Ostratto - Blog | Ostratto #solutionsOstratto - Blog | Ostratto #solutionshttps://www.ostratto.com/blogs/tag/solutionsThu, 27 Aug 2026 16:37:03 +0200http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[Google Workspace's Latest AI Features and Pricing Updates]]>https://www.ostratto.com/blogs/post/google-workspace-latest-ai-features-and-pricing-updatesRecent updates have brought significant advancements in AI-powered features, alongside adjustments to pricing. Here's a breakdown of what these changes mean for you and your business.]]>


Google Workspace continues to evolve, offering new tools to streamline collaboration and enhance productivity for businesses of all sizes. Google has announced these updates in detail on their blog, showcasing significant advancements in AI-powered features and adjustments to pricing. Here's a breakdown of what these changes mean for you and your business.


graphic showing google ai promo

AI Features to Boost Productivity

Google Workspace is embracing AI to make everyday tasks simpler and smarter. Here are some of the standout enhancements:

  • Help Me Write in Gmail and Docs: Drafting emails or documents is now quicker than ever. With "Help Me Write," users can generate, refine, or even rephrase content, saving time and ensuring clarity.
  • Smart Summaries in Google Meet: Missed a meeting? AI-powered summaries provide concise overviews of key points, so you can catch up without reviewing the entire session.
  • AI Insights in Sheets: Leveraging machine learning, Google Sheets now offers advanced data analysis, identifying trends and generating insights automatically.
  • Enhanced Security Tools: AI-driven detection mechanisms help identify and mitigate security threats, such as phishing attempts and suspicious account activity.
  • Gemini Advanced: Chat with Google’s next-gen AI to research information, brainstorm ideas, and streamline your most demanding projects.
  • NotebookLM Plus: Accelerate team knowledge sharing by uploading your sources to get instant insights and podcast-like Audio Overviews. This enhanced version offers notebook customisation, advanced sharing and 5x more Audio Overviews, queries, notebooks, and sources.

These features align with Google’s goal of enabling teams to work smarter, not harder.

Learn more

How These Changes Impact Your Business

Cost Considerations
While pricing has increased, the added functionality could reduce the need for additional third-party tools, potentially balancing costs.
Streamlined Collaboration

Enhanced features like Smart Summaries and AI in Sheets make it easier for teams to stay aligned, even across time zones.

Improved Efficiency

With AI taking care of routine tasks, your team can focus on high-impact projects.



​​Pricing Updates

With these powerful new tools comes a revision to pricing. Google has introduced a new pricing structure to reflect the value of these enhancements. While price changes are never ideal, Google’s continued investment in innovation ensures that your subscription offers more value than ever.

As an example, a customer using the Workspace Business Standard plan with a Gemini Business add-on previously paid $32 per user, per month. Now, that same business would pay just $14 per user, per month — only $2 more than they were paying for Workspace without Gemini.

​​Here are the new standard prices in GBP, per user/per month.

Business Starter Business Standard Business Plus  Enterprise Standard Enterprise Plus
Flexible£7.00£ 14.00£ 22.00£ 27.10£ 35.30
Annual/Commit£ 5.90£ 11.80£ 18.40£ 22.60£ 29.50


These prices exclude applicable taxes. For alternative currencies, please contact your contact at Ostratto or the pricing can be found on Google's pricing pages.


Your Next Steps

As a Google Workspace partner, we’re committed to helping you maximize the benefits of these updates. Whether it’s navigating the new AI tools or understanding cost implications, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Google Workspace’s commitment to innovation is evident in its recent AI features, which promise to transform how businesses operate. While the pricing adjustments may require some budgeting considerations, the enhanced functionality and productivity gains are well worth it in our opinion.

If you have any questions or need assistance navigating these updates, we're here to help.
​​

You will continue to have access to the add-on and its included features until these services are available in the Google Workspace Business and Enterprise editions. You will no longer be charged for the add-on subscription after January 31, 2025.


As a result of these updates, we are making changes to your existing Gemini order starting January 31, 2025. These changes include: 

  • You will no longer be charged for the add-on after January 31, 2025. You may receive a £0 invoice depending on your billing setup.
  • Prepaid contracts credited and prorated. If you have prepaid for your Gemini for Workspace subscription, we will ensure you are credited and will prorate the credit as of February 1, 2025. Credits will be automatically applied to future subscription invoices.
  • No longer renewing paid Gemini for Workspace add-on orders. As Gemini for Workspace add-on features are being introduced to Google Workspace Business and Enterprise plans, the Gemini for Workspace add-ons are no longer available for purchase or renewal.
  • Converting Gemini for Workspace add-on online annual plans to flexible plans. In order to ensure you will no longer be charged for the Gemini for Workspace add-on, We'll be switching your subscription to a £0 monthly flexible plan subscription or cancelling the Gemini add-on subscription entirely after January 31, 2025.

These features were previously available only to users with a Gemini for Google Workspace Add-on, but will now be included with Google Workspace Business and Enterprise plans. You will see these features added to your subscription in the coming days/weeks - many of you will already be able to access the new features.


At this time the features are being added to all accounts as standard, core features and so organisations cannot opt out of the new features, or the associated price increase.


There are currently methods to control access to them for your users.


​​Starting January 16, 2025, any new subscriptions - including subscription downgrades, upgrades, and plan type changes - are subject to the updated prices.

Price changes for existing Google Workspace subscriptions will begin no sooner than March 1st, 2025. 

Customers with an applicable Workspace Business or Enterprise edition are subject to the price change, but the timing of your price change will depend on your payment plan, number of user licenses, and other factors. For example, pricing for existing Google Workspace subscriptions with 10 or fewer user licenses will change at a later date.

For existing customers, pricing adjustments are applicable to Workspace Business and Enterprise plans after any applicable discount period ends. If you have an Annual/Fixed-term plan, your subscription price will not change until the end of your current commitment term.

If you have a subscription on the Flexible Plan, you may want to consider switching your subscription to the Annual/Fixed-Term plan for the lowest monthly per user price. You can switch from the Flexible Plan to the Annual Plan by contacting us.


Primary admins that are affected by an upcoming pricing change will receive an email notification at least 30 days before the change goes into effect.
Google Workspace continues to offer strong value, especially with the inclusion of AI-powered features such as “Help Me Write” and Smart Summaries at minimal additional cost. 

Microsoft has also recently announced price increases for its personal product offerings to accommodate their AI enhancements, with business editions likely to follow suit.

AI is here to stay - we see this is a positive addition to the Google Workspace package which will introduce AI to many businesses whom may have been unsure how to utilise AI and where to begin.
Contact us
]]>Fri, 17 Jan 2025 17:54:32 +0000<![CDATA[Streamline Your Workflow with the 10 Best Zoho Apps]]>https://www.ostratto.com/blogs/post/streamline-your-workflow-with-zohoA useful guide that you can use to learn about Zoho, understand what software they have on offer, and find out how these products can be used to add value and streamline your business.]]>
A useful guide that you can use to learn about Zoho, understand what software they have on offer, and find out how these products can be used to add value and streamline your workflow. We've made things simple for you with access to a free trial for each product in the list.

What is Zoho? | Featured Products | Zoho CRM | Zoho Books | Zoho Expense | Zoho Inventory | Zoho People | Zoho Projects | Zoho Desk | Zoho Forms | Zoho Voice | Zoho Sign | Why Zoho? | Why Ostratto?


​​What is Zoho?


Zoho Corporation is a software company that offers a unique and powerful suite of tools that can help you transform the way you work. It was founded in 1996 by Sridhar Vembu and Tony Thomas in Pleasanton, California, and now operates across the world with offices in London, Austin, Beijing, Tokyo, and Chennai. They have developed a wide range of tools to make an impact on every aspect of your business, with products designed to be user-friendly and applicable for all.


Here at Ostratto, we love to use Zoho One, as it encompasses all of the cloud software available with Zoho on one platform. It helps us to manage business operations across the company, and streamline the way that we work. I’m writing this blog to offer you some more information about different Zoho products and outline the ten best apps that we use every day at Ostratto, to help you understand how they can be a helpful addition to your software suite.



​​Featured Products

#1: Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is an industry-leading tool, and has been for many years, with an extensive feature set offered at competitive pricing. It’s highly customisable, uses omnichannel communications, offers sales and marketing automations, uses artificial intelligence, and even has its own mobile app.


Learn More About Zoho CRM

#2: Zoho Books

Zoho Books is a comprehensive accounting platform that is designed for growing businesses, and it’s recognised by HMRC for its VAT integration. It has an extensive feature set that allows you to create quotes, invoices, sales orders, and bills with ease, and an advanced set of reporting measures to help you make the most of your finances. 


Learn More About Zoho Books

#3: Zoho Expense

Zoho Expense streamlines the expense management process with a mobile-first approach, understanding that most of its users will upload their information on-the-go. It’s fully customisable with many controls for administrators, which helps you to keep track of everyone’s expenses and ensure that they comply with company policy.


Learn More About Zoho Expense

#4: Zoho Inventory

Zoho Inventory helps you to track inventory across multiple warehouses, synchronise stock to sell across multiple channels, and manage order fulfilment with extensive shipping functions. It has many integrations to help you connect both sales and shipping platforms, and reporting functions that help you to stay on top of your operations.


Learn More About Zoho Inventory

#5: Zoho People

Zoho People is a Human Resource Management (HRM) software that has been designed to make managing your employees simple and efficient. It can help you to track the attendance, performance, and development of all your employees, with accessible enterprise-level functionality at an affordable price.


Learn More About Zoho People

#6: Zoho Projects

Zoho Projects has an extensive feature set, helping you to manage and coordinate complex projects with ease. You can view timescales on Gantt charts, track hours with timesheets, and automate tasks to streamline your workflow. You can even manage projects on the go with its mobile app!


Learn More About Zoho Projects

#7: Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk is a completely customisable service desk that will help you manage customer queries across your portfolio. It has many comprehensive integrations with communications platforms, including social media, and uses artificial intelligence to help you create responses quickly.


Learn More About Zoho Desk

#8: Zoho Forms

Zoho Forms can help you to create visually appealing forms with custom branding to efficiently collect and manage information. You can automate forms to send notifications once they're completed, and automatically link info with contacts in your CRM, saving you time.


Learn More About Zoho Forms

#9: Zoho Voice

Zoho Voice is an easy-to-use business telephony and call centre solution that integrates easily with CRM and Desk. You can use it to make and receive business calls on customisable phone numbers with excellent line quality and great mobile capabilities.


Learn More About Zoho Voice

#10: Zoho Sign

Zoho Sign can transform your paperwork with its digital signature solution, helping you to save time and money. You can create reusable templates with custom branding, bulk send documents and track their progress, and create workflows to automate document flow. 


Learn More About Zoho Sign

​​#1: Zoho CRM

What does Zoho CRM do?

Zoho CRM is an industry-leading tool, and has been for many years, with an extensive feature set offered at competitive pricing. It’s highly customisable, uses omnichannel communications, offers sales and marketing automations, uses artificial intelligence, and a mobile app.


Why do we like Zoho CRM?

Zoho CRM is an ideal solution for small-to-medium businesses looking to get their hands on enterprise-level software at an affordable price. It’s highly customisable with an extensive feature set, meaning that you can choose from a wide range of features and make it work for you.


Example: Leads Page from Zoho CRM
Example: Leads Page from Zoho CRM
Example: Kanban View in Zoho CRM
Example: Kanban View in Zoho CRM
Example: Lead Details in Zoho CRM
Example: Lead Details in Zoho CRM

As with most Zoho products, its CRM integrates well with other software and this can be very advantageous. If you connect your mailbox to Zoho CRM it will collect all the information you have on each lead and add it to their profile. You can send emails directly from the CRM, and their data will be tracked for you to review. It makes it easy to see how effective your marketing is, and track which leads are engaging with your content.


Streamlining your sales process has never been easier, with the ability to create workflow automations that start with lead creation and end with you closing the deal. You can set these up in any way you like, to ensure that you never leave a lead behind. It’s simple to import new leads, with a straightforward process and many integrations. You can also customise the way you view your sales process, with both list view and kanban options.


Zoho’s enterprise-level data security can help you to stay compliant with data regulation without any extra work. You can create departments and set rules to configure the view for each team member, ensuring that they remain focused on their work and only access to relevant information. Zoho CRM also has extensive analytics and reporting  to help you track the performance of your team, and see where you need to improve.


What are its Key Features?

✔ Highly Customisable Interface

✔ Omnichannel Communications In-App

✔ Comprehensive Workflow Automations

✔ Simple Lead Importing

✔ Enhanced Privacy Protections


How to get started with Zoho CRM

We’ve made life a little easier for you with this free trial. Every Zoho product starts with a free trial so you can see if you like it and go from there. If you have any questions, let us know!


Start Your Zoho CRM Free Trial

​​#2: Zoho Books

What does Zoho Books do?

Zoho Books is a comprehensive accounting platform that has been designed for growing businesses, with extensive features and advanced reporting capabilities. It is a HMRC recognised accounting software that can help you be compliant with the MTD (Making Tax Digital) initiative and save time with the ability to pay your VAT directly through Zoho Books. Its features include workflow automation, time tracking for projects, and inventory management. You can report on anything to do with your company’s finances, with an extensive set of preset reports and the ability to make your own custom ones too.


Why do we like Zoho Books?

Zoho Books is an excellent platform for making new sales, with simple access to all the forms that you need throughout the customer journey. You can share access to these directly with customers through Zoho Books, saving time and simplifying the process. We love the amount of currencies available, offering support for international transactions, and the expansive number of languages supported too. It has an expansive set of integrations, with the ability to work with over 50 external applications, meaning that Zoho Books can work around you, and communicate with most software.


Example: Dashboard View in Zoho Books
Example: Dashboard View in Zoho Books
Example: Estimates in Zoho Books
Example: Estimates in Zoho Books
Example: VAT Filing in Zoho Books
Example: VAT Filing in Zoho Books
Example: Reporting in Zoho Books
Example: Reporting in Zoho Books

What are its Key Features?

✔ HMRC Recognised Software
✔ Comprehensive Feature Set
✔ Customizable Records and Forms
✔ Multi-Currency and Multi-Language
✔ Expansive Integrations (50+)
✔ Access via Mobile App
✔ Customer Portal Included

How to get started with Zoho Books

We’ve made life a little easier for you with this free trial. Every Zoho product starts with a free trial so you can see if you like it and go from there. If you have any questions, let us know!


Start Your Zoho Books Free Trial

​​#3: Zoho Expense

What does Zoho Expense do?

Zoho Expense streamlines the expense management process with a mobile-first approach, understanding that most of its users will upload their information on-the-go from iOS, Android, and Windows devices. It’s fully customisable with many controls for administrators, which will help you to keep track of everyone’s expenses and ensure that they are compliant with your organisation's policies.


Why do we like Zoho Expense?

Zoho anticipated that most employees looking to be reimbursed for expenses will be looking to do so on their mobile devices, recording their expense receipts on the go. We love the ability to capture receipts using the Zoho Expense app. It also has a useful Chrome Extension that allows you to capture receipts on your webpage with a couple of clicks, streamlining the process for when you make new bookings.


Example: Dashboard in Zoho Expense
Example: Dashboard in Zoho Expense
Example: Trips in Zoho Expense
Example: Trips in Zoho Expense
Example: Receipt Scan in Zoho Expense
Example: Receipt Scan in Zoho Expense
Example: Analytics in Zoho Expense
Example: Analytics in Zoho Expense

What are its Key Features?

✔ Extensive Integrations

✔ Modern Mobile Application

✔ Company Card Integration

✔ Great Customisation

✔ Advanced Reporting


How to get started with Zoho Expense

We’ve made life a little easier for you with this free trial. Every Zoho product starts with a free trial so you can see if you like it and go from there. If you have any questions, let us know!


Start Your Zoho Expense Free Trial

​​#4: Zoho Inventory

What does Zoho Inventory do?

Zoho Inventory helps you track inventory across multiple warehouses, synchronise stock to sell across multiple channels, and manage order fulfilment with extensive shipping functions. It has integrations that help you to connect both sales and shipping platforms, and reporting functions that help you to stay on top of your operations.


Why do we like Zoho Inventory?

We like Zoho Inventory as it enables you to manage your stock across multiple websites, easily transfer stock between those warehouses, and ship orders from multiple warehouses in the same order. It supports multiple currencies and dropshipping, making it an asset for any organisation looking for a better way to manage their inventory.


Example: Dashboard in Zoho Inventory
Example: Dashboard in Zoho Inventory
Example: Sales Orders in Zoho Inventory
Example: Sales Orders in Zoho Inventory
Example: Packages in Zoho Inventory
Example: Packages in Zoho Inventory
Example: Reporting in Zoho Inventory
Example: Reporting in Zoho Inventory

What are its Key Features?

✔ Extensive Shipping Functions

✔ Supports e-Commerce

✔ Tracks Across Multiple Warehouses

✔ Manage Sales & Purchase Orders In-App

✔ Great Reporting Options


How to get started with Zoho Inventory

We’ve made life a little easier for you with this free trial. Every Zoho product starts with a free trial so you can see if you like it and go from there. If you have any questions, let us know!


Start Your Zoho Inventory Free Trial

​​#5: Zoho People

What does Zoho People do?

Zoho People is a Human Resource Management (HRM) software that has been designed to make managing your employees more simple and efficient. It can help you to track the attendance, performance, and development of all employees, with accessible enterprise-level functionality to streamline your management processes.


Why do we like Zoho People?

We love Zoho People for its expansive feature set and easy user interface. Its functions cover every possible use-case for HRMs, with efficient time tracking and management systems. It’s ideal for small businesses looking to streamline their expansion, and medium businesses who want a more complete picture of their workforce.


Example: Profile Page in Zoho People
Example: Profile Page in Zoho People
Example: Features in Zoho People
Example: Features in Zoho People
Example: Self-Service Portal in Zoho People
Example: Self-Service Portal in Zoho People
Example: News Feed in Zoho People
Example: News Feed in Zoho People

Managers who use Zoho People are able to set up the software to company specifications and then take a backseat on the HRM process, with easy-to-use self-service portals for employees doing most of the work for you. You can track attendance, time spent across projects, and annual leave seamlessly, allowing you to focus on reaching your business goals through the comprehensive performance management functions. You can schedule appraisals, create goals, and receive feedback easily.


Employees have complete control over their attendance, leave, and time tracking with Zoho People. They can change any personal information with its self-service functions, manage their calendar and workload across multiple Zoho apps, and view everything they need to know about their employment in a handy branded portal. Most of these functions can be done in the Zoho People mobile app too, allowing employees to update their information on-the-go with ease.


What are its Key Features?

✔ Employee Self-Service Portal

✔ Timesheets & Time Tracking

✔ Efficient Performance Management

✔ HR Process Automation

✔ Extensive Reporting & Analytics

✔ Mobile App for Employees


How to get started with Zoho People

We’ve made life a little easier for you with this free trial. Every Zoho product starts with a free trial so you can see if you like it and go from there. If you have any questions, let us know!


Start Your Zoho People Free Trial

​​#6: Zoho Projects

What does Zoho Projects do?

Zoho Projects has an extensive feature set for an affordable price, helping you to manage and coordinate projects across your company with ease. You can view timescales on Gantt charts, track hours worked with timesheets, and automate tasks to streamline your workflow.


Why do we like Zoho Projects?

We love Zoho Projects for its excellent feature set, such as Gantt charts, tasks, reporting, documents, and milestones. You’re able to track time against each task within a project, which can be attributed to your Zoho People & Books for time management and accurate project costing. 


Example: Gantt Chart in Zoho Projects
Example: Gantt Chart in Zoho Projects
Example: List View in Zoho Projects
Example: List View in Zoho Projects
Example: Calendar View in Zoho Projects
Example: Calendar View in Zoho Projects
Example: Feed View in Zoho Projects
Example: Feed View in Zoho Projects

What are its Key Features?

✔ Gantt Chart / Kanban / Task List Views

✔ Task Allocation & Time Tracking

✔ Mobile Application (iOS & Android)

✔ Collaboration Functions

✔ Reporting & Analytics


How to get started with Zoho Projects

We’ve made life a little easier for you with this free trial. Every Zoho product starts with a free trial so you can see if you like it and go from there. If you have any questions, let us know!


Start Your Zoho Projects Free Trial

​​#7: Zoho Desk

What does Zoho Desk do?

Zoho Desk is a completely customisable service desk that will help you manage customer queries across your organisation’s portfolio. It has comprehensive integrations with communications platforms, and uses artificial intelligence to help you create responses quickly.


Why do we like Zoho Desk?

We love Zoho Desk as it helps us to manage customer service tickets with ease, through convenient contextual support, AI assistance, and detailed analytics. It’s ideal for small businesses looking for enterprise-level customer service capabilities at an affordable price.


Example: Dashboard in Zoho Desk
Example: Dashboard in Zoho Desk
Example: Performance View in Zoho Desk
Example: Performance View in Zoho Desk
Example: Ticket View in Zoho Desk
Example: Ticket View in Zoho Desk

What are its Key Features?

✔ Customisable Performance Dashboards

✔ Self-Service Portal for Customers

✔ Knowledge Base for Customers

✔ Automatic Ticket Routing

✔ Mobile App Support


How to get started with Zoho Desk

We’ve made life a little easier for you with this free trial. Every Zoho product starts with a free trial so you can see if you like it and go from there. If you have any questions, let us know!


Start Your Zoho Desk Free Trial

​​#8: Zoho Forms

What does Zoho Forms do?

Zoho Forms can help you to create visually appealing forms with custom branding to efficiently collect and manage information. You can automate these forms to send notifications once completed, and automatically link information with contacts in your CRM.


Why do we like Zoho Forms?

We like Zoho Forms because it allows us to create highly functional branded forms with its easy to use no-code creator, with an array of fields to choose from, field validation to ensure accurate data is recorded, and full customizability to meet most business requirements.


Example: Customisation in Zoho Forms
Example: Customisation in Zoho Forms
Example: Entry Tracking in Zoho Forms
Example: Entry Tracking in Zoho Forms
Example: Settings in Zoho Forms
Example: Settings in Zoho Forms
Example: Sharing in Zoho Forms
Example: Sharing in Zoho Forms

What are its Key Features?

✔ Full Customisation & Branding

✔ No-Code Form Creation

✔ Secure Data Collection

✔ Comprehensive Integrations

✔ Reporting & Analytics


How to get started with Zoho Forms

We’ve made life a little easier for you with this free trial. Every Zoho product starts with a free trial so you can see if you like it and go from there. If you have any questions, let us know!


Start Your Zoho Forms Free Trial

​​#9: Zoho Voice

What does Zoho Voice do?

Zoho Voice is an easy-to-use business telephony and call centre solution that integrates seamlessly with CRM and Desk. You can use it to make and receive business calls on customisable phone numbers with excellent line quality and mobile capabilities. 


Why do we like Zoho Voice?

We love Zoho Voice for its integration with other Zoho products. It can communicate with Zoho CRM to identify and recognise phone numbers, record voicemail messages and important conversations, and create notifications to bring your attention to new inbound leads.


Example: Dashboard in Zoho Voice
Example: Dashboard in Zoho Voice
Example: Agents in Zoho Voice
Example: Agents in Zoho Voice
Example: Add-Ons in Zoho Voice
Example: Add-Ons in Zoho Voice

What are its Key Features?

✔ Inbound & Outbound Calls

✔ Call Queueing, Forwarding, Transfers

✔ Personal & Departmental Extensions

✔ Customizable Phone Numbers

✔ Call Centre Capabilities

✔ Simple Dialling System


How to get started with Zoho Voice

We’ve made life a little easier for you with this free trial. Every Zoho product starts with a free trial so you can see if you like it and go from there. If you have any questions, let us know!


Start Your Zoho CRM Free Trial

​​#10: Zoho Sign

What does Zoho Sign do?

Zoho Sign can transform your company’s paperwork with its digital signature solution, helping you to save time and money. You can create reusable templates with custom branding, bulk send documents and track their progress, and create workflows to automate document flow.  It's highly secure too, with comprehensive encryption technology.


Why do we like Zoho Sign?

We like Zoho Sign because it helps to streamline signature collection and document processing in a secure and reliable way. It helps you save time through template creation and workflow configuration, and you can track the progress for each document sent easily. It’s compliant with many e-signature laws across the world.


Example: Documents in Zoho Sign
Example: Documents in Zoho Sign
Example: Sending in Zoho Sign
Example: Sending in Zoho Sign
Example: Sharing Templates in Zoho Sign
Example: Sharing Templates in Zoho Sign

What are its Key Features?

✔ Leading Data Security

✔ Completely Custom Branding

✔ e-Signature Capabilities

✔ Bulk Document Sending

✔ Reusable Templates

✔ Tracking & Reporting


How to get started with Zoho Sign

We’ve made life a little easier for you with this free trial. Every Zoho product starts with a free trial so you can see if you like it and go from there. If you have any questions, let us know!


Start Your Zoho Sign Free Trial

​​Why Zoho?

Zoho is one of the most affordable software developers for small-to-medium sized businesses, with comprehensive features across all of their applications for a price that doesn’t break the bank. You won’t find another software suite that has the integrations, the features, and the price points that Zoho has to offer, and the great thing is that their pricing is flexible so you can start small and scale up to enterprise level with ease.


We use most Zoho applications for our daily tasks, and they have helped to streamline our business processes and workflow immensely. They integrate well with Google Workspace, communicate data across the company to improve efficiency, and keep our company data secure at all times. If you’re looking for any of the above products, we recommend that you take a look at starting a free trial and have a go! We’re here to help answer any questions if you have them.


​​Why Ostratto?

Ostratto is a team of technical professionals that are here to assist you and your business on a truly personal basis. We have the skills and expertise to deliver comprehensive, cost-effective solutions, and will work to integrate Zoho software into your business in a way that meets all of your needs. We’re here to help you to find the most suitable products, and provide you with ongoing support throughout your time with us.


We've been partnered with Zoho for over five years, and have worked with their teams to develop their products for the UK market. We work with businesses from a wide range of sectors from leisure through to manufacturing. We are proud to be a part of all of our customers' businesses, integrating ourselves as trusted advisors and measuring our success on theirs. Wherever your organisation is right now, and wherever it wants to be in the future, we can help you to streamline your workflows and make your work less work with the right software solution.


]]>Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:32:13 +0000<![CDATA[Ransomware Threat Update: 2024]]>https://www.ostratto.com/blogs/post/2024-ransomware-threat-updateAn explanation of how the threat of ransomware attacks on organisations has developed throughout 2024, drawing on data from the Sophos State of Ransomware survey and explaining how Intercept X can offer advanced defences against this prevalent threat.]]>

An explanation of how the threat of ransomware attacks on organisations has developed throughout 2024, drawing on data from the Sophos State of Ransomware survey and explaining how Intercept X can offer advanced defences against this prevalent threat.


What is Ransomware? | What's New In 2024? | Industries at High Risk | Actions to Protect Your Business | How Intercept X Protects Your Business | Ostratto: Your Security Provider | Book Your Free Discovery Call


​​What is Ransomware?

Ransomware is a type of malicious software that, if installed, can stop you from gaining access to your systems and will then demand that you pay the perpetrator to regain access – in other words, it will hold your systems to ransom. Ransomware can come in many shapes and sizes, below are a few of the most common types that we outlined in 2023. Want to find out how to protect your company? Skip down to Protective Actions.


Types of Ransomware Attack

Computer locked by a ransomware attack.
Graphic by Pixabay

Crypto Ransomware, also known as "encryptors", is one of the most common and dangerous types. This kind encrypts files and data, rendering the material useless without the decryption key. Unlike the other types below, crypto ransomware may infiltrate your systems in several different ways. 


Phishing refers to one of the methods in which ransomware may make its way into your system. It occurs when a malicious email, which may  appear at first to be authentic, is opened and the links within are clicked on. Unfortunately, opening these all but friendly emails will allow the ransomware to be downloaded onto your device. Once in, the ransomware can exploit the security flaws in your device and take control of your systems.


Scareware may often appear as a security software pop-up, warning you that malware has been identified and that the only way to remove it is to pay. However, despite the name, there is often nothing to be afraid of as attackers are merely bluffing to coerce you into paying, meanwhile your files remain secure.


Doxware or Leakware refers to when an attacker threatens to release sensitive data online. Although the threat may not always be legitimate, most individuals panic and pay the requested ransom.


Lockers refers to when a pop-up emerges, requesting a ransom, and totally locks the user out of their computer. Most pop-ups make the user feel like they are in the wrong and will often display timers to pressure you into paying quickly without the opportunity to report or resolve the attack instead.


Impact of Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware can have an enormous impact on your company's operations and data security, and some organisations take up to one month to recover from an attack. Here are some key takeaways about the impact of ransomware from the Sophos State of Ransomware update in 2024.

59%

of companies attacked with ransomware in 2024

94%

report that their backups were targeted in attacks

32%

of victims had data stolen as well as encrypted

$2.0m

was the average ransom demand by attackers

​​What's New In 2024?

Focus on Critical Infrastructure

Ransomware continues to be the most impactful cybersecurity threat, with its high financial rewards and established business model making it an attractive extortion method. Criminals target a wide range of organisations, many of which don’t make the headlines, but those who do have historically been those with the highest reward potential.


For example, threat actors have attacked hospitals, schools, and government entities across the world, with local councils and the National Health Service (NHS) being some of the most public cases in the UK. Infrastructure companies such as these typically have outdated and unsupported legacy systems, and therefore are an easy target for threat actors looking to exploit vulnerabilities and enter their network. 


Ransomware-As-A-Service (RaaS)

Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) is an increasingly popular platform that criminals and threat actors can use to access ransomware with no upfront costs. Many platforms operate with a subscription model, which mirrors the successful models used by legitimate platforms, to offer access to ransomware variants, distribution channels, and support in exchange for a share of the profits.


Hackers can leverage RaaS platforms to perform the most efficient and effective assaults on any chosen company, with this increased accessibility to powerful malware products making the ransomware extortion method as the most profitable cyberattack on the market today. As these platforms continue to develop into 2025, there will be a significant increase in the threat of cybercrime on organisations.


Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expected to have an enormous impact on the threat of ransomware. Criminals are already using AI to streamline cyberattacks, and it will almost certainly increase the volume and impact of attacks in the near future. It enables relatively unskilled threat actors to carry out sophisticated attacks, with improved targeting and more effective information-gathering than ever before.


There are reports that AI is helping criminals to develop malware that can avoid detection by security software, craft phishing emails that are extremely targeted and persuasive, and encrypt files at a startling rate. As this continues, it could have an unprecedented impact on businesses across the world, which is why it’s so important to take a proactive approach to your cybersecurity.




"Hackers can leverage RaaS platforms to perform the most efficient and effective assaults on any chosen company"



​​Industries at High Risk for Attack

Local Government & Public Services

Across the UK there has been an increasing number of attacks on local government organisations and public service companies. Recently, for example, we saw Synnovis, an NHS pathology services provider, experienced an attack that caused the cancellation of over 10,000 appointments and a significant data leak that immediately made the headlines. The extent of the attack meant that they had to rebuild their IT systems to continue to operate, which caused significant disruption to their operations.


In 2023, we saw Gloucester City Council fall victim to a ransomware attack for the second time in 10 years, where many of the council’s systems were encrypted and taken offline. It cost the council £1.1 million to remediate the damage caused by this attack. Hackers, in these instances, appear to be targeting large public organisations to perform extortion at the threat of an enormous data leak. Any company with a significant amount of public data should be concerned about the increasing threat of a ransomware attack.


Logistics & Transportation

Transportation has been brought back into the spotlight recently with the incident that occurred with Network Rail’s WiFi network this September. Attackers were able to use a vulnerability in their network and transmit extremist messages onto the devices of unaware service users, which caused considerable concern amongst the public and made headlines. In 2023, KNP Logistics Group was attacked by threat actors who caused irreparable damage to their systems in an incident that plunged the company into insolvency, making 730 people redundant. 


In these examples, the motivations of the threat actors appear to be mixed. In the Network Rail incident, it appears to be a case of ‘Hacktivism’, where the threat actors were politically motivated and were sending a message to service users. However, in the case of KNP Logistics, we can estimate that ransomware was used purely to extort the company. Similar transport organisations should be concerned about the latter example, as it highlights that cybercriminals do target private organisations more frequently than what we’re aware of, as many instances don’t make the headlines.


Manufacturing & Production

In recent years, the manufacturing industry became a prevalent target for security attacks due to legacy systems and unpatched applications. One of the more notable examples is Wiltshire Farm Foods who provide frozen ready meals to care homes, nurseries, hospitals, and schools in the South West. In 2022, they were attacked by threat actors who were able to significantly disrupt their operations and leave service users without meals.


Attackers were able to cause enough damage to mean that the company had to rebuild and replace most of their hardware and software, likely costing hundreds of thousands of pounds. In response to the increased threat of ransomware, we have seen companies like Castell Howell and AG Barr onboard with Sophos Intercept X to manage their cybersecurity.


​​Actions to Protect Your Business

Addressing an attack situation requires a straightforward three-step approach: implement a more scalable incident response process to accelerate response time; leverage adaptive defences to slow down adversaries; and create a virtuous cycle that improves protection and lowers cost.


Stopping advanced, persistent adversaries will require you to optimise your organisation’s defences, using context-sensitive technologies to elevate the level of protection in proportion to the situation. Crucially, these defences will buy you time to apply human expertise to address the root cause.



Optimise Prevention

Stop attacks at the earliest possible point to minimise impact.

Reduce Exposure

Minimize opportunities for adversaries to exploit weaknesses in security.

Disrupt Attackers

Buy time to respond in the event of an advanced human-led attack.
 

​​How Intercept X Protects Your Business

Sophos Intercept X is the industry-leading Endpoint Security solution that reduces the attack surface and prevents attacks from running. Combining anti-exploit, anti-ransomware, deep learning AI and control technology it stops attacks before they impact your systems. Intercept X uses a comprehensive, defense-in-depth approach to endpoint protection, rather than relying on one primary security technique.


Key Features of Intercept X

Sophos CryptoGuard Product Demonstration
CryptoGuard by Sophos
  • Informed by Deep Learning, a process that dissects unknown malware to detect new behaviours and stop unknown threats. SophosLabs work through 400,000 new instances of malware each day and use their findings to develop Intercept X, meaning that you're always protected from the latest threats.
  • CryptoGuard will analyse information in real-time and shut down any encryption processes automatically, reverting all files back to normal once the threat has been contained. It means that you'll never have to worry about paying ransom, as all of your files are protected.
  • Anti-Exploit recognises and blocks common malware delivery techniques, protecting endpoints from phishing attempts, malware downloads, and zero-day code vulnerabilities, providing you with comprehensive prevention against 99.98% of ransomware attack methods.
  • Simple Management with Sophos Central allows you to see the complete picture of alerts across all devices in your network, helping you to prioritise your time effectively and understand your cybersecurity posture.


 "Intercept X stops attacks before they enter your systems, using a comprehensive defence-in-depth approach"



​​Ostratto: Your Security Partner

Picture of Ostratto Director Helping Customer

With a team of technical professionals to assist your business on a truly personal basis, and diverse knowledge across some of the most advanced technology, Ostratto have the skills and expertise to deliver comprehensive, cost-effective solutions and fully-managed services. We’re here to help you to find the most suitable products for your business needs, and provide you with ongoing support across your time with us.


Founded in 2019, we have established ourselves as a forward-thinking technical consultancy both locally in the South West and further afield. We work with businesses from a wide range of sectors from leisure through to manufacturing. We are proud to be a part of all of our customers businesses, integrating ourselves as trusted advisors and measuring our success on theirs.

Wherever your organisation is right now, and where it wants to be in the future, we can help you to accelerate your defences and move ahead of today’s advanced adversaries. For more information, view our security products or speak with a security advisor today.



​​Book Your Free Discovery Call

If you think that your business could benefit from Intercept X, or if you'd like to find out more information about how we can improve your cyber defences, please book a free discovery call with one of our experts below. We'll be happy to help, in whatever way we can.

]]>Mon, 21 Oct 2024 11:00:05 +0000<![CDATA[Case Study: Using Google Workspace to Support a Global B2B Marketing Business]]>https://www.ostratto.com/blogs/post/case-study-supporting-global-b2b-marketingBy partnering with Ostratto to transition from a Microsoft-based environment to Google Workspace, Modern achieved a seamless transformation that empowered their team.]]>
Modern, an award-winning global media agency, sought to revolutionise its technical infrastructure to support its rapid growth and hybrid workforce. With a presence in multiple countries and a reputation as one of the fastest-growing agencies nationally, Modern faced challenges with outdated systems and limited scalability. By partnering with Ostratto to transition from a Microsoft-based environment to Google Workspace, Modern achieved a seamless transformation that empowered their team with flexible, secure, and reliable tools, enabling them to continue delivering exceptional results for their clients worldwide.

The Task

As Modern experienced rapid growth in the B2B marketing space, the need for a robust technical solution became critical.


Expanding their team both nationally and internationally placed immense pressure on their existing support infrastructure, which could no longer meet demand. With the team outgrowing available office space, implementing a hybrid working model was essential. 


The outdated systems were unable to support this shift, highlighting the need for a flexible and scalable solution like Google Workspace to streamline operations and enhance productivity.

Flexible

With all team members becoming hybrid, a flexible infrastructure was desperately needed. Systems needed to be accessible for all workers, regardless of their location. By implementing Google Workspace, Modern ensured seamless access to tools and resources, enabling hybrid teams to work productively. Desks in the offices needed to be readily accessible with minimal disruption.

Efficient

The requirements capturing process not only focused on what was wrong - it focused on what could be vastly improved. With increased productivity being a key objective, a thorough understanding of working practices and processes means that new systems could be designed to work for the users.


Secure

As the geographical spread of workers increased, so did the surface of potential cyber threats. Business systems needed to be secure, auditable and constantly monitored, with potential vulnerabilities identified before they became a threat.


Reliable

With the existing infrastructure and support function "bulging at the seams", user confidence was low which in turn impacted productivity. Implemented systems needed to be reliable and any required support needed to be high-quality in order to restore confidence and promote positive working behaviours. By adopting Google Workspace, Modern gained a dependable solution that not only enhanced reliability but also improved user satisfaction and overall efficiency.


Products Featured

Leveraging our wide range of products and services, we implemented the correct tools to achieve the objective.

Google Workspace

Google Workspace acting as the 'glue', was vital to ensuring communication across the business was efficient.

View Product

Sophos: Intercept X

Advanced Endpoint Protection was implemented to ensure all endpoints are protected and centrally managed.

View Product

SaaS Protection

A backup and disaster recovery system was an essential function in order to meet customers strict compliance requirements.

View Product

Ostratto Support

Dedicated helpdesk support ensures users confidence in knowing they are technically supported at all times.

View Service

Professional Services

Designing, implementing and maintaining the solution to meet requirements was all completed in-house by Ostratto.

View Service

Implementation

The entire approach was then designed around these requirements, plus a few extras that would enhance the solution.

Flexible

By adopting a cloud-based and web-first productivity solution, Google Workspace, users were introduced to fast loading times, instant access and enhanced usability. Although comprehensive training was provided on the new tools, use was intuitive and within a short space of time, users were comfortable sharing files, setting up video calls and creating online calendar events.


Gone was the requirement to connect to an unreliable VPN. Team members - in the office and working remotely - were able to do their best work without hindrance.


With all devices enrolled in Google Workspace device management, not only were devices securely audited and managed centrally, but users could also sign into their Windows devices using their Google account, greatly enhancing accessibility and streamlining workflows.

Reliable

Thorough requirements capturing meant that Modern's needs were fully understood. This enabled us to implement a hybrid setup that worked just as well for those working remotely as it did in the office environment.


All desktop workstations in the business were swapped for portable laptop devices, with one-cable high-speed connectivity docks issued to all users as well as installed on every desk in the main office. This meant that team members visiting the office would be able to plug one cable in and seamlessly be provided with all peripherals on the desk including power, displays and input devices. This made the transition between remote environments and the office environment simple and reliable, which in turn encouraged users to work more collaboratively in the office.


Team members were provided with access to Ostratto's support service, which opened up communication with an approachable and knowledgeable team with scalable capacity to support, consult and implement.

Secure

All devices (Windows and MacOS) were enrolled into Sophos Intercept X's advanced protection. This provided enhanced monitoring which feeds back to Sophos Central for oversight and alert management. 


Aging office network equipment was replaced with Sophos' network equipment - introducing intelligent synchronisation between network equipment and endpoint protection software which automatically protects users from threats across multiple layers.


By leveraging Google Workspace as the identity directory, all users were able to use their Google Workspace login to log into their devices and applications which improves the user experience whilst at the same time providing simpler and auditable user management.


SaaS Protection was implemented to complete backups of all company data three times a day to an alternative location - meeting the compliance requirement of more regulated customers whilst providing peace-of-mind and automated recovery capabilities.

Efficient

Whilst the initial brief of our journey with Modern was to help them migrate 42 users to Google Workspace as their core productivity platform, it quickly became obvious that there were inefficiencies and productivity-holes in the day-to-day operations which could be improved.


New processes were implemented, followed by interactive workshop sessions which enabled team members to have direct input on the design of systems such as how files should be shared, how departments should be connected and how other services should be integrated for improved usability.


By designing the systems around the users and their workflows rather than forcing new systems onto users, users were naturally empowered to fully adopt the new offering and benefit from effortless productivity.

"We have had a few technical consultants over the years and there are two types. 

1) Those that try to support you but often do the minimum to fix issues without really thinking about your business. 

2) Those that are really customer focused and will keep fixing technical issues until they are tested and fixed and make recommendations that with solve problems in your business.

Ostratto are a gold standard 5 star company, they are brilliant and so customer focused, they always work with us to solve problems making sure we are getting what we need."

Stuart Ray

Chief Commercial Officer at Modern

Result

After a successful migration of 42 users (and over 10 years of data) from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace, our attention was entirely retargeted toward ensuring Modern had the correct tools and adequate support to facilitate their continued growth.


The implementation of a simpler, more lightweight infrastructure meant that Modern saw a significant drop in support requirements. In the last three months prior to this writing, Modern are averaging a 64% drop in user-raised issues compared to the demand before Ostratto came on-board. Based on completed surveys, 94% of users reported that they are confident in their equipment and technology and 100% of users reported that they feel that they can get the support should they need it. This has resulted in a workforce able to focus on outputting their best work, instead of struggling through technical issues.


Our technology strategy approach has meant that Modern has been equipped to win several significant tenders with major customers - with all technical security compliance requirements passed with flying colours.


We have now worked with Modern for many years - with many continued improvements planned.

64%​ Support Ticket Reduction
​​

Efficiency Improved​
​

Contract Extended Indefinitely​
​

At Ostratto, we're fundamentally customer-success focused. This means instead of designing solutions based on our expectations, we focus on customer requirements and needs to ensure their success. In turn, we find success in shared success as our customers' trusted technical consultancy partner whom they can rely upon.


We solve complex business problems with cutting-edge technology, whilst keeping everything simple for our customers. Be sure to check out other examples of how we have helped businesses make their work, less work.

Chat with us today
]]>Mon, 26 Aug 2024 13:57:27 +0000<![CDATA[Case Study: Supporting High Quality Care with Website Design, Google Workspace, Zoho People and Vonage]]>https://www.ostratto.com/blogs/post/case-study-supporting-high-quality-careOur approach in helping a specialised care provider modernise and excel using Website Design, Google Workspace, Zoho People, and Vonage.]]>
BBcare10 is a care provider based in Gloucestershire, UK, specialising in bespoke support for young people and adults with complex care needs. With increasing demand for their sought-after care services, BBcare10 faced challenges due to aging technical systems and tools. These limitations hindered growth and restricted service capacity.

The initial engagement with BBcare10 focused on creating a modern, optimised website design to align with their planned marketing efforts. During the consultation, we uncovered other technical pain points, including unreliable email systems, the use of mobile numbers for business enquiries, manual paper-based shift rotas, and difficulties onboarding new staff.


At the time of the inquiry, BBcare10 had a team of 4. Today, they’ve grown to a team of 24 and are actively recruiting. Here’s how we supported their growth with professional services tailored to their needs.

The Task

With the demand growing for BBcare10's high-quality care service, existing systems were causing instability and limiting growth.


To meet the demands of required service, BBcare10's systems needed an overhaul. Systems implemented needed to be simple to maintain, reliable and scalable to meet the onboarding expectation.


Simple

Systems must be intuitive to use, minimising training requirements.

Maintained

Solutions had to work seamlessly across a mobile, dispersed workforce without requiring heavy maintenance.

Reliable

With 24/7 care services, system downtime was not an option.

Scalable

Solutions needed to grow alongside BBcare10's expanding team and operations.

Secure by Design

It was also vital that systems were secure by design. With sensitive client records being involved - all data needed to be strictly access-controlled and on a 'zero-trust' basis. All solutions were implemented with this at the forefront of importance.

Products and Services Featured

Leveraging our wide range of products and services, we implemented the correct tools to achieve the objective.

Website Design

A professionally designed business website was developed to serve as a hub for staff and customer information.

View Product

Google Workspace

Google Workspace became the backbone of BBcare10’s operations, facilitating seamless communication and collaboration across the organization.

View Product

Zoho People

Zoho People streamlined HR operations, simplifying the onboarding process and managing employee information efficiently.

View Product

Vonage

Vonage transformed business communications by introducing a local landline number, which diverted to mobile devices for accessibility and reliability.

View Product

Professional Services

Our team provided end-to-end professional services, including design, implementation, and ongoing maintenance, tailored to BBcare10’s unique needs.

View Service

Implementation

The entire approach was then designed around these requirements, plus a few extras that would enhance the solution.

Simple

Google Workspace unified communication and productivity tools, restoring confidence in email reliability with Gmail’s 99.99% uptime. A single Google account allowed quick and intuitive access to all BBcare10 systems. 


Following initial workshop training, team members required minimal ongoing support thanks to Google Workspace’s user-friendly design.


Maintained

Chromebooks were deployed to mobile team members, enabling them to complete shift notes securely using digital forms on the company website. 


Centralized management via Google Workspace ensured updates and security without manual intervention. With cloud-hosted systems like the website and Zoho People, improvements were implemented seamlessly with no downtime.

Reliable

Cloud-based solutions ensured consistent performance and communication reliability. Gone were the days of missed emails or team communication breakdowns. 


BBcare10 now operates with dependable tools, vital for their 24/7 service schedule.

Scalable

With systems designed around Google Workspace, onboarding a new team member now takes minutes. Zoho People further streamlined the process, automating document requests and saving valuable time. Scalability is now embedded into BBcare10’s operations.

Secure

Data security is paramount for BBcare10. Sensitive patient information is stored in Google Drive, with strict access controls and audit tracking. Chromebooks ensure no local data remains after a user logs out, adhering to zero-trust principles and guaranteeing compliance.

Result

With 24 team members and growing, BBcare10 now serves over 30 regular clients and delivers more than 320 shifts monthly. Their investment in cutting-edge systems has significantly improved efficiency, expanded service capacity, and streamlined onboarding processes. These enhancements have directly contributed to their ability to meet increasing demand while maintaining exceptional care standards.


The implementation of the correct systems and tools has resulted in BBcare10 vastly improving efficiency, communication, service capacity and onboarding times, ultimately enabling business growth.


Although initially only contacted for website design services, BBcare10 and Ostratto now work together on an ongoing basis to constantly improve systems and processes across the business.

Efficiency Improved​
​​

Staff Onboarding Streamlined
​​

Service Capacity Increased
​​

Why Choose Ostratto?


At Ostratto, we specialise in solving complex business challenges with innovative solutions like Website Design, Google Workspace, Zoho People, and Vonage. Our customer-focused approach ensures we deliver scalable, secure, and reliable systems tailored to your needs.


Be sure to check out other examples of how we have helped businesses make their work, less work. Contact us today to learn more about our professional services and discover how we can help your business grow.

Chat with us today
]]>Thu, 08 Aug 2024 12:00:00 +0000<![CDATA[Case Study: Smarter Auditing with Google Workspace, iAuditor, and Vonage]]>https://www.ostratto.com/blogs/post/case-study-smarter-auditingMistral's role in a national supermarket's service overhaul strategy required a smart auditing solution.]]>
Mistral Technical Services Ltd is a multi-discipline consultancy and management company based in Gloucestershire, UK. They provide tailored solutions to clients across sectors including manufacturing, retail, and care.

For a national supermarket chain, a poorly serviced retail estate can lead to operational downtime, health and safety issues, fines, and—most critically—damage to the national brand. After decades of mergers, acquisitions, and rapid estate growth, one of Mistral's retail clients needed a comprehensive store audit covering over 400 locations.


This ambitious audit aimed to provide actionable data to identify problem areas, improve servicing efforts, and align all stores with operational standards. Mistral played a pivotal role in delivering this essential information over a two-year period, ensuring the data was live, actionable, and prioritised by urgency.

The Task

To enhance servicing standards, the supermarket chain needed detailed insights into current processes, identifying problem areas requiring frequent, costly interventions.


Mistral was tasked with implementing a comprehensive auditing solution, involving site visits to over 400 stores to assess technical components such as air conditioning, lighting, and refrigeration. The gathered data needed to be accessible in real time, presented in an actionable format, and accurate enough to drive meaningful decisions.


Live

Data needed to be live and dynamic, allowing critical issues like safety hazards to be addressed immediately.

Accessible

Data had to be easily available to stakeholders nationwide in a user-friendly, informative format.

Actionable

Insights from the audits needed to prioritise pressing issues and provide a clear roadmap for improvements.

Accurate

The auditing process had to deliver precise, relevant data while being straightforward for field auditors to execute.

Products Featured

Leveraging our wide range of products and services, we implemented the correct tools to achieve the objective.

Managed Devices

iOS devices were issued to auditors across the country, ensuring secure and manageable mobile access to the auditing system.

View Service

Google Workspace

Google Workspace acted as the backbone of communication and data access, providing secure and seamless integration with auditing tools.

View Product

iAuditor

The cloud-based iAuditor app enabled auditors to conduct inspections efficiently, capturing data in real time.

View Product

Vonage

Vonage allowed auditors to contact stores using a landline number, maintaining professionalism and protecting personal contact details.

View Product

Ostratto Support

Auditors had access to technical support at all times, ensuring confidence and uninterrupted operations in the field.

View Service

Professional Services

From design to implementation and ongoing maintenance, all solutions were delivered by Ostratto's in-house team.

View Service

Implementation

The entire approach was then designed around these requirements, plus a few extras that would enhance the solution.

Live

By adopting a cloud-based auditing solution, iAuditor, auditors utilised pre-defined templates within an intuitive mobile app to conduct audits. The system enabled the capture of notes, photos, and multiple-choice responses, with live data instantly uploaded to the cloud. Automations flagged critical risks immediately, allowing swift action.

Actionable

With over 2,100 audits completed to date and more than 17,400 issues flagged, Mistral used customised dashboards to distil raw data into meaningful insights. Each audit automatically generated a detailed report for the relevant teams, saving significant time and ensuring informed decision-making.

Secure

Given the sensitive nature of data collected, security was paramount. Using Google Workspace, all data access was authenticated at every endpoint. Auditors’ issued devices were secured with strong passwords, geographic tracking, and remote management, ensuring a safe yet seamless user experience.

Accessible

Stakeholders received their own secure logins and managed mobile devices, enabling them to view live data and reports at any time. 


Automated graphs highlighted key issues, such as recurring faults with specific refrigeration suppliers in certain regions, facilitating targeted solutions.

 I.e. Stores in the South West using a common refridgeration supplier were experiencing more fault call-outs than stores using a different supplier.


Accurate

Mistral developed bespoke audit templates with straightforward response options, such as “yes/no + photo.” This approach ensured auditors could complete inspections efficiently while producing reliable, weighted data for actionable reporting.

Manageable

Building on top of the secure user management offered by Google Workspace, all auditors are also issued a managed mobile device.


The managed devices are geographically tracked, apps and features are managed and restricted centrally, and security measures such as strong passwords are enforced. The devices are consistently monitored for non-compliance with automatic alerts being sent to Ostratto Support for investigation.


By managing the devices centrally, all stakeholders can be confident using them in the field so that more time and resource can be spent on achieving the overarching objective(s).


Result

At the time of writing, 2,694 audits have been completed with 20,171 items flagged for review across 421 stores. A confirmed value of over £500,000 has already been recognised as a cost saving due to proactive identification of failing refrigeration systems resulting in minimal stock loss. The information provided by this cutting-edge auditing solution has resulted in massive service overhauls within the end client's operations, improving efficiency and reducing costs significantly by taking a proactive approach to service issues.


Although initially only contracted for two years, the auditing service is now into it's fourth year of operation due to it's incredible success. The service is now deemed a vital part of the end client's service plan with no intention of ceasing Mistral's input or the solution implemented by Ostratto.

End-Client Cost Reduction
​​

Efficiency Improved​
​

Contract Extended Indefinitely​
​

At Ostratto, we're fundamentally customer-success focused. This means instead of designing solutions based on our expectations, we focus on customer requirements and needs to ensure their success. In turn, we find success in shared success as our customers' trusted technical consultancy partner whom they can rely upon.


Ostratto specialises in delivering innovative, scalable solutions like Google Workspace, iAuditor, and Vonage. By combining cutting-edge technology with a customer-first approach, we help businesses streamline operations, improve efficiency, and achieve measurable results. Contact us today to learn how we can help your business thrive.


We solve complex business problems with cutting-edge technology, whilst keeping everything simple for our customers. Be sure to check out other examples of how we have helped businesses make their work, less work.

Chat with us today
]]>Sat, 16 Jul 2022 09:49:41 +0000