Our core business is providing great IT support. Working with Lifeline IT is like having your own in-house IT department – expert outsourced IT support services without the overhead.

We are on-hand to help you tackle technical challenges. When issues crop up, we fix them without fuss. The majority (especially critical problems) we prevent from occurring in the first place. Managed monitoring of our clients’ IT systems means we often deal with potential issues before clients even become aware of them.

You’ll find a pro-active approach where we take full responsibility for your IT right down to liaison with third party suppliers, even tricky ones like BT. It’s what we do.

All our clients have access to our advanced web-based incident tracking system. It means issues are never left unresolved or forgotten. It lets us prioritise and respond to support cases appropriately. It also ensures you have full visibility of every case. We make sure you always know what is going on.

Our fees for support services are very competitive and totally transparent. Billing is straightforward – regular ongoing support and maintenance is covered by a fixed all-inclusive monthly fee. There are never any hidden costs or nasty surprises. At the start we provide a Service Agreement which says what this covers. It’s individually tailored to your specific needs and lays out in simple terms our obligations and commitments to you. You are not bound by any kind of onerous long-term contract. Clients stay with us because they want to. Our success rests on the quality of the service provided. It’s the way it should be.

A key thing you need to know about working with Lifeline IT
We talk to you about your business first, then IT. These days a lot of IT issues can be resolved remotely. Often that’s how we deal with problems that crop up. But that’s not all. You will get regular, scheduled onsite visits as part of the service. With many other IT support companies such visits are provided only if absolutely necessary, as a last resort. We consider them best practice, a productive and cost effective way of working. On-site visits enable your team to talk face-to-face with one of our engineers and help us get a proper understanding of your businesses’ IT needs. This approach makes it possible for us to deliver an IT support service that is far more than mere problem fixing. The knowledge gained means we can give advice on IT issues that you can be confident is right for your business.

Outsourced Deskside Support
Some of our clients, usually larger corporates have their own in-house IT department or manager. For them we provide outsourced deskside support, one or two engineers who are on-site permanently. This arrangement is often to help with a specific project or to provide short-term cover. We work as part of the in-house team or even as the IT Manager.

Procurement & New System Implementations
At some point you will need to buy new equipment or software. Lifeline IT can help deal with what can be a complex and time-consuming task. We supply a comprehensive range of standard and specialist hardware and software solutions for clients. Clients often ask us to source and project manage the implementation of complete systems and solutions too. We have particular experience of this in the fields of accounting software and retail systems.

IN SUMMARY

• Regular, scheduled on-site visits included
• Advice based on understanding your business
• Liaison with your suppliers
• Straightforward billing
• No hidden costs
• Simple Service Agreement
• Advanced case management system
• Managed monitoring
• Outsourced deskside support (option)

———————- READ RELATED CASE STUDY BELOW ———————-

All our supported clients can access ‘ad-hoc’ advice and consultancy services for specific projects or implementations as and when they need them.

A number of clients like us to provide consultancy on an on-going basis to deal with specific technology issues within their business. These services are provided on a per job or retainer basis.   The list of things you might want advice about is enormous. For example, the best applications/software systems for your business, hardware advice, document and email management, back-up and disaster recovery solutions, cloud hosting, system migration or integration. We are asked often about the IT implications of forthcoming office moves, relocations or expansions…. the range is vast.

Collaborative Approach
We have gained a proven track record of providing sound advice and successful implementation. This has only been possible because of the tremendous expertise, diverse backgrounds and different specialist technical skills that the members of our team possess. Often, when asked a particular question, we involve several of them. They work together to come up with the optimum solution.   These challenges need not be as difficult as you might imagine: in many cases, to achieve a positive outcome, we project manage the entire process and liaise with other service providers on your behalf.

IT is crucial to most organisations. Often systems develop bit by bit over a period of time. Eventually they become unwieldy and it’s time for a ‘tidy up’.

Sometimes a business experiences rapid growth and its IT systems cannot kept pace. What’s needed? To start with, a clear IT strategy that takes into account the current systems and a plan to move forward.

The elements considered include the:

• Introduction of new systems or outsourcing (e.g. payroll, cloud storage/backup)
• Upgrade or consolidate software and hardware • Integrate separate systems so that they operate seamlessly
• Add new technology (such as video conferencing or eLearning)
• Regulatory compliance (such as PCI/DSS)
• Improved reporting / monitoring
• Staff training.

IT strategy projects are always handled by a senior member of the Lifeline IT team. It involves a comprehensive review of the business from a technology viewpoint prior to any recommendations being made. Our understanding of IT and independence from your business means we’re well placed to give incisive advice. Once an IT strategy is agreed, we can help with all aspects of the implementation. Our IT strategy service is available to all, including unsupported clients.

To clients of our managed IT support service, we can supply, implement and maintain telephony solutions.

We have attained the position of Avaya Partner, a global leader in business communications for small and medium-sized enterprises; we offer everything from intuitive small office systems to sophisticated multi-site and call-centre solutions. These allow you to take advantage of conventional analogue and digital lines as well as the latest SIP/VoIP technologies.

Regardless of the size of your business, easy-to-use, cost-effective communications are vital. Our telephony systems help organisations increase the productivity of their employees, deliver superior customer service and reduce costs.

Incredible Pricing
The main systems we supply offer the equivalent level of equipment and functionality as high-end enterprise systems, such as CISCO’s, for a fraction of the cost. Three key aspects:

1. Advanced video conferencing capabilities
2. Seamless integration between desk phone, mobile, email, IM and conference calls
3. A modular system that is easily scalable as you grow.

In addition we have some lower-budget telephony systems which are less fully featured. Get in touch to discuss which solution best meet the needs, budgets, and evolving requirements of your organisation.

IT Security is essential not optional. You need to be protected.

A security breach can destroy an organisation. That’s way it’s an integral part of the service provided to all supported clients. What’s more, we don’t just talk about security, we have the necessary security expertise to keep you safe.

Ensuring best security practice is part of our DNA. Lifeline IT Director, Daniel Mitchell, has a particular interest in cyber security. He is a member of the Industrial Liaison Group for the faculty of computing at London Metropolitan University. He also writes and speaks on IT security. Daniel’s passion for protecting SMEs has become embedded throughout the company. It’s something we take very seriously and are properly equipped to help our clients with.

All members of our support team are security minded, but in addition some have received specialist security training to the highest level. They are equipped to give advice about specific issues or problems faced by clients and carry out risk assessments in order to mitigate risks and improve security. We encourage all our clients to develop a comprehensive security policy and to implement it. Just ask if you want advice about the most appropriate security devices and techniques.

At Lifeline IT we treat disaster recovery (DR) and business continuity planning (BCP) as indispensable. It’s something we tackle as part of the service provided to all clients.

We encourage all our supported clients to give it the consideration it deserves. Benjamin Franklin’s observation: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” has never been more appropriate.

Outline Disaster Recovery Plans
An outline disaster recovery plan is produced for all new clients as part of our induction process. This plan will:

• Identify critical systems
• Build awareness of key risks
• Contain ways to mitigate those risks
• Indicate how to recover from any incidents.

The DR plan, which includes making sure robust backup systems are in place, is intended to put the business in the best possible position to avoid disasters and ensure it has the resources to cope should the worst happen.

Full Business Continuity Plans
Most businesses rely heavily on technology and automated systems. If disrupted, even for a few days, this can cause significant financial loss and even threaten the organisation’s survival. Management must be aware of potential disasters, plan to minimise disruption of critical functions and ensure they have the capability to recover operations quickly and successfully.