Addressing the Issues of Small Businesses and Networks

Many times when you sell computer networks or other IT products and services, your small business clients will have issues with the sales process.

WHERE DOES THE PROBLEM START?

Usually the problem with sales to small businesses begins when you tell them about network upgrades. Many will focus on cost and not think about the investment opportunities presented by small business networks. Clients, customers and prospects forget to think about potential downtime and loss of productivity that results from taking shortcuts. While dead-end solutions may carry a low price tag, they show no thought for the future and can actually lead to more costly problems than service contracts and on-going support for small business networks.

Even if you provide incredibly detailed initial consultations, IT audits, site surveys and network design reports, clients may still take issue with some aspect of the process right before you get the contract signed.

OVERCOING SALES ISSUES IS CRITICAL

Even a minor concern can completely ruin a sale, so you need to develop the right business skills to overcome client objections. If you have a plan of action, you will be less likely to get defensive or annoyed with prospects or clients, and you can keep focused on the task at hand and continue to find the best solution for the small business client. Most importantly, you need to finish the sale, because your client is only in the business of solving the problems of paying clients.

APATHY

Apathy on the part of small business clients takes a strong counterattack. Small business decision-makers with a case of apathy cannot look forward to implementing a network and might take weeks, months or years before the implementation becomes urgent. Finding the root of the apathy by asking direct questions can help you figure out the way to deal with it appropriately and get past it to the sale. Tell cautionary tales to get your point across as well.

THE NETWORK RELIABILITY TOOL

PC/LAN network reliability can become unstable when the user of a P2P server accidentally performs a shutdown and restart because a software program asked for a reboot sequence. Protecting data with P2P networks can typically only be an afterthought, so if the server isn’t protected with the right hard drives, a tape backup drive, antivirus software and other elements, anything can happen. Sometimes you may get lucky and a disaster will step in to prove your point while you are trying to close a sale.

FEAR OF CATASTRPHIC DATA LOSS

Disasters are fantastic motivators for small business clients, and can make them extremely interested in your network solution that probably involves centralized security and advanced data protection.

Similarly, discontinued technical support can motivate a client to overcome objections, especially when it comes to niche applications and software, such as those designed for accountants, attorneys, physicians and other professionals. After a while, your client will find that the vendor of the software stops providing support, updates and patches, causing them to need and upgrade to the software and also his network. This is where you step in to save the day.

You can also overcome apathetic client objections by talking about your prospects’, clients’ or customers’ competition and how other small businesses in the industry are upgrading. You can note that you are seeing a trend in technology or software that will alter the landscape and make their outdated solutions inefficient and ultimately be bad for business.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101

Networking or Direct Mail Postcards?

Direct mail postcards are used often to market a computer consulting business, but networking is one of the most effective ways. The following list provides a comparison of direct mail postcards and marketing and can help you decide what method works best for your specific business:

1. Leads obtained through direct mail postcards are less high quality than those obtained through networking. Postcards give no opportunity for a personal connection.

2. Networking can be challenging time-wise because often you may have to make several calls and many contacts to build trust and credibility. Direct mail postcards take much less time.

3. Direct mail postcards present the opportunity to make a focused offer with a deadline. Networking can be less focused because you have to just put yourself on the line and see if your contacts respond.

4. Direct mail postcards can eventually be automated, whereas networking is a constant effort over time.

5. Networking can take a big chunk of time out of your schedule. You may spend 35-40 hours per year going to networking functions for every organization you join. That coupled with maintaining relationships you build can take a lot of time. Direct mail postcards are done once you have designed the copy and printed them.

6. The response rate of direct mail postcards is entirely based on how targeted you make the mailing. You may only get a 1% response rate, even if you send out 10,000 direct mail postcards, and it is more likely to be closer to ½ of a percent. Networking yields better results.

7. The cost per lead with direct mail postcards can be high -- $2,000 to $5,000. Networking might cost $1,000 per organization annually.

There are trade-offs whether you choose direct mail postcards or networking as your marketing technique. You can only find the technique that works best for you by trying both and tracking results over time.

Blogged by: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

New Verizon Discount Program Might Hurt Solution Providers

Verizon Business recently started offering a new discount program for network data and voice solutions. Sold directly to customers, this program may cut out some business for solution providers.

This program, the Verizon Client Advantage Program (VCAP) presents customer with unbeatable prices on total network solutions, and solution providers and others have stated they have been unable to compete and have been losing bids to VCAP. The solutions offer the carrier’s services plus products from other major vendors, including Cisco Systems, Juniper Networks, Nortel Networks, 3Com and many others. Customers can also include outsourced IT solutions, managed network services and even call center and help desk services as part of the plan.

While VCAP was not announced publicly by Verizon Business and information about the pogram isn’t even listed on the website, solution providers have experienced first-hand the competition and have noted vague mentions of the program by Verizon spokespeople. Some solution providers heard about VCAP earlier in the year when involved with some of the companies working with the VCAP program, like Juniper Networks. Many solution providers have noted that on the surface they have seemed to be on the verge of winning many deals, but then at the last minute have found themselves losing to Verizon. VCAP is reportedly the first formally crafted deep discount program offered by a service provider in the solution provider market.

VCAP has offered discounts to over 40 New Jersey schools, including Rutgers, Seton Hall, Rider and Mercer, and relationships with these schools has allowed the company to position itself ahead of solution providers in the channel. While deep discounts are not new phenomena for equipment in solutions, this new offering has allowed the bids to go way lower than solution providers can afford. Because of huge amounts of resources, carriers like this can bid so low that they can take an initial loss and gain it back in service payments. The deals are re-crafted until Verizon and other major companies like it win.

Networking vendors such as Cisco and Juniper have struggled with conflicts with solution providers and service providers for years, but recently the struggle has grown worse.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

Computer Business Microsoft Revamps PCs

Recently computer business Microsoft announced plans to focus more on the design aspects of its PCs. Spokespeople for the company, possibly in response to the stress on design of rival computer business Apple, Inc. state that they will be offering enhanced color options, a sleeker and more aesthetically pleasing look and other features in order to get people to change their perspective on the typically business-oriented PC.

The computer business has hired a team of 20 designers to work on the new computers for the past 18 months to create a new image for the machines running Microsoft’s next operating system, Windows Vista. Microsoft hopes that the slick new design will help users overlook some of the problems Vista has experienced prior to its release. The operating system will finally reach consumers in January of 2007, many years behind schedule and without a lot of the features it was supposed to sport. The launch of the new product will be a major event in the computer business.

While Microsoft has been redesigning its hardware for many years and has created such innovative and popular designs as the Xbox game console and others, the transformation of the PC is a new level. This redesign marks a change in the computer business and the world of PCs that was once divided into companies that make important software and the other companies that run the low-end machines that ran the software.

In recent years, computer business Apple has led the industry with innovative design concepts, building a unified system for all its products, with the Mac and then the iPod. Though Apple still only sells one computer per 20 PCs, the iPod has revealed that consumers prefer a system that is uncomplicated.

The goal of the new Vista software and the new PCs is to bring together hardware design and aesthetics, which many are saying copies Apple’s motto. The computer business even plans to create a music system called Zune that will only work with its own Microsoft planned music services, much like the iPod works with the iTunes Music Store.

Microsoft is so far just using a soft sell with PC makers, but soon the computer business hopes to start selling on a larger scale, as soon as the designs are more complete and tested.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

Networking Groups and Moonlighting

Many times networking groups meet during daytime hours, meaning that if you are a computer consultant with a regular job that is moonlighting as you try to start your business, you can run into problems with attendance of important networking events. Because going to networking groups is absolutely imperative in order to succeed, you need to figure out how to work attendance into your schedule.

TIPS FOR ATTENTING NETWORKING GROUPS WHILE MOONLIGHTING

1. Seek out networking groups with events in the early evenings. Many networking groups have this schedule and finding these groups can help you take less time off work.

2. When you have to leave work before the end of the day in order to go to a networking group event, be as non-disruptive as possible. Give plenty of advance notice and work ahead when possible.

3. Think about how you can use personal days for attending the really critical networking events that arise.

4. If there are some networking groups that meet for breakfast, you can make arrangements to come to work late.

5. Long lunches can help you squeeze in important networking events. Midday meetings are also the least interruptive of your regular work and consulting gigs.

6. You need to be selective about the networking groups you join and what events you attend. Make a list of the important events and put off those that have less potential. When you are moonlighting you have to compromise to get the most out of your valuable time.

The most important thing about networking events is that they are essential to your success as a computer consultant, even when you are just moonlighting. Networking groups provide you with the contacts you will need to protect the future of your business.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

What Do I Need to Be a Computer Consultant?

Maybe you have always wanted to be a computer consultant, but you are not sure if you could do it. If you have a basic knowledge of computer systems, great problem-solving skills and a love of working with people, you already have the main traits you need to be a good computer consultant.

HELP YOUR INCOME

In a regular IT job, your earnings potential and career advancement opportunities are, in the end, beyond your control. You can’t control incompetence around you, bad management or a skewed seniority system. Becoming a computer consultant eliminates many of these issues. You get control over your future. You will never have to work with incompetent people if you don’t want to, and you can find new clients to replace ones that don’t work well with you. You can be guaranteed that the people paying you $100 per hour for your expertise value you too; if they didn’t, they wouldn’t pay you.

COMPUTER CONSULTANT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Those working as computer consultants are part of a steadily growing market that thrives on diverse services. Every company today needs some form of IT assistance, and as a computer consultant you have the potential of an unlimited pool of clients and a long-lasting career.

You may wonder why you would want to become a computer consultant when so many people are doing it. Competition is actually one of the best things for computer consultant; it signifies that the industry is healthy and growing. You wouldn’t want to be part of an industry where no one else was succeeding. As with in any other viable business, many computer consultant companies are badly run and have a problem satisfying their customers. This is your opportunity to provide a cost-effective solution that focuses on your clients and make yourself stand out from the crowd.

As technology grows, more opportunities are created. While some technologies will become obsolete in the future, new ones will emerge.

REQUISITE SKILLS

If you are the one everyone looks to in your office or among your friends and family for help with computer problems, you already have a good start as a potential computer consultant. You don’t have to be an expert in every type of technology to be a good computer consultant. Many of your skills gaps can be filled in by finding good partners with strengths that compliment your weaknesses.

MOVING FROM EMPLOYEE TO COMPUTER CONSULTANT

If you are an employee of the computer industry, the transition to computer consultant is a good one. It will increase your income and give you many other benefits. You can start by moonlighting to find out if you like being a computer consultant without giving up your day job. You can also start to build a list of clients and references to give yourself a head start.

NON-TECHNICAL SKILLS

Being a computer consultant goes beyond technical knowledge. You need to be self-motivated, have the ability to work even without someone looking over your shoulder and be able to multi-task and fulfill many different functions, from accounting and marketing to sales and operations.

Maybe these items sound overwhelming. However, while all the above skills are important to being successful as a computer consultant, there are ways you can manage them through delegation and other techniques without completely killing yourself.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101

The First Things Sweet Spot Clients are Looking for in a Computer Consulting Business

When you are offering business-to-business or B2B service, your ideal computer consulting business clients, otherwise known as “sweet spot” clients are companies that have 10-50 PCs and $1-10 million annual revenue. Sweet spot clients look for the following four qualities in their computer consulting businesses: response time; business and technical knowledge; customer service and price and value. This entry focuses on the first two items -- response time and knowledge


THE VALUE OF SPEED

When a small business really needs IT, response time will be a huge factor in its selection of the right computer consulting firm. Since any downtime means lost funds, how quickly a computer consulting business can handle an emergency IT need is critical.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE

Your business and industry knowledge as a group of computer consulting business professionals is really important. How well do your employees understand a particular client’s niche and field? Sweet spot clients want tech providers that can solve business problems and technical problems simultaneously. The computer consulting business becomes the outsourced IT department for sweet spot customers. While you will definitely be offering hardware support, software support, LAN and WAN support you need to give clients complete solutions that include more than just technical fixes.

Added By: Joshua Feinberg

Terms of Payment and Your Computer Consulting Business

Terms of payment will be abused by even your best clients if you allow them to take advantage. When setting payment terms, your first thought should be of yourself. Never become accustomed to extending credit or giving discounts when they are not deserved. The following tips can help you create the best terms of payment for your computer consulting business.

TIPS FOR SETTING PAYMENT TERMS

1. Don’t use net 30 to set your terms of payment, otherwise known as stolen discounts. Instead use net seven or net ten so you don’t appear to be giving discounts.

2. Don’t use the term “payment on receipt,” since you don’t know when they will receive it.

3. Set a specific payment due date on your invoice.

DEALING WITH PAST DUE PAYMENTS

When payments go past due, you have to find a way to collect your money:

1. Delay the non-paying clients’ appointments for a week to try to get the point across that you need payment before continuing work.

2. Pick up the phone rather than faxing or sending a letter or emails. You will often get what you want when your clients are forced to talk to you.

3. Make a personal visit.

Regardless of how you collect, don’t let late payments extend beyond two terms. Move quickly to get money owed if the payment goes beyond 28 days late.

The best way to set terms of payment is defensively. Make decisions in your best interest and collect money up-front whenever possible to keep relationships strong and get the money you are owed as efficiently as possible.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting Kit

Solution Providers Get New Monitoring Tool from AdventNet

AdventNet recently announced a new product for solution providers searching for the right MSP monitoring platform and are offering a free test of AdventNet’s OpManager MSP version 6002. This platform has new features and gives solution providers the option of using free 30-day trial versions of the full product with as many customers in as many locations as they want.

OpManager MSP 6002 is downloadable and is a good foundation for MSP businesses, allowing solution providers to remotely control many aspects including monitoring, troubleshooting and the generation of very detailed reports regarding customer networks and machine performance. This version improves upon the report scheduling function along with CPU, memory and disc utilization reading. OpManager MSP 6002 also offers better active directory integration.

The trial versions of this program can be used by solution providers to sell MSP services and gauge the customer’s network, leading to future hardware and software sales. Solution providers just have to pay for customer licenses if clients use the product beyond 30 days. New trial versions are unlimited and can be downloaded 24 hours a day.

According to AdventNet, this new product can help gather new customers for solution providers that are MSPs and help cut licensing fees while still introducing the product. Solution providers can avoid the expensive process of keeping a seat license inventory from many different vendors and allows for much more streamlined purchase of licenses.

Companies like Kaseya that sell their licenses in blocks, causing solution providers to often have more than they need also sell free 30-day trials of products, but not in bulk like AdventNet’s new offering. Kaseya does sometimes extend this 30-day period, but only if the company perceives that the sale will be closed.

For further specifications on the new OpManager MSP product, solution providers can visit the link above. AdventNet has solution provider partners globally and developers but does most of its business in the United States.

Added By: Computer Consulting

Computer Services Firm ACS Re-signs with Solano

Computer services firm Affiliated Computer Services (ACS) recently stated it would be re-signing a deal with Solano County in California. The computer services deal will be worth $15.2 million and last for three years. ACS is to provide computer services in the form of technology services that will help with the County’s infrastructure. The computer services firm will support desktop, applications and helpdesk settings. On top of this deal comes the option of two years worth of continued IT services for approximately $35 million.

ACS announced that this renewed contract also includes many projects that will improve infrastructure in the County. Similarly, helpdesk services will move to the computer services firm’s large service center in Portland, OR, as will the new IT project management firm in charge of controlling best practices and many other initiatives.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101

Why You Need Paying Customers During the Start-Up Phase of Computer Consulting

No matter what the level of your computer consulting services during start-up, your firm should get paying clients that are in line with your technical skills. Start with home offices or small businesses and companies with simple P2P networks just to get some paying clients and some decent references.

USE ONE-SHOTS AS A LAUNCHING PAD

You need to move beyond simple clients and one-shot deals eventually because you want your small business computer consulting company to be dependent upon recurring revenue retainer agreements and more complicated solutions. Still, during the start-up phase of a computer consulting business smaller accounts can be helpful. Still, you should move steadily towards the more sophisticated long-term accounts.

NEVER STOP LEARNING

If you suspect that your low level of technical training is keeping you from getting clients with more complicated solutions, make time each week, even just two or three hours for training. You can use tutorials and resource kits and install your not-for-resale software for practice and break the installation to look more closely at the setup.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101

Ten Tools for Time Management

Your ability for successful time management will put you above the crowd and help you be more efficient, effective and make a larger profit. If you are not good with time management, you will lose a lot of hours, and time is much more important than money. The following ten tools can help you with your time management skills.

1. Set a clear billing time minimum. You need to plan out this very carefully, as it’s the most important technique for time management. Consider travel time and the average number of clients you see daily.

2. Set up client appointments religiously four to eight weeks ahead of time. If you also schedule thinking about geographical location and avoid areas with traffic jams you can improve time management.

3. Add networking events to your schedule a month ahead of time so you can efficiently work your schedule into your clients’ schedules.

4. Log every moment you work, including billable hours, administrative, training, marketing and selling time. Think of yourself as an internal client.

5. You should make a daily schedule task list. Use Outlook to track your duties on a daily calendar to help with time management.

6. You can use your driving time to listen to audio books or CDs on technical or business items to help increase your knowledge while you are just in between jobs.

7. You need to have copies of any reading material you need with you at all times so you can be prepared for any downtime.

8. Set aside time for operational requirements internally. Time management is a great deal about checking to make sure important items get done, so you need to make time for billing, accounts payable, banking, marketing plan updates and any other duties.

9. One day per quarter should be reserved for developing professional skills. Often individuals may not think about this time management technique, but it is critical to business.

10. You should use one weekend per year to revamp your business plan. You should keep your business plan alive and relevant because you will refer to it often.


Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

Computer Business News: Music Makes Up 50% of Apple’s Business

Computer business Apple enjoyed the second most profitable quarter in its 30 years of business when its music business expanded to comprise almost 50% of the company’s total revenues. iPod, iPod accessories and downloaded tracks sales from iTunes now make up 45% of the computer business’ sales, and have helped Apple increase its profits 46% to $470 million.

From April to July of this year, Apple sold 8.1 million iPods globally, which is a 32% year growth in digital music and video player sales. These figures are an astounding year’s increase, but the overall numbers were actually down from 8.5 million the quarter before. This is only the second time that the computer business has not increased its sales in the past four years.

Because music products are so much of Apple’s business, the Beatles’ Apple Corps record label, recently losing a lawsuit with the computer business over it had broken an agreement to stay out will experience disappointment.

A lot of the computer business’ profit came from its sole computer business, which also did very well, selling over 1.3 million Mac computers last quarter. This growth can be attributed to a change to Intel-based systems that allow Apple to run Microsoft’s operating system.

CEO Steve Jobs said he is very excited about Apple’s growth and that over 75% of the Macs sold this past quarter were those with Intel processors, meaning a very smooth transition to new products. While the earnings were congruent with expectations, the markets were pushed further upwards at the news in New York, increasing Apple shares by 12.5%.

Added By: Computer Consulting Kit

IT Consulting News: Wi-Fi Market on the Rise

Experts from Infonetics Research state that the Wi-Fi phone industry is set to double annually until 2009, reaching $3.7 billion. This prediction gives IT consulting professionals something to think about. The report gauged that the Wi-Fi phone market increased 116% in 2004-2005, topping off at $125.5 million. This growth was spurred by enterprises and consumers that switched over to wireless networks.

Analysts also noted that voice over wireless networks are being used mostly by enterprises instead of consumers, but eventually these networks will be in demand among consumers as IT consulting specialists start to offer service bundled with broadband connections.

The following findings were also published in this report:

1. SpectraLink is the leader in WiFi phones, followed by Cisco and Motorola.
2. The number of Wi-Fi phones increased 151% in 2004-2005 and will this year likely grow 182%.
3. 58% of Wi-Fi revenue in 2005 came from single-mode VoIP handsets and 42% from dual-mode handsets. Dual-mode handsets are supposed to dominate by 2009.
4. 49% of dual-mode Wi-Fi cellular handset revenue was from the Asia Pacific region, while 27% came from North America, 22% from EMEA and 2% from CALA last year.

Many companies, including D-Link, Linksys and NETGEAR are releasing new products in coming months, thus increasing the availability of more advanced products for consumers. The real growth, however is set to be surrounding dual-mode Wi-Fi and cellular handsets, and increased service and support opportunities will arise in the IT consulting field as a result.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101

Computer Consulting and Time Management

As a busy computer consulting expert, sometimes you might wonder how you are going to complete all necessary tasks. You need to find long-term business-to-business computer consulting clients, but you are most likely already working upwards of 60 hours per week. There are strategies you can use to best manage your time in the computer consulting field.

THE TIME STUDY

Look at what tasks and obligations take up most of your time and figure out if you can delegate, automate or eliminate entirely some aspects. If you are building PCs and putting in motherboards and power supplies for ten hours or more per week, you can probably afford to have someone else do it. Similarly, tasks like minding a computer store can be given to another able-bodied person.

DELEGATION IS A LIFE SAVER

You should be able to look at your staff and figure out what tasks can be delegated to members. Delegation can sometimes free up a day to a day and a half per week to start looking for viable business-to-business computer consulting clients.

EXTRA TIME MANAGEMENT

When you find yourself with this valuable extra time after delegating responsibilities, go to networking events, plan marketing campaigns, go on sales calls and make follow-up phone calls in order to find potential long-term clients that can truly help grow your computer consulting business.

Even if you are working many hours, you have to find some way to free up time and manage efficiently and effectively. Planning how to develop contacts and clients for your computer consulting business is critical to its future.

Added By: Computer Consulting Kit

The Best Business Contacts are Those That are Both influencers and Users

Anyone in your network qualifies as a business contacts. Business contacts are incredibly important to the growth of your business, so developing relationships with them is critical. Business contacts come in two separate categories: influencers/users and users. You need to be able to tell the difference between these categories of business contacts and foster the correct relationships.

The people that are both influencers and users make the best business contacts because they can use the services themselves and also encourage others to use these services. Every client you have can be a good referral, but influencers and users are most deeply entrenched in the referral market.

TRUSTED BUSINESS ADVISORS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

This sub-category of influencers/users includes accountants, bookkeepers, attorneys, business managers and consultants. You call these people to help solve your small business problems, so other small businesses are calling them too. If you are maintaining a network for your accountant, you want to make sure he/she will recommend you to others within his/her business contacts network.

NICHE TECH PROVIDERS

Niche technology providers for small businesses are very influential and can make excellent business contacts in the influencers/users category. These people are in the IT field, but do not directly compete with you and include accounting software specialists, phone systems dealers, industry niche software applications, software developers, system builders and website designers. Typically these businesses deal with companies that will fall in your sweet spot, and they can easily recommend your IT services to their clients if you develop them as business contacts.

All business contacts are critical to your success, but some, such as those in the influencer/user category are more powerful than others and should receive more attention.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

Finding the Right Computer Service Provider

You can save money by choosing the right computer support firm. Many small businesses make the mistake of hiring a computer consulting service firm that is unreliable and stops showing up all of a sudden when times get tough. Because technology is so important to so many different types of businesses in today’s world, having a dependable computer support service is essential. One computer crash or technology meltdown can cause operations to slow or stop completely.

The following tips will help you hire the right computer support firm to suit your specific needs:

1. Make sure the company is legitimate. You should look at the company’s website and see how professional it is and how deeply it goes. If it is just a calling card without references, you should be wary. Check existing references to make sure the firm has current customers that enjoy doing business there.

2. Choose a service firm that is a good fit. Joshua Feinberg, co-founder of Computer Consulting 101 states that one-person firms might be a good option for those with just a few computers, but larger small businesses should look beyond to larger service firms. Still, the larger the service firm, the higher the overhead and thus the bigger the pay. You might sacrifice more personalized service as well because you may not see the same technician every time. The most important thing to remember is you should be comfortable with whatever firm you choose since these representatives will have access to sensitive information.

3. Choose the right billing plan. The best service firm for you should offer a billing plan that fits well with your business. Unless a small business is really small or the network is very simple, a monthly billing plan with pre-set hours will usually give a better hourly rate than buying services by the project. Support firms give monthly paying customers priority over those that just pay by the project or emergency.

4. You want to work with a company that provides an online monitoring system. Online monitoring can help small businesses better manage the costs of computer support. It also will give computer service firms automatic alarms if something goes wrong with their clients. These monitoring options can save expensive service calls by moving most things online.

5. Start out the relationship slowly. You shouldn’t jump right into using a specific vendor. Test out the service firm you choose by presenting a small project and then move on to more expensive projects. That way you can ensure you get the right firm for on-going service and reduce costs.


Created By: Computer Consulting Kit

When You Follow Up, Perseverance is Important

Follow up can help you increase the number of leads you get and should be common practice whenever you meet anyone. Send a follow up letter, postcard, phone call or use any other technique that will keep your name in their thoughts.

Meetings and business networking events are made for meeting contacts. While the contacts you find at these events might not initially be interested in your services and expertise, if you follow up with them effectively they will be more liable to call you when they are ready for your services. Efficient follow up activities include the following actions: postcards; emails; phone calls; letters; flyers and invitations to seminars.

While follow up should be diligent, you don’t want it to be overly-aggressive. Sending contacts something every few months is a perfect follow up level. Follow up should happen four or five times per year.

Good follow up procedures will lead to increased business, which is why you have to make it a practice of following up with everyone. You might lose out to a competitor despite your best efforts, but a number of other things could happen as well, and you’ll never know unless you try. If you continue to follow up you will be ready if an opportunity presents itself.

The cost of follow up to you is small, but the benefits can be huge for your business.

Added By: Joshua Feinberg

Tech Data Gives Solution Providers a New Apple Support Program

Tech Data, a leading distributor recently introduced a new program for Apple solution providers to help them more efficiently develop, sell and support Apple-based business products. The AppleAdvantage SBU (Specilized Business Unit) began in June and is meant to be a resource for Apple VARs with technical assistance needs, sales support and product management resources.

Tech Data insists that solution providers specializing in Apple products need to have easy access to experts that know what technologies will work well with different types of businesses. Customers and solution providers contacting AppleAdvantage SBU know they are getting professionals that really know about solutions that are specific to Apple technologies.

Many solution providers and consultants have already been using the new Tech Data program, and many that have worked with Apple products for 10 years or more, including network design, integration services and all the standard Apple software products. Those that have used SBU state that they have been able to use a large amount of resources, including infrastructure support and people that specialize in Apple products. The program can easily work as an extension of a sales department.

Tech Data can also host Apple-based solution providers in its large TDSolutions Center in Clarwater, Florida that showcases many IT solutions including networking, VOIP, security, basic document management and many other solutions.

Added By: Computer Consulting Kit

IT Consulting News: CRN Backs OrgPlus Enterprise Solution

Leading solution provider and global producer of workforce modeling and IT consulting tools HumanConcepts stated yesterday that its OrgPlus Enterprise solution garnered the “Recommended” rating from CRN. CRN is the foremost provider of information to VARs and resellers. OrgPlus gained recognition by earning a perfect five, out of a possible five in the IT consulting publication’s Channel Rating.

The CRN review of OrgPlus focused on its benefits for companies and organizations going through mergers and acquisitions and needing a better look at different workforces. The publication stated that OrgPlus simply bridges two organizational charts allowing companies to speed up the process of figuring out the functions of various systems and employees. Administrators can create scenarios and let users collaborate on a variety of projects.

OrgPlus Enterprise was also praised for its advanced analytical features that center on interoperability with other Enterprise Resource Planning processes. OrgPlus can help companies create bridges between ERP and desktop tools or intranet portals because HumanConcepts is a partner of almost all ERP’s available.

OrgPlus Enterprise is server-baed and a real-time workforce planning solution that can combine with all leading HR systems. This suite offers IT managers, IT consulting firms and other IT professionals secure access to employee information, organization structures and directories through a standard web browser.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

The Next Step With IT Audits

Once you’ve completed IT audits, it’s time to plan. You should make a spreadsheet that lists next steps and due-dates to help push business along.

Once you’ve started a strong relationship with clients and have finished IT audits, you should be able to move into the mode of planning and setting up a spreadsheet, organizing it by the month. You may find some things that have to be completed this month, some that will be able to wait a month and others that will get put on a wish list for farther into the future.

WHAT IS A WISH LIST?

A wish list contains items that will have to be done because of vendor or regulatory agency rules or because a product the clients are using is being phased out and won’t be able to be used anymore. Regardless of the reason, wish list projects will have very specific due dates. Keep track of wish list items the same way a full-time IT manager would. Organize them by the month and look at them as part of your up-coming revenue.

TASK ORGANIZATION

Your first job after IT audits is organizing your task list. You can set up an Excel spreadsheet with some columns, including Month, Task, Labor Cost Estimate, Product Cost Estimate for software, hardware and a column in case you need to hire an outside contractor.

If you are organized, you will be able to plan ahead while still following clients’ ideas.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

Using Service Contracts as a Business Model

Service contracts are a critical part of any busy computer consulting practice. They can help consultants with time management when there are what seems to be too many clients, and setting them up efficiently will help you maximize time while also having some leftover for unexpected client emergencies.

Sometimes you may have many clients with simultaneous emergencies. Obviously during these times you can’t be there for all of them at the same time. Making a short list of clients you are obligated to in an emergency can be accomplished by setting up computer service contracts.

Using a service contract business model is crucial because it makes clients make decisions about how they want to use your services. It filters out those that aren’t committed to a long-term plan and helps you be in control of when you need to handle emergencies.

Computer service contracts also help clients know when they are a priority. Those that don’t have service contracts will be aware that your clients that do come first and will not expect you to jump on their command.

Service contracts will manage client expectations by setting clear parameters for your service. They will help you focus on providing the best services to committed clients and eliminate any guilt you might feel about putting off those that are not as committed during times of crisis.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101

Avnet Announces New HP OpenView Support for Solution Providers

Avnet Partner Solutions recently started a mentoring program for solution providers that sell Hewlett-Packard OpenView solutions. Avnet’s solution providers program will be called the Partner Assist program and is made specifically to help increase partner OpenView technical and sales efficiency. The program offers personal training, presales and help with implementation, along with custom-made lead generation and opportunities to prequalify for sales.

Avnet developed the program to help continue its remarkable growth in OpenView in the past year and also to assist solution providers as they work through HP’s recent acquisitions in the OpenView suite area, which have proved to be incredibly complicated. Many solution providers have been complaining about the amount of work that has been involved in sorting through new options and Avnet together with HP is using this program to respond to increased needs and also help gain additional partners.

As new technologies develop surrounding the HP OpenView management software package, Avnet will reshape the Partner Assist program. Avnet is already helping partners learn about new web applications and identity management.

This program is innovative because it uses mentoring partners to teach new skills. Avnet provides technical people to work with people inside fields. These technical professionals call customers directly to help figure out solutions to specific business problems they face.

HP has been trying to get solution providers to sell more of their products, particularly software, services and storage and have been responding by creating programs to help accomplish these goals. Partner Assist is not an extension of HP’s programs, but acts as an excellent accompaniment.

Added By: Joshua Feinberg

IT Consulting News: IT Employment Continues to Rise

The National Association of Computer Consultant Businesses (NACCB) conducted a study that showed that the employment of IT consulting professionals continued an upward trend in June in spite of the considerably low overall unemployment rate. For the past 12 months, IT workers have enjoyed an increase of 152,000 and last month, the number of workers grew 2,400 more than in May, which brings the annual increase to 4.4%.

CEO of NACCB, Mark Roberts states that this increase reflects a high demand for IT consulting professionals, including those that work within the IT services field. Professionals in every field are seeking IT workers in order to help them stay competitive in their fields. Many are turning to IT services firms and IT consulting firms to find support for their own staff or to help them complete entire projects.

NACCB is the national trade organization for IT staffing and solutions firms and publishes the IT employment index, which is revised monthly.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting Kit

IT Sales: What Do Your Clients Need?

In order to be successful at IT sales, you need to ask specific questions of your customers to determine their needs. You need to know pretty quickly whether the customer wants a tech assessment, IT audit or site survey and then get them to sign.

Your first meeting with IT sales prospective customers should involve a discussion of their three main issues. You might discover these prospects have problems that do not fall within your area of expertise, in which case you can move on. If not, getting prospects to discuss IT sales is incredibly important.

WHAT DO THEY PREFER?

You want prospects to talk about what they have liked and not liked about previous IT support methods. Their comments can help you better know what they will need from you.

This first meeting is also when you will determine whether their problem is an emergency or if it’s a chance for a longer term service, such as an IT audit, site survey or tech assessment. Sometimes prospects will want entirely different services than what you expect. They may not have an emergency or need a tech assessment, though most of the time these are the two main categories.

THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP

Moving from free to fee during the IT sales call is a critical step, and one that is dependent upon you knowing prospects’ specific needs. You should be ready to offer prospects something concrete, complete with proposals that will take care of their deepest needs. Bring blank forms with you so you are ready for the best case scenario of IT sales.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101

Using Media Publicity

As a computer consultant you can help enhance your professional standing and credibility by using media publicity. You should encourage interviews, features, quotes or any other involvement with your local newspaper or business publication. You can use media publicity at many different times and will be able to benefit more if you bring it to others’ attention than if you just count on other people seeing it for themselves.

GETTING MEDIA PUBLICITY

1. Talk to hosts or producers of local TV or radio shows and give them the run-down of your expert opinion.

2. Create media publicity by getting testimonials that focus on benefits from local celebrities, important community business leaders and politicians. You can use photos with these people to help generate marketing materials.

3. Host seminars and create your own media publicity by showing others publicly that you are an expert within your local community.

4. Speak at local organization meetings and other business seminars and point to yourself as a computer expert to get coverage and media publicity.

5. Teach an IT course at a local community college and gain media publicity through college brochures and catalogues.

6. Write a column for a newspaper offering computer tips so you can increase awareness of your business profile.

In order to create media publicity, you need to be willing to make yourself known and take measures to increase credibility. Once you get media publicity, you will find yourself immediately considered an expert, which can help the endeavors of your computer consulting business.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

Small Business Server Advice

The following are three tips that can help small business server consulting firms get the most out of their businesses. For the past seven years, Microsoft SBS has grown into a renowned and reputable small business server networking suite, and many have decided to get involved with the product. Before you, as a computer consulting professional and small business server specialist get involved with Microsoft, you have to consider this advice.

MOST SMALL BUSINESSES HAVEN’T HEARD OF SMB

Even if there are hundreds or thousands of small businesses in your area that would benefit from Microsoft Business Server, you can’t just assume all of them will know what the product is. In order to get the most profit and avoid being looked at as a commodity, you need to start your sales meetings with something more recognizable to more non-technical people, such as virus protection, SPAM-blocking and other security issues.

SELL YOUR COMPANY FIRST

You need to sell small business prospects your company before anything else. The money in the small business server business is not in reselling the software, rather in selling a long-term relationship with a potentially great client. You want to make your company the client’s outsourced IT department. When clients have emergencies, they will turn to you for computer system solutions that give them peace of mind, not Small Business Server. The relationship needs to be developed before you can sell the product.

MICROSOFT DOESN’T CARE ABOUT COMPUTER CONSULTANTS AS MUCH AS IT CLAIMS

The first version of Microsoft Small Business Server was released in 1997 under the codename “SAM” because the company’s initial purpose was to eliminate the reseller channel from the equation and sell the product at Sam’s Club warehouse clubs. Therefore, the program was originally non-technical and designed without you, the computer consultant in mind at all. Microsoft didn’t realize until after the product had shipped that it needed the resellers in order to reach small businesses. However, Microsoft Small Business Server can still be found in retail stores, so you have to explain to small business owners why they need your company before you can explain to them why they need the Small Business Server program solution.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

The Extreme Importance of a Business Merchant Account

Everyone that wants to accept credit cards as part of business transactions needs business merchant accounts. They are not limited to those reselling products, and are a good idea for any sale, particularly sales to new customers. If you have a business merchant account, you will not find yourself trying to collect outstanding debt. The cost of business merchant accounts is reasonable, and you no longer need credit card processing gear to make them work. Business merchant accounts now run on a lab terminal offering very secure systems and partnership opportunities with large companies.

BUSINESS MERCHANT ACCOUNTS FROM COSTCO

Costco gives professionals a great arrangement for credit card processing with the help of Nova Systems, and actually pays for your whole Costco membership. These are the details:

All monthly statement and gateway fees are non-existent, giving you a $25-$50 monthly savings;

The plan offers very aggressive discount rates for those using Visa and MasterCard;

You can add American Express and Discover card acceptance and increase the convenience for your clients and serve a larger base of people in small business;

The charges are billed quickly and put directly into your bank account, giving you a faster response time for billing and invoicing, particularly if you do it once a week.

USING PAYPAL

Paypal has become increasingly popular for those looking for alternate options other than traditional business merchant accounts. It’s easy to manage and setup is free. However, these types of business merchant accounts are restricted when it coms to how you can withdraw money. Also, Paypal is a service associated with ebay, and can be seen by some in business as a hobbyists payment method rather than a valid form of professional payment.

Business merchant accounts can help speed up the payment process. Although business merchant accounts have fees, the customer convenience is unmatched.

Added By: Computer Consulting Kit

Computer Consulting Firm Satyam Joins Forces with EPIServer

Yesterday computer consulting company Satyam Computer Services Ltd. Partnered with EPIServer, a Swedish portal software and content management organization. This union will help the computer consulting firm better deliver services, including implementation, maintenance and training services to solutions based on EPIServer. In return, EPIServer will enjoy increased globalization and the expertise of quality implementation. Both companies hope that through this combination they will be able to expand services to more customers throughout the world.

Director of computer consulting and enterprise solutions at Satyam states that more businesses are looking for simplified enterprise content and management systems and that EPIServer will help provide this product. The alliance between the two companies will allow Satyam to get more clients and become more familiar with EPIServer, a company with a great presence in Nordic countries, and deliver the product to the world.

The founder and CTO of EPIServer also expressed excitement over the new partnership with the computer consulting firm saying that the company’s world-wide presence will help make its systems more valuable.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101

New Tool for Solution Providers Helps Automate

Many managers and solution providers overlook the maintenance of organizational charts even though this process is critical to business. A workforce modeling tool from HumanConcepts, OrgPlus can help growing companies manage increasing tracking complications that arise when company structures change. This tool for solution providers can help streamline processes and increase work potential.

OrgPlus automates any process by connecting two organizational charts. With this tool, administrators can delegate tracking responsibilities to multiple employees, and they can implement changes and work in a team simply by using the software. Similarly, managers can have an automated system that allows them to combine the different solutions presented by others in the company without spending valuable time sorting through massive amounts of data. OrgPlus allows managers to get all employee and organization information into one database. OrgPlus has been reviewed by many solution providers and acts as middleware for a human resource department because it consolidates all data from any HR system into one place.

Besides offering visual tools to help store information, OrgPlus offers a certain level of analytics allowing users to create reports and dashboards using external reporting and business intelligence. This program also allows IT departments the freedom of modeling structural changes. It can import data from software such as Business Objects and MicroStrategy that can help test out the possible impact of reorganization projects before they are carried out.

Solution providers looking to add OrgPlus to their systems can start with the free OrgPlus Express tool that can give them an idea of the basic possibilities of the system. OrgPlus is capable of growing as the organization grows. Pricing varies depending on the number of employees in an organization, but goes from $300 for small businesses to $20,000 or more for large enterprises.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

Simple Tips for PC Troubleshooting

Every small business should enlist the help of a reputable and reliable computer consulting firm to handle major computer problems. But sometimes PC troubleshooting is simple enough for even the most technically unconfident professionals. The advice is simple: always reboot.

Many times in a panic over a potentially lost file or system failure, people will overlook simple solutions when it comes to PC troubleshooting. Before you make an expensive call to your computer consulting expert, complete the following steps:

1. Exit out of programs and files you are working on.

2. Follow through with a simple shutdown and restart procedure.

About ten to twenty percent of the time, rebooting will solve your woes when it comes to PC problems. But what if your problem is hardware related, such as with a sound card or a mouse? If you think you might have a hardware malfunction, take the simple reboot procedure one step further. Go to your start menu and shut down your PC, assuming it didn’t shut down on its own. Then turn the power off for a minute or more. Restart your computer to see if the problem fixed itself. Many times a reboot is the answer.

Conserving your IT budget and sparing yourself the embarrassment of a phone call to your IT professional is sometimes no more difficult than a simple reboot. Save your money for major, complicated computer problems and help your business be more efficient.

Added By: Joshua Feinberg

Business Success Through Mingling

Mingling will become an essential part of building your new computer consulting business. The two most critical marketing techniques you will employ are networking and relationship marketing, and mingling is important in both these areas.

You have to engage in social mingling, even if it isn’t your forte. Vital contacts and prospects will come from accidental meetings at various networking events, and you don’t want shyness or self-consciousness to get in the way of great opportunities.

MINGLING IS NOT ALL FUN

Sometimes you have to force yourself to mingle, but the more you do it, the more skilled you will become at it. If you go to all possible events, including breakfast meetings, luncheons, dinner meetings, after hours events and business-to-business expositions, you will have plenty of chance to hone your ability to mingle. Seminars and workshops also offer great opportunities.

When you go to networking events, you will keep seeing the same people over and over again. Mingling with them repeatedly will remind them who you are and how you can help them, which is how you can use mingling as a great and low-effort follow-up technique.

Still, while you may constantly come across the same people, you need to always be mingling with new contacts. You should make an effort to mingle with new people at every event you attend.

Mingling is an excellent way to create new and valuable contacts, but it can be overwhelming and nerve-wracking. If you keep telling yourself about the opportunities mingling can bring to your computer consulting business, you will be more likely to overcome your insecurities and get out there.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting Kit

Computer Consulting Business: The First Things Sweet Spot Clients Seek

If you are offering B2B service in the computer consulting business, your best, or sweet spot clients are companies that have 10-50 PCs and $1-$10 million in revenue. Sweet spot clients are usually looking for the following qualities in a computer consulting business: response time; technical and business knowledge; customer service and price or value. The top two elements are typically what companies look for first.

SPEED

The more necessary IT is to a small business, the more likely the company will be to put response time at the top of the list of important elements of a computer consulting firm. Because downtime means lost money, the amount of time a computer consulting business takes to handle an urgent IT need o even an emergency is paramount.

YOU ARE MORE THAN A GROUP OF TECNICIANS

Your computer consulting business employees are more than just technicians capable of responding quickly to problems. Your business and industry knowledge as a firm will be incredibly vital. Your employees should understand clients’ specific industry and niche, because sweet spot clients will want technology providers capable of solving business problems in conjunction with technical problems. They will want a total solution that has their best interests in mind.

Your computer consulting business will become the outsourced IT department for sweet spot clients. You will end up dealing with hardware and software support along with issues dealing with LAN and WAN. As a responsible computer consulting business for sweet spot clients, you will have to be able to offer complete solutions.

Added By: Computer Consulting Kit

The Three Most Important Aspects of Direct Mail Advertising

Because direct mail advertising is a very unpredictable type of marketing, it helps to the three most important aspects before you attempt to use it as part of your computer consulting business.

THE HEADLINE

The headline you use is the number one element of direct mail advertising that will make or break the campaign. The headline needs to address the hot spots of your targeted audience, and this means you need to think of what you would do if you were if you were a consumer. Find out what is most appealing to your target and what his needs are, then speak to those needs directly in the headline of the direct mail advertising piece.

GET THE RIGHT LISTS

Your direct mail advertising campaign will fall flat if you don’t have the right lists of people to send it to. Since you are spending money to send out this mail, make sure the people that will receive your piece are members of the appropriate audience.

THE TWO-STEP SALES PROCESS

Your direct mail advertising has to clearly present a sales pitch in two steps, which will help spur your target to immediately respond. Make it clear that those reading the ad and responding to it must reserve a seat or request a report, or even set up a free no obligation analysis or other service. The purpose of direct mail advertising is not to sell your company or services; it is designed to convince a specific group to take action or to express interest. Good direct mail advertising pieces will provoke inquiries and responses. You don’t start selling your company until someone calls you.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

Computer Business News: U.S. House Candidate Feels Broadband an Education Should Offer More Jobs

Peter Welch, a Democratic U.S. house candidate from Vermont stated recently he felt that education and broadband as delivered by companies in the computer business should provide opportunities for better paying jobs in his home state. He used a small electronics company, SB Electronics in Barre, VT that had stayed in business even in the face of international competitors to illustrate his point.

Welch took part in a news conference at SB Electronics in Barre and invited the 21 year-old founder of Optima Computers in Brattleboro. The small company was begun in the founder’s bedroom and has grown to 20 employees. Welch is convinced that the key to creating jobs is innovation, and that that innovation is exemplified by the computer businesses in the local area.

Part of Welch’s election campaign has been his assertion of a plan, once a member of Congress to do the following three things: encourage broadband Internet access throughout the state of Vermont; offer more educational funding so people are well-equipped to face challenges in the computer business and beyond and provide a staff member to helping Vermont-based companies seek out business.

Welch stated that in order to create more access to broadband Internet service, partnerships between businesses and the state and federal governments need to be more fully established. SB Electronics was used as an example of how Vermont businesses have used innovation to compete. The computer business began 20 years after a larger company became obsolete and has managed to continuously add jobs and also compete in the global marketplace. The computer business, which began with nineteen employees now houses 50, and while there have been struggles, a spokesperson states that its ability to continue to innovate and offer cutting-edge technology to clients has left it in a good position.

Welch hopes his proposals will help businesses like SB Electronics and the state of Vermont, along with other states that model his plan get into the thriving global economy and achieve healthier economic climates.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting Kit

Solution Provider Nexus is Named on North America's Top 500 Tech Integrators List

Solution provider Nexus IS, a top full-service company offering business communications solutions was recently identified by CMP Technology’s VARBusiness magazine as a top North American tech integrator. Nexus took the 30th spot in the fastest growing category. The annual VARBusiness 500 is celebrating its 12th year of recognizing top solution poviders in the industry.

The VARBusiness 500 lists the leading solution providers, marked by their annual revenue in North America and notes those that combined represent $378 billion in sales of IT services and products.

According to VARBusiness experts, solution provider Nexus is an important part of the industry, helping clients move forward and compete in a steadily complicated marketplace. CEO Jon Jensen of Nexus states that the solution provider is excited about its marked growth and to be recognized by VARBusiness. The company intends to continue to develop greater depth and serve customers, associates and business partners in new and innovative ways. Nexus is based in Valencia, CA and is a Cisco Gold Certified Partner with specializations in Cisco, IP Communications, VPN Security and Wireless LAN. The company also takes part in the Cisco Advanced Technology Provider (ATP) program for IPCC Enterprise and Rich Media Communications and offers a variety of exciting and cutting-edge products and services to its many clients.

The 2006 VARBusiness 500 list was released on June 12, 2006 with the help of the research firm Answers Research. The survey was given to solution providers between February and April 2006.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

How Virtual IT and Computer Consulting Work Together

Most computer consulting companies have the wrong idea about IT, but as a computer consulting company owner or manager, there are specific measures you can take to help reshape your own thinking about it and achieve greater business success.

WHY DO COMPUTER CONSULTING FIRMS GET IT WRONG?

Many computer consulting company owners and managers complicate their businesses by getting too wrapped up in technology. They view their small business clients second to keeping up with the latest trends and dealing with gadgets. Those with this attitude fall under the label of “clueless geek.” As a computer consulting expert, your first priority is recruiting and keeping small business clients, a priority that should never be usurped by keeping up with the latest in IT. As a true computer consulting professional, you should love business opportunities that arise from solving huge client problems with your best IT solutions.

JOINING COMPUTER CONSULTING WITH VIRTUAL IT

In order to truly understand the important mission of your computer consulting business, you need to think about virtual IT. Virtual IT will make your computer consulting company work as part of your small business client companies. Your computer consulting company will become your subcontracted IT department for your clients. You will take on the role of CIO, CTO or IT manager, and like any thorough IT department, your virtual IT computer consulting business will be responsible for providing and organizing a variety of services, including help desk, desktop support, network admin, engineering, security training, procurement and asset management.

To make your computer consulting company shine, you have to totally “get” the concept of virtual IT and make it a part of every major decision you make for your company.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

The Essential Mobile Office Kit

A mobile office kit is incredibly important for any computer consultant. The following supplies are necessary for you as a consultant when working out of your car or on the road.

1. Non-homemade, yet still affordably-made business cards. You should not spend more than $60-$100, and you shouldn’t get more than 1,000 at any given time.

2. A subscription to a fax-to-email service. You can get this for $15 a month or less and it will send faxes to your e-mail inbox.

3. A notebook computer should be your primary system so you have the critical component of your mobile office kit with you all the time.

4. A quality pocket tape or digital recorder will allow you to dictate notes and ideas at a moment’s notice and can help you record important information efficiently.

5. Having a tool bag with a PC tool kit as part of your mobile office kit will make you look more professional because you will never be caught borrowing from clients or running to the store to get the appropriate cable.

6. A pocket calendar can help you enter in important information and then, most importantly, track it later when you need to recall your week’s or month’s activities.

7. Bring a roll of coins so you are prepared for meter parking, tolls or any other situation that arises with your vehicle.
8. A mobile office kit will include a label maker. Even an inexpensive one can help you overtake sticky notes with professional-looking labels.

9. Glossy contact information labels will impress clients and help them remember to call you. You should buy a fairly big roll o glossy labels and give them to clients and prospects so they can put them on their computers and remember you when they have a problem.

10. A mobile office kit will also include magnetic signs for your car that help you make your car into an ad for your services. Lettering or graphics can make this sign memorable as well.

Computer consultants spend a lot of time in their cars. If your mobile office kit is as well-stocked as your home office, you will be able to be as efficient as possible while working from your vehicle and make your business more profitable.

Added By: Joshua Feinberg

Computer Business News: Venture Capitalists Choose Open Source Software

In a computer business news magazine reporting on a meeting in London between three top venture capitalist firms, experts announced that open source software would be the best idea for venture capital firms that had before been licensing software. All three firms had invested in open source previously and would continue to go in that direction because of the changing market.

Experts and venture capitalists in the computer business state that open source is a relatively new model and will be a lasting software development type that will stick, making it hard for professionals in the future to keep relying on the closed source market. Open source delivers better code because of more comprehensive testing, greater and faster ability for innovation and requests for more new features by many companies. Open source is also more affordable for companies.

Top venture capitalist firm Index has been supporting and investing in open source business intelligence vendors for a while now. Major vendors of open source software within the computer business include Pentaho, SourceLabs, PHP products provider Zend, MySQL and Linux specialist Trolltech. Index is not the only firm stepping up involvement with open source software. Computer Business Review noted that in recent years over $500 million had been invested across 40 open source vendors.

Experts agree that open source is fast moving from simply a space to a category in the industry, acting as an important part of business trends. Venture capitalist companies will have to all be involved in the open source market in order to stay involved with software companies in the future and continue to see increased business.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101

New Intel Program for Solution Providers Explained by Top Executive

In an interview with VARBusiness Magazine Wednesday, top Intel executive Shirley Turner, Director of North American distribution and channels discussed specific features of the new channel program designed to help solution providers and systems builders.

Turner stated that the solution providers program has been in existence for 11 years, but was originally was composed of many different programs depending upon the geographical location of the services. The new solution providers program, the Intel Channel Partner Program offers a globally uniform structure that will offer many countries and areas more benefits than previous programs.

The levels of the partnership are Registered member, Associate member and Premier. Previously there were 325 Premier partners and about 10,000 “Active” members and 35,000 registered. The system used to be judged much more on the amount of money spent on products, whereas now it is based on that and many other factors. The biggest change is at the Premier level, which has changed from by invitation only to a web-based system based on the desktop, server or mobile industries. Solution providers can track the progress of their sales and services online and see how much more they need to do in order to achieve the Premier status. Existing Premier partners will keep their status until January 1, 2007, and will have time to achieve the same status under the new guidelines until then. The focus under the new solution providers program is also not on selling just one product, rather diversifying the amount of servers, mobile and desktop systems sold, meaning participants will do better if they do not simply work with one product.

Previously named “Active” members will be shifted to “Associate” status and will receive the opportunity to be badged, where previously only Premiers had that option. The new program will make all members more visible in their communities but also will require stricter qualification guidelines. The goal, according to Turner, is to unify all channel partners, a process she imagines will take several years.

Added By: Computer Consulting Kit

What Computer Consulting Business is the Right One For You?

You have two options when opening a computer consulting business; you can be independent or become part of a larger franchise. The option you choose depends on whether you want to grow your business by yourself or get some help along the way. There are pros and cons of being independent and of being part of a larger franchise.

BE READY TO WORK

During the startup of your computer consulting business you will have to spend several months getting your name out by meeting people and networking. You will also have to follow up on leads, create many proposals and go out on countless sales calls. And all this work will have to be done before you get many or any billable computer consulting projects. Just because you decide to buy into a franchise doesn’t mean you won’t have to do this networking and extra work or that problems will go away entirely. You should think realistically when deciding to buy into a franchise or go independent.

DIFFERENT DECISIONS WORK FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE

The right decision about your computer consulting business is different from what the right decision for someone else might be. The type of computer consulting business you choose depends upon what you are looking for, what skills you have and how much time and how many financial resources you have.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

The Right Customer Relationships Bring Financial Security

Customer relationships are the cornerstone of your computer consulting business because they will make or break your financial health and prosperity. You need to understand the different elements of customer relationships so you can figure out the risks involved as well as the benefits. There are essentially two types of customer relationships: steady, long-term clients and stepping-stone clients.

YOUR LONG-TERM CLIENTS

Long-term clients in the computer consulting business are your most important clients for business. They view you as n insurance policy because they can call you, pay you and know you will be there right away to take care of their problems. These customer relationships are built on trust; not only can they rely on you, but you can rely on them to pay you on time. If they didn’t pay you promptly, they would potentially destroy the relationship.

STEPPING-STONE CLIENTS

Stepping stone clients are not as healthy when it comes to customer relationships. They see you basically as a commodity rather than insurance against future problems. If you don’t show up to fix something, they think they can call the next company down the line to get the same service. Stepping-stone clients do not want to build long-term relationships with you and will not have problems with not paying on time or not paying at all.

You need to understand the different types of customer relationships involved in the computer consulting business if you want to find the right ones to support your business. You need long-term, steady customer relationships rather than stepping-stone customer relationships in order to build your computer consulting business. Build long-term customer relationships on maintenance agreements and you will find yourself with financial stability and many trusting and trustworthy clients.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

Computer Consulting News: New Cyber-Sense Technology Improves Laptop Security

In computer consulting news last week the Boldt Co. received several high tech laptop computers that require user fingerprint identification. This new technology is one of the initiatives in an effort by the construction company to be sure employees can communicate better and with greater security both on and off the job site.

The access employees have to systems is restricted unless they have a password, according to company managers. The company also has implemented a system that does not allow all data to be accessible to all employees. Computer consulting firms working with the company have helped to devise solutions that help Boldt take appropriate precautions against security breaches. However, last month an employee computer was stolen while loaded with a CD that had personal identity information about over 10,000 veterans registered with the Veterans Administration. This brought about the idea to search for new technology to improve security with mobile devices.

Cyber-Sense is a biometric identification system that uses fingerprints instead of passwords to allow access to the system and helps deal with an old problem. While this new technology will not prevent theft of mobile devices, including laptops and Blackberries, it will help curb the dire consequences.

Computer consulting experts and employees of large companies agree that just because a company has strict policies regarding security in place does not mean they are always followed. Because everything has gone online in recent years, everything is vulnerable. Before this biometric technology, often employees found themselves having to remember 30 different passwords to get to all their valuable information, a process that can be tedious and time-consuming if any password is forgotten.

For those without biometric technology, computer consulting gurus recommend the following security procedures for data lockdown:

Hide the laptop from sight while traveling
Make the laptop look old or beat up to discourage thieves
Put an asset tag, engraved, with contact information for return if the device is lost, stolen or recovered and keep track of the model and serial number
Install anti-virus and anti-spyware software in order to create backup
Make sure to register the laptop with the manufacturer.

Added By: Computer Consulting Kit

Solution Providers Tackle New Trojan for OS X

Only days after computer business Apple patched the Mac OS X due to five different vulnerabilities, solution providers and experts at a security firm last Friday sent out a new warning about one of the fixed flaws.

Security firm Symantec stated that there is a Trojan horse virus called “OSX.Exploit.Launchd” on its security site. As of yet, there are few details about the virus, but solution providers have noted that successful installation of the Trojan would allow the attacker to have complete access to OS X 10.4.6 and earlier versions of the program.

Last Tuesday, Apple updated Mac OS X to 10.4.7 in order to fix five different security holes. One of the five was in “launchd,” which is the operating system’s program launch feature. This feature was susceptible to a local format-string vulnerability, according to solution providers for Apple and other experts. The Tuesday update is said to protect Mac OS X users against the latest Trojan.

Viruses that attack Apple’s operating system are not common; but often in the Windows arena, attack code crops up within just a few days of Microsoft’s release of security fixes. Hackers choose to reverse engineer a patch in order to try to determine the nature of the vulnerability and work out a new attack.

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IT Support and Required Expertise

In the world of small business IT support, expertise can be at many different levels. As an example, in a big-business IT organization there will be level one help desk technicians all the way through senior systems engineers and lastly the CIO. You will find a lot of variations of these positions and different definitions of levels. However, each IT support person will be an expert within his/her own specialty.

The same will be true of expertise levels and positions among IT support contractors and staff. You will probably be confronted by technicians that can handle very simple tasks like had drive installations or LAN adapter installations. You may have people on staff that can handle installing a simple P2P network or even a very basic dedicated server. You may also have someone working with server firewalls or setting up VPNs and other advanced systems.

PEOPLE SKILLS

Most successful IT support employees in small businesses are either very technically savvy or very sales savvy. Consultants outstanding in both areas are a very rare occurrence in the realm of IT support.

The very best technicians and engineers will have good people skills that will be handy during a larger project. As an example, when an IT support person is installing a 10 or a 25-node network, these people skills will be important, because there are many different vendor products and solutions from different sources involved and a lot can go awry. Therefore, project management, administrative skills and accounting skills are incredibly important to IT support.

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Even More Steps for IT Consulting

Prior to starting an IT consulting business, you need to make sure you are organized. The following steps can help you on your way to a successful business.

VOLUNTEERING IN IT CONSULTING

If you can’t get paid IT consulting clients initially, volunteer your services. If you are 30 days beyond initially announcing the start of your business and you still have no referrals or clients, volunteer for a non-profit organization. Give them several volunteer hours to help them with PCs or an upgrade, or help them with a website update and computer training. Limit it to two to four hours or these types of customers might take advantage of you.

Get in touch with the executive director or an office manager and tell the person you just opened your IT consulting business and would like to donate some time. Make sure you give a specific number of hours, and then ask if in return they will give you a testimonial and introductions to three members that might be able to use your IT consulting services. You can solidify this agreement by writing down a couple sentences that state you will work in return for specific and agreed upon items from them.

Keep doing this until you have three to four testimonials from business owners. The best testimonials will be from respected and known figures within the community.

ATTEND LOCAL BUSINESS EVENTS

When starting in IT consulting, look at the business section of the local paper, focusing on networking and lead groups as well as Chambers of Commerce. Your best bet is to try to attend as a guest, and go to one networking event per week each week for the next four. When at the events, be friendly and tell people about your IT consulting business. Ask them how they use IT in their daily company lives and trade business cards with them to determine if your IT consulting business is a good fit for them.

Your thoughts should be about helping them, not about what they can do for you. The most important thing you can do is ask them what is happening in their business, how they are using their computers, what their biggest problems are and if there is any way you can specifically help them.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinbeg