incovo wins Business Growth award!

incovo wins Business Growth award!

It is with great pleasure that we can reveal incovo won the ‘Business Growth’ award at the West Lothian Business Awards 2019!

The winners were announced at an exclusive black-tie event at Macdonald Houston House Hotel and it was certainly a night to remember! There was an inspirational mix of people in attendance – from small start-up companies, to well-established big business names – all of whom have achieved great things this year and who continue to make West Lothian an exciting place to live, work and invest.

We were overwhelmed by the sheer amount of talent, drive and achievements of all the businesses who had made it through to the finals, and so be declared the winner of the coveted ‘Business Growth’ award was an unbelievable moment for all the team members.

It has been a record year for incovo – we have welcomed a raft of new customers and significantly expanded our range of services. So we are delighted that the hard work of the whole team has now been recognised by the revered business leaders at the West Lothian Chamber of Commerce.

Commenting on the award win, incovo CEO, Chris Thomas, said; ‘Since taking on the role of CEO three years ago, I’ve made it my mission to push the business forward. It has been a steep learning curve but this award reaffirms that we’re certainly on the right path. incovo continues to go from strength to strength and it’s all down to the hard work and commitment of the team. This award is for each and every one of them.’

Find out more about Chris’s personal career journey in the video below – from his first tentative steps into the world of work, to the award-winning business he runs today.

Now is the time to upgrade from Windows 7

Now is the time to upgrade from Windows 7

 

The New Year signals a fresh start, but don’t wait until then to update your business computer operating system, especially if you’re currently running on Windows 7. That’s because Microsoft has announced it will be withdrawing its support for Windows 7 on 14th January 2020. So how will this affect your business and what are the alternatives? Read on for the latest advice from incovo’s IT experts.

Windows 7 was released in 2009 and within just six months over 100million copies had been sold worldwide. In fact, it still remains the most used Microsoft software in some countries. So this announcement is big news and will undoubtedly affect a huge number of businesses.

If your business is currently operating on Windows 7, it’s essential you act now because come mid-January, although your system will still work, essential security patches, updates and technical support will no longer be available. This means that computers still using Windows 7 could be left vulnerable to exploitation from hackers.

Need a reminder of how devastating cyber attacks can be? Just two years ago the ‘WannaCry’ cyber attack affected hundreds of thousands of computers that were still using the outdated Windows XP operating software. Among the countless organisations affected was the NHS. A staggering 19,000 appointments were cancelled and it cost the UK a total of £92million to deal with the aftermath.

So what can be done to safeguard and futureproof your business’ online security? One suggestion is to upgrade to Windows 10, however it’s important to remember that some older computers may not be capable of supporting this later software. It’s also worth noting that support for Windows 10 is expected to be withdrawn in 2026.

An alternative option is to move to a cloud-based system, where files and data are stored online rather than on machines.

If you’d like to find out more about updating your operating system, speak to the digital team at incovo who will be able to advise which option will best suit your business. We provide a wide range of IT services and can install the very latest hardware as well as provide ongoing support.

Call 0345 450 8400 or email support@incovo.com and we’ll ensure your business continues to run smoothly in the New Year and beyond.

Now is the time to upgrade from Windows 7

 

 

 

incovo shortlisted for a coveted ‘Next Generation of Business’ award

 

incovo shortlisted for a coveted ‘Next Generation of Business’ award

incovo has always taken great pride in the fact we are a family business at heart. Founded by Richard Thomas in 2002, and now led by his son Chris, we have stayed true to our core principles for almost two decades and today we continue to go from strength to strength. And so it with great pleasure we announce our CEO, Chris Thomas, has been nominated and shortlisted for the coveted ‘Next Generation Award at The Herald Scottish Family Business Awards!

The awards aim to recognise and reward individuals who play a pivotal role in shaping and securing the future of their family business for the next generation. The judges were particularly interested in highlighting individuals who demonstrate commitment to and understanding of their family business, and the successful future of that enterprise.

Given all his hard work over the past two years – securing a wealth of new customers, organising partnerships with major brands, and extending incovo’s range of services – Chris is without doubt worthy of his place on this prestigious shortlist.

The winners of The Herald Scottish Family Business Awards will be announced at a glittering black-tie ceremony on Wednesday 4th December at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Glasgow. We would like to extend our heart-felt congratulations to everyone that has made the finals and we look forward to celebrating with you there!

(Image courtesy of Newsquest Scotland Events)

incovo finalises for prestigious business growth award

incovo finalises for prestigious business growth award

It has been a record year for incovo – we have welcomed a raft of new customers and significantly expanded our range of services. And we are delighted that the hard work of the whole team has now been recognised by the revered business leaders at the West Lothian Chamber of Commerce – it has just been revealed that incovo has finalised for the ‘Business Growth Award’ at the West Lothian Business Awards!

It is an absolute honour to be named amongst some of the most innovative and dynamic businesses in the region, and we extend our congratulations to everyone that has made it through to the finals.

The winners of the West Lothian Business Awards will be announced on Friday 29th November at Macdonald Houston House Hotel. The exclusive black-tie event promises to be a night of celebration, entertainment and inspiration, as Poonam Gupta OBE, Chief Executive of PG Paper Company Ltd, takes to the stage as a keynote speaker and the awards are presented.

These awards are a testament to the talent, drive and achievements of a wide variety of local West Lothian businesses, and we are thrilled to share in that success.

10 reasons to switch to incovo for Avaya telecommunications support

A reliable phone system is key to the success of many businesses. incovo has helped countless businesses just like yours by providing trusted, ongoing telecommunications support and maintenance, right when you need it.

If you haven’t yet switched to incovo for all your Avaya telecommunications needs, here are 10 reasons why now is the time to make the move:

  1. A local based, independent, Scottish company
  2. A well-established Avaya partner since 2002
  3. A team of five fully accredited Avaya specialist engineers
  4. A warehouse of Avaya stock for disaster recovery and part replacement
  5. 24/7 helpdesk support
  6. Remote support and rapid response rates averaging 15 minutes
  7. 30 day rolling, 6 month or 12 month payment options/contracts
  8. Ongoing support and maintenance for a range of existing telecommunications systems including Avaya Communication Manager, Index, Definity, Lucent Technologies, Avaya Intuity and Avaya IP Office 400 systems
  9. Serving medium companies and multi-national Fortune 100 organisations alike
  10. Exceptional customer service, every step of the way

Below are just a few of the customers that trust incovo for unrivalled Avaya support and maintenance.

Email support@incovo.com or call 0345 450 8400 and discover how incovo could help your business communicate smarter and interact better.

 

How the cyber security experts at incovo are keeping businesses safe online

In today’s super-connected world, businesses are now more reliant on the internet than ever before. Emailing files to clients, holding video conferences, transferring money – it’s all so simple to do, often at just the click of a button, thanks to the latest advances in technology.

But whilst the convenience this has brought to our professional lives is clear, the issue of cyber security is one that should be given due consideration. As online technology has grown in sophistication, unfortunately so too have cyberattacks.

Thankfully, incovo is proud to announce we now offer comprehensive IT support and cyber security, giving our customers the peace of mind that comes from knowing their systems are fully protected from any potential digital attacks.

Here are just a few of the ways incovo is protecting businesses just like yours right across Scotland:

  • Installing server updates and security patches
  • Installing firmware upgrades for network equipment as they emerge
  • Monitoring backups and security software for alerts
  • Restarting systems at convenient times to facilitate software upgrades
  • Providing full helpdesk support, field and office-based engineers

There are also many ways you can help to protect yourself online. Take a look at incovo’s top tips for protecting your business’s cyber security:

  • Ensure you have anti-virus software installed on all devices – desktop computers, laptops, tablets and mobile phones.
  • Make sure your software is always up to date by switching on ‘Automatic Updates’.
  • Turn on your Firewall to block any potential threats.
  • Back up your data on a regular basis. That way, if in the unfortunate event that you do get attacked, you won’t lose all your data.
  • Before entering credit card details online, always check the authenticity of the site (it should begin with ‘https://’) and make sure there is an SSL certificate padlock icon on the address bar.
  • Be aware of what you’re clicking and what you’re downloading. If a suspicious email from someone you don’t recognise is asking you to click a link, confirm a password, or download a file, delete it immediately.
  • If you do get hacked, be sure to change all your online passwords, keep an eye on your bank balance, and report any suspicious transactions right away.

For further information on how incovo can protect your business online, email support@incovo.com or call 0345 450 8400 and our team of digital experts will be happy to help.

 

incovo – championing your business

incovo is passionate about helping businesses communicate smarter and interact better in order to help them grow. We believe in supporting our customers and building long-term client relationships. In fact, nothing makes us happier than seeing our customers thrive. So, by way of showing our on-going support, we’d like to champion your business to the world!

We have thousands of active mailing list subscribers and social media followers, so if you’re making waves in your industry, your business has reached a significant milestone, or you’ve won an award for example, Tweet us and tell us about it. We’ll share the news with our followers, and you may get a mention in our monthly newsletter too!

Whether we provide you with telecommunications, printing solutions, or door entry systems, it’s an honour to be part of your journey. We look forward to sharing and celebrating your success!

incovo unveils new partnership with HP

When it comes to providing printing solutions, incovo strives to be the best. So it’s essential to us that we only ever partner with brands that share our passion and meet our high standards. Thankfully, we found our match in the leading brand, HP, and we’re delighted to announce that our partnership deal is now officially sealed.

Speaking about the new partnership, Neil Sawyer, Commercial HP Channel Director for UK and Ireland commented; ‘HP are delighted to be partnering with incovo. The team at incovo encapsulate the DNA and business spirit that HP was founded on. With a rich vein of entrepreneurial spirit and the commitment to deliver unrivalled customer service, we are excited about our future business partnership together’.

Read on to find out why HP stood out from the competition, and what this means for you and your business…

A shared vision

When incovo and HP came together it was a meeting of minds. HP believes in creating technology that makes life better for everyone and their goal is to effectively reinvent the way that you work. incovo is also driven by this – we believe in creating solutions for our customers that help their businesses run more smoothly, more efficiently and more productively.

Security is key

HP devices are amongst the world’s most secure printing devices, with five levels of security – from BIOS right through to network level.

Lower costs

Thanks to HP’s unwavering determination to push forward, their latest technological developments mean their devices consist of less moving parts, which quite simply means there is less to break or fail, and the overall cost is kept as low as possible. This is great news for businesses keeping an eye on their bottom line.

Saving energy

We’re all so much more clued up about climate change these days and most businesses are now trying to do their bit to help. Modern HP devices use considerably less energy which is better for your bills, and most importantly, it’s better for the planet too.

Great service, guaranteed

Teaming up with HP means incovo can provide even greater support to our customers, calling on our own team of in-house engineers plus the manufacturer’s engineers to offer a more extensive service.

See for yourself

If you’d like to see the latest HP products in action, call 0345 450 8400 and arrange a visit to our brand new demonstration suite in Glasgow. Or to find out more about HP, watch the video below.

Head-hunting the best in the business

A company is only as good as its people. That’s why incovo has invested heavily in recruitment over the past two years, head-hunting the best in the business to ensure our customers get the very highest levels of service. But it’s not just our employees’ knowledge and experience that landed them each a role at incovo. We’re big believers in long-term client relationships, so we only ever take on team members that share our down-to-earth, personable approach. Because that’s what makes incovo different – we’re not a faceless multi-national, we’re a local company that’s made up of passionate individuals, who each bring their unique strengths and personalities to the table. And we continue to recognise and reward each one of them by investing in their ongoing training.

If you’re yet to meet some of our new faces, here’s a little bit about what makes each one such an asset to our team. They each have a different background, but one thing that unites them all is their bright future at incovo.

Chris Thomas, CEO
#TheBigDreamer
Chris took on the role of CEO at the age of just 19 and within two short years has already revolutionised incovo. He has big plans for the future the organisation, and he has no doubt that incovo has got what it takes to become Scotland’s largest independent telecommunications and print solutions provider.
Where he sees himself in one year: ‘My goal is for incovo to be the very best in the Scottish tech market, serving more customers that join and growing our in house team. I know this change and growth would have made my father incredibly proud, and for me, that’s what this is ultimately all about.’

Andy Taylor, Operations Director
#TheForwardThinker
Andy’s previous role was as managing Director of Simple Digital, which stood him in good stead for taking on his role as Operations Director at incovo. He’s got 26 years of experience under his belt and he’s known for being one of the top experts in the industry. Within just months of joining incovo he made his mark by bringing new leasing companies on board and securing a partnership with market-leader HP, all while managing our sales and marketing team. Andy is a forward-thinker and it is his vision to see incovo gain in reputation for services such as Wi-Fi and paperless document management software.
Where he sees himself in one year: ‘I’m confident that in a year’s time we will have expanded our customer base even further and I’ll be managing yet more partner relationships, as well as managing our growing consultancy team.’

Craig Beveridge, Head of Voice and Data
#TheInnovator

Craig has extensive voice and data experience – over 35 years in fact, and he’s project managed global contact centre installations covering 3535 users over 7 sites! Today, Craig focuses on leading a team of 6 skilled engineers during the project phase as he manages the delivery of all telephony, IT, door entry and cabling related installation projects and is constantly updating his vast product knowledge.
Where he sees himself in one year: ‘I’ll continue to head up the Project Management and Engineering Teams, passing on my years of knowledge to a great team of hard-working happy people. I’m excited about the year ahead and managing a larger team of engineers as our customer list grows. I’m also looking forward to getting stuck into the bigger, more complex projects we’ve got in the pipeline.’

Jim Matheson, Finance Director
#TheNegotiator

Jim is our trusted company Finance Director, with an incredible 40 years of finance and business experience. He has an eye for detail and is a strategic planner, ensuring the company’s financial side are in safe hands.
Where he sees himself in one year: ‘One year from now, incovo will have a larger dedicated team to manage the various elements of finance within the organisation which will continue to prosper as a debt-free and profitable business.’

Erin Thomson, Helpdesk Manager
#TheCustomerLover
Erin manages our helpdesk platform, the place where existing customers log faults, request a move, or ask technical queries. Erin logs all the tasks and distributes them to the appropriate engineer or manager. Erin has a fantastic work ethic; day in and day out, she is never short of enthusiasm and she is also a perfectionist! Oh, and her customer service is second-to-none.
Where she sees herself in one year: ‘My goal is for our customer service to be the best in the industry. As we are growing in the market, I aim for my knowledge of products and services to grow with incovo, so that I can offer our customers first-hand support and assistance.’

Jamie Bell, Imaging Service Manager
#TheFaultFinder
Jamie has over 26 years’ experience in servicing customer photocopier faults. Jamie is now managing our front-line field engineers, installations and our machines in the field, utilising remote management software to monitor service and replacement part parameters. With a wealth of technical experience, what he doesn’t know about print isn’t worth knowing!
Where he sees himself in one year: ‘We have a fantastic team of ambitious staff at incovo, all with a hunger to succeed! I’ll be running even more busy service departments this time next year.’

Scott Foster, Engineer
#TheProblemSolver
Nicknamed ‘Rambo’ following his time in the military services, Scott now has nearly 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. He excels in SME, frontline telephony fault-finding, troubleshooting and fixing customer faults.
Where he sees himself in one year: ‘I aim to be out fault-finding telecoms systems every day of the week, passing my knowledge over to new engineers so that we are a force to be reckoned with.’

Following in his father’s footsteps

To say Chris had big shoes to fill when he stepped into the role of CEO at incovo is an understatement. His father, Richard Thomas, had worked hard for 15 years, building the company from scratch and turning it into a success. So when Richard unexpectedly passed away in 2016 and Chris found himself taking on his father’s responsibilities, there’s no doubt this was incredibly tough, for so many reasons.

Those that knew Richard can testify that he was a fantastic role model, not only to his two sons, Chris and Rocco, but to the wider community too. In addition to founding and managing incovo ltd, he was also the owner of Oroso Ltd, a property development and property rental company with a portfolio worth over £2million. As if that wasn’t enough, Richard was the voluntary Chairman of Boxing Scotland, raising £400,000 to open gyms, encouraging thousands of boxers all over the country to take up the sport, championing women boxers, and helping to get young people off the streets by channelling their energy through boxing, as well as taking boxing to the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics. Yet despite juggling these key roles, Richard always ensured he made time for his family.

Richard shared many words of wisdom throughout his life which have undoubtedly helped Chris get through these first few years without him. One of the things Richard will be remembered for saying was, ‘If you want to succeed in life, make sure you do things right. So roll up your sleeves and move it, don’t sweep around it!’ Meaning, don’t do things by halves, be prepared to get stuck in.

And Chris has clearly taken this on board since becoming incovo’s CEO. He’s made big changes to the organisation – from head-hunting some of the top names in the industry to add to his team, to landing partnerships with the leading names in technology, and helping to secure incovo’s biggest contacts to date – all within just three years. It’s no wonder Chris is already making waves in the industry, attracting media attention and earning award nominations for this achievements.

And Chris is determined not to stop there – he has big ambitions for the future of incovo, with major expansion plans already well underway. Yet, despite this, his father’s words continue to keep Chris grounded. Reflecting on his father’s legacy Chris said, ‘My dad taught me how important it is to do a good job, and that it’s not about being the biggest, but being the best. Making him proud is what drives me every day here at incovo’.

It’s clear that Chris has inherited Richard’s admirable work ethic, and as he continues to put his own stamp on incovo and drive the business forward, there’s no doubt his father would be proud.