Our Business is Supporting Your Business

March 2005

Alchemy transfers LCR service to Telecom Warehouse

To ensure that Alchemy clients continue to receive a the very best LCR service available (Least Cost Routing), from April 1st Alchemy's LCR service will be transferred to Telecom Warehouse.

Speaking about the transfer, Nathan Mills, Alchemy's managing director commented: "We feel that this move will benefit our clients who will now have access to a bigger infrastructure and a more focused customer service.

"As a specialist in the provision and billing of LCR services, Telecom Warehouse is growing rapidly and continually innovating its service delivery.  This transfer will be seamless and our clients will experience neither loss of functionality nor service quality.  Indeed all their calls will continue to be routed over a Tier 1 Ofcom regulated network.

"We believe our strength is as an IT solutions company providing a single-source for business solutions spanning the breadth of an organisation's computing and communications requirements."

Telecom Warehouse can be contacted at 2-8 Park Road, The Square, St Annes, Lancashire FY8 1QX, or by phone on 08700 554155.

Alchemy has offices in: Windsor • Honiton • Burton-on-Trent • Warrington • Lytham St Annes • Newbury

January 2005

Alchemy appoints New Business Account Director

To spearhead the company's growth in business solutions and support services, Alchemy has increased its team with the appointment of Douglas Caiger as New Business Account Director.

"Douglas' addition to the Alchemy sales team will empower the business to greater success in the area of service driven opportunities", commented Nathan Mills, Alchemy's Managing Director. "This appointment will assist our team in delivering technically-driven business solutions more effectively then ever before."

Douglas Caiger

Prior to joining Alchemy, Douglas spent ten years with the Autodata Group, an IT solutions specialist, where he rose to the position of Sales Manager.

Alchemy clients will benefit from Douglas' wide understanding of technology markets and the many relationships he has developed amongst the major IT vendors, particularly in the area of network security.

Commenting on his new position, Douglas said: "I've worked across a number of industries and I'm really looking forward to the challenge of helping Alchemy clients exploit IT and identify technology solutions that will resolve their business problems."

A father of two, Douglas lives in Twyford in Berkshire and is a keen carp fisherman.

Offices in: Windsor • Honiton • Burton-on-Trent • Warrington • Lytham St Annes • Newbury

January 2005

Home Counties Account Team Grows

Peter Stephen has started the New Year by joining Alchemy Systems (Home Counties) as an Account Director. 

With almost 10 years experience in the Novell/Linux Business Expert arena, Peter will focus on the introduction of Novell and Linux licence fulfilment and consulting services.

Alchemy Systems (Home Counties), based in Newbury, provides IT business consultancy, systems and support to clients in the West Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire areas.

Offices in: Windsor • Honiton • Burton-on-Trent • Warrington • Lytham St Annes • Newbury

January 2005

Alchemy strengthens its Mac support capability

Alchemy strengthens its Mac support capability with the recruitment of Andrew Atherley as IT consultant specialising in AppleMac platforms and applications.

Andrew joins Alchemy from the Boy Meets Girl marketing agency where he was responsible for a 100 user Mac network.  The majority of Andrew's 14 years IT experience has been spent in marketing and design agencies, with responsibility for IT strategy, planning and operations.

"Alchemy is very fortunate to have a number of marketing agencies amongst its clients", said Nathan Mills Alchemy's MD.  "Their requirements tend to be very industry specific and Andrew's appointment is a demonstration of our committment to support clients with Mac and mixed Mac/PC networks."

Alchemy's services to marketing companies (encompassing graphic and new media design, advertising agencies and publishing companies) comprises IT strategy and planning, system implementation, installation, trouble-shooting and on-site support.

Offices in: Windsor • Honiton • Burton-on-Trent • Warrington • Lytham St Annes • Newbury

September 2004

Alchemy opens subsidiary in Newbury

Alchemy has established a new subsidiary, Alchemy Systems (Home Counties Ltd.), in Newbury to provide IT business consultancy, systems and support to clients in the West Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire areas.

"In addition to providing the standard Alchemy group services, we will focus on business consultancy and support services", said Danny Coles, director at Alchemy Systems (Home Counties Ltd.)."

"I've lived in the Newbury area for many years and know that many local companies are looking for a supplier they can trust to provide impartial business advice on their IT systems, network and telephony requirements", commented Danny: "My goal is to build Alchemy's reputation as a company that listens and understands. Most of our clients come to us because they are worried about the reliability of their IT, and they come to rely on us as a reliable source of advice, product supply, installation and support."

"We know that computer failure is serious for every business, however it becomes absolutely critical when your systems stop you communicating with clients or accepting new orders. To ensure this doesn't happen with our customers, we've developed a support service that focuses on preventative maintenance to detect and correct failures before they impact the company's systems."

Contact Danny Coles at 01635 36509 or e-mail dcoles@alchemysys.net

Offices in: Windsor • Honiton • Burton-on-Trent • Warrington • Lytham St Annes • Newbury

August 2004

Alchemy Enhances its Voice and Data Communications Capabilities

Steve Corsbie has joined Alchemy as Senior Consultant, Voice and Data Communications.

Steve will advise clients on a wide variety of telecoms issues from achieving savings from fixed line telephony, least cost routing, line rental, ADSL, telephony switches, to mobile voice and data devices and airtime solutions (see Fixed Telephony services).

Whilst supporting clients in the North of England directly, Steve will also be responsible for Alchemy's major voice and data communications projects nationwide.

Steve has a particular interest in mobile communications for field-based staff who require access to their business applications in remote or customer locations, through notebooks, PDAs or smart phone devices.

With considerable experience of both IT and telecommunication, Steve joins Alchemy from Inspired Telecommunications where he was technical sales consultant specialising in least cost routing and GSM gateways. Prior to that, Steve spent four and a half years with RMA (Risk Management Alternatives International), latterly as Telecommunications Manager where he was responsible for VOIP (Voice Over IP), Concerto dialing and large-scale telephony systems.

Steve will be based in Preston but supporting clients throughout the UK . When time allows, his social interests revolve around good music, good food, good wine and the cinema.

Offices in: Windsor • Honiton • Burton-on-Trent • Warrington • Lytham St Annes

July 2004

Alchemy offers Windows 2003 Migration & Planning

To assist clients achieve the increased functionality of Windows 2003, Alchemy now offers Migration Planning and Design Workshops.

Microsoft are to cease supporting Windows NT from January 2005 and, with less than six months to go, over 60% of Windows NT4-based businesses still have no strategy for moving to the new system with its enhanced security, resilience and mobile connectivity.

The workshop is particularly relevant to organisations who wish to benefit from the features of Windows Server 2003, and yet have no experience of designing IT infrastructures or Active Directories. The workshop will be of value to any company, even those that have started Windows 2003 planning or those at the design stage, seeking their design validated prior to implementation.

Windows 2003 Migration Planning and Design Workshop

Although using standard methodologies, the two-day workshop is tailored to a company’s precise development needs. Unless otherwise specified, the workshop will provide:

• infrastructure development strategy
• top level design
• project plan
• implementation methodology

Alchemy can assist at any stage of Windows 2003 implementation, through:

• Migration Planning and Design workshop
• Proof of Concept testing (using VMWare simulation)
• Pilot Project development
• Implementation roll-out
• IT infrastructure support

Offices in: Windsor • Honiton • Burton-on-Trent • Warrington • Lytham St Annes

June 2004

Alchemy becomes Wyse Gold Partner

Alchemy adds to its product portfolio with Thin Client solutions through partnerhip with Wyse.

Alchemy Systems has been accredited, at Gold Partner level, by Wyse Technology. the worldwide leader in server-centric computing.  Server-centric computing, deploying thin client terminals, is the fastest growing approach to delivering user access to corporate IT services.

As one of only a handful of UK companies to hold Gold Partnership accrediotation with Wyse Technology, Alchemy is well positioned to satisfy all an organisation's requirements for server-centric computing and thin clients.

"Organisations should consider server-based architectures as a method to more effectively manage end-user applications and the costs associated with developing, maintaining and supporting client hardware."

Gartner Research, November 2003

"Thin client deployment can cut costs, particularly software maintenance and upgrade overheads. In addition, access and data security are more robust, and routes for virus/worm attacks are limited."

Butler Group, January 2003

For further information on Alchemy's Thin Client solutions, please view here or call Alchemy on 01784 223 100.

Offices in: Windsor • Honiton • Burton-on-Trent • Warrington • Lytham St Annes

May 2004

Alchemy selects Warrington as the location of its first Cheshire office

Alchemy Systems, the specialist supplier of computers and systems for small and medium-sized companies, has established its first Cheshire office at Stanley House, in central Warrington.

“For some years we have been supporting northern businesses from our offices in Lytham St Annes and Burton-on-Trent, said Ian Foulds, Alchemy's director at the new Warrington office. I've worked across the UK but I was brought up in Leigh and know Warrington really well. Over the last few years I've seen a phenomenal growth in the small business community here.”

Formed in 1998, Alchemy provides SMEs with computers, software, networking, peripherals, telephony and audio visual products. “Alchemy is a remarkable company”, said Ian: “Our skills are in sourcing a wide range of business and technology products at really competitive prices, then providing the type of configuration, installation, cabling or support services that smaller companies need.”

“We help companies, who may be worried about the reliability of their IT”, commented Ian: “by providing a single source for supply, installation and support. We know that computer failure is serious for every business, however it becomes critical if you can’t communicate with clients or accept new orders. To ensure this doesn’t happen with our customers, we’ve developed a support service that focuses on preventative maintenance to stop failures occurring.”

For a fixed monthly fee, Alchemy effectively becomes a company’s ‘Outsourced IT Department’ with regular preventative maintenance, systems administration, telephone help desk and engineer call-out, should it ever be required. From their Support Centre, Alchemy engineers are able to access customer systems using special software over remote links. This allows them to diagnose and correct any faults before they become problems and disrupt the customer’s business.

Contact Ian Foulds at 01925 419341 or e-mail warrington@alchemysys.net

Offices in: Windsor • Honiton • Burton-on-Trent • Warrington • Lytham St Annes

February 2004

Alchemy launches innovative new support service for businesses

As the result of listening to directors and owner managers of small and medium-sized businesses, Alchemy has announced a new type of modular support contract that meets their requirements for reliability, security and flexibility.

“We recognise that many companies have no desire to employ an in-house IT team”, commented Nathan Mills, Alchemy’s Managing Director. “They would rather employ staff who contribute directly to the development of their core business. As a result we have assembled a new type of support contract, with many attributes normally associated with an Outsourced IT Department.”

“In supporting our customer’s IT, we recognise that we are also supporting their crucial business processes. We believe that prevention is always better than cure, therefore rather than hoping that their systems never fail, we look to substantially reduce the risk through daily preventative maintenance and professional system housekeeping.

From our Support Centre in Windsor, we are able to access their systems every day, using special software over a Virtual Private Network. This allows us to undertake housekeeping routines, check the system and network performance, update settings, diagnose and fix problems.

For a fixed monthly fee Alchemy will provide a guaranteed preventative maintenance, housekeeping and support service. This will have guaranteed response times (to agreed service levels), that can be upgraded or changed to Crisis Call-Out, should the business ever require it.

Alchemy’s new support contract provides significant benefits over the traditional approaches of in-house support and ’Call-to-Fix’, normally available to SMEs.

January 2004

Support Services team strengthened

Alchemy has grown the management of its support team with the appointment of Mike Breeze as Service Delivery Manager.

Recruited to add further experience and skill to Alchemy’s service function; Mike is responsible for ensuring technical and support calls are fulfilled rapidly and accurately. Furthermore, he has responsibility for service process development and for the project management of customer upgrades and major installations.

With 22 years in the IT industry, Mike joined Alchemy from a major telecoms service provider where he was responsible for the company’s Northern Hemisphere networks.. Prior to that Mike worked as a senior consultant for Ultima, an IT services provider, where he was responsible for the system design and project management of a 2000 user network.

In his professional career Mike has travelled throughout the world. Married with a young son, he now lives near Hampton Court. However, as a qualified pilot, much of his leisure time is still spent flying. When free time becomes available, Mike also enjoys cycling, swimming, visiting the theatre and satisfying his lust for travel.