| When small businesses are looking for a support | | | | "repair-man" each time a service request is made. |
| solution for maintaining their network and computer | | | | Low Cost |
| systems, they have several options. They can utilize | | | | They're not necessarily looking for the LOWEST rate |
| one of their tech-savvy employees to pull double-duty | | | | available. They do however expect a fair and |
| as their in-house tech. They can employ a dedicated | | | | competitive rate. |
| in-house network administrator. Or they can outsource | | | | The MSP (Managed Service Provider) support model |
| the service to an IT Support company, an MSP or to | | | | is designed to address the above Customer wants by |
| an Independent Computer Consultant. | | | | leveraging today's available technology to support |
| In today's market, I believe that the Independent | | | | larger numbers of clients while utilizing fewer internal |
| Computer Consultant represents the best possible | | | | resources. |
| support model for serving the needs of the small | | | | The support utilities available today that provide remote |
| business customer. And I firmly believe that any | | | | monitoring, preventative maintenance and remote |
| computer professional with the skill set to maintain a | | | | computer and server support, has become reliable and |
| small business network should strongly consider | | | | affordable to the point where they now provide the |
| starting a small business of his or her own. | | | | means for those computer professionals wanting to |
| In the early days of outsourced computer support (and | | | | start a small business to finally enter the market |
| to this day for many consultants), the break/fix support | | | | without the need for massive amounts of start up |
| model where services were charged for by the hour | | | | capital. |
| was standard practice. We wait for the systems to | | | | These inexpensive utilities now help all IT support |
| fail, call the computer consultant to come out and fix it, | | | | providers serve their customers more efficiently and |
| he sends an invoice. Repeat as necessary. | | | | for lower, more predictable fees than was ever |
| It's obvious how this support model puts the needs of | | | | possible under the hourly support model. |
| the computer consultant directly at odds with the | | | | With support becoming easier and cheaper to provide, |
| needs of the client. | | | | many well run and well funded companies are |
| The client typically sees the computer consultant as an | | | | emerging and competing for the Small Business |
| unwanted expense. Should the consultant be required | | | | Support market. They're working to establish brand |
| to make an office visit to the customer, it's likely | | | | recognition and looking to dominate the market. As |
| because something is broken, which is costing the | | | | regional and even national companies continue to grow |
| customer money... both in lost productivity and for | | | | and as the current market leaders in providing small |
| whatever the repair costs might be. Under the | | | | business technology products, such as Microsoft, Dell, |
| hourly-rate service model, it's understandable why the | | | | CDW, etc. enter the small business IT Support market, |
| customer would want to see the computer consultant | | | | it can seem inevitable that the Independent Computer |
| as little as possible. Of course, this works directly | | | | Consultant is headed the way of the dinosaur. |
| against the needs of the consultant, who's simply trying | | | | I say absolutely NOT! |
| to bill enough hours each day to make a sustainable | | | | There is not a single item required by today's small |
| income. | | | | business customer that YOU, as an Independent |
| If the hourly support model is a lose-win proposition | | | | Computer Consultant cannot provide reliably and |
| (the more pain the client experiences, the more money | | | | inexpensively. |
| the computer consultant makes), how can we create | | | | YOU can monitor your client's systems, identifying or |
| a business model where everybody wins? For us to | | | | preventing potential problems. |
| do this, let's take a look at what each member of the | | | | YOU can minimize downtime by monitoring for system |
| relationship is looking for: | | | | or service alerts. |
| The Computer Consultant Wants: | | | | YOU can increase their productivity and reduce |
| - To make a consistent, reliable and possibly substantial | | | | problems by monitoring their asset inventories and |
| salary. | | | | tracking the age and performance levels of your |
| - To have a high level of job security. | | | | customer's equipment. |
| - To be able to learn, work with and be challenged by | | | | YOU can provide your clients with professional, |
| new technologies. | | | | real-time service reports, asset inventories and |
| - To work with a diverse group of customers and | | | | network performance reporting. |
| computer systems, keeping the days varied and | | | | YOU can provide remote computer support to your |
| interesting. | | | | customer's end-users INSTANTLY from ANY location |
| - To work a reasonable amount of hours and enjoy a | | | | where you have an available Internet connection. |
| balanced work and personal life. | | | | YOU can provide your clients with the reliability they |
| The Client Wants: | | | | want from a dedicated consultant who is intimately |
| - They want their systems to perform reliably at all | | | | familiar with their network, their end-users and their |
| times. | | | | technology needs. |
| - They want ZERO unexpected downtime. | | | | And you can provide ALL of these items with lower |
| - They want problems prevented from occurring | | | | overhead than your larger, corporate competitors, |
| wherever possible. | | | | which will result in an easier sales process, greater |
| - They want an immediate response when a problem | | | | profitability and fantastic growth opportunities for YOU! |
| does occur. | | | | Because the tools required for providing the necessary |
| - They want smaller problems identified early, before | | | | proactive system monitoring and remote computer |
| they can develop into larger, more costly problems. | | | | support have become very low-cost or even free, |
| - Their computer consultant should be able to address | | | | there are no longer any major barriers preventing a |
| and fix problems remotely, providing instant gratification | | | | qualified computer professional to start a small |
| and minimizing downtime. | | | | business and become his or her own boss and |
| - They don't want any surprisingly large invoices (and a | | | | supporting a small, but very profitable client base. By |
| large invoice is ALWAYS a surprise). | | | | providing remote network monitoring and computer |
| - They want up-to-date systems (even if they don't | | | | support, the Independent Computer Consultant is able |
| always appear at first to want to pay for it). | | | | to abandon the very ineffective hourly support model |
| - They want a consultant who has a deep | | | | and operate on the much more profitable flat-fee, |
| understanding of their systems and their technology | | | | proactive support model. By charging flat rates for |
| needs. | | | | service, the consultant is able to calculate in advance |
| - They want to have confidence in their computer | | | | the number of customers that will be required to |
| consultant's talents for maintaining their network, | | | | achieve a desired income level. Once the consultant is |
| supporting their users and to guide them in making | | | | able to secure an initial client base, there will no longer |
| good choices for future growth. | | | | be any concern for finding enough billable hours in a |
| When looking at the list of what the customer wants, | | | | month necessary for survival. |
| it's clear to see what the consultant needs to provide: | | | | And because this proactive model for support is |
| Automated System Monitoring | | | | designed to reduce and prevent problems, additional |
| Minimizes or prevents unexpected downtime | | | | time will be available for a motivated small business |
| Provides for early problem identification | | | | computer consultant to go out and acquire even more |
| Can provide Asset Management and Inventory | | | | clients to increase the income level and bolster the |
| reporting | | | | security of the business. |
| Help Desk | | | | By following the correct model of flat-fee, proactive |
| Allows for immediate communication and response to | | | | monitoring and remote computer support, there has |
| customer requests | | | | never been a better time for an Independent |
| Allows for instant remote computer support for | | | | Computer Consultant to pursue the goal of starting a |
| end-users and server systems | | | | small computer consulting business and becoming his |
| Personal Attention | | | | or her own boss. It is a worthy and rewarding goal to |
| Customers want a dedicated consultant who knows | | | | reach for. |
| their systems. They don't want a new, dispatched | | | | |