Here are answers to some of the questions we get asked most often.
General Questions
- How do I stop spam?
- How do I stop hackers and viruses?
- I'm moving offices, can you help me with that?
- Do you supply computers and related equipment?
- I'd like to connect to my office from home, can you do that for me?
Website Questions
- My friend says he can build a website for me, why shouldn't I just let him do it?
- Why should I choose Ameris to develop my website?
- Once our site is online how will people hear about us?
- Why doesn't my website appear in Search Engines?
- How much does a website cost?
- Will we receive support once our website has been developed?
- Can we make changes to my website after the site is complete?
- Where can I see examples of your work?
- How can I make my website secure?
- What is an Intranet?
- What is an Extranet?
General Questions
How do I stop spam?
Unfortunately this is a common problem and stopping spam completely is difficult to achieve. There are a number of third party solutions (i.e. additional software) that block all mail you receive if it is not from a recognised sender. Your email provider (usually your ISP) may actually have a system in place that limits the amount of spam sent to you. It is a good idea to have a separate email address that you do not give out to anyone except personal contacts. The email you collect from this address will contain much less spam, and can be dealt with more quickly. Use a different email address if you have to enter an address in a form on a website, for example. This address is likely to collect a lot of spam and can be given low priority when checking your email. Ameris can implement various methods to help you fight spam, call us to learn more.
How do I stop hackers and viruses?
The only sure way to prevent hackers from gaining access to your PC is to disconnect your PC from the Internet. Failing that there are a number of safeguards that can be put in place to make it extremely difficult for any hackers to hack into your PC. To protect your PC from malicious attacks you will need a combination of anti-virus software, privacy software and a firewall. It is not only malicious attacks that you need to be alert to. Some software (refered to as spyware) will not harm your computer but will gather data such as passwords, letters you have typed or a list of websites you have visited and deliver it to marketing companies. Anti-virus software must be kept up to date for it to be able to detect new viruses. Most anti-virus products have a feature that allows easy updating. A firewall can be software or hardware and will limit external access. Our resources page contains links to suppliers of anti-virus and security software.
I'm moving offices can you help me with that?
Ameris are expert at managing the IT and communications aspects of relocating your business (we've moved to bigger premises twice ourselves!). Give us a call and we can tell you what's involved and how best to go about it.
Do you supply computers and related equipment?
Ameris recommend Dell equipment, which is of the highest quality, competitively priced, and comes with excellent after sales service. As official Dell affiliates we are able to secure substantial discounts on bulk purchases of computers and other hardware for your business and as part of a support contract we will manage the warranties for you.
I'd like to connect to my office from home, can you do that for me?
Yes we can. Connecting to your office PC or network from elsewhere is becoming more and more popular as people realise that they can do a lot of their work from home. We can show you how to go about it for an individual or an entire company.
Website Questions
My friend says he can build a website for me, why shouldn't I just let him do it?
Building an effective business website is a complex task requiring a mixture of skills that is normally only found in an experienced team of people with the proper resources at their disposal. Does your friend, for example, have a wide variety of computer platforms and browser combinations to test your site on? Will the site be optimized for and submitted to search engines? Will the site load quickly? Will he always be available to provide ongoing support? Can he arrange reliable hosting for the site? If the answer to all these questions is yes, we'll give you some more to ask him!
Why should I choose Ameris to develop my website?
Ameris have a track record of successful, on-budget Web development projects, and a team that combines development expertise with business knowledge and a friendly, helpful attitude. And of course our prices are very reasonable :-)
Once our site is online how will people hear about us?
All too often, websites go online and nobody knows about it! A successful Web launch involves registering your website with the major search engines as well as with many smaller specialised directories. All this is included as part of the project.
Why doesn't my website appear in Search Engines?
Unfortunately registering with Search Engines can take a long time and there is no guarantee of a high ranking. We employ numerous tried and tested techniques to ensure that your site ranks as high as possible in all the major search engines. We can optimise the pages of your site to reach as high a position as possible for particular searches, however some areas of business are much more competitive in this respect than others and can prove difficult. Your search engine ranking is also be affected by how many other websites have a link to you. The better your search engine results, the more visitors you get, and the more potential sales you have.
How much does a website cost?
The cost of producing a website varies according to a large number of factors, mainly the complexity of the site itself. A small business getting on the Web for the first time will probably need a budget of £2000 upwards for a fairly simple but professional-looking site. Larger sites and sites involving database integration, e-commerce and other specialist features obviously cost more. Contact us for a Free consultation about your specific requirements and we will be happy to prepare an individual quotation.
Will we receive support once our website has been developed?
All systems are deployed with training and written instructions. There is a 3 month free support period after completion. We also offer maintenance and support agreements. On the rare occasions that a developed system or website does not function as intended we will fix any problems free of charge.
Can we make changes to a website after the site is complete?
Once a website is completed it becomes your property you are free to adapt it or update it. Ekeda can also make any changes, amendments or additions, for which we would provide a quotation as required. If your system or website needs regularly updating of content we will include a content management system in the initial design. This empowers designated members of your staff to update content without our assistance.
Where can I see examples of your work?
View our online portfolio
How can I make my website secure?
Security is a broad topic. If you're site will be receiving and/or storing sensitive information such as credit card details then it is crucial that security measures are implemented and security best practices are followed. SSL security is essential to encrypt sensitive information while in transit over the Internet; credit card details should ideally be validated in real time and not stored; the physical location of your server must be secure, your webserver software and operating system must have the latest security patches and fixes. To learn more about security for your particular business contact us.
What is an Intranet?
An intranet is a private Internet available to only you and your employees. It is an easy-to-use communications and work environment that effectively delivers any kind of content and data, including voice and video. Employees can access this Web-like infrastructure for all of their company forms, resources, and information. They can even collaborate in real-time, even though they may be thousands of miles apart.
What is an Extranet?
An extranet is a secure, Web-like, private network accessible only to selected customers, suppliers, and business partners. With an extranet, specified parties can access company information; online catalogues; online order entry, order status, and shipping schedule look-up; online support and customer service; new product and service announcements; secure e-mail exchanges and pretty much whatever your business model requires.
If your question has not been answered here, put it in an email: sales@ameris.co.uk
