IT news for UK small businesses – without the jargon
Ransomware gangs are getting nastier – and not just with your files. This week we’re showing you how to stay safe, plus some genuinely useful AI tools you can start using right now.
Ransomware criminals are now threatening staff directly
Hackers aren’t just locking your files anymore – they’re intimidating your team to force you to pay up faster. It’s like they’ve gone from picking the lock to knocking on the front door. This shift means your staff need proper training and a clear plan for what to do if they get threatened.
What this means for you: Make sure your team knows never to pay or negotiate with threats, and report everything to the police and NCSC.
AI receptionists now handle your customer messages automatically
RingCentral’s AI tool can now link straight to Shopify, Calendly and WhatsApp – meaning it answers customer questions, books appointments and logs orders without anyone lifting a finger. It’s like having a helpful admin person who never sleeps. You can set it up in a morning and it starts working straight away.
What this means for you: If you juggle customer messages across multiple platforms, this could save your team hours every week.
TikTok’s AI captions went hilariously wrong – here’s what to learn
TikTok rolled out AI-generated video descriptions and they were bonkers – completely missing what was happening in videos. It’s a good reminder that AI tools need human eyes on them before they go live. Even big tech companies get it wrong when they don’t check their work.
What this means for you: Any AI tool you use in your business needs someone to review its output – don’t just trust it blindly.
TG Jones – a major UK retailer – is facing bailiffs because of unpaid tax. A backlog of unpaid bills snowballs fast and suddenly you’ve got debt collectors at the door. HMRC doesn’t give second chances easily, so staying on top of tax is non-negotiable.
What this means for you: Set up a system to track and pay tax on time – it’s far cheaper than digging yourself out of a hole later.
With criminals now mixing tech attacks with threats, your staff are your first line of defence. Spend 10 minutes this Friday teaching them to spot fake emails and what to do if they get one. One person clicking a bad link can cost you thousands.
Stay safe out there – and if you need help setting up defences, we’re here.
