Articles by Barclay Ballard

Barclay has been writing about technology for a decade, starting out as a freelancer with ITProPortal covering everything from London’s start-up scene to comparisons of the best cloud storage services. After that, he spent some time as the managing editor of an online outlet focusing on cloud computing, furthering his interest in virtualization, Big Data, and the Internet of Things.

The role also allowed him to gain knowledge of SEO and social media hashtags, as well as take part in a press trip or two. A visit to Prague for the Huawei Cloud Congress Europe 2016 was a particular highlight. He eventually returned to freelancing, writing news and feature pieces for TechRadar Pro. Cloud remains a primary interest but he’s also happy covering the hardware and software that powers productivity in workplaces around the world as they attempt to manage the transition to hybrid working.

Articles by: Barclay Ballard

Bluehost email review

By Barclay Ballard published 29 July 24

Bluehost offers some decent functionality and support across its email hosting plans - if the price works for you.

Fastmail review

By Barclay Ballard published 29 July 24

Fastmail is an okay business email hosting provider - that comes with a sizable price tag.

Namecheap email review

By Barclay Ballard published 22 July 24

This Namecheap email review explains why, despite lacking more advanced features, this is a solid, reliable offering.

IceWarp review

By Barclay Ballard published 22 July 24

This IceWarp email hosting review explains what the service excels at - storage - and where it falls down.

Hostinger email review

By Barclay Ballard published 22 July 24

Like the rest of its hosting services, Hostinger's email hosting is one of the best around.

DreamHost email review

By Barclay Ballard published 17 July 24

Our DreamHost email review explains a lot that is good about the email hosting service - plus a few downsides.

Zoho Mail business review

By Barclay Ballard published 15 July 24

In this Zoho Mail review, we outline the platform's many strengths, including its reliability and collaboration features.

Microsoft 365 email review

By Barclay Ballard published 12 July 24

Microsoft 365 delivers an excellent business email service in the form of Outlook - but it does a lot more too.

Google Workspace email review

By Barclay Ballard published 9 July 24

This Google Workspace review explains exactly why this top-quality service is used by businesses around the world.

Acquire review

By Barclay Ballard published 27 June 24

Acquire is a help desk solution unlike many others, allowing agents to unify all their support channels.

Smartsupp review

By Barclay Ballard published 25 June 24

After a completely free help desk solution for an unlimited number of operators? Smartsupp could be for you.

Intercom review

By Barclay Ballard published 22 May 24

Our Intercom review explains the strengths of this helpdesk solution, including its rich AI feature set.

Aircall VoIP review

By Mia McTigue-Rodriguez, Barclay Ballard last updated 16 April 24

Review Aircall is an easy-to-use cloud-based phone system with integrations and analytical tools to improve how organizations handle calls

Vonage for Home review

By Barclay Ballard last updated 12 April 24

Vonage for Home is a great option for small businesses looking for a reliable VoIP offering without breaking the bank.

8x8 Virtual Office Pro VoIP service review

By Gabe Carey, Barclay Ballard last updated 10 April 24

8x8 offers a comprehensive VoIP system with call recording, internet faxing, web conferencing, and more

A computer being guarded by cybersecurity.

5 steps to take to make sure your CRM data is absolutely secure

By Barclay Ballard published 28 February 24

This guide explains how to secure your CRM data against leaks, breaches, and more.

Two people video conferencing with others on a screen.

Best Microsoft Teams alternative of 2026

By Barclay Ballard last updated 28 February 24

We list the best Microsoft Teams alternatives, to make it simple and easy to improve productivity without paying for a Microsoft license.

5 steps to successfully implement a CRM in your business

By Barclay Ballard published 28 February 24

This guide explains exactly how to successfully implement a CRM in your organization and reap the many benefits.

Lead generation funnel with leads, prospects and customers

What is lead tracking and how does it work?

By Barclay Ballard published 27 February 24

In this guide we explain exactly what lead tracking is and how it works.

A person indicating a laptop screen with work on it.

What is task management software and how does it differ from a project management tool?

By Barclay Ballard published 27 February 24

This guide explains exactly what task management software is and how it differs from project management.

A woman making a sales call in an office

What is a sales plan and how to create one in 5 steps?

By Barclay Ballard published 27 February 24

This guide explains exactly what a sales plan is and how to create one.

What is a project plan and how to create one in 5 steps?

By Barclay Ballard published 26 February 24

This guide explains exactly what a project plan is and how to create one.

What is a CRM project?

By Barclay Ballard published 26 February 24

This guide explains exactly what a CRM project is - and why businesses may want to launch one.

What does a CRM system do?

By Barclay Ballard published 24 February 24

This guide explains the main things that CRM software is known for.

What businesses and organizations should use a CRM - and which ones shouldn't?

By Barclay Ballard published 23 February 24

This guide outlines the type of businesses that should be using CRMs - and those that may not need them.

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