BritTec Practical IT skills for UK business

BritTec

Practical IT skills for UK business

Latest Articles

Do Not Sign Until the Fibre Does: A Connectivity Due-Diligence Checklist for Office Moves
IT Governance & Risk

Do Not Sign Until the Fibre Does: A Connectivity Due-Diligence Checklist for Office Moves

A new lease can be signed long before the broadband is ready. This scored checklist helps UK SMEs test broadband, leased-line and VoIP readiness at a prospective office, covering lead times, wayleaves, notice periods, number porting and contingency. It is designed to be used before the lease commitment, not after the removal van arrives.
When the IT Desk Is a Duo: A Resilience Playbook for Leave and Sick Cover
IT Support & Managed Services

When the IT Desk Is a Duo: A Resilience Playbook for Leave and Sick Cover

For many UK SMEs, the IT function rests on one or two people. This article explains how to build a leave-and-sick-cover playbook that documents critical systems, names deputies, sets supplier escalation routes and proves itself during a low-risk absence. It includes a checklist and a simple template that can be completed in an afternoon.
Leaving Well: A Controlled Offboarding Routine for UK Small Firms
IT Support & Managed Services

Leaving Well: A Controlled Offboarding Routine for UK Small Firms

A staff departure is not just an HR event; it is an access-control event. This guide sets out a repeatable leaver routine for UK SMEs, covering the thirty-minute checklist, shared-mailbox transfer, revocation timing and the records that support UK GDPR accountability.
Beyond the Firewall: A Practical Physical Security Review for UK SMEs
IT Governance & Risk

Beyond the Firewall: A Practical Physical Security Review for UK SMEs

Most security spending goes into software, yet many incidents begin with a missing cable lock, an open comms cupboard or a returned laptop that was never wiped. This review sets out a low-cost physical security routine for UK small firms, with insurance, data-protection and continuity implications.
Renewal Without Regret: An Eight-Point IT Support Scorecard for UK SMEs in 2026
IT Support & Managed Services

Renewal Without Regret: An Eight-Point IT Support Scorecard for UK SMEs in 2026

Managed IT support contracts are often renewed on inertia rather than evidence. This scorecard gives UK business owners eight practical questions to ask before signing or renewing in 2026, with red flags, scoring guidance and negotiation points.
The Licence You Already Own: Five Underused Microsoft 365 Tools for UK Small Firms
Productivity & Cloud Tools

The Licence You Already Own: Five Underused Microsoft 365 Tools for UK Small Firms

Many UK SMEs pay for Microsoft 365 licences but use only email, Teams and Word. This practical guide highlights five included tools that can solve common business problems without new software spend, with quick-start steps and licence notes.
Ready Before They Arrive: A Repeatable First-Day IT Onboarding Framework for UK SMEs
IT Support & Managed Services

Ready Before They Arrive: A Repeatable First-Day IT Onboarding Framework for UK SMEs

A new starter's first day should not begin with a password reset queue. This practical framework gives UK SMEs a repeatable process for identity, devices, access and security briefing, with a checklist managers can sign off.
Silent Lines, Real Risks: A 90-Day PSTN Migration Blueprint for UK SMEs in 2026
IT Governance & Risk

Silent Lines, Real Risks: A 90-Day PSTN Migration Blueprint for UK SMEs in 2026

The retirement of the UK's analogue phone network is not only a telecoms procurement task; it is a business continuity and risk issue. This 90-day blueprint helps SME leaders inventory hidden line dependencies, prioritise exposure and coordinate a controlled migration.
The Small Business Year-End IT Tune-Up: Ten Low-Cost Checks for UK SMEs in 2026
IT Governance & Risk

The Small Business Year-End IT Tune-Up: Ten Low-Cost Checks for UK SMEs in 2026

Year-end is a useful moment for UK SMEs to close basic IT gaps without committing to a large project. This checklist sets out ten practical checks, from backups and MFA to leaver processes and Cyber Essentials readiness, that owner-managers can complete or delegate before the end of 2026.
Process Before Pixels: Why AI Cannot Rescue an Underperforming UK Helpdesk
IT Support & Managed Services

Process Before Pixels: Why AI Cannot Rescue an Underperforming UK Helpdesk

AI assistants can summarise tickets and suggest answers, but they cannot compensate for unclear service levels, weak triage or an absent knowledge base. For UK SMEs in 2026, the sensible route is to fix the support process first, then apply automation where it measurably helps.