| Small businesses often employ a haphazard, | | | | organization's culture. Likewise, access to |
| shotgun approach to their IT and web services | | | | the provider's staff and resources is equally |
| needs. This "putting out fires" method of | | | | important. The relationship is going to be |
| management can be costly to business growth | | | | much more effective when that company has a |
| and function. This article outlines the | | | | mandate for personalized service and an open |
| great benefits that small businesses can reap | | | | door to communications. |
| by identifying and partnering with a web and | | | | |
| IT solutions provider. Then, it offers ten | | | | 4. Due diligence |
| clear steps for selecting and working with | | | | |
| the best IT and Web partner for one's | | | | Think of hiring a solutions partner for |
| business. Do you | | | | information technology services like you |
| often feel stuck in the computer abyss when | | | | would hiring someone for your staff. Look for |
| it comes to managing your company's needs for | | | | a company that is seeking a long-term |
| web or information technology services? | | | | partnership. Ask for references. Then find |
| Businesses with fewer than 50 or 60 employees | | | | out how long the company has been in |
| often find themselves struggling to keep pace | | | | business, who you will have access to for a |
| with their basic web and computer support | | | | problem or project and how the provider |
| services and miss out on effective small | | | | charges for its computer support services. |
| business IT solutions. | | | | |
| | | | 5. Cohesive approach and good facilitation |
| Without the guidance of an information | | | | |
| technology services provider, small | | | | The partner that you select should want to |
| businesses can end up wasting time and money | | | | take a cohesive approach to understanding |
| on computer support services because they | | | | your business or organization and help you |
| aren't in touch with the best technology | | | | come up with a customized plan for your |
| tools and practices for small business IT | | | | technology and web needs, be it a long-range |
| solutions. Even zero-employee companies can | | | | strategy or a specific project. The |
| benefit immensely from a computer support | | | | difference between "Joe-I-Fix-Anything-PCs" |
| services partner who shows them how to | | | | and a provider of complete information |
| standardize their practices, save money with | | | | technology services and solutions is someone |
| the right hardware or software and develop | | | | who can do a good discovery about your |
| effective websites. | | | | organization and its goals, facilitate the |
| | | | project and help bring together providers for |
| Putting Out Fires - Who Needs Dedicated | | | | the components outside their expertise. Also, |
| Computer Support Services Anyway? | | | | a one-stop shop can provide you with |
| | | | benefits. Keeping your hardware and software |
| The approach often taken by small | | | | purchases, web and computer support services |
| organizations when it comes to information | | | | together can provide you economies of scale |
| technology services is one of putting out | | | | combined with the convenience of single point |
| fires. No one has time to update the website, | | | | of support and access to someone who knows |
| the network is cobbled together with wiring | | | | your business. |
| strung across the floor, and you're not sure | | | | |
| when the last backup really ran. Then, a hard | | | | How to Get the Most Out of the Relationship |
| drive starts going click-click. You call that | | | | |
| guy you occasionally use for computer support | | | | 6. Identify key problems, goals and areas to |
| services, "Joe-I-Fix-Anything-PCs," to get | | | | improve efficiency |
| the computer booting. That's when to your | | | | |
| horror you discover that the tape in the | | | | Once you partner with a provider of |
| drive since last Tuesday wasn't really | | | | information technology services and |
| backing up and the click-click is the | | | | solutions, the first and most important step |
| sickening sound of your QuickBooks data being | | | | is an analysis of problems. The more you can |
| eaten by the dying hard drive. | | | | communicate about your company, current |
| | | | practices and areas to improve, the more |
| There is a Better Way: A Solutions Partner | | | | effective your solutions partner can be in |
| for Web and Information Technology Services | | | | coming up with a computer support services |
| | | | plan designed to keep things running |
| It isn't that "Joe" can't spot you some quick | | | | smoothly, maximize your assets and move your |
| computer support services and get you up and | | | | organization forward. |
| running again. It's the point that the | | | | |
| "bargain" hard drive failed without warning, | | | | 7. Set up best practices |
| your data wasn't backed up and you didn't | | | | |
| even have a centralized data management | | | | Typically the biggest challenge small |
| practice to begin with. Wouldn't it have been | | | | organizations face in being successful is |
| great to avoid all the headaches by using | | | | getting out of their own way, seeing the big |
| best-practice guidelines for business | | | | picture and making the changes necessary for |
| management and making informed purchase | | | | improvements to happen. A good small business |
| decisions? That's where a good small business | | | | IT solutions partner can help you set up best |
| IT solutions provider comes in, not only to | | | | practices to get most out of your investment |
| avoid disaster but to save money. For example | | | | in information technology services. However, |
| QuickBooks could be integrated with your | | | | making sure those practices are implemented |
| shipping and credit card processing which | | | | and followed rests squarely on your |
| saves three employees 30 hours a week in | | | | shoulders, not on those of your computer |
| order fulfillment. Then you might implement a | | | | support services provider. |
| web solution for online orders which | | | | |
| integrates with QuickBooks. A good | | | | 8. Avoid costly mistakes - Don't make impulse |
| information technology services partner makes | | | | purchases |
| computer support services a value | | | | |
| proposition. | | | | Whereas large companies tend to have a formal |
| | | | evaluation and approval process in place for |
| Small Business IT Solutions - Hiring a | | | | making technology purchases, many smaller |
| Partner | | | | organizations make impulse purchases. Let the |
| | | | company you've hired for information |
| So what's the best way to find a great web or | | | | technology services do its job and provide |
| information technology services partner to | | | | you its expertise on purchases. If the |
| work with and then get the most out of that | | | | company resells hardware and software at |
| relationship? | | | | competitive rates, purchasing from it can be |
| | | | worthwhile. You'll have a single point of |
| 1. Look for a company that specializes in | | | | purchase for computer support services, and |
| small business IT solutions | | | | the company can recommend hardware and |
| | | | software from manufacturers it has |
| Computer support services companies that | | | | partnerships with and expertise on as well. |
| specialize in small business will be more in | | | | All of that translates to added benefit to |
| tune to your particular needs and challenges. | | | | you. |
| They will understand budgetary constraints | | | | |
| for computer support services and the need to | | | | 9. Choose managed information technology |
| use resources very efficiently. Because | | | | services designed for business |
| technology developers and manufacturers are | | | | |
| now seeing a large and relatively untapped | | | | Small organizations have a tendency to |
| market of small business customers, there are | | | | operate off the cuff, looking for freebies or |
| some terrific tools emerging for small | | | | grabbing cheap services not really designed |
| organizations. A technology partner focused | | | | for business. This approach to information |
| on small business IT solutions and | | | | technology services can come back to bite |
| information technology services will help | | | | you. If you want to grow your business, |
| your company grow and succeed. | | | | approach your needs for computer support |
| | | | services like a bigger organization would. If |
| 2. Do you need a local information technology | | | | your IT partner makes recommendations on |
| services partner? | | | | computer support services that you think you |
| | | | can find cheaper elsewhere, take a hard look |
| Not necessarily. If the goal here is to find | | | | at what you are getting and how it can really |
| a provider of information technology services | | | | benefit your business. Once you weigh all the |
| to help you manage your website, make | | | | benefits, you may find the value to your |
| purchase decisions and facilitate projects, | | | | business growth and offerings far outweighs |
| it doesn't have to be local. With | | | | the cost. |
| sophisticated remote tools and web-based | | | | |
| collaboration, many problems and projects can | | | | 10. Can I still do it myself? |
| be addressed remotely. The key is to find a | | | | |
| good fit. For onsite service such as network | | | | Working with a good provider of information |
| installation or hardware swaps, a good | | | | technology services doesn't mean you can't do |
| solutions partner can identify and schedule | | | | anything yourself. In fact, a reputable and |
| local computer support services as needed or | | | | innovative IT company should educate you on |
| works with a nationwide network experts for | | | | how to better manage your technology needs |
| repairs, rollouts or other onsite computer | | | | and investments. There are still a lot of |
| support service. If the company isn't local, | | | | day-to-day tasks you can and should do within |
| ask what provisions it has in place for | | | | your organization, depending on your skill |
| onsite service. | | | | level, time and desire. The point is to keep |
| | | | your computer support services partner in the |
| 3. Personalized computer support services | | | | loop and use their expertise and input on |
| | | | major technology decisions. |
| One of the stigmas attached to the tech | | | | |
| industry and a common complaint about | | | | Conclusion So, what's in it for you? By |
| providers of computer support services is | | | | partnering with a provider of information |
| lack of personalization. A good provider of | | | | technology services, you'll find a more |
| information technology services wants to get | | | | thought out, comprehensive approach to small |
| to know you, your processes and your | | | | business IT solutions that can increase |
| employees. The staff should ask questions | | | | efficiency, save you money, generate revenue, |
| about what your company does and who the key | | | | and help your business succeed. |
| contacts are to gain a feel for your | | | | |