ACS365 News

ACS scores a hat-trick in the Sunday Times Top 100

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 09:01:40 GMT

The acs team celebrated a hat-trick as they were named in the prestigious Sunday Times Top 100 Best Companies list for the 3rd year running. The Best Companies Guide is based on employee feedback, which gives a candid and defined picture of a company to provide an excellent snapshot summary for the organisation as a whole.

"We are thrilled to have been named a top 100 best company for the 3rd consecutive year and to have once again received the highest 'three star' rating for creating a great place to work", explains Jon Thorpe, Managing Director at acs.

Improving on last year's entry into the Sunday Times' definitive list of the UKs best companies to work for, acs has climbed a massive 10 places to feature at number 42 in the 2012 list. acs scored highest in the "Well-being", "Fair Deal" and "Leadership" categories.

Nicola Harding and Dan Harding collect the award from Best Companies CEO Jonathan Austin

"Thank you to the whole team for making acs such a great place to work. We aim to attract and keep the very best talent, so we invest a lot of time and energy in ensuring our employees are engaged, productive and happy," said Dan Harding, Sales Director at acs.

"In the current climate, we've put increasingly more emphasis on ensuring that our employees feel engaged and supported at all times, so to be acknowledged for the support offered to all acs employees by both management and co-workers is great news."

Supporting the best

We would also like to congratulate our customer, Shine Communications, who this year topped the Sunday Times list - we are very proud to support the number one Best Company on a daily basis, as they continue to grow and thrive.

Shine named best small company to work for in the UK

About the list

Being a 'Best Company' takes a deep-rooted commitment by an organisation to being the best it can be in every area of the workplace, in supporting the day-to-day working lives of its workforce. The very best organisations realise that focusing strongly on people brings meaningful benefits such as improved workplace engagement, better staff retention, reduced recruitment costs and of course significantly improved financial performance.

Best Companies established the accreditation award scheme to acknowledge excellence in the workplace. Based on staff feedback, it looks at employee engagement as an integral part of a company's success and growth, and sets a benchmark for other employers. The accreditation scheme follows a Michelin star style system with companies awarded one star for first class, two stars for outstanding and three stars for extraordinary performance.

ACS Open Day 2012 - Thursday 17th May

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 09:01:20 GMT

Something big is coming. acs's "Buy to save" Open Day event will be packed full of money saving tips, new technology and products to help your business do more with less.

In business, we know how valuable your time is – so what can you expect to find in just one hour?

Industry expertise
Discuss your business with leading manufacturers within the industry.

Meet the team
Come and meet the team, discuss your business strategy and see how together we can give your business a competitive advantage.

See it in action
See what's hot in the industry and experience the latest demonstrations by the industry experts.

Not forgetting an endless supply of food and drinks to enjoy…

ACS ranked in the Top 20 MSPmentor 50 EMEA Edition

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 09:01:00 GMT

acs has been ranked in the top 20 managed service providers (MSPs) across Europe, the Middle East and Africa - reflecting the standard of support it offers its customers.

The MSPmentor 50 EMEA Edition recognises top managed service providers based on annual managed services revenue growth, revenue per employee, managed services offered and customer devices managed.

"It all sounds very technical, but in essence, it means we look after our customers from the moment we first do business with them, all the way through the process of setting up their office and IT solutions, and then managing it for them thereafter," said Jon Thorpe, the managing director of acs. "That includes keeping them up to speed on technological advancements, looking after their own technology, and helping their effectiveness and reliability.

"This a big boost to kick off 2012 for everyone associated with acs, and yet again I find myself very proud of the people we employ."

"Nine Lives Media and MSPmentor congratulate acs for its leadership position within the EMEA market," said Amy Katz, president of Nine Lives Media, a division of Penton Media. "While many IT resellers across EMEA cling to break-fix business models, the EMEA 50 list identifies true market leaders among IT service providers."

To find out more or to discuss any aspect of your IT, please contact us today.

ACS wins regional award for 'Training and Development'

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:01:00 GMT

Northamptonshire's Business Excellence Awards, arranged by Northamptonshire Newspapers, sponsored by Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership and in association with Northants Chamber, were recently held at the Barceló Hotel in Daventry.

Twelve members of the acs team attended the meal and enjoyed after dinner entertainment from comedian Tom O'Connor.

As the night progressed, twelve awards were presented, recognising excellence in everything from Customer Service, to Innovation and Environmental work.
acs was recognised in a number of categories, including 'Business of the Year (over 50 employees)', 'Apprentice Business of the Year' and 'Training and Development'.

The company's success continued as they were presented the most prestigious award dedicated to looking after staff, 'Training and Development', despite strong competition.

The award - sponsored by St Andrews Healthcare - recognises excellence in induction for new staff, training levels, ongoing staff development, incentives, and internal/external training programmes.

Jon Thorpe, Joint Managing Director of acs said, "The Northamptonshire Business Excellence Awards are a great opportunity for new and established businesses to be recognised for their achievements and success. We're honoured to have been finalists in three categories, but to have won the Training and Development award is a fantastic acheivement. acs has strived to recruit a team willing to go the extra mile for our clients and each other. We believe that true greatness comes from within and training helps members of our team to realise their full potential."

To learn more about how the acs team could help you, contact us today.

ACS wins two awards at regional heat of UK Chamber Awards

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:01:00 GMT

acs has scooped two awards at the regional round of the British Chambers of Commerce Chamber Awards 2011 and is now in the running for the national titles in these categories and the chance to collect the Award for Outstanding Business Achievement – with a top prize of £25,000 and runner up prizes of £15,000 and £10,000.

acs's Dan Harding and John Harley receive the awards from Tracey Branson and Paul Griffiths of the Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce. Also accepting the awards are members of the acs team who have come the company's apprenticeship scheme.

The Brackmills-based company, which provides IT solutions, office furniture and interiors as well as online services to SMEs, triumphed in the Award for Excellence in Customer Service, sponsored by AXA PPP healthcare, and the Award for Excellence in People Development categories.

acs has just celebrated its best year ever - recording growth of 13%, which it hopes to raise to 50% over the next three years. It has also invested heavily in up-skilling its workforce in the last three years.

John Harley, Joint Managing Director, said of the double award win: "We are absolutely thrilled to have won these two awards, which are at the core of our values, developing highly talented people from the local area. These people then become real assets to the business and deliver quality customer service, which in turn provides the platform for our continued expansion, creating yet more opportunities for job creation, further fuelling our growth and success."

Paul Griffiths, Chief Executive of Northamptonshire Chamber, said: "We're delighted to see Northamptonshire Chamber and Business Alliance Group members acs win these two awards. The company has had a phenomenal year and to get recognition in the fields of customer service and people development is no mean feat. The Chamber Awards were created to recognise the hard work of companies like acs and I wish them the best of luck for the national finals in November."

The national winners of the Chamber Awards 2011 will be announced at a ceremony at London's Connaught Rooms on Thursday 24 November. For more information visit www.chamberawards.co.uk/2011/

Link: www.northants-chamber.co.uk

ACS opens its latest office in Fleet Street, London

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 09:01:00 GMT

As part of acs's ongoing expansion, we mark an important step forward with the opening of our third and latest office in Central London.

acs
F160 Fleet Street,
London,
EC4A 2DQ

The new office in Fleet Street will help us to further improve the service we deliver, with a wide range of sales, support and technical staff based at the new office.

For over 16 years acs has built a loyal customer base in the capital and it's only as a result of their continued support that we are able to open our latest office in London in time for the Olympics next year.

London is a key part of acs's expansion plans and we will be pro-actively looking to grow our customer base further and deliver an unparalleled level of service to our customers in the region.

To contact our Central London office, please call us on; 020 7884 9177 or email fleetstreet@acs365.co.uk.

CRN Awards 2011 – ACS finalists for 2nd year running

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 09:00:00 GMT

We are delighted to announce that acs once again features on the shortlist of finalists for the biggest IT event of the year, CRN's Channel Awards 2011.

Shortlisted in both the 'Midmarket Reseller' and 'Services Provider' of the year categories, it's a significant reflection of the continued hard work and commitment of the acs team.

acs aims to provide the very best IT solutions to its customers, and it's only with their support that acs can continue to be recognised for industry awards such as these.

"We've had a great year at acs and this news that we've been able to share with our staff is recognition for all that hard work. Both nominations for this year's CRN Awards are a fantastic achievement for the company," stated acs Joint Managing Director, Jon Thorpe. "To be recognised within the IT channel by a tough-to-please selection of industry experts, has helped highlight to the entire acs team that we're on track for continued success."

The winners will be announced at the 'Oscars of the IT Channel' on Thursday 17th November at the Battersea Park Events Arena.

Best of luck to the acs team!

Link: Full list of finalists at www.channelweb.co.uk

Passionate about placing people - ACS Recruitment launches

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 09:00:00 GMT

Award winning acs, the Northampton based office and IT solutions specialists, are now adding an unusual twist to their business.

Headed by Operations Director Hellie Baxter and Sales Manager Chris Wright,
acs recruitment will be officially launched on September 1 - and they are looking to make a big impact in the region with clients and job seekers looking to get back into work.

Said Hellie, who joined the company with 17 years of experience as a recruitment specialist: "This is a really exciting new venture, and being part of acs, you can guarantee it will be both dynamic and pro-active. I am delighted to be involved, and the launch is the result of months of hard work and dedication from the team.

"Few companies know better than acs about looking after the best interests of the their staff, and that is borne out by them being in the Sunday Times Top 100 companies to work for listing in the past two years. This is a company acclaimed for the way it looks after the people who work there.

"With that in mind, acs recruitment will be making sure we supply all our clients" with staff of the highest quality, who in turn will have the best possible support from our team of consultants and advisors."

Jon Thorpe, Joint Managing Director of acs, said the company's recruitment division was a natural step in its further expansion.

He said: "We now employ over a hundred people in and around Northampton, and we are very proud of the recognition we have received as being a good employer, none more so than the honour of making the Sunday Times list.

"We care passionately about staff well-being, and finding the right person for the appropriate opportunity. Becoming involved in recruitment seemed a natural way for us to expand.

"I've worked with Hellie in her previous role with other recruitment agencies and have always been impressed with her reliability and knowledge of the business, and in return she's always seen us as one of her most reliable clients. So we just got chatting one day late last year, and from a good idea acs recruitment is now happening, and we're all very excited."

acs recruitment will be concentrating on the Commercial, Technical and Industrial sectors covering temporary and permanent placements.

Hellie continues, "We are able to offer our clients a tailor made solution free from bureaucratic restraints that your typical high street companies have to abide by. Here at acs recruitment, we are able to provide our clients with quick decisions and appreciate the pressure clients are under when choosing their agency suppliers. With over 25 years experience in the industry, we understand the need to be flexible with our service promise, especially in the current climate."

acs recruitment is keen to speak to any business wanting to expand their current team, so why not give them a call on 01604 704058 or visit their website www.acsrecruitment.co.uk.

IT advice from one of the world's top managed services experts

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 09:01:00 GMT

Award winning workplace and IT solutions company, acs, is proud to announce its Services Manager, Keith Bird (uk.linkedin.com/in/keithbird), has been named amongst the world's Top 250 business leaders within the Managed Services market for the second year running.

Keith Bird pictured after completing the Virgin London Marathon in 2011.

MSP Mentor (www.mspmentor.net), the ultimate guide to Managed Services, releases an annual list to highlight outstanding individuals who continue to make their mark within the ever-advancing Managed Service arena.

Keith has helped to grow acs's Managed Services division revenue to over £1.5million annually since its launch in 2008.

"In today's marketplace it is critical that with every one of our client relationships and the value we deliver really makes a difference to the profitability to their business. Our managed services methodology focuses on the "end results", which means our clients see a clear distinction between us and our competitors, that reinforces our belief that our growth will continue through further gains in market share."

With a ranking in the top 20 of Europe's Managed Service Providers survey, reflecting the standard of support it offers its customers, acs proudly remains the leading Managed Service provider in the region.

If you have any IT questions you'd like to discuss with Keith Bird, please click here or call 01604 704000.

Source: MSP Mentor Top 250 Managed Services Experts

The Apprentice: You're Hired!

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:00:00 GMT

In our current economic climate, young people in the UK have been hardest hit. With one in five struggling to find work, they face the age-old problem: experience – and not enough of it.

For the past 18 months, Northampton based companies acs and Starting Off have strengthened their partnership. Demonstrating a commitment to shift these obstacles, they continue to pave the way for young, local people to kick-start their careers from the foot of the ladder.

From left (back) Chelsea Mason, Matt Smith, Jake Penny, Tayler Morgan, Emily Carr, Joseph Baker, Martin McDonald. Front: Dale Willis (MD of Starting Off), Jess Fordham (Recruitment and Training Consultant at Starting Off)

From the day acs was founded, the solutions based company has operated on its values; passion, honesty, trust, loyalty and teamwork - but the award winning company's most important asset has always been its people.

The partnership between acs and Starting Off to date has seen many young people grow into successful career-minded adults, providing sought after opportunities they would not usually get the chance to grasp.

As a recruitment and training company, Kettering and Northampton based Starting Off specialises in careers and apprenticeships in business related environments. Offering interns a work/study balance, knowledge and experience are developed side by side, ultimately gearing them for the future.

Dale Willis, Managing Director of Starting Off said: "Through our working relationship with acs, one of the local area's major employers, we have been able to provide the best career opportunities for apprentices, trainees and graduates in Northamptonshire. We can rest assured knowing they are in good hands."

Award winning acs has benefited greatly from its working relationship with Starting Off, as two apprentices this year received awards for their outstanding contribution to the company. Tayler Morgan achieved 'Newcomer of the year', with the 'Most improved employee' title awarded to Emily Carr at the company's AGM in May.

acs's Joint Managing Director, John Harley said: "Our most important asset is our people. In recruiting some of the younger members of the team, we've found people who share our values and passion. Starting Off has certainly provided us with a dynamic bunch, all willing to go the extra mile for our customers and each other."

acs provides IT solutions, workplace interiors and cloud hosted services to local businesses. To find out more call 01604 704000 or visit www.acs365.co.uk. If you'd like to discuss recruiting and training new talent, Starting Off can be contacted on 01604 622855 or visit www.youngjobs.co.uk.

Northamptonshire Chamber Golf 2011 @ Hawkstone Park

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 09:00:00 GMT

On the 4th June weekend the Northants Chamber invitation to Captain's weekend took place at the beautiful Hawkstone Park Championship Course in Shrewsbury. Here's the weekend as it happened...

Friday

Scorching temperatures welcomed the Chamber's group and, after bacon butties and liberal sunscreen application, we ventured out onto the narrow fairways and rolling terrain of the Hawkstone Course. Despite numerous shouts of 'fore' due to the claustrophobic design of the golf course (nothing to do with poor swings of course!!) scoring is pretty good. Jon Thorpe takes the individual honours, with the team of Andy Cockerill and Doug Iles taking the prize for best pair. Special mentions for Mr Iles 'two and a half inch drive' and the airborne 'yipped' putt on 18 from Adrian Richings!!

Drinks on the terrace in the glorious sunshine and a chance to reflect (for some) on where it all went wrong…..

Saturday

Another sunny day, but you wouldn't know it from the ghostly complexions of many congregating on the practice putting green of the resort's Championship Course. Light grey appears to be the order of the day, thanks to over-indulgence at dinner and a debate regarding the prospects for the local and national economy which for some reason runs into the early hours and spills out onto the terrace bar!! Thankfully there is a freshening breeze to blow the cobwebs away and, after a slow start, the team of Cockerill, Keith Turner and Martin Wall take the 3ball award, with Duncan Webster taking the individual prize. Previous day's victor Thorpe feels the effects of his celebrations and feeds the venue's various lakes 9 of his precious ProV1's!! Off to the clubhouse bar to watch England embarrass themselves against Switzerland. A 'big fat gypsy wedding' descends on the hotel, threatening chaos in the hours ahead…..

Sunday

The wedding passes off without incident, I am pleased to report. The closest we come to chaos is when Adam the barman begins to lead various members of our party through his repertoire of 'shots'; who'd have thought that Cointreau, Sambuca and Tabasco could combine to make such a pleasant oral experience!! Sunday's grey skies and drizzle provide the perfect backdrop for the final round back on the Hawkstone, with a number of the group now seriously sleep-deprived.

As last year, Cockerill is the leader going into the final day and is given a rousing motivational (?!) talk by those in the group who were there to witness his last day collapse at Thorpeness in 2010. A barrage of early points settles his nerves, however, and keeps him ahead of playing partners Iles and Turner. Rumours begin to come in from around the course that Michael Markham, Jon Thorpe and Andy Churchward are all 'on fire' and the latter pair in particular seem to be the men to beat as we move into the closing stages.

Iles in particular looks a beaten man and, rather than wave a white flag, decides to ring the bell on the 17th fairway – particularly impressive when you consider he did it from 70 yards away with his approach intended for the green!! Turner goes out of bounds and Cockerill is in the trees again (doing his impression of Rory Mcilroy at August) and they both know the game is up. Jon 'El Thorpedo' Thorpe has played the golf of his life to take a clean sweep of prizes; the 'T&K cup' for best individual score and the 'StanAir Shield' for overall winner of the weekend. Turner is left to rue all of the free tips that he has given out on the practice range!!

The prizes are presented (mostly to Jon) including the now traditional multi-coloured sombrero. Martin Wall takes this year's award for 'best dressed' golfer, setting the standards both on and off the course with a North African vibe. Mr Richings efforts as trick-shot specialist, comedian, musical hall entertainer and mixologist were also recognised with an 'outstanding contribution' award.

A great fun weekend was had by all; my thanks to those who attended. If you missed it this year, don't make the same mistake next year!!

Best wishes,

Andy

A Cockerill
Chamber Golf Captain

Just you and your cloud - an article from Business Times

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:00:00 GMT

Better, faster, more flexible, less money – yes, the rumours are true, your own Managed Private Cloud is now within reach.

Award winning acs never fails to embrace the latest IT technologies. Always one step ahead to offer businesses the very best technological advances, this new and exclusive way of IT service delivery is making its way onto acs's portfolio of services.

Understanding how to get the best from Cloud Hosting, acs will build your cloud with you in mind.

Not all businesses are the same in how they operate, yet we all agree it is vital to strengthen business operations and the online user experience. As businesses are faced with shrinking operational budgets and increased data demands, more companies are turning to Managed Private Cloud solutions as a means of balancing post-recession finances and gaining a competitive advantage.

Managed Private Cloud (MPC) or Dedicated Virtual Servers, removes the burdens of hardware and data center operations, allowing you to focus on the applications that run your business.

Without the need to buy, install, manage or own any infrastructure, with the MPC you are able to access desktops, software, applications and services over the Internet or secure network.

The Cloud is the culmination of technologies, which together form a highly resilient, scalable and sometimes geographically distributed computing platform. This allows you to rapidly deploy new software, scale it as demand increases or decreases, and increase reliability, performance and uptime – while at the same time efficiently use available resources and ultimately reduce costs.

acs's experienced solution architects can work closely with your business to design the optimum solution for your needs to ensure you get the most from the variety of technologies available.

"ACS celebrates the double" - an article from CRN

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:00:00 GMT

VAR smashes previous turnover records in FY2010, as well a "record-breaking" March.

Written by Sara Yirrell

VAR acs is celebrating a double whammy with its best financial year ever in 2010 and a record-breaking trading month in March.

Jon Thorpe, joint managing director of acs, said: "I am absolutely delighted at the way we are performing, and it is a tribute to all our talented team that we can report such fantastic news.

Thorpe said the company had navigated through some 'turbulent waters' after the economic downturn kicked in three years ago.

"But through sheer hard work our rocky ride was thankfully short," he said...

Read the full article at channelweb.co.uk

ACS awarded Microsoft GOLD partner status for 2011

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 09:00:00 GMT

The team at award winning acs has received another big boost after achieving Microsoft Gold Partner status yet again.

Microsoft Gold Partners have to prove themselves by reaching the top level of the Microsoft Partner Programme - demonstrating their skills, knowledge and commitment to delivering efficient and adaptable technology solutions. Recently the programme was overhauled and the criteria for meeting the Gold standard was raised significantly, making the prestigious award much more difficult to obtain. It is expected that far fewer partners will be awarded Gold Partner status in 2011, helping customers to easily identify the most qualified Microsoft partners.

For its part, Brackmills based acs has significantly increased the number of Microsoft trained engineers in its solutions centre over the past year, and by doing so, earned high praise for their commitment from Microsoft with Gold status.

"Our continued growth in services and with Microsoft is aligned to our customer loyalty and high levels of investment in training and accreditations with global vendors. Our talented engineers, sales and technical consultants are trained weekly by Microsoft, HP and other vendors alike," said acs Sales Director, Dan Harding.

"We are in the Microsoft Top 15 UK Value Added resellers which demonstrates our ability to give clients unbiased expert advice on what is potentially best for their business, coupled with the best IT technicians to support clients moving forward," he added.

If you would like to visit acs, learn more about Microsoft's Partner Programme or how acs solutions can help your organisation, please contact us today.

Local children use music as a voice against bullying

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 09:00:00 GMT

An Anti-Bullying event held at Wickstead Park last week saw local children, schools and members of the community join together to raise awareness - using music as a voice against bullying in a truly inspirational evening.

Pictured: Abington Vale School Winners 'Listen to your Heart'
comprising Ellie, Hannah, Sarah and Noor.

To compete for the honour of recording the County's official anti-bullying song, the top 10 entries out of 300 schools put all of their time and effort into practicing to deliver outstanding performances in front of over 300 teachers, fellow students, proud parents and friends. The judges at Wickstead Park, all members of the music industry, included the likes of Rachel Furner, the 18-year-old star who like many people, experienced a level of bullying herself in her formative years.

Jon Thorpe, Managing Director of acs in Northampton attended the event and said, "It was incredibly lifting to see the children's enthusiasm, emotion and excitement of being on stage and performing heart felt songs they had all written themselves. It was an evening of celebration, an evening using music as the voice for our children to fight back against bullying, with a clear message to exemplify how a bully's own insecurities and issues are projected onto others."

For the second year running, Abington Vale Primary School stole the show with group members Ellie, Hannah, Sarah and Noor of 'Listen to your Heart' singing 'The Magic Three'. The secondary schools section was equally closely contested with 'The Girls' group from Rushden Community College, who sang 'I'm Better (Without You Now)' comprising Kelly, Louisa and Amy, combining great style, harmonies and lyrics.

Rushden Community College Winners 'The Girls' comprising Kelly, Louisa and Amy.

The evening closed with the winners singing again to raised applause, followed by a highly charged live performance from Rachel Furner (www.rachelfurner.com) ahead of her album release later this year.

Jon continued: "Special thanks needs to go to ALL children who entered, the parents and schools supporting them, the house band, judges, Jo Wood and the girls at the County Council, and John Bowman from Notivate (www.notivate.com) - the man I call 'the music man' who helped make the event such a huge success.
A must diary date for next year for ALL in education opposed to bullying - schools, children, teachers, parents, sponsors and musicians alike!"

Such was the success of this Anti-Bullying event, discussions are in place to expand to a Midlands competition. If you would like to get involved, from a school to the media, please register your interest with Jo Wood (jlwood@northamptonshire.gov.uk) or John Bowman, Notivate, today on 07752 525225.

ACS named one of the top 20 Managed Service Providers in Europe

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 09:00:00 GMT

acs has been ranked in the top 20 of Europe's Managed Service Providers survey - reflecting the standard of support it offers its customers.

It is further industry recognition for acs - the region's biggest in its sector. Earlier this month it was included in the Sunday Times Top 100 listing for best employers throughout the country, and last month was awarded a prestigious 3-star recognition nationally, as an outstanding empoyler.

MSPmentor is the ultimate guide to managed services, and the ranking is calculated by an index measurement that includes overall managed services revenue, overall managed services revenue growth, managed services revenue per employee, the number of devices managed, and other data points.

"It also means we see a clear distinction between us and our competitors, which reinforces our belief that we are one of the best IT companies in the UK. The improvement in rankings is testament to the acs brand, and the support our team offers allows us to retain customers and reflects the excellent track record our business development managers have.

"The MSPmentor index approach ensures small, midsize and large managed service providers from around the world are recognised on the rankings, so that means we are up there rubbing shoulders with some of the world's most famous names.

"After our recognition for staff care and satisfaction, this another big boost for everyone associated with acs, and yet again I find myself very proud of the people we employ."

The recognition of their care for managing staff is continues a great 2011 for acs. In January Apple acknowledged the company as an Authorised Reseller. It means the company advises both business and education in the county by promoting the virtues of Apple products as a way of boosting efficiency, productivity and learning.

For further information:-

A managed service provider (MSP) provides delivery and management of network-based services, applications, and equipment to enterprises, residences, or other service providers.

Managed service providers can be hosting companies or access providers that offer services that can include fully outsourced network management arrangements.

Most of these services can be performed from outside a company's internal network with a special emphasis placed on integration and certification of Internet security for applications and content.

MSPs serve as outsourcing agents for companies that don't have the resources to constantly upgrade or maintain faster and faster computer networks.

Link: MSP Mentor Top 20 List

ACS "extraordinary" in the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies 2011

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 09:00:00 GMT

For the second year running, acs has been named in the prestigious Sunday Times Top 100 Companies To Work for listing which is all based on feedback from employees.

Appropriately, the recognition comes in the week that acs has taken on its 100th member of staff, with Liz Foley joining the company as its Sales and Marketing co-ordinator.

This latest recognition for Brackmills based acs comes just weeks after it received a three star grading the highest awarded in the Best Companies Accreditation Awards.

"This is just fantastic news for everyone in the business, a real celebration of our teams success and the support from our loyal customers in a tough market," said managing director Jon Thorpe, who received a trophy to mark the company's achievement from Jonathan Austin, the Chief Executive of Best Companies, who compile the Top 100 listing on behalf of the Sunday Times.

"To break into that top 100 last year was a fantastic achievement, especially as it coincided with our 15th anniversary, but to maintain our place in the listings is phenomenal.

"What makes this even more special, is that the listings are based around what your staff say about you independently, and to know that people who work with us feel happy and have the opportunity to grow the business with us.

"I feel very strongly about looking after your staff, and always find it sad when I hear of people who just don't like going to work, or of companies with poor values that don't seem to think it important to look after their staff.

"At acs we know that there is a fine line between success and failure, and having good staff and happy staff keeps you on the right side of that line.

"That is why we put so much time and effort into looking after the people who work for us, and as a company, our success is their success, because without them, we wouldn't be where we are today."

Jonathan Austin, Chief Executive of Best Companies presents to Jon Thorpe

The Sunday Times listing is the only one that bases itself on employee feedback, measuring workplace engagement to give a true reflection on what employees really think.

Being a 'Best Company' takes a deep-rooted commitment by an organisation to being the best it can be in every area of the workplace, in supporting the day to day working lives of its workforce.

The very best organisations realise that focusing strongly on people brings meaningful benefits such as improved workplace engagement, better staff retention,
reduced recruitment costs and of course significantly improved financial
performance.

Consistently one of the best - ACS awarded 3 stars by Best Companies

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 09:00:00 GMT

acs has once again been nationally recognised as one of the country's leading companies to work for.

The company - who specialise in IT and office solutions, and is one of the biggest in the region - has received '3-star' recognition in the latest Best Companies Accreditation Awards, making it one of the UK's leading companies to work for.

The 3-star grading is similar to the prestigious and much sought after Michelin star status given each year to the top restaurants in the country, with three stars at ultimate award. And acs, who employ just under a hundred members of staff at their Brackmills headquarters in the town, have gone up a grade for the third year running.

"This is fantastic news," said managing director Jon Thorpe. "In successive years we've gone from one star to three stars, and I am very proud of our achievement."

Last year acs were named for the first time in the top 50 UK companies to work for in the pretigious Sunday Times list, and this latest news further underlines the committment to staff.

"We take great pride in the satisfaction of our staff - we believe that a happy staff is a productive staff, and our success is a tribute to the wonderful people who work for us, and have helped us grow as we have done over the past 16 years.

"Not only that, our staff have also helped us weather some turbulent economic waters over the past two years, to the point where we have turned the corner, and are moving confidently forward once more."

The Best Companies Accreditation Awards identify the best businesses in the UK to work for, and measure the level of employee engagement in the business.

Best Companies conducts the largest employee engagement survey in the world with more than 3000 organisations participating, and is renowned for its rigorous selection. Companies are rated according to their ability to inspire staff, encourage development, provide excellent customer service and build strong teams.

'Star Status' is determined by the Best Companies Index 'BCI' score and the specific cut-off points for One, Two, and Three Star Accreditation remain constant year-on-year. One star means first class, two stars denotes outstanding and the acclaimed three stars indicates the participant is extraordinary.

Is 2011 the year we embrace Video Conferencing?

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Speculation across the industry would lead us to believe that the time for video conferencing is now.

Video has been around for years, however it has never really worked well, nor has it been a truely cost effective solution. Video solutions were often far-fetched from the mid-market and not even investigated as an option, due to the high initial investment. The fact it was too complicated to operate meant adoption within the business was poor - it wasn't long before thousands of pounds worth of products began collecting dust.

Over the last few years there have been ground breaking improvements in video communications; not only is the technology now good enough, it has also seen a dramatic reduction in cost, as much as 30% in the last 30 months.

With the recession, budget cuts and soaring fuel prices, video conferencing is a positive step towards reducing travel costs, increasing productivity and gaining a competitive advantage.

Partnering LifeSize was an obvious step for acs. LifeSize are pioneers in video conferencing with their first to market true High Definition video codecs. Now they've made video communications a very attractive option, not only for large companies, but also a worthwhile investment for the small to mid-market organisations across the globe.

"All of the factors that create 'the perfect storm' for HD video communication have intensified: business is more global than ever, the cost and hassle of air travel has increased, and the desire to support corporate green initiatives has never been greater. Companies are looking for solutions and finding them with LifeSize.
We are excited that customers are embracing the power of high definition video communication to improve their work and quality of their lives. We believe that this technology should be available to every knowledge worker that needs to communicate with remote colleagues, and not just in the boardrooms of the companies in the world.

We will continue to push the price performance envelope with products that make telepresence affordable for everyone, everywhere"

Craig Malloy, Founder and CEO of LifeSize Communications, Senior VP Logitech.

acs share and value this vision, with demonstration suites available at their head office in Northampton and at The Gherkin, London, they encourage you to share the experience. Seeing is believing.

ACS to offer even more choice as an Apple Authorised Reseller

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 13:00:00 GMT

acs, the region's leading provider of IT services and business solutions, plans to bring game-changing technology from Apple to businesses across the UK as it announces its Apple Authorised Reseller Accreditation.

Recognising a growing demand for Apple products from business users, acs has shown its commitment to customer choice by further strengthening its technical skills and expertise in the full range of Apple products. This investment underlines the company's desire to offer a wide range of solutions, including mixed environments, to the evolving business market.

"We pride ourselves on listening to our customers and the message was clear; our customers wanted more choice and the option to use Apple products in their workplace," said Dan Harding, acs's IT Sales Director. He added, "It's easy to see the benefits of Apple's products when you use them, however we found that some businesses had concerns about integrating Apple products into their existing network. We hope to change that and show our customers that they really can have the best of both worlds."

To help demonstrate how Apple products can be used and integrated, acs will be opening its 'Apple Learning Centre' on 1st February 2011 at its Northampton head office and showrooms. In addition to getting hands on with Apple hardware, visitors will be shown examples of software and services that can add real value and a competitive advantage to their businesses.

Jon Thorpe, acs's Joint Managing Director added, "Becoming an Apple Authorised Reseller is a fantastic achievement for the team. In conjunction with our existing high-level partnerships with HP, Dell, VMware and Microsoft it demonstrates our commitment to give our customers what they want with impartial advice and best value solutions all supported by an experienced team of service professionals."

ACS shortlisted for CRN SME Reseller of the Year 2010 - Updated

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:00:00 GMT

This year acs was delighted to be shortlisted by the CRN judging panel for the prestigious 'SME Reseller of the Year' award, presented at a glittering ceremony held at Battersea Park Arena on 18th November.

Widely regarded as the IT Channel 'Oscars', this significant recognition is reflective of the acs team's commitment to providing the very best IT solutions and products to our clients, along with exceptional customer service.

"We've had an incredible year, winning the Northamptonshire Business of the Year award and debuting on the Sunday Times Best Company to Work for List in 49th place but unfortunately we missed out on the CRN prize this time. The nomination is a fantastic achievement for the company as we continue to develop and prosper" stated acs Joint Managing Director, Jon Thorpe. "To be recognised officially as a company that is clearly striving for excellence within the SME market by a tough-to-please selection of industry experts has helped high-light to the entire acs team that we're on track for continued success. Congratulations to all the winners!"

To learn more about acs and our team, please click here.

ACS continues to shine with HP - Preferred Partner GOLD 2011

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 13:00:00 GMT

acs, the region's leading business solutions provider is today pleased to announce it has once again qualified for HP Gold Preferred Partner status for 2011.

This coveted Gold level enables competent partners to stand out from the crowd, with the accreditation process based on a combination of annual revenue and specific sales and technical certifications. As a result of acs's commitment not only to their sales performance but also to their investment in employee certifications, the in-house HP elite team now boast specialisations in Service Sales, Workstations, Personal Computing and Image and Printing.

Also for 2011, acs successfully completed the necessary criteria to qualify as a Unified Networking Specialist (Professional) which recognises that the team has HP-certified technical capabilities to provide comprehensive design, deployment, and management services that span most of the networking lifecycle. They provide the expertise to sell, deliver, manage and support complex unified wired and wireless networking infrastructure solutions for medium and large enterprises.

"acs continues to sell, support and understand the entire HP product portfolio and our expert team can guarantee an unparalleled combination of knowledge when delivering and recommending the latest solutions to our customers" states acs Sales Director, Dan Harding, "Our continued Gold Preferred Partner status further confirms our commitment to customer support, competitive pricing and eagerness to learn and implement future product trends with HP, adding real business value at a level our clients have come to expect."

To speak to our dedicated HP team today, please click here.

The gift of time from ACS with HP QuickPage

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 13:00:00 GMT

HP QuickPage can help you simplify your entire print infrastructure with one monthly payment.

Business is moving faster than ever these days. It's increasingly difficult to fit everything into your day. Time is of the essence. That's where HP QuickPage can help. It's been designed to give you the extra time and breathing space you need to stay on top of your imaging and printing tasks. With one contractual agreement covering everything from hardware and installation to supplies and support.

HP QuickPage can streamline any inefficient assortment of imaging and printing devices in your print infrastructure and will clearly identify all your printing needs. What's more, all the imaging costs will be covered with one simple payment plan. So you can track costs easily, make better decisions, make better use of the investments you already have, and let employees focus on the tasks in hand.

With HP QuickPage from acs, you get:

Hardware, installation, supplies and support in one simple contract
Reduce capital expenses with a complete imaging and printing package.
Transparent and predictable costs
Make dynamic and farsighted strategy possible for your business with straightforward planning and budgeting. Invoicing is hassle free with one easy-to-understand monthly payment.
Increased productivity
Allocate IT and administrative resources to where they're really needed and get better business results.
World-class HP support
Rely on HP service and support to ensure that your printers and multifunction devices are there when you need them.

HP will always give you the perfect choice

The renowned quality of HP LaserJet printers and multifunction devices, combined with the expertise of HP support, means that HP QuickPage can provide solid foundations for all your imaging and printing needs for years to come. Simply choose the HP devices best suited to your printing needs.

HP QuickPage includes:

The right fit of HP printing devices for your business
HP hardware support with installation and next-day, on-site response, along with online support
Just-in-time delivery of Original HP print cartridges, which means you don't have to store supplies and you never run out
Easy take-back and disposal of empty cartridges
HP Autosend software for automatic printer meter reads

InCommand WEB PORTAL

The HP InCommand WEB PORTAL is a powerful tool that lets you track usage, manage your contract, and even change the level of service from one central place. So you won't waste any more precious time running around the office in your efforts to multitask.

Track page and colour usage
View service records
Get online and phone support
Manage your contract and change the level of service

To find out more about HP QuickPage and to learn about the benefits contact our HP team today - click here.

Movember madness as the ACS team bring the tash back

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 13:00:00 GMT

The team at acs are getting in to the spirit of Movember with a good number of guys (and worryingly girls) getting into the spirit and sporting a moustache, with some going as far as running 10K to raise money for this worthwhile cause.

Each year Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men's faces in Britain and around the world, with the sole aim of raising vital funds and awareness for men's health, specifically prostate cancer and depression in men.

So far we have raised over £350 from the sponsored run and moustache themed day on Friday 12th November. Keith Bird ran an amazing and extremely commendable 1hr 1min on a route that was rumoured flat but constantly uphill after the first 2k! James and Hannah Walker ran 1hr 17min.

If you would like to sponsor us and help raise money for The Prostate Cancer Charity please click here.

ACS launches its first iPhone App

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 13:00:00 GMT

acs's iPhone App is now available to download from the Apple App store. It's the best way to keep up to date with news and offers from acs as it combines the latest from our website and Twitter, plus videos, customer case studies and photos from our recent charity events.

There is a feedback tab, so please let us know what you think of version 1.0 and your thoughts on what you'd like to see included in the future. We currently have plans to give customers access to their order history, open support incidents and more in the next version.

Download it today from iTunes or search for acs365 on the App store.

Continued growth as 14 new starters join the ACS team

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 13:00:00 GMT

As a result of continued profitable growth, acs has increased its head count by more than 10% over the last eight weeks. The "Sunday Times Best Company to work for" and Northamptonshire "Business of the year" winner recently admitted that the past 12 months was a challenging time for the business, however the difference was once again its people and their unquestioning loyalty and support. acs not only survived but prospered, achieving growth in difficult times.

Sales Director Dan Harding said, "We're delighted that so many talented people have chosen to join our team. We've taken on a mixture of experienced individuals that want to progress their careers and enthusiastic youngsters that we'll be investing in who are sure to be our stars of the future.

"It's no secret that our people are our greatest strength" he added, "To hit our aggressive growth plans we need more of them and will continue to invest in training and the wellbeing of our staff to ensure that everyone enjoys coming to work at acs."

The new team members include;

Scott Baker
Phil Crook
Joshua Knight
Ryan Parsons
Jo Baker
Matt Smith
Jake Penney
Taylor Morgan
Adrian Richings
Mike Jarrard
Helen Simpson (not pictured)
Jason Reeves
Katie Leech
Nicci Houghton

If you share our values and feel that you have the drive and self motivation to join a dynamic, successful and friendly team call us today on 01604 704000, email careers@acs365.co.uk or click here for our current vacancies.

Supporting the Northampton Saints with a new Business Suite

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 13:00:00 GMT

Continuing a long partnership with the Northampton Saints, acs has recently equipped and refurbished the club's Business Suite and meeting room.

Speaking about the new look Business Suite, Andrew Kendrick - Commercial Manager at the Saints - said, "The Saints Business Suite has undergone a bit of a facelift over the last few weeks. The innovative new decoration and design is inkeeping with the informal nature of the Business Suite and was instigated and supplied by our friends and Business Suite sponsors, acs.

"acs has supplied the new desk and chairs at the Burrda Stand Reception and the sleek new tables and paintwork in the suite itself. Not only that, but they have gone the extra mile and installed what can only be described as a giant new TV screen. I would like to formally thank acs IT Sales Director Dan Harding and his team for their efforts in helping to improve the Business Suite for everyone....there's certainly no danger of not being able to see the instant replays of the matches on the new TV!

"If your business or office space could use a revamp or needs new or additional furniture, speak to acs – I can highly recommend them."

acs continues to support the Saints and we hope they continue their great start to the current campaign!

ACS shortlisted for 'Business of the Year' at the Milton Keynes Chamber Awards 2010 - Updated

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 13:00:00 GMT

Xscape won the Milton Keynes Business of the Year award, with acs and énergie Group the runners up.

Sales Director Dan Harding said, "We were delighted to be a finalist in this year's awards and would like to congratulate Xscape who picked up the award for Business of the Year and also énergie Group who were runners up with us. The evening reinforced the reasons why Milton Keynes is a key focus for our business, with many fantastic businesses in the region. Our team has grown by over 400% in the last six months and I'm sure this will continue."

The last 12 months has seen acs make two acquisitions in Milton Keynes WYSIWYG-IT and Bull Office Furniture.

Following the success of 2009's 'Northamptonshire Business of the Year' award,
we are delighted to announce that acs has been shortlisted as a finalist in the prestigious 'Business of the Year' category at the MK Chamber Awards 2010.

As the most prestigious award of the night, this significant recognition is reflective of acs's 15 years of serving the businesses of Milton Keynes, as well as the recent accelerated growth that has seen acs acquire local competitors including WYSIWYG-IT and Bull Office Furniture.

The winners will be announced at the Milton Keynes & North Bucks Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner and Business Excellence Awards on the 12th October, which will be held at Middleton Hall.

ACS donates office equipment to MK Charity 'Ride High'

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 13:00:00 GMT

acs recently donated a lockable filing cabinet and shredder to MK based Charity 'Ride High' to support their incredible work and help highlight the plight of numerous local children who may be in Social Services care; living in an environment dominated by drugs, abuse, alcohol or poverty; at risk of self harm or in trouble with the police.

'Ride High' helps some of Milton Keynes' most disadvantaged children by teaching them to ride and care for horses. In addition, the children work on a range of clubroom activities that enable them to make friends in a safe environment, get one to one attention from caring adults and learn new skills, both educational and social. For many of the children their three hours a week with Ride High is the only truly enjoyable part of their lives.

Rachel Medill, Chair of Trustees commented, "As a result of the work conducted by the 'Ride High' team, some children have started to speak having been almost mute, two are no longer at risk of suicide, some have reduced their self harming and almost without exception they are all happier children.

As a registered charity entirely reliant on grants, acs' donation of office equipment is so important to us. We deal with a huge amount of confidential material and the filing cabinet and shredder you recently delivered to us are essential in managing the confidential nature of our work. They will stand us in good stead for years to come and your support will enable us to help more children in the future."

Website: www.ridehigh.org

To discuss how acs could help your charity or business, please contact us today.



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