A construction SME should move to the cloud in a planned way: choosing the right platform, migrating email and files carefully, keeping people working throughout, and securing it from day one. Done well, your office and site teams work from anywhere, you have less hardware to maintain, and your data is protected and backed up. The cloud suits construction firms because the work, and the people, are rarely tied to one desk.
Moving to the cloud sounds daunting, but with the right plan it’s smooth. Here’s how to do it.
1. Choose the right platform
Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace covers email, files and collaboration, and hosted desktops can host the software that needs a Windows desktop. We help you pick what fits how your team works.
2. Migrate carefully
We plan and stage the move of your email and files, so nothing is lost and there’s no gap in service. Your team keeps working throughout, and the cutover is timed to cause the least disruption.
3. Keep people working
Because cloud systems are reachable from anywhere, your office and site staff carry on working during the move. The change happens in the background rather than stopping the business.
4. Secure it from day one
A move is the perfect moment to get security right: MFA, sensible sharing settings and backup in place from the start. You end up not just on the cloud, but on it securely.
A real example: a careful move to the cloud
We support construction and trades businesses through cloud moves, shifting email and files across in a planned, tested way and only retiring old systems once everything is confirmed working. They end up working from anywhere, with less to maintain and their data protected.
For a construction or trades business, this is part of managed IT and security that usually costs about £45 to £100 per user per month, scaling with headcount, how many staff work from site, and the project, finance and payroll software you rely on.
Why construction and trades firms choose First Stop IT
First Stop IT has supported businesses since 2002, including construction and trades businesses with office and site-based teams. We know how these firms run: people working from sites and on the move, finance and payroll software like QuickBooks, Sage and Xero, secure remote access, Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, and the security that protects a firm handling projects, client sites and payments. We support construction and trades firms in Harlow, Bishop’s Stortford and 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’ve 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, including Harlow and Bishop’s Stortford.
Book a free IT and cyber security review
Thinking about moving to the cloud? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT and we’ll plan a clean move.