructure costs, improve productivity, | | | | If you have challenges as a small but growing |
| motivation and work/life balance." | | | | business and want to know how to get the most |
| Now this flexibility is available to the smallest | | | | from your technology, or you're a home based |
| company, creating these same advantages and | | | | worker concerned about your reliance on your |
| savings. | | | | computer, then why not get in touch and find out |
| The PC Support group has worked with a number | | | | what we can do for you? |
| of small businesses throughout the UK to improve | | | | You can contact The PC Support Group by calling |
| their productivity and flexibility by using technology | | | | us on 0845 2233116 or e-mailing us at for more |
| more effectively. | | | | information. |
| One such business is Document Direct which | | | | |