11 July 2024 Overcoming Traditional SOC Failures A Blueprint for a Best-of-Breed SOC A Security Operations Centre (SOC) is a centralised unit that monitors, detects, responds and prevents cyberattacks on an organisation’s assets. A SOC typically consists of a team of security analysts, engineers, incident responders and... Continue Reading
5 July 2024 From Static Reports to Dynamic Insights: A Data-Driven Success Story We take pride in helping our customers overcome their IT challenges and achieve remarkable success. Today, we are thrilled to share how a commercial real estate business, with Acora’s Data & AI expertise, transitioned from a static, report-dependent state to... Continue Reading
27 June 2024 Creating a Scalable and Effective Data-led and Analytics Organisation Becoming a data-led decision-making organisation To compete and stand out in a fast-paced economy, organisations need to be able to generate smart insights and make data-driven decisions quickly. An essential business imperative for many. Gartner forecasts that 90% of corporate... Continue Reading
15 April 2024 Strategically Aligning Security with Business Objectives: Insights from Industry Leaders In recent times, the proficiency of a Security Operations Centre (SOC) extends far beyond its technological infrastructure. And aligning cyber security endeavours with strategic business goals can prove challenging. Success stems from the uniting front of strategic foresight, proactive initiatives,... Continue Reading
22 February 2024 Insider Insights: A CISO’s Perspective on AI’s Impact in Financial Services In the fast-paced landscape of modern finance, technological advancements have become both a blessing and a burden. Among these innovations, Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands at the forefront, promising unparalleled efficiency, accuracy, and insight. However, as financial institutions delve deeper into the... Continue Reading
19 February 2024 MDR Made Simple: Your Go-To Resource for MDR Service FAQs In an era where emerging cyber threats materialise, and the stakes for organisations are higher than ever, ensuring robust cyber security defences is non-negotiable. Yet, for many, navigating the complex landscape of cyber security can be daunting, especially with limited... Continue Reading
12 January 2024 Dismantling data dreariness, discovering data delight When the term ‘data management’ comes up, you may find yourself rolling your eyes, letting out a yawn or quickly looking away. It would be no surprise, considering all things data have long been linked with mundaneness and relegated to... Continue Reading
3 January 2024 The 3 Golden Rules of Information Security A security incident can have devastating consequences when you take into account lost revenue, lost customer and employee trust, regulatory fines and damage to an organisation’s reputation. Whilst it is often the stories about the big brands that make the... Continue Reading
20 December 2023 Revolutionising browser security with Acora and Seraphic Acora is thrilled to announce a strategic alliance with Seraphic Security, a disruptive force in enterprise browser security. In today’s digital landscape, where browsers have become the linchpin of enterprise operations and the workplace paradigm has shifted towards remote and... Continue Reading
20 December 2023 Navigating tomorrow’s cyber threats In the dynamic cyber security landscape of 2024, our CISO Darren Humphries brings a wealth of experience to the table, navigating tomorrow’s cyber threats and the ever-evolving challenges in the cyber security space. Darren’s active engagement in leading-edge cyber security... Continue Reading
20 December 2023 2023: A year in review What a year 2023 has been. Everything we have prioritised and accomplished this year has been focused on our customers and our people. In challenging times, it’s this focus that is ensuring we are making significant progress together. From achieving... Continue Reading
2 November 2023 Application Modernisation with a Microsoft Cloud First Strategy Improved business efficiencies, advanced financial reporting and third-party independence We’re proud to announce our successful partnership as the preferred IT partner for Pettinaroli UK. A distinguished, multinational group specialising in water distribution systems. Focusing on application modernisation with a Microsoft... Continue Reading
16 October 2023 Choosing the right Managed IT and Cyber Security partner Is true alignment just a myth? Traditionally, outsourcing parts of your IT or Cyber Security function to an IT Managed Service Provider (MSP), Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP), or Outsourcer can be, for some, an uncomfortable subject. And in an... Continue Reading
4 October 2023 Leading Hospitality Business Strengthens Resilience We are thrilled to share another client success story at Acora. Our team of cyber security experts have recently completed a three-month consultancy project that set out a strategic maturity programme for one of the UK’s biggest hospitality businesses. Established... Continue Reading
20 September 2023 Disrupting ‘Good Enough’ Zero-Trust Cyber Security Acora was excited to attend the very first Security4Security (S4S) Club conference in London earlier in September 2023. The S4S club is an innovative and collaborative series of events co-designed by technology providers and security professionals to encourage meaningful conversations... Continue Reading
8 September 2023 5-year Contract Secured by Experience and Cyber Security Capabilities We’re thrilled to announce that we have secured a 5-year Managed Service contract with a leading Property Consultancy firm. Join us in celebrating this success. We are honoured that our growing capabilities are being recognised across multiple industries. With 450... Continue Reading
21 August 2023 XLA’s. The Golden Ticket to an Experience Economy We are now a year on from launching our Experience Level Agreement (XLA) and it is for sure, dominating the market. The dialogues we are now having have definitely advanced and we have moved away from talking about what experience... Continue Reading
26 July 2023 S4S Club – Disrupting the conference status quo Acora is proud to announce its participation as a founding partner in the S4S Club conference on September 12th, 2023, at 155 Bishopsgate, London. S4S is different This is a genuinely disruptive event where technology providers and security professionals have... Continue Reading
14 July 2023 X Innovation in IT & Cyber event round-up Last week Acora launched our first X event, Innovation in IT and Cyber, and boy it was a hit! We took our guests on a voyage of discovery and innovation aboard the Sunborn Yacht Hotel London with an exceptional line-up... Continue Reading
29 June 2023 Controlling the surge with Acora’s Flexible Support contract We are delighted to share that we have been selected as the preferred IT partner to provide Flexible Services for a university that is home to over 20K students and 4K employees. Whilst the customer remains anonymous, they have been... Continue Reading
21 June 2023 Launching our CIO Report: Cutting through the noise Once again this year, we’ve canvassed IT leaders across the UK for our annual CIO Report. The full report will be available to download soon, but in the meantime, here are some of the headlines and insights our 2023... Continue Reading
6 June 2023 Risk and legal compliance leader selects Acora to standardise operations and enable integration Compliance leader selects Acora to provide a Power Platform Solution that standardises operations and enables rapid integration. We are thrilled to share a recent win at Acora within our Applications and Data offering: A digital transformation project to implement Microsoft... Continue Reading
31 May 2023 Acora’s Always Audit Ready™ Service Shines at Big SASIG 2023 Uniting IT and Security Operations for Enhanced Agility This month, Acora took to the stage at Big SASIG 2023, an engaging event that fosters learning and collaboration within the IT and Cyber Security space. Bringing together experts from the user... Continue Reading
11 May 2023 Acora’s Experience Led Service Secures Multi-Million Pound Contract Acora is excited to announce a significant customer win that further strengthens its position as a leading provider of experience-led IT-managed services. While the name of the customer remains anonymous, Acora has secured a 5-year contract with a top 20... Continue Reading
3 May 2023 Acora continues to grow and develop its cyber proposition Acora is delighted to announce its acquisition of Infosec Partners Ltd, one of the leading cyber security players in the UK. With the acquisition of Secrutiny Ltd in early 2022, Acora established extended capabilities and scale in its cyber security... Continue Reading
24 April 2023 We’ve Spotted a Gap. And We’re Solving the Mid-Market Dilemma Choosing the right Managed Service Provider (MSP) is increasingly critical. In fact, choosing the right partner can be a make-or-break decision for many businesses. Business strategy and IT should go hand in hand Most organisations are on a mission to... Continue Reading
3 April 2023 Quit the poor data security Discovering Recorded Futures’ latest article around rocketing fines for US Law Firms has strengthened the reality of how poor data security can invite Ransomware attacks. With the current and ever-growing cyber security climate, it has encouraged us to take a... Continue Reading
27 March 2023 Why Tesla’s Openness About Cyber Security Deserves Kudos During a recent webinar hosted in partnership with TechSolent we discussed the cyber security concerns within the maritime sector, specifically relating to operational technology (OT). It was raised that if connected cars can be hacked via their OT, why can’t... Continue Reading
23 March 2023 The Need for Stronger Cyber Security Measures in Ports and Terminals When you think of a cyber attack on a vessel you might assume that the majority of incidents take place whilst the ship is at sea, perhaps thinking it is more vulnerable then. However research by RightShip reports that 50% of cyber... Continue Reading
28 February 2023 Data that is loved, tends to survive. In everyday life, we are driven by data. And it isn’t just the role of technical engineers to deliver that information anymore. Today, you will find that hundreds of industry leaders and organisations worldwide are leaning on the power that... Continue Reading
23 January 2023 Cyber Trends: A look into 2023 Keeping up with the latest attack vector trends is a challenge for organisations worldwide as they battle an ever-evolving threat landscape and a rapidly growing attack surface. So, following our successful acquisition of Secrutiny, we polled our cyber experts and... Continue Reading
18 January 2023 Why is the education sector a soft target for cyber attacks? In recent years, schools, colleges and universities have become increasingly reliant on technology to facilitate learning and communication. With the shift to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this trend has only accelerated. However, as education establishments embrace technology,... Continue Reading
21 December 2022 2022: What a year it’s been. 2022 has been about growth, people and innovation. Company-wide, we have seen lots of staff members return back to the office which is essential for communication, personal development and collaboration. We are seeing the benefits of face-to-face internal team and... Continue Reading
4 October 2022 Acora secures new funding to support next growth phase Acora is pleased to announce it has secured a new minority investment with LDC, the private equity arm of Lloyds Banking Group. The new investment round, supported by debt funding from Ares and HSBC, will provide long-term financing for the... Continue Reading
14 September 2022 Acora Accelerates SME Service Capability Acora announces acquisition of Norwich-based Computer Service Centre Ltd Acora is delighted to announce its acquisition of Norfolk-based managed services provider Computer Service Centre Ltd. The transaction, Acora’s seventh in five years, gives the group a powerful new regional presence... Continue Reading
18 August 2022 What is Hybrid Cloud? In today’s digital landscape, many businesses consume a hybrid cloud solution without even realising it. This raises a key question. Are people aware of what a hybrid cloud solution is and, how it can benefit their business? Every business sees... Continue Reading
21 July 2022 IT Support for Financial Service Firms Key challenges you may face in today’s digital environment. The finance industry has a significant impact on everyone’s life. We rely on it immensely without even realising. This heightens the pressure to deliver services seamlessly, intelligently and compete against a... Continue Reading
7 July 2022 MSP 501 – what it means to us Too many corporate awards are questionable in terms of their legitimacy. You sponsor an award, and woo! You’ve won… We take a disinterested approach to awards of questionable legitimacy. We believe awards should be given purely on merit, so we’re... Continue Reading
5 July 2022 ACORA ACHIEVES BEST COMPANIES ‘ONE TO WATCH’ STATUS AGAIN IN 2022 We are delighted to announce that we’ve received a Best Companies ‘One to Watch’ Accreditation once again. This Accreditation has been achieved solely by the feedback from our employees. Key Achievements from Best Companies Q2 Engagement Survey Acora has maintained... Continue Reading
29 June 2022 Acora and The User Experience Today, we’re increasingly offered not merely products and services, but ‘experiences’. And before we see, eat, visit, wear or buy pretty much anything, the first thing we do is check the reviews: we want to know how was it for... Continue Reading
22 June 2022 A winning experience at Global ACE Awards Since late 2021, Acora has presented an exciting and fun brand, that pokes fun at the old school view of how managed service providers act, in favour of our mission to put people at the centre of what we do... Continue Reading
22 June 2022 IT Support for Law Firms: Best Considerations that can Transform your Digital Environment Today, we can observe that the traditional law firm paradigm is being challenged. Customer demands for better value, as well as recent technological advancements, are shifting the legal industry into a new direction. Technology has become a critical component in... Continue Reading
17 June 2022 Acora ranked 1 MSP in Europe on Channel Futures 2022 Tech Industry’s Most Prestigious List of Managed Service Providers Worldwide. Annual MSP 501 Identifies Industry’s Best-in-Class Businesses Growing Via Recurring Revenue and Innovation JUNE 14, 2022: Acora has been named as one of the world’s premier managed service providers in... Continue Reading
4 May 2022 New power rises in cybersecurity New power rises in Cyber Security as Acora and Secrutiny join forces. Acora is delighted to announce the expansion of its group activities to include Secrutiny, the UK’s leading cyber security provider. Bringing the two businesses together allows Acora to... Continue Reading
19 April 2022 Benefits of a Robust Cyber Security Strategy In 2020, UK businesses faced nearly 700,000 attempts to breach their systems, that’s an attack nearly every 46 seconds, and a 20% rise from 2019. Reported by internet provider Beaming, this increase is largely attributed to COVID-19 and remote working.... Continue Reading
24 November 2021 15 YEARS OF UNINTERRUPTED PARTNERSHIP WITH PEARSON As 2021 draws to a close, we’re celebrating going into our 15th year of uninterrupted partnership with Pearson – our longest-standing client within our Flexible Support service offering. Pearson is ‘the world’s leading learning company’, and a name familiar to... Continue Reading
11 November 2021 ACORA EXPANDS WITH LATEST ACQUISITION We are delighted to confirm our acquisition of M9 Limited – a thriving and forward-looking IT services provider with over 40 staff, and nearly 100 long-term contracted customers. Based in London, M9 also has an established offshore team in Kuala... Continue Reading
4 August 2021 Acora Heads West – with Latest Acquisition We are delighted to announce the acquisition of Westgate IT, the South West’s premier IT Managed Services provider. The acquisition further increases Group revenues towards £40m and gives Acora direct access into the Bristol and Cardiff metropolitan areas, as well... Continue Reading
3 June 2021 Welcome to Acora – Welcome to Tudor Street Acora invests in a new city office, supporting continued business growth. Acora is thrilled to announce we have opened the doors to our new City office this month. You can find us at 22 Tudor Street, just 5 minutes’ walk... Continue Reading
27 April 2021 Acora Achieves Best Companies ‘One to Watch’ Status We are delighted to announce that we’ve received a Best Companies ‘One to Watch’ Accreditation. This Accreditation has been achieved solely by the feedback from our employees. Some key statistics from the survey include: 72% of staff agreed: “I feel... Continue Reading
16 March 2021 Building Trust in the Insurance & Finance Professions Chartered Insurance Institute awards Acora Consortium multi-year managed application services agreement. We are delighted to announce our latest client engagement with the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). The CII is well renowned across the insurance and personal finance profession internationally. It... Continue Reading
9 March 2021 7 Tips to organise your home office Working from home is something that the majority of us had to practice for the first time over the past year, and many of us are still learning and transitioning. It can be challenging to adapt to and maintain a... Continue Reading
18 February 2021 Global aviation supplier future proofs its ERP MNH Sustainable Cabin Services (MNH) provides leading airlines such as Qantas, Emirates and Virgin Atlantic with essential services from headset provision to laundry servicing. More recently, following Covid-19, this has expanded to include anti-bacteria swabbing and testing services for onboard... Continue Reading
17 February 2021 A small act of kindness from Acora has great impact on local nursery Creative Flair Childcare, a nursery based in Coventry, reached out on social media to see if anyone could donate a computer. Owner and Director at Creative Flair Childcare, Jennifer Faulkner, wrote that their only computer failed to work after many... Continue Reading
13 January 2021 Are you ready for IR35? On Wednesday 19th of March 2020, the government announced that the changes to the IR35 tax system were going to be postponed for a year. This decision was mainly made to mitigate the impact of coronavirus on the economy. Currently,... Continue Reading
6 January 2021 10 tips for managing the human side of IT The success of an IT department does not solely depend on having the best hardware and latest software. In fact, these alone do not guarantee efficiency if the people working in IT Support are not managed appropriately. It is not... Continue Reading
15 December 2020 How can you plug temporary gaps in your IT service desk? Back when lockdowns began, furloughs, even complete shutdowns, were widespread. Since then, many businesses have started getting back to their offices again. But not without challenges. While businesses may be ready to operate under Covid-precautionary measures, not all staff members... Continue Reading
2 December 2020 Acora acquires Cloud service provider Veber Ltd IT Managed Service provider Acora Ltd completed its financial year 2020 in October, reporting strong revenue growth, a 40% like for like increase in EBITDA, and with the news it has concluded its first acquisition since receiving investment from Palatine... Continue Reading
26 November 2020 Acora Partners with Clever Dynamics to Enhance its Business Central Implementations Acora announces its added Clever Dynamics apps into its Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central implementations. “With the many years of experience of working with Dynamics customers, The Clever Dynamics team provide apps that really work for the real world challenges... Continue Reading
26 November 2020 Digital Transformation – Post Lockdown The Covid-19 lockdown measures have changed the mindset of many businesses across the UK. Those that were hesitant before have now recognised the benefits, such as increased productivity. However, while some of the teething problems still remain about remote working... Continue Reading
30 October 2020 Customer Experience Must be the Top Priority for IT Teams Technology leaders and their teams are usually more tangentially associated with delivering great customer experience (CX). Contributing, yes, but not necessarily taking a central role in driving the customer experience. The assumption is that marketing teams, led by the chief... Continue Reading
21 October 2020 Women in Tech: Forging your Own Path to Leadership Applications Operations Manager, Nikky Stunt, shares her unique route to IT leadership and offers up advice for women at their own career path crossroads. Here’s Nikky’s journey in her own words… What’s your current role at Acora? I really enjoy... Continue Reading
20 October 2020 Learn why 5 of the Top 50 UK law firms selected Acora Learn why have 5 of the Top 50 UK law firms have chosen to outsource some or all of their IT support services to Acora since the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Acora, strengthened by its acquisition of Plan-Net in 2019, is... Continue Reading
8 October 2020 How Much Should you Spend on Cybersecurity? Cybersecurity worries, compliance concerns, and the impact thereof is still growing quickly, with COVID-19 introducing a range of new issues. Yet, in our 2020 CIO survey, senior tech leaders reported that an average of just 9% of IT budgets is... Continue Reading
1 October 2020 Has your ERP Solution Adapted to the New Normal? Mid-way through 2020 it is now clear that business will be done a bit differently over the short to medium term – with some changes likely to be with us in the long run too. During this “new normal” companies... Continue Reading
1 October 2020 How to improve your Software Asset Management process? The goal of Software Asset Management (SAM) is to drive cost-efficiency without having a negative impact on business operations and IT service levels. Good Software Asset Management (SAM) enables a business to gain maximum benefit from IT investment. Just as... Continue Reading
24 September 2020 Cripps Pemberton Greenish & Acora Celebrate their First Anniversary Just over a year ago, CrippsPG undertook a programme of review of its IT provision, which put their Service Desk under the spotlight. “One of the challenges we were constantly facing was retaining staff. Being headquartered so close to London... Continue Reading
23 September 2020 Flexibility & Transparency are a Must for IT Service Providers It can sometimes be challenging for CIOs, IT Directors and other Senior IT Managers within the business to get the CFO or The Board’s buy-in for an IT project. Many find it even more difficult when they are considering proposing... Continue Reading
4 September 2020 Acora Signs Microsoft UK Partner Pledge Acora have signed the Microsoft Pledge, a commitment to reducing the UK’s future skills gap with regards to AI, Cloud Computing, Internet of Things (IoT) and Mixed Reality – otherwise known as the fourth industrial revolution. The pledge commits partners, like Acora,... Continue Reading
2 September 2020 Are you ready for the Year of ‘the modern workspace?’ As your business evolves, it’s easy for technology and processes to get out of date, resulting in workplace inefficiencies that adversely affect productivity, employee satisfaction and customer experience. The Harvard Business Review Analytic Services Survey in Feb 2018 found that... Continue Reading
25 August 2020 Acora ranked within the Top 50 Global Managed Service Providers Celebrations! Acora has just been named as one of the top Managed Service Providers in the UK and number 43 globally in the 2020 annual Channel Futures MSP 501 rankings. For the 13th year running, MSPs from around the globe... Continue Reading
30 July 2020 First Time Fix – Do your metrics reveal the truth? It’s easy to understand why the FTF rate is the Service Desk metric that gets the most attention. When measured correctly, it is the figure that identifies when your end-users get a resolution at the time of asking for it.... Continue Reading
21 July 2020 How to implement a successful Joiners, Movers & Leavers (JML) process Joiners, movers & leavers processes (JML) are critical to information security, hardware asset management and relationship building between your Support Team and IT users. All too often, the responsibility for maintaining a smooth process is unclear. Leaving both users and... Continue Reading
9 July 2020 Microsoft announced plans for Dynamics 2020 wave 2 release for October All organisations are adapting to a sudden shift in the way we work. However, it’s now clear that many of the changes put in place as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic may be here to stay. Corporate culture and... Continue Reading
9 July 2020 Is your IT team ready for Post COVID-19? All organisations are adapting to a sudden shift in the way we work. However, it’s now clear that many of the changes put in place as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic may be here to stay. Corporate culture and... Continue Reading
3 April 2020 Helping Dynamics customers when their support partner is unable to We were very sorry to hear the news from K3 earlier in the week. These are challenging times for all businesses, and the close knit Dynamics channel family is not immune. To the employees, and we have several ex colleagues... Continue Reading
20 March 2020 Acora completes investment round with Palatine Private Equity “Below is the press release in relation to our corporate activity from the week commencing 9th March 2020. Whilst it feels wholly inappropriate to release these messages now, I am duty-bound to do so in the interest of all Acora... Continue Reading
12 March 2020 Three key considerations when creating a cyber-security strategy Selecting a partner for your security requirements is similar to IT procurement decisions you have made before – and will probably follow the traditional 3 questions, with a twist… Question 1: DIY or managed services? As with all IT services,... Continue Reading
19 February 2020 What is: Outsourcing? Managed IT services? Shared IT services? There is still a lot of confusion surrounding the different types of IT support models, mainly because there are so many options and alternatives to in-house IT service desks out there! We thought we would explain the different types of sourcing solutions available, including near-shoring, co-sourcing and managed sourcing. IT Sourcing Models Generally, when certain business... Continue Reading
13 February 2020 7 principles of security & privacy for cloud data warehouses Almost every day we read of data breaches, the misuse of customer information or some new hacking scandal. In this environment, any company using data extensively (and don’t we all?) must grapple with ever more regulation and acute consumer pressure.... Continue Reading
3 February 2020 Colosseum Dental picks Acora to implement Microsoft Business Central We’re delighted to announce that Colosseum Dental, one of the UK’s major providers of dentistry with over 70+ local clinics, has chosen Acora to implement its new Microsoft Dynamics solution. Acora were asked to support Colosseum Dental’s existing solution and its users... Continue Reading
7 January 2020 A step towards transformation – building your ideal sourcing model We have talked before about the need for, the real benefits of and the importance of digital transformation (the profound transformation of business and organisational activities, processes, competencies and models to fully leverage the blend of a mix of digital technologies with... Continue Reading
12 December 2019 Can you select a new infrastructure service provider in 90 minutes…? A recent publication by Gartner focuses on the challenges global companies face when selecting an infrastructure service provider. They describe them as the following: Most enterprises’ contracts are based on statements of work that are 3 to 5 years old... Continue Reading
4 December 2019 The six types of remote workers and how to support them Does your company include people who do their best work at night, after office hours? Or perhaps you’ve engaged the services of a strategist from out of state who needs access to important files anytime, anywhere. For these and other... Continue Reading
27 November 2019 The highlights from NAV TechDays event 2019 in Antwerp I recently got back from Antwerp, home of this years’ NAV TechDays. It’s a popular NAV and Business Central conference, which takes place over two days and is aimed squarely at technologically minded applications people. There were over 1,450 attendees this... Continue Reading
22 October 2019 Acora Trusted Digital Framework Creating a robust and future proof IT platform for our clients. Technology is fundamentally changing how businesses operate and the way in which individuals work. In fact, business and technology are becoming so interwoven, it’s hard to consider one without... Continue Reading
15 October 2019 Dynamics update from Directions EMEA partner event I’m writing this blog on the plane on the way back from Vienna, where I’ve been attending the annual Directions EMEA conference with Lee Ganly our CTO and Nikky Stunt our Applications Operations Manager. Directions is a partner hosted event... Continue Reading
9 October 2019 Microsoft Future Decoded 2019 – AI, AI & AI This week I had the pleasure of attending Microsoft’s Future Decoded event at the ExCel in London.It is one of Microsoft’s biggest annual events, bringing its partners and customers up to date with what the future holds in the world... Continue Reading
25 September 2019 Remodelling the Service Desk for your Digital Workplace The Digital Workplace has been with us for a while now. It’s a movable concept of fluid, flexible and enabling technologies that are being used to liberate organisations, their managers, their workers and their resources from the traditional constraints of... Continue Reading
17 September 2019 Forrester reports: innovation leaders need IT services to drive transformative outcomes According to a recent research article from Forrester, commissioned by Dell, partnering with IT service providers enables internal IT staff to innovate and build IT expertise. The Forrester Consulting study reveals that there are two factors preventing internal IT teams... Continue Reading
16 September 2019 Acora wins 3-year contract with an international staffing company Acora, an innovative UK-based IT Services company, is pleased to announce it has secured a new IT transformation and 3-year managed services contract with an award-winning, technical recruitment company. Post PE backing and on a significant acquisition trail, the company... Continue Reading
28 August 2019 The 5 key trending customer requirements for Managed IT The economy is challenging, employees demands are increasing and the technology options are multiplying – so how does this translate into service requirements from customers to their Managed Service Provider (MSP)? We thought we would share with you the trends we see from our mid-market... Continue Reading
21 August 2019 A workshop for IT transformation champions Facilitate rapid stakeholder buy in with a structured workshop Previously, we’ve discussed that managed IT services aren’t for everyone. If the future looks like the current, then companies are often happy to look after IT as they do now and... Continue Reading
20 August 2019 Acora wins 3-year contract with a leading affordable housing aggregator Acora, an innovative UK-based IT services company, is pleased to announce it has secured a new IT transformation and 3-year managed services contract with a leading affordable housing aggregator. They came to Acora to help them build a more modern,... Continue Reading
8 August 2019 Full-time CIOs still facing skills and recruitment challenges to transform Digital transformation is a top priority on most corporate agendas. However, delivering it is being threatened by a significant skills gap.According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS) the technology industry saw the biggest increase in job adverts throughout 2018,... Continue Reading
2 August 2019 Acora and Plan-Net join forces 2 August 2019 – Acora Ltd, the innovative owner-managed UK-based IT Services company, has completed the acquisition of Plan-Net Ltd, another owner-managed IT support and services company, based in London. The merged Group has revenues approaching £30m, more than 70% of... Continue Reading
31 July 2019 The rise of the interim CIO According to cio.co.uk, there’s been an increase in the use of interim CIO’s. These IT leaders are often brought in to a company on a temporary basis to solve complex IT problems, at moments of change, review current ways of... Continue Reading
23 July 2019 Acora adds Zscaler to its portfolio Acora has added Zscaler to its service portfolio, as part of its efforts to stay aligned to the best technology products on the market. Built 100% in the cloud, the Zscaler global cloud delivers the entire gateway security stack as... Continue Reading
16 July 2019 What does digital transformation actually mean? Digital transformation is a term that’s being used quite a lot. There’s not a lot of information out there about what it actually means.Ultimately, it’s a broad term that references the changes required to compete and win in the digital... Continue Reading
25 June 2019 Save money & get more by working with a managed service provider It may seem strange to say up front, but we think that having a singular objective of reducing costs when engaging a managed service provider is a mistake. An internal full-time IT support resource will cost in the region of... Continue Reading
18 June 2019 Webinar with Microsoft: Is Windows 7 ‘end of life’ your trigger for digital transformation? Earlier this month we ran a webinar with our friends from Microsoft titled: “Is Windows 7 end of life your trigger for digital transformation?” We began by talking about the common themes we hear from IT leaders, including the need... Continue Reading
12 June 2019 Cost optimised IT A couple of years ago Gartner was talking a lot about cost optimised IT, they even shared a “Top 10” list of cost optimisation ideas including: Create a shared-service organisation, for some or all IT services. Centralise, consolidate, modernise, integrate... Continue Reading
4 June 2019 Operational IT vs. Strategic IT Not new terms, but worth considering for a moment. If operational IT is managing the day-to-day (keeping things running), then strategic IT is the time you spend looking to the future, adding business value, digitally transforming and supporting business growth.... Continue Reading
21 May 2019 Make a confident, stress-free switch to Acora Is your IT managed service contract coming to an end? Is your current supplier meeting your expectations? Do any of these red flags sound familiar? SLAs not being met Not getting value for money Inadequate innovation Inability to scale Can’t... Continue Reading
15 May 2019 The growing use, by mid-market companies, of Independent IT consultants Parking what the compelling event may be, when businesses contact us it is usually from one of three directions: It is from an IT leader who has identified the need for change and is clear on what the potential solution... Continue Reading
9 May 2019 Top 10 signs it’s time to change your IT support partner If you’re considering changing your IT partner, there’s usually a good reason why. Maybe they’re no longer meeting your agreed service levels, or perhaps you’ve simply outgrown them. We’ve put together a classic and light-hearted top ten list, detailing the... Continue Reading
10 April 2019 The unexpected IT leader For the last year, Eric has been the Head of Finance for a mid-market company based in the Midlands. He regards his fastidious and highly organised nature as reasons for his success and hasn’t yet had a challenge he couldn’t... Continue Reading
4 April 2019 DIY or Managed Service? It seems to us that the IT leaders core dilemma is that 80% of their resource and time is spent keeping the lights on, and only the remaining 20% delivers company transformation. Today, 20% isn’t enough, and it’s often swallowed... Continue Reading
27 March 2019 Not happy with your IT provider but worried it will be tricky to move? If your IT partner is not delivering like it used to, or your business has grown and needs new skills and expertise to draw on, then you may be considering a change of partners – especially if your contract is... Continue Reading
21 March 2019 Will managed IT services work for you? We know that managed services aren’t for everyone. Companies that work well with an internal IT team are often those that are experiencing steady growth at a manageable rate. We’ve found that our clients are driven towards the benefits of... Continue Reading
18 March 2019 Acora wins new business software project with OATS Ltd OATS Ltd, part of the Haynes Publishing Group, is the leading provider of information and productivity solutions for the lubricants sector of the oil industry globally Deciding that Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central was the preferred solution, Acora was chosen... Continue Reading
12 March 2019 Transformation and the IT skills gap Embarking on a digital transformation, often requires skills you may not have within your current IT team. The preferred option is always to develop or train your existing resource to be new tech ready. However, time, interest and feasibility sometimes... Continue Reading
4 March 2019 Acora wins 3-year managed services deal with a leading legal research company Acora is delighted to announce it has secured a new 3-year managed services contract with a market-leading legal research and publishing company. Acora was recommended to the company by an existing customer and was granted the opportunity to submit an... Continue Reading
26 February 2019 How to build a fab IT squad IT leaders, in order to deliver business transformation and a future ready IT platform, need a fab squad around them – a ‘dream team’ of IT specialists to implement plans effectively. Building a fab squad depends on your business priorities,... Continue Reading
23 February 2019 Acora wins new business with a large independent supplier of aircraft components Acora is pleased to announce it has secured a new business software project with a leading component service provider to the aviation industry. The customer had decided that Microsoft Dynamics NAV was the software it needed before approaching different partners.... Continue Reading
21 February 2019 The valley of stalled IT transformation projects… Everyone needs a catchy title for a blog. Other ones we considered, but dismissed included: The IT transformation chasm Overcoming IT transformation anxiety The IT precipice Vendors and suppliers love to come at IT leaders with a catchy headline and... Continue Reading
14 February 2019 Feeling unloved by your current IT partner? Let’s face it, personal relationships have their ups and downs. It’s just the same with a business relationship. There are lots of reasons why an outsourcing partnership can break up... Continue Reading
7 February 2019 Your CEO wants to talk to you about Business Transformation… Picture the scene – you have heard on the grapevine that your CEO wants to come and see you, to talk about an urgent company business transformation project – and how IT help is needed to deliver it. The board... Continue Reading
1 February 2019 “Let it snow – I’m a remote worker” say 250,000 smug people We’ve all read the news stories about adverse weather costing the UK economy billions, and yet we still seem ill-prepared every time it happens. The trains are delayed or cancelled, the roads become a game of dodgems and millions of... Continue Reading
31 January 2019 Making Tax Digital – Microsoft Dynamics 365 has you covered As part of their ongoing efforts to streamline UK taxation, HMRC’s long-awaited “Making Tax Digital” programme is finally coming into effect. From 1st April 2019 (not an April fool, promise) the way your business reports and records VAT will change.... Continue Reading
30 January 2019 End-of-life, end-of-life, end-of-life… The next couple of years promise change, and whilst we have a lot to look forward to (such as a new season of Game of Thrones) there will also be periods of uncertainty. So, whilst you hook up your new... Continue Reading
24 January 2019 Acora and Silxo announce strategic partnership Acora, an innovative UK-based IT Services company, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Silxo, leaders in technology turnaround and transformation. The strategic partnership is a natural one, given the related services the two companies take to market. “This... Continue Reading
18 January 2019 Study finds IT leaders are fed-up with mundane routine A recent survey of over 500 IT professionals, carried out by INAP, revealed that IT professionals have a strong desire to see their roles and responsibilities change. The report found that they want to move away from infrastructure upkeep and... Continue Reading
7 January 2019 What do IT Managers want? The IT manager’s role has changed in recent years. IT is no longer confined to a supporting role, instead of becoming a strategic priority – particularly as digital transformation projects become the norm. Unsurprisingly, the IT manager’s requirements are changing... Continue Reading
20 December 2018 How techies answer their children’s questions about Santa The Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair, with support from the CEBR, have been exploring the mystery that is Santa Claus. In their attempts to unravel some truths, they calculated that during the 36 hours available to Santa,... Continue Reading
12 December 2018 Could Santa embrace technology to help his seasonal challenge? It’s an undisputed fact that Santa has the world’s largest database. It’s also true that 2018 has seen a multitude of political and social factors move millions into the grey zone between the naughty and nice lists. It’s clearly going... Continue Reading
7 December 2018 Time to look again at IT managed services? Download free ebook – the definitive guide to IT managed services In an IT landscape dominated by cloud computing, digital transformation and cyber security, more and more organisations are adopting managed services and using their chosen provider for additional support... Continue Reading
5 December 2018 Managing IT when it’s not your main job In many medium-sized businesses, responsibility for IT is handed to a non-technical leader like the finance director. On average, five functions other than finance report to the financial director (FD) for instance. In fact, 38% of CFOs are now responsible... Continue Reading
23 October 2018 Over £25,000 raised for Chestnut Tree House Hospice Some of our more active Board members took part in the Paris to Madrid bike ride, to raise money for Chestnut Tree House Hospice. In 2016 the team cycled from Worthing to Paris and raised a whopping £13,000 for Chestnut... Continue Reading
4 October 2018 Is Cloud the Answer for the New Employee Generation? Research recently conducted by YouGov revealed that just 6% of employees in the UK work the traditional 9am to 5pm. With flexible working hours and remote working having a significant benefit on staff, more and more businesses are offering different... Continue Reading
27 September 2018 Is It Time for an IT Assessment? Your IT system needs to work seamlessly at all levels of operation. Creating a multi-faceted IT infrastructure is no easy feat and things can get complicated very quickly. This is why many companies utilise the skills of outside IT specialists.... Continue Reading
13 September 2018 A Day in the Life of an Application Enterprise Architect My name is Stuart Allen and I am an Enterprise Architect for Applications at Acora. I have been part of the team for 14 years, however, I originally started my career here as a Pegasus Opera consultant. However, this isn’t... Continue Reading
12 September 2018 Is your IT platform holding you back? Did you know that… Over 500 million tweets are sent every day. The Internet influenced retail sales to the tune of $2.3 trillion in 2017 and is estimated to increase to $2.84 trillion in 2018. Over 3.5 billion Google searches... Continue Reading
6 September 2018 Why Are IT Projects Difficult to Manage? IT projects are hard to manage and sometimes it can be hard to fathom what is actually required as a solution. Hurdles and failures are common outcomes for a large proportion of projects that are not managed effectively. IT project... Continue Reading
30 August 2018 The Top 5 FAQs About Microsoft Azure The cloud is one of the greatest technology trends over the past few years and the Internet of Things has grown due to it. Microsoft Azure is the leading public cloud platform and is a growing collection of services for... Continue Reading
28 August 2018 Why do IT outsource relationships sometimes fail? There are several contributing factors as to why outsourcing relationships can fail. Below are a few areas for consideration. The IT service provider has outgrown their customer Greater exposure to risk can be experienced due to lack of service provider... Continue Reading
23 August 2018 Why Is Ongoing Office 365 Training So Important? The Office 365 package is made up of unique applications that can operate seamlessly together to make workforces highly productive. Whilst most employees recognise the standard Office Suite tools and are au fait with Exchange and Skype for Business, there... Continue Reading
9 August 2018 Mid-market organisations looking outward for IT project support Being responsible for IT is sometimes a thankless job, but in truth, no company can thrive without technology. IT professionals are being pushed into the limelight, with innovative technology offering a competitive edge and businesses efficiencies that are too good... Continue Reading
9 August 2018 5 Ways to Protect Your Business from Ransomware As one of the most prevalent types of malware, enterprises should be aware of ransomware. With a huge potential for damage, preventing your business from being a victim is the best way to ensure safety. What is ransomware? Ransomware is... Continue Reading
2 August 2018 What Does Biometrics Mean for Software Development? Using your fingerprint to unlock a device was once only featured in films about the future. Nobody ever considered it would become a reality. Fast forward to 2018 and no longer do we rely on personal data and passwords to... Continue Reading
26 July 2018 Unified Communications for Digital Transformation It was not long ago that written letter, fax and telephone were considered the key tools for businesses to succeed. Today, with the vast amount of digital technologies available, modernising the workplace and introducing new software and solutions is key... Continue Reading
19 July 2018 How to Keep Your Sensitive Data Safe in the Cloud The 21st century has been privy to some monumental data breaches, even companies which funnel large budgets into cybersecurity and data protection. Yahoo, Apple and LinkedIn have all been targeted by cyber-criminals and this has got smaller organisations worried about... Continue Reading
12 July 2018 Why IT projects go wrong (and how to recover them) IT projects have an astonishingly high failure rate. PM Solutions found that 18% of initiatives failed outright, while a further 25% are in imminent danger of collapsing. But as digital transformation moves further up the corporate agenda, businesses simply cannot... Continue Reading
12 July 2018 7 Great Questions to Ask Your Potential IT Support Company If you are looking for an IT support provider you may find yourself in conversations with a handful, unless you have been given a recommendation from a trusted source. Regardless, asking the right questions during the selection process, to determine... Continue Reading
5 July 2018 The Benefits of Virtual Data Centres for Businesses With 88% of businesses in the UK utilising cloud services at various levels, more attention is being paid to IT systems and infrastructure than ever before. A Virtual Data Centre, also known as a VDC, is the virtual equivalent of... Continue Reading
28 June 2018 7 Office 365 Myths Debunked If you are considering migrating to Office 365 it is likely that you have stumbled upon a ton of information, both positive and negative. Many people have latched onto the idea that Office 365 can only be used when connected... Continue Reading
21 June 2018 How Can SharePoint Improve Business Productivity? SharePoint is a web-based collaborative platform that integrates with Microsoft Office. It is a secure place for you to store, organise, share, and access information from almost any device. It allows for seamless collaboration, document storage and retrieval, intelligence and insights... Continue Reading
14 June 2018 Can you Transition to a Completely Remote Business? Last year it was reported that half of the UK workforce would be working remotely by 2020. With flexi-hours and working from home increasingly becoming the norm, many businesses are considering making a permanent change to the way their business... Continue Reading
11 June 2018 Why DIY for large scale cloud migration is not an option In the early days of Cloud services, CTOs were promised huge reductions in their operating costs. Move your infrastructure to the Cloud and you will save a fortune on data centre and hardware costs they were told. As the Cloud... Continue Reading
31 May 2018 Everything You Need to Know About Disaster Recovery When it comes to disaster recovery, there isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ approach businesses can adopt. From flooding and ransomware, to data breaches and acts of terrorism, countless organisations have been shut down for long periods and downtime has... Continue Reading
30 May 2018 IaaS, PaaS & SaaS explained When it comes to cloud computing there can be a lot of jargon and acronyms floating around. There’s a group of three that you will hear together a lot: Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service and Software as... Continue Reading
23 May 2018 Microsoft Dynamics and Artificial Intelligence – Cortana It is physically impossible to manually manage the sheer volume of data being created by the average enterprise on a daily basis. And now that Big Data is a mainstream concept, CTOs are struggling on two fronts – to store... Continue Reading
11 April 2018 GDPR, Dynamics NAV and how Microsoft is going to help with compliance When the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force on the 25th of May, everything – and nothing – will change. For the first time businesses will face truly punitive fines for failing to uphold their legal and moral... Continue Reading
14 March 2018 What is ITaaS? And why does it matter? The way organisations purchase and consume IT and software services is changing…and there is a popular shift away from traditional models of purchasing and maintenance towards subscription based delivery models. Opex is now the new norm. Mid-market organisations and large... Continue Reading
14 March 2018 Microsoft “Tenerife” revealed as Dynamics 365 Business Central Microsoft have announced the latest version of Microsoft Dynamics NAV (previously code named “Tenerife”) is called Dynamics 365 Business Central. The latest software will be available to purchase in the UK from 2nd April 2018. We’re excited because Business Central... Continue Reading
28 February 2018 ERP project lessons from KFC When KFC awarded a new contract to DHL for UK logistics, they probably expected to save a lot of money. Instead they were unable to keep their stores stocked with chicken. – Luckily, their marketing department used the opportunity to... Continue Reading
15 February 2018 What’s new in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 – the highlights In this blog we’ll explore what’s new in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018, highlighting the features that we think are particularly exciting. The focus for Microsoft seems to be on seamless integration, creating one digital working environment that’s really easy to... Continue Reading
12 February 2018 Dynamics 365 for Sales & LinkedIn Sales Navigator A dynamics duo… Microsoft is forging ahead as the leader in business software, and one of the latest developments to get excited about is the integration between Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales and LinkedIn Sales Navigator. This new integration is... Continue Reading
20 December 2017 A Christmas Gift for Your Sales Team – An Easier Life It’s December, the party season is ramping up, and thoughts turn to the inevitable office Secret Santa tradition, or mid-range bottles of wine for employees. But this year, why not buy your sales team something meaningful, something that will transform... Continue Reading
30 October 2017 Acora acquires Just Computing Ltd, expanding its managed services portfolio On the 30th of October 2017 Acora, an innovative UK-based IT Services company with a UK and international customer base announced it has completed the acquisition of Haywards Heath based Managed Services Provider, Just Computing Ltd (Just). All Just employees... Continue Reading
26 October 2017 5 Cloud Scare Stories…and the truth behind them The Cloud is a terrifying prospect for every business, a genuine step into the unknown. We’ve all heard of the benefits of hosted technology, but for every success story, there seems to be a cautionary tale of disaster. So, is... Continue Reading
12 October 2017 DIY Office 365 migration – handle with care! The process of moving email to the cloud should not be taken lightly. It requires a lot of forwarding planning, time and resource. However, If you are set on migrating to Office 365 yourself, then we’d like to share some... Continue Reading
4 October 2017 Pegasus Opera 2 flies into the sunset – what now? Much loved by SMEs, Pegasus Opera has established a reputation for providing (relatively) low-cost accounting software. Indeed, Pegasus claim that 1 in 20 employees across the UK are paid using their software. Incredibly, Opera II was actually superseded by Opera... Continue Reading
18 September 2017 The business owner’s guide to replacing accounting software Replacing your accounting software is easier and more affordable than you may think. Use this blog to learn about the benefits of a modern platform and know what questions to ask when evaluating your options. Keep pace with evolving customer... Continue Reading
12 September 2017 12 signs it’s time to look at a new ERP solution The term ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) really came to prominence in the 1990’s. The acronym is used to describe a range of business management systems and software that brings together all the core components of a business into one unified,... Continue Reading
8 September 2017 Your Office 365 Migration Roadmap – Exchange Online Of all the Office 365 migration tasks, Exchange Online is perhaps the most important – particularly if (like most) your business runs on email. As such, a robust migration plan is essential in ensuring that the transition is carried out... Continue Reading
19 July 2017 IT Outsourcing due diligence checklist Now that your business is fully reliant on its IT systems, outsourcing is a significant decision. Your choice of IT partner is just as important as the actual services that are outsourced. Which is why you need an IT outsourcing... Continue Reading
30 June 2017 IT Outsourcing vs In-house IT – The pros & cons The pros and cons of IT outsourcing have been debated for many years without a proper consensus ever being reached. However the rise of Cloud computing has changed the discussion somewhat – even non-technical decision-makers are signing up for hosted... Continue Reading
29 June 2017 Acora prioritising compliance & security Research from security firm Sophos reveals that, with less than one year to go, 20% of British companies still regard the forthcoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as a low priority. The report, in which 625 IT decision-makers from the... Continue Reading
27 June 2017 What does it mean for your business when Dynamics NAV goes end of life? Version 5 of Microsoft Dynamics NAV has gone end-of-life this year, and NAV 2009 is due to go end-of-life in January 2020, so if you haven’t upgraded yet, there’s no better time to start planning! Despite lacking vendor support however,... Continue Reading
19 June 2017 Cyber attacks – safeguard your business from future incidents With one month of hindsight, and a lot of research, analysts are still in the process of building a complete picture of the WannaCry ransomware attack that took the world by storm. The Ransomware attack, which crippled parts of the... Continue Reading
14 June 2017 Acora implements Microsoft Dynamics NAV for a leading professional services organisation Acora’s latest customer provides a range of integrated hardware and software solutions, as well as consultancy and support to the financial services industry. After being sold to a private equity group, the company identified the need to move away from... Continue Reading
2 June 2017 Grow your business – on your terms Take the steps to support your growing business. Technology can be the difference between driving your company ahead or falling behind, Microsoft’s latest technologies are focused around mobility and keeping people connected. They’ve invested heavily in their Cloud solution, Azure,... Continue Reading
8 May 2017 Keep in control of IT security with Dynamics NAV, Dynamics 365 for Sales and Office 365 Ask any business, small or large, security is one of their biggest concerns. In an increasingly connected world, how can you be sure that your company data is both accessible and secure? A business application from Microsoft gives you the... Continue Reading
3 May 2017 Acora becomes a Microsoft Authorised Education Partner Acora is pleased to announce it has become a Microsoft Authorised Education Partner (AEP). We hope this will help demonstrate our ability to meet the needs of academic institutions in today’s dynamic business environment. The AEP programme is designed to... Continue Reading
28 April 2017 9 reasons you should buy Microsoft Dynamics NAV If you’re rubber-banding an outdated legacy solution or have outgrown your entry-level accounting software – now is the time to give your team the tool that they need to succeed. Microsoft Dynamics NAV is a flexible and innovative solution that’s... Continue Reading
6 April 2017 Grow your business with Microsoft Dynamics NAV The length of supply chains are changing, and customer demand for low cost and personalised products is increasing. The manufacturers of today need modern enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions, so they can flex to meet the shifting moods of the... Continue Reading
5 April 2017 Microsoft Tech Summit: Day 1 We sent three of our techies to the Microsoft Tech Summit in Birmingham last week. In the first of a series of blogs reporting back on the key takeaways from the sessions, Dave Murphy, one of Acora’s Enterprise Architects, reports... Continue Reading
4 April 2017 Acora launches new support service packages for Dynamics NAV Acora’s business applications customer base has grown significantly over the past year. In response to this growth and the broader differentiation’s in customer needs, Acora has produced some support service packages. The bundled services are designed to provide real value... Continue Reading
31 March 2017 ERP systems and LEAN Almost all manufacturing companies now view ERP systems (enterprise resource planning systems) as essential to the operation and efficiency of their business. They also acknowledge the importance of LEAN. However, there are differences in the methodologies that ERP systems and... Continue Reading
22 March 2017 A well-known distributor and retailer, choose Microsoft Dynamics NAV to replace Pegasus Opera The Colour Centre recently signed with Acora to implement Microsoft’s enterprise resource planning solution, Microsoft Dynamics NAV. The company provides a wide variety of decorating suppliers, which range from designer paints to wood care. After experiencing a period of growth... Continue Reading
21 March 2017 Acora invited to Microsoft Northern European Data Centre in Dublin As a key Microsoft partner, Acora were delighted to receive an invite to visit Microsoft’s Northern campus in Dublin. The recently expanded Dublin data centre provides hosting for the full range on Microsoft services including Azure, Office 365 and Xbox Live. This... Continue Reading
17 March 2017 Why it’s worth upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2017 Seize the moment, now is the time! Microsoft have been very innovative over the last five years, and the attention to their enterprise resource planning solution (Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2017) and its mobile and integration capabilities proves this. Their focus has... Continue Reading
2 March 2017 5 ways to turn your supply chain into a value chain No matter how good your supply chain is, without a centralised ERP platform there is always a risk that your production runs are less profitable than they could be. Using Microsoft Dynamics NAV, you can unlock those unrealised savings, turning... Continue Reading
23 February 2017 Office 365 – why should non-IT people care? Your IT manager may be very excited about Microsoft Office 365, but the thought of new software is generally far less thrilling for non-technical users. But the truth is Office 365 will make your job (and your life) a whole... Continue Reading
7 February 2017 5 reasons you can trust Microsoft Office 365 data security Security continues to be the number one concern for businesses adopting Cloud services. The 2016 IDG Enterprise Cloud Computing Survey found that these worries are still a major barrier to adoption – but CIOs are slowly becoming more comfortable with... Continue Reading
21 December 2016 Why migrate to Office 365? Top 10 reasons to migrate to Office 365 Here in the first of our series of Office 365 blogs we outline the top 10 reasons for enterprises of all sizes to migrate to Microsoft’s state of the art Office 365 enterprise IT... Continue Reading
14 December 2016 The Colour Centre choose Acora as its partner for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Acora is delighted to announce the recent signing of The Colour Centre, as a new customer. Acora will be implementing and providing support for the enterprise resource planning solution (ERP), Microsoft Dynamics NAV. The Colour Centre, is a well-known UK... Continue Reading
18 November 2016 Choosing the right IT outsourcing provider In the second of his series of outsourcing blogs, Lee Ganly, Acora’s CIO, offers key pointers on how to select the right IT outsourcing partner and ensure a smooth transition and also examines what the future holds for IT outsourcing... Continue Reading
11 November 2016 7 ways outsourcing IT can help transform a business It’s often said that outsourcing IT services can help transform a business but how? Acora’s CIO, Lee Ganly, outlines his opinions on outsourced IT below. 1. Focus on core business Outsourcing IT when done well and strategically, allows you to... Continue Reading
8 November 2016 LEAN vs ERP – the battle for the enterprise Implemented by the vast majority of manufacturing firms over the past three decades, ERP solutions are viewed as essential to the operation and efficiency of the business. Over the same period, many of the same manufacturers have adopted the principles... Continue Reading
21 September 2016 Acora has added Microsoft Dynamics CRM to its portfolio Based on customer and prospect feedback, Acora has decided to add another Microsoft product to its portfolio. Microsoft Dynamics CRM can help reduce costs and increase profitability by organising and automating business processes that nurture customer relationships and satisfaction across all interactions—marketing, sales, and customer service. Continue Reading
12 September 2016 Acora supporting young people in technology through its new academy scheme Acora Ltd, a UK based IT outsourcing service provider, with a service operation centre in Solihull, is celebrating the success of its pilot academy scheme. The company has been working with Solihull college to sponsor young people who are interested in technology. Continue Reading
7 September 2016 Replace poor train service with remote working Anyone who commutes from the south coast to London, especially over the last few months, will have been affected by the poor train service. Strikes, delays and cancellations are enough to put anyone off commuting. Continue Reading
30 August 2016 How the power of encryption can be turned against you & your business Hello all, thank you for viewing my second blog post for Acora. This time I want to focus on encryption and how it is being used in the world today. Many people think encryption is solely a good thing, as it makes everything much more secure. However, I’m dubious, I think this could be another example of having too much of a good thing. Continue Reading
3 August 2016 Sell more with Microsoft Dynamics NAV With the globalisation of supply chains and increasing customer demand for innovation and low production cost, manufacturers today need easy-to-use, flexible solutions to more effectively manage their business. Microsoft Dynamics NAV addresses these needs with powerful business solutions that are easy-to-use, integrated-by-design and optimised for discrete manufacturing. Continue Reading
28 July 2016 A day in the life of a Tier 3 Service Desk Analyst A typical day in the life of a Service Desk Analyst at Acora can be very varied due to the nature of the role, and also the different types of environments and customers that are supported. Continue Reading
27 July 2016 Streamline, compete and grow with Microsoft Dynamics NAV The Microsoft Dynamics NAV platform is highly flexible and adaptable and can be customised and extended to meet the unique needs of almost any distribution company. Acora can tailor a solution to your precise needs, providing a solution that is scalable and continually innovative while still being affordable. Continue Reading
12 July 2016 How ERP Changes the Competitive Landscape for Manufacturers Managing operations through various spreadsheets or accounting software is no longer an option. To stay competitive in today’s market you need more than a basic knowledge of what’s happening inside your organisation. You need global reach and detailed understanding of internal processes, and that means better technology. Continue Reading
28 June 2016 How the Distribution industry is using enterprise resource planning (ERP) Supply chain experts have suggested that masterful changes to your inventory management can make all the difference between the profit or loss of a distribution operation. But it’s hard to truly optimise your investment through manual processes and educated guesses. Continue Reading
13 June 2016 9 reasons to purchase Microsoft Dynamics NAV Whether you are outgrowing entry-level accounting software, rubber-banding an outdated legacy solution, or simply tired of paying annual maintenance fees to a vendor that provides little to no value for your money—now is the time to give your people the tools they need to succeed. Microsoft Dynamics NAV is an innovative, flexible solution that is fast to configure and deploy, easy to use, and provides forward-looking insights to help drive your business growth. Continue Reading
26 May 2016 Acora Ranked Among Top 501 Managed Service Providers Acora ranks among the world's most progressive 501 Managed Service Providers (MSPs). Continue Reading
24 May 2016 Acora is Microsoft Dynamics NAV partner of choice for Belmont Green Finance Limited Acora is delighted to announce the recent signing of Belmont Green Finance Limited (‘Belmont Green’) as a new customer for the implementation of the enterprise resource planning solution, Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Belmont Green is a team of experienced mortgage professionals... Continue Reading
23 May 2016 The importance of production resiliency in your line of business (LOB) applications I was recently assigned to review a customers’ availability SLA (Service Level Agreement) against their current infrastructure, I noticed that a number of their systems relied upon single points of failure. And after exploring their infrastructure with a fine tooth-comb; from WAN links to servers, I found that the worst protected area of their IT estate was their vital LOB (Line of Business) applications. Continue Reading
18 May 2016 Extract the powers of your MSP and become an IT Super Hero We demonstrate how the IT department can use their Managed Service Partner to elevate their own reputation across the business and achieve super hero status for themselves. Continue Reading
9 May 2016 On an old ERP system – upgrade or re-implement? Although the majority of my experience relates to Microsoft Dynamics NAV over many years, I believe the following comments will still be relevant to other ERP solutions, at least in part. Continue Reading
27 April 2016 TaskCentre Generates Revenue and New Opportunities for Acora Orbis Software, a provider of business process automation solutions, today revealed that, TaskCentre is helping Acora, an IT Outsourcing provider, deliver end-to-end solutions to its Microsoft Dynamics NAV customers. Continue Reading
2 March 2016 Acora launches market leading service management platform to deliver world class services to its customers Leading IT Outsourcing provider Acora has today completed a 13 month project to implement Gartner’s Magic Quadrant leading ITSM platform ServiceNow - the company’s most significant system investment in its history. Continue Reading
19 January 2016 Buying in IT skills In the third of our series of CIMA survey blogs, we examine the barriers to IT investment and the rise of the hybrid IT model. Continue Reading
17 January 2016 Peddling to Paris in aid of Chestnut Tree House Children’s Hospice Three employees from Acora have pledged to put their fitness to the test and join 8 other members as part of team KTDA, cycling from Worthing to Paris to raise £10,000 for local hospice. Continue Reading
11 January 2016 CFOs playing it safe on Cloud We may be prepared to send a man to space…but CFOs are still cautious about investing in cloud infrastructure, that is, according to the views of CIMA finance members. Continue Reading
5 January 2016 Clouding the issue We recently surveyed CIMA finance leaders from more than 6000 mid market companies to gain a better understanding of their IT investment, what areas they are most concerned with, and what new technologies they believe will take their business to the next level. Continue Reading
28 October 2015 Scary outsourcing – dispelling the myths Expense, security risks, loss of control…just some of the reasons why many mid-market organisations are scared of outsourcing. Continue Reading
12 October 2015 The Cloud debate at IP Expo by Mike Castle I sat with Lee Ganly, Acora CTO in some of the sessions at IP Expo and it made for an interesting day. The main thread was the continual move to cloud and how it is disruptive to the industry due to it's pace of continual function and service improvement as well as it's agility in supporting business change in so many sectors. Continue Reading
7 September 2015 Why Microsoft Azure? With the fast pace of innovation constantly accelerating, it’s becoming increasingly expensive to keep investing in the latest and greatest IT solutions. By turning to Microsoft Azure and the cloud, you can invest in technology without risk and without expanding your budget Continue Reading
28 July 2015 Quality Assurance Module (QA), Microsoft Dynamics NAV The quality assurance module for Microsoft Dynamics NAV is an integrated business solution that meets the needs of quality related functions, and helps in maintaining high quality product standards. Continue Reading
21 July 2015 Item Replenishment Routine Module (IRR), Microsoft Dynamics NAV Our customers often request a solution for keeping their inventory systems free from over-stocking and spend, but wish to remain scalable during seasons of high demand. Continue Reading
9 July 2015 The features and benefits of SharePoint SharePoint is a back-end system that ties all your employees’ PCs and mobile devices together, allowing them all to communicate and synchronize their efforts. Its goal is to make it possible for a company with a number of employees spread all over the region to work with the same level of agility and coordination as a company with three people working out of a single office. Continue Reading
8 June 2015 Solving the data backup challenge with the Cloud Backups and data protection in general has been an ongoing challenge for organisations for years. Investment in suitable hardware and software isn’t cheap and only lasts for so many years before it’s superseded by the next great technical advancement – more capacity, faster throughput and wider software support to name but a few. Continue Reading
27 April 2015 Acora recognised as an investor in people Acora, a UK-based IT Outsourcing company, has been awarded the Investors in People Standard, demonstrating their commitment to realising the potential of their people. Continue Reading
13 March 2015 Cash Flow is King. Are you protecting your crown jewels? After the downturns and instabilities of recent years, mid-market businesses need to manage their cash closely. Whether bulking up reserves to manage future growth or doing accounting gymnastics to stretch thin reserves, every finance department is obsessed with looking after every penny, and making cash work hard and flow freely. Continue Reading
19 January 2015 Acora meeting increased demand from financial services companies for its specialist IT outsourcing services A recent article in Computer Weekly reveals that Financial services companies are using more third-party IT products and services as well as outsourced IT services. Continue Reading
23 December 2014 Strong end to year for Acora after securing new wins in both IT Outsourcing and Business Applications A busy three month period has seen a record number of new Microsoft Dynamics NAV wins in addition to three significant new outsourcing contracts in the financial services sector. Continue Reading
12 December 2014 The opportunities for quality IT outsourcing services to the mid-market Providing services of any kind to mid-market companies presents very specific challenges and IT outsourcing is no different. Continue Reading
10 December 2014 Top Tips to help manage and govern a balanced portfolio of IT assets Use IT to innovate your business…but make sure have the basics in place to start with. Continue Reading
8 December 2014 Halve your journey time: Outsource without losing control The decision to use outsourcing to improve accountability, reliability and scalability is becoming a strategic boardroom issue. Continue Reading
24 November 2014 Acora signs three significant new contracts following heavy investment in its IT service desk Acora are delighted to announce the recent signing of 3 significant new clients, with multiyear service agreements totalling well over 12M of contractual services and an average of over 4 years per contract. Continue Reading
19 November 2014 Running vs transforming the business: getting the right balance IT can enable your business to grow, but unless you have a stable foundation of technology supporting your BAU – you can’t even begin to consider investing in business transforming technologies. Continue Reading
17 November 2014 Acora features in Sunday Telegraph’s strategy execution report For businesses wanting to get to their destination quicker, the decision to outsource can halve their journey time. Continue Reading
13 October 2014 All the latest news from Microsoft Dynamics NAV partner event This year’s annual Microsoft Dynamics NAV partner event (Directions EMEA) in Poznan, Poland was attended by almost 1,200 delegates from 44 countries. Continue Reading
3 October 2014 Have you outgrown your IT service provider? IT outsourcing customers are losing patience with service providers who aren't working with them to provide value beyond the basic terms of their contracts. Continue Reading
23 September 2014 Acora delivers new service desk offering for mid-market Acora, the UK-based mid-market IT outsourcing specialist, has today announced the completion of Phase One of a massive restructure to its service desk which has already led to a significant jump in service levels. Continue Reading
11 September 2014 8 Top Tips for Implementing Microsoft Dynamics Nav Our expert Paul Faulkner has over 20 years’ experience of working in the IT industry. Here he offers the first four of his 8 top tips for implementing Microsoft Dynamics NAV and making it a success. Continue Reading
6 December 2013 Acora – one of the ‘1000 companies to inspire Britain’ Acora is today delighted to announce it has been recorded as one of the ‘1000 companies to inspire Britain’ by the London Stock Exchange Group, a landmark report that identifies some of the UK’s most exciting and dynamic small and... Continue Reading
7 November 2013 Acora announces new partnership with Tegile Systems Acora is delighted to have been chosen as one of Tegile’s first UK based channel partners. Tegile’s new pioneering hybrid arrays balance performance, capacity, features and price for virtualisation, file services and database applications. These hybrid storage arrays are significantly... Continue Reading
10 June 2013 Acora ranks in Investec’s Hot 100 businesses Investec’s Hot 100 list ranks the UK’s fastest growing private companies by their average growth in (profitable) turnover over a testing four-year period and is one of the most important sources of insight into the heartland UK economy. Acora is... Continue Reading
30 April 2013 Acora and SEGA® Europe Ltd. Boost Partnership with Business Transformation Focused Relocation Acora, UK mid-market IT outsourcing specialists, today announced the strengthening of its close partnership with SEGA® Europe Ltd, following the successful relocation of development studio, Hardlight Studios. Due to the popularity of its Apple iOS / Google Android franchises, Hardlight... Continue Reading
17 April 2013 Is the Cloud the Holy Grail of IT outsourcing investment? As businesses look to slash costs and realise efficiencies, business leaders are under increasing pressure to invest wisely to create a more agile business that can flex with shifting market conditions. Currently 93% of CFOs rate the level of economic uncertainty as... Continue Reading
2 April 2013 The Top Five Ways IT Can Influence Enterprise Valuation IT capabilities have become an increasingly significant factor in external assessment of enterprise valuation. Those looking to increase net worth must now consider IT as a strategic enabler rather than a business utility, and demonstrate a holistic, mature approach towards... Continue Reading
25 September 2012 Understanding IT Outsourcing in the Mid- Market At Acora we are committed to listening to businesses in the dynamic mid-market to understanding their issues so that we can shape our outsourced IT services to best suit their needs. To demonstrate this commitment we have initiated some research... Continue Reading
29 August 2012 Increase in Demand for Acora’s IT Services Acora is delighted to welcome 48 new staff into our business this year. This growth has been due to an increase in demand for our Acora services, mainly focusing on consultants, engineers and service desk staff. This extra depth and... Continue Reading
29 August 2012 Acora’s IT Services Achieves Quadruple Certifications Acora (formerly ADA technology systems) relaunched in December 2011 with a commitment to redefine service for visionary business leaders in the mid-market with a pioneering approach to outsourced IT services. Today, the company announced that it has been awarded LRQA’s... Continue Reading
29 August 2012 New IT Outsourcing Strategy Sees Domino Appoint Acora International printing technology specialist Domino Printing Sciences plc has appointed IT outsourcer, Acora, to deliver a five year managed storage contract. The deal will see Acora manage Domino’s entire storage estate for over 2,200 employees worldwide, provide round the clock... Continue Reading