A small construction consultancy sets up secure remote working most reliably with Remote Desktop Services (RDS): staff sign in to the office environment and reach the document system and their tools from home or on the move, while the confidential data stays safely on the server rather than on individual laptops. Protected with multi-factor authentication and managed devices, RDS gives flexible working without weakening security. It is part of managed IT at about £45 to £100 per user per month. Here is how to do it well.
Small consultancies work flexibly, but they also handle highly confidential data, so remote working has to be both convenient and genuinely secure. RDS is a proven way to achieve both. Here is what good remote working looks like.
Keep the data on the server
With RDS, people connect to a desktop running on the office server and work there, so the confidential case data stays on the server rather than being copied to home laptops. That is a major security advantage: a lost or compromised personal device does not take your client data with it, because the data never really left the secured environment.
Protect access with MFA
Remote access should always be protected with multi-factor authentication, so a stolen password alone cannot let someone into your systems. For a firm holding confidential data, MFA on remote access is essential, and it is a simple, effective control that blocks the large majority of account-takeover attempts.
Use managed, healthy devices
Access is safest when it comes from managed, protected devices rather than any random computer. Ensuring the machines people connect from are secured and up to date, and controlling which devices can connect, stops an unprotected or compromised device becoming a way into your systems.
Make it fast and reliable
Remote working only succeeds if it performs well, so the server needs to be sized for the number of remote users and the connection set up sensibly, so reaching the document system from home feels responsive. A well-built RDS environment means people are as productive at home as in the office, including on large case files.
Support it properly
Remote setups need looking after, keeping the RDS environment patched, secure and monitored, and helping people when they have a connection or printing issue from home. A provider who supports remote working as a first-class part of the service keeps the team productive wherever they are, which is how a modern small consultancy operates.
What to ask a provider
A specialist for construction claims and quantity surveying consultancies should be able to answer:
- Have you supported document-heavy consultancies and systems like M-Files, including the SQL back end, before?
- How do you keep our case archive fast to search as it grows?
- How do you help us receive and handle confidential client and third-party data securely, through data rooms, SFTP and VPN?
- Can you support secure remote and RDS working, and our Cyber Essentials or IASME accreditation?
- Is the price clear and per user, with security included rather than charged separately?
Where to start
If you are not sure where your practice stands, a short review is the quickest way to find out: check that your document management and its server are sized and backed up properly, that confidential client and third-party data is received and stored securely, that remote access is secure and reliable, and that your Cyber Essentials or IASME accreditation is genuinely covered. Those few checks show where a consultancy-aware managed setup would pay off.
The bottom line
For a construction claims or quantity surveying consultancy, good IT comes down to two things: being able to find and work with huge volumes of case documents instantly, and keeping confidential client and third-party data absolutely secure. When the document system is fast, the data is safe, and people can work securely from anywhere, the practice can focus on the cases rather than the technology.
That reliability comes from a setup built around how a document-heavy, confidentiality-bound consultancy actually works, a well-run document management system, secure data handling, solid backups and recognised accreditation, rather than generic office IT. For a small practice whose reputation rests on protecting clients’ information, a predictable per-user cost for that dependability is far cheaper than a breach, a lost case file, or a day locked out of the archive.
Why construction consultancies choose First Stop IT
First Stop IT has supported businesses since 2002, including professional and consultancy firms, and we understand how a construction claims and quantity surveying practice works: M-Files and other document management on a SQL back end, secure handling of confidential client and third-party case data, RDS remote working, and the Cyber Essentials and IASME accreditation that clients increasingly expect. We support consultancies across Essex, Hertfordshire and London. Our credentials include:
- Cyber Essentials Certified
- IASME Cyber Assurance (Gold)
- NCSC Assured Service Provider (Cyber Advisor for Cyber Essentials)
- Microsoft Partner
- Crown Commercial Service Supplier (G-Cloud)
- Quality Principles Certified
We look after more than 2,000 endpoints across 50 companies, we have been named a Top 50 UK MSP for three years running, and we support organisations with 10 to 100 employees across Essex, Hertfordshire and London.
Book a free IT and cyber security review
Want secure, reliable remote working and proper data handling? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT.