Support for small businesses and organisations

Skills - Small businesses and organisations
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Organisations and small businesses have much the same computer support needs as individuals and families. Often the home computer is the business computer. The difference between home computing and business computing is just a matter of degree. Businesses and organisations seem to need more support than individuals and families in the following areas:

Backups

I like to keep backing-up simple, because if it's complicated, there's a risk it won't be done properly, or it won't be done at all. A back-up system can be as simple as having a $10 memory stick plugged into your computer and making sure important files are regularly copied onto it. If you're looking for something a little more comprehensive, I recommend Cobian Backup and a small external hard drive.

To be extra-safe, maintain a reasonably up-to-date off-site back-up. This can be as simple as having two memory sticks for back-ups and keeping one at a separate location, except when updating it.

Websites

It's all very well to be told, "You need a website", but websites can be expensive to create and difficult to update. If you want to make sure that someone can find your business or organisation on the web so they can learn a bit about it before contacting you, then there are some very effective -- and much less expensive -- alternatives.

One of these is to add your business to Google Places. The service is free. Here's an example, showing links to information about accommodation in Ngunguru:


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You get similar results if you search on Google for ngunguru accommodation

I think it's worthwhile adding your business or organisation to Google Places, and you can do it yourself. If you get stuck, or if you're not sure what keywords to use, then I can help out. It might take me an hour or two to fine-tune your submission to Google Places, but you'll probably find the $30 to $60 is well spent, as customers start coming in off the Internet.

Starting small and building on success is a good way to go.