Setting up an office can be daunting

Whether your office is a cupboard under the stairs, or leased from a business landlord, getting the right setup is a vast undertaking. There are so many things to consider – computers, phone lines, technology – and, if your business is growing at a rate of knots, little time to spend searching for the right deal.
Businesses based in a serviced office centre will be largely spared the hassle, as computers, broadband and phones are included in most rental packages – at a cost. But if you’re working from home, or setting up your own office from scratch, the following checklist should provide a good starting point for establishing the tools you need.

Advice
Unless you consider yourself a technical expert, your first task should be to find a reliable IT consultant. It’s a classic case of ‘spend some money to save some money’, as a specialist will be able to advise you on the right purchases for your business needs, organise installation, and also save you a great deal of time in the long run.
Use a recommended IT consultant company such as IT Lab or Campbell-Lange Workshop and always listen out for personal recommendations in your local area. You can also search by the kind of job you need doing on sites such as www.youritproject.co.uk, which puts small businesses in touch with various different consultants.

Working from home
Advances in technology mean homeworking has never been more popular – or more complicated! Tech firm Digital Plumbers was launched in 2006, specifically to support home workers befuddled by the number of options on offer.
‘Our service is not so much about dealing with technology, but dealing with people,’ promises founder Steve Moore. His army of ‘plumbers’ are all security checked, and promise not to ‘talk tech’ when they assess your home needs. ‘Most home users won’t need to spend more than £1,000 to set up a small home office,’ Moore advises.
Most clients opt for a separate telephone line for work calls. Broadband and Wi-Fi are two areas that generate endless questions. ‘A wired connection in your house is going to be about five times faster than a wireless one,’ Moore advises. ‘It may also be worth coughing up for a business internet connection, as it’s likely to be much faster than a domestic one. These tend to slow dramatically after 4pm when the nation’s kids come home from school and start downloading – which can make things difficult if you’re doing business with the US.’

Hardware
Whether a home or business user, the good news is that computer hardware keeps coming down in price so it is no surprise that IT consultants advise to always ‘buy new’, and take advantage of guarantees. ‘Hardware goes out of date the moment it enters the door of your office,’ says Steve Barrett, engineer and manager at hi-tech firm SMC. You’ll also need to decide whether to plump for Mac or PC, laptops or fixed workstations – or both – depending on your business needs.
Get the balance right – you don’t need a top of the range computer, but it has to be good enough to do the job. As a rule of thumb, if you are working with graphics, large images, video or audio files, you will need a higher spec computer with adequate processing power to run several applications at once. If your work is colour sensitive, you will also need a higher quality screen.
If you have more than a few employees and you all work on the same files, you will need a server. This is the central computer that links all users; a hub where all the files are stored to enable shared access and avoid multiple copies and versions of files. Some companies store all their software on the server, and have ‘dummy’ PCs which don’t have any software on. This ensures the maximum server speed is optimised.
Printers are also shared over the network. Some of the most expensive consumables are printer toner cartridges, but websites including www.tonertopup.co.uk and www.refilltoner.com
will show you how to save. Also, consider installing a backup system which will protect you from losing valuable data. Statistics on damage to business productivity through data loss are hard to collect, but it’s not just a hardware or software error that could hit you – a study by Pepperdine University in California, USA, revealed 29% of data loss is down to human error.

Software
Windows Vista for PC and OS X 10.5 Leopard for Mac are the latest operating software releases, but make sure they are compatible with the software and any websites you want to use. If you share files with other companies, make sure you have compatible software. For example, don’t buy Microsoft Works just because it is cheaper, as most companies use Microsoft Office. For all software applications, bear in mind that you will need business software, which is more expensive, but can be licensed for multiple users.
Microsoft Outlook is the standard email software; don’t forget anti-virus software to protect your system – the two most common are Symantec and McAfee – and consider installing anti-spyware software and a firewall if these features are not included when you buy. This will shield your network from unauthorised users, and can also restrict data flowing out of your network. Finally, consider software you will need for running your business, such as a basic accountancy software package.

The wireless office?
When you’re looking for a suitable office, bear connectivity in mind – are there enough powerpoints and phone points for your needs? Going wireless can seem a good way to eliminate hassle, but it has additional security risks, and could leave you vulnerable to hackers.
Laptops generally come with a Wi-Fi capability as standard. This is useful if you’re on your laptop in a coffee shop, but is it worth installing in the office too? ‘Going wireless can change the way you work, and make things more flexible in the office,’ says Barrett. ‘However, the lack of cabling won’t save you loads of money on installation. Most printers and servers still need to be hardwired, and under floor trunking will still be needed for phone, broadband and power cables.’

Where to buy from
Business users can get competitive quotes direct from suppliers. ‘Most of the big suppliers like Dell and Hewlett Packard will deal direct with business users,’ says Vuyo Tsele, IT manager at United Business Media. ‘The bigger
ones will offer next day support. The price and package you get is all down to you – it’s up to individual businesses to negotiate.’ True – you can sometimes find bargains on eBay – but remember that you will not be able to claim the tax back.

Telephones
Broadband is an essential service for the modern business. BT is regarded by most as the market leader when it comes to business broadband because they own the lines and can easily test them during setups and failures. Just as there are corporate deals to be had on mobile phone packages, broadband is no different – and there is a wealth of providers.
When it comes to voice calls, for most small businesses, the most crucial piece of gadgetry is a phone switch, which takes a number of incoming lines, and acts as the switchboard. Managed like a computer, it can send through all the calls to all the phones, or be used to set up ringing groups. Many businesses also take advantage of ISDN lines, which can be used for more than one voice call on the same line, as well as data transfer and international calls.
You may also need an extra phone line for your burglar alarm, if it has a police response function linked to a telephone. And insurance is another area you shouldn’t forget.

Mobile phones
Do you need a business mobile separate from your personal mobile? Again, all the big companies deal direct with business users; most have a small business section for users of under five handsets, and many deals are on offer.
One company well worth checking out is Bluebell Telecoms, which offers to review your existing mobiles and landlines, seeing if it can work out a more competitive package. It does this by leasing lines direct from phone providers, and selling them on.

Office furniture
Once you’ve worked out your gadgetry, don’t forget that you will also need somewhere to sit! Office furniture is available for hire – the cost of buying some items, like computer chairs, from new could surprise you. IKEA does a well-priced range of office furniture that is popular with many small businesses, but buying second hand from a business that’s gone bust is also a thrifty option.
Yes, everyone jokes about it, but you won’t be laughing if an employee brings a lawsuit against you. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has a useful section for small businesses on its website, and specific information about office working, including repetitive strain injury.
Avoid extension leads wherever possible, as they are a fire hazard. The fuses of all devices plugged into a single extension lead should not be more than 13 amps. If cables can’t go under the floor or carpet, make sure they are covered by a floor cable cover. And never cover up vents on computers.
If you have more than five employees, by law you must have a formal, written health and safety policy, but the HSE website can guide you through: www.hse.gov.uk. Depending on the ‘risk category’ of your business, you may need a trained first aider when you employ more than five people.