| If you run a small business, outsourcing your IT | | | | for identifying possible weak points in your |
| needs is probably your most cost-effective means of | | | | infrastructure. Your data should be collected in |
| supporting your computer systems. Even if you're | | | | real-time and your consulting firm should be able to |
| personally qualified to maintain the systems yourself, | | | | provide you with up-to-the-minute reports via a |
| your time is likely much better spent running your | | | | web-accessible interface. |
| business rather than monitoring backups and | | | | 5. Location - Not every problem can be addressed |
| troubleshooting buggy desktops. | | | | remotely. There will be times when you need your |
| And of course if something really goes wrong, you're | | | | computer consultant on-site ASAP! Make sure you |
| going to want to have a professional that you know | | | | select a consultant who can get to you when you |
| and trust to come to the rescue. | | | | need him. |
| I provide computer consulting services to New York | | | | 6. Fees - Selecting the "cheapest" consultant you can |
| based small businesses. It's a highly competitive | | | | find will most likely backfire on you and wind up |
| market with a wide variety of IT Service providers, | | | | costing you more in the long run. A qualified, |
| ranging from the Independent Consultant who serves | | | | experienced computer consultant commands a |
| a limited, but loyal customer base, to large firms | | | | respectable salary. If your consultant is charging |
| supporting hundreds of local businesses. | | | | below-market rates, it's likely because of his lack of |
| A small business in need of a qualified computer | | | | experience or talents. If it takes him twice as long to |
| consulting firm has several criteria in which to | | | | complete a job than a qualified consultant can do, |
| measure their potential future provider. Gone are the | | | | then you're likely still paying the same amount, but |
| days where you simply wait for the computer to | | | | getting a lower quality of service (which may cause |
| break and then call in the computer consultant to | | | | additional problems in the future.) |
| perform the repair at an hourly rate. This reactive | | | | Your consultant's basic fees should be flat-based as |
| support model is inefficient and very ineffective at | | | | opposed to hourly. This works to both of your |
| keeping the systems operating at peak performance. | | | | advantages. |
| To get the most out of your IT Maintenance budget, | | | | By paying a flat, monthly fee, you'll be able to budget |
| the best approach is to be proactive and try to | | | | your expenses more accurately and you won't have |
| prevent problems from happening in the first place. If | | | | to place restraints on the maintenance of your |
| your Computer Consulting firm is operating under the | | | | systems. And unlike with an hourly rate, your |
| correct Managed Service Provider (MSP) business | | | | consultant's income doesn't improve the more your |
| model, your ultimate support costs should be | | | | systems fail. Instead, with a flat-fee, the more |
| approximately the same as if you were paying for | | | | reliably your systems perform, the less work your |
| hourly, reactive support, yet your performance levels | | | | consultant needs to invest to achieve the same |
| and system reliability should be much higher. | | | | billable amount. |
| The things you should be looking for in a computer | | | | Under flat-fee billing, it's in everyone's best interest |
| consulting firm are: | | | | for your network to perform reliably at all times. |
| 1. Network Monitoring - By installing a small application | | | | 7. Dedication - If you want to gain the maximum |
| on your server, your computer consultant should be | | | | lifespan and long term performance from your |
| able to monitor all of the critical components of your | | | | network, you're going to need someone to maintain |
| network, including: | | | | it on a regular basis. Someone who is intimately |
| - AntiVirus updates and activity | | | | familiar with both the systems and the users. If |
| - Backup status | | | | you're using a larger firm, you want to have a single |
| - System Event Log alerts and errors | | | | consultant plus a backup dedicated to your account. |
| - Security status - are unauthorized users trying to | | | | This can often be difficult to accomplish for a |
| enter the system | | | | consulting firm with a large client base. Qualified |
| - Drive space | | | | consultants are expensive and a large IT Support |
| - Processor and memory utilization and possible | | | | firm will want to employ only as many as absolutely |
| bottlenecks | | | | necessary at a time to control overhead. This often |
| - Website and communication status - know | | | | results in spreading the technical talent too thin and |
| immediately if a service fails | | | | you as the customer get a revolving door of |
| Many of the monitoring utilities in use today are | | | | consultants who are unfamiliar and take longer to |
| web-based, which could allow you to monitor the | | | | resolve issues. |
| network right alongside your computer consultant. | | | | In the dedication department is where an |
| Keeping an eye on your own network's health status | | | | Independent Computer Consultant has an advantage |
| is a good way to remain apprised of any issues and | | | | over the larger IT Support Firms. An Independent |
| to keep tabs on your consultant if need be. | | | | Computer Consultant who serves a limited customer |
| 2. Remote Computer Support - Your computer | | | | base can provide a level of attention similar to that |
| consultant should be able to log into your systems | | | | of an in-house employee. Assuming he's monitoring |
| (both the server and your user's desktops) remotely | | | | his client's systems properly, provides remote support |
| to address problems as they arise. With remote | | | | and charges flat-fee based billing, a very manageable |
| connectivity, your consultant could potentially provide | | | | workload can be maintained, leaving enough flexibility |
| support even faster than an in-house Network | | | | in the schedule to provide equal and necessary |
| Administrator could. | | | | attention to each and every client. |
| 3. Service Reporting - Your computer consulting firm | | | | Ideally, you'd like to find a larger computer consulting |
| should be able to provide you with timely and | | | | firm with diverse resources, yet can provide the level |
| accurate reports as to what service was performed, | | | | of dedication and attention you'd get from an |
| for who and how long did it take. These reports will | | | | Independent Computer Consultant. |
| allow you to identify potential problem spots on the | | | | If you're looking for computer consulting New York |
| network (areas of repeating problems) as well as | | | | City, you have many options to choose from. Feel |
| assist in budgeting for future support needs. | | | | free to contact the author for a personal |
| 4. Inventory Reporting - A current inventory report | | | | recommendation to an excellent computer consulting |
| of all of your technology components is useful for | | | | firm. |
| insurance purposes, budgeting for future needs and | | | | |