IT Audits: What's Next?

With most clients, the minute you establish a relationship after the IT audits are finished, you should start immediately executing a project plan. This plan should be very detailed and regimented, with spreadsheets that will help systematize elements of the project. Through IT audits you will get an idea of the order of priority for certain tasks and know what has to be accomplished immediately vs. what can wait until a bit later or be placed on a wish list.

WHAT IS A WISH LIST?

The items on a wish list are tasks that have to be completed because they are controlled by a vendor or regulatory agency, or because a product is going to become useless and will no longer have support. Wish list projects will typically have fairly inflexible completion dates. As a person conducting the IT audits, you should treat wish list items as a full-time IT manager. Keep track of them and put them on the wish list according to the month during which they must be completed; they could very well represent your long-term revenue.

STAY ORGANIZED

Once you complete an IT audit, you need to start by organizing the tasks you identify. Organizing is no more difficult than working with a standard Excel document. Set up some columns, including perhaps Month, Estimated Labor Cost, Hardware Cost, and perhaps a column that represent outside contractors the company will need to finish the project or other important extra items you think they will need to track. You may determine that some tasks fall outside your area of expertise, and as a responsible IT professional, you will provide them with the best solutions to fulfill their needs, which often will involve you calling in for extra help where you need it.

Creating a wish list and staying organized will help you plan for the future while keeping the best interests of the company in mind.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

Computer Business Lenovo Builds Strength Through Olympics

As the official computing partner of the 2006 Olympic Games, the computer business Lenovo is helping athletes keep up with training programs, friends and family, and manage their careers. The athletes are not the only ones benefiting from Lenovo computers; journalists, judges and all those supporting the Torino games are giving the computer company the chance to be globally recognized, and only a year after the Chinese company bought out IBM’s personal computer business.

Thanks to the Olympic Partnering Plan, Lenovo is enjoying a rare worldwide marketing opportunity by providing athletes and other game-goers with hardware, and infrastructure that is helping to provide information and support for all involved in the event. Approximately 5,000 Lenovo desktop PCs, 350 servers and almost 1,000 notebook computers are running the four main programs of the Games -- Games Management Systems, Games INFO 2006 System, Venue and Central Results System, and Commentator Information System. Together, these programs are helping run everything from judge’s scoring to personal emailing capabilities.

The Olympic Village in Torino, Italy is host to seven high tech Internet lounges, accessible to athletes, trainers, coaches, judges and journalists. Lenovo is also maintaining a Champions Blog maintained by 11 Olympic athletes from the United States, Slovenia, Norway, Germany, and China that have agreed to participate in a special drive to build worldwide unity by reporting on their experiences. The side benefits for Lenovo have been increased brand awareness and a new push for their business.

The Olympic Games are not just one big marketing campaign for the company. Lenovo gave the opportunity for 100 Lenovo employees to travel to Torino to take part in the excitement of the game and hopes the experience will boost company morale.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101

Network Consulting: Onsite Chicago Acquires Newtek Computers

IT outsourcing company Onsite Chicago announced February 17 that it would be in charge of maintenance for computers at Newtek Services. The network consulting firm Onsite Chicago will be managing computers at the Newtek Chicago satellite office.

Newtek Business Services, Inc., in business since 1999, is one of the largest providers of financial products and business services and serves small-to-medium-sized companies all over the U.S. The company has been looking for a network consulting firm to manage their computers for quite some time with little success until they came across Onsite Chicago. A spokesperson for the network consulting firm stated that Newtek was at a point where it needed immediate support and reliable services for its computer systems, and had a difficult time finding the right fit to fulfill those needs. Onsite Chicago came into the picture at the perfect time. Since the Newtek Chicago site has been offline for quite some time, exterior sites are starting to feel the effects. Onsite Chicago hopes to immediately rectify this problem and help increase Newtek’s efficiency as a company.

Onsite Chicago brings business technology consulting services to network consulting firms in the Chicago area. The company has over 1700 Gold subscribed clients in Chicago that represent a wide range of sizes and industries.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting Professional Kit

IT Audits: What Do Clients Seek?

Performing IT audits for clients means identifying their issues and providing solutions. The key to uncovering problems is anticipating questions they will ask during the audit.

QUESTIONS HELP WITH THE NEEDS ANALYSIS

Your main question, as the one conducting the IT audit is, “What are prospective clients seeking?” The truth is, their needs have not really changed in quite some time. The main thing they want during the audit is guidance on what they should buy. They want to know what platform and product will best work with their specific set-up and what will give them the best value. Your job is to spend several hours assessing their situation to determine what they have and what they will need. Your main job is to map a plan to coordinate different products and platforms that will specifically address their business issues.

WHAT ELSE DO CLIENTS WANT?

Your potential customers might also want to gain other information and services from you when you conduct IT audits, including the following:

1. Informal and formal training that includes end user training and administrator training.
2. Coordination of routine and scheduled upgrades to their systems.
3. Contact with outside vendors for installation of a package specifically designed for their industry.
4. Network installation and maintenance.

Regardless of what a client needs or wants, the main thing they seek is one place that can take care of all their issues easily and efficiently. As their technology advisor, they want to be able to rely on you and put their faith in you in the same way they would depend upon a legal advisor or a marketing consultant. IT audits can give your potential clients faith in you and determine what they will need from you in the future.

Posted By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

Network Maintenance Contracts are Critical for Business

Because so many more businesses have found themselves in need of reliable tech support in the past several years, the number of available network maintenance contracts has increased significantly. Our world has been forever changed by computers, and we find ourselves reliant on them for almost every aspect of business. While computers have certainly affected our lives positively, their existence has presented us with a new set of technical challenges for our companies. Because very few of us are able to solve all the problems we may run into, network maintenance contracts that provide the best support for our businesses are essential.

COMPUTERS … EVERYWHERE

Computers have transformed both our professional and personal worlds more than any other invention of the 20th Century. The Internet and PC’s have transformed communication and provided virtually unlimited access to a huge amount of information. Because we rely so much on the Internet and PC’s as a society, network maintenance contracts are absolutely essential to keeping life moving smoothly and uninterrupted.

Most people will agree that phenomena such as email and word processing are key elements of both their personal and business lives. But many people also take for granted the speed and efficiency that computers have brought to their daily lives until disaster strikes. This is when tech support available through a good network maintenance contract is absolutely most critical.

ONLINE COMPUTER HELP

Computers are not very useful unless they are kept running smoothly and on track. When they break down, they can be a hassle that saps time and energy. When computers stop working, online tech support and network maintenance contracts can save the day. The can eliminate the frustration typically associated with a broken computer and provide hope and tangible solutions to busy professionals.

Network maintenance contracts give you more control over your IT network and can help you gain knowledge about your PC and how it fits into a larger system. You will be able to use tech support contractors not only to maintain and repair your computers on a daily basis, but also to teach you more about your IT network or PC so that you can make your business as efficient as it can possibly be.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

IT Audits: How to Handle Prospects

When you make an initial sales call to a prospect, unless they have an immediate emergency for you to handle, you really want to try to push IT audits. IT audits and half-day technology assessments are the perfect way to introduce a potential long-term client to your IT services. There are several approaches you can take when selling IT audits.

QUICK EQUALS FREE

If you’re looking to grab your prospect’s attention quickly and memorably, a stripped-down, free version of an IT audit might be the way to go. Go in and sit down with your client for half an hour and give them a basic list. If you spend any more time than half an hour, and start to look at details such as hubs, switches or any equipment lay-out or configurations, you are well beyond the limits of what would be considered reasonable for a free assessment. While giving a prospect the feeling that they are getting something valuable for free from you is important in building the foundation of a great business relationship, you should still work within the limits of what is cost-effective for you. Value your services, and your client will too.

CHARGE FOR LONGER ASSESSMENTS

If you start to enter the realm of more thorough IT audit involving equipment analysis and anything else more detailed, bill your prospect. Even if you offer your prospect a free tech assessment or IT audit over the phone, make it clear what is involved, and set up a rate in case you run into a situation on the spot where your client wants more than originally agreed upon.

Created By: Computer Consulting Kit

Computer Repair Franchises: The Whole Truth About Cost

Computer repair franchises can be huge investments, both in terms of money and time. But they can provide you, as the future owner a great deal of benefits not available to other entrepreneurs. Before you envision the possibilities of your franchise, you have to do a careful cost analysis.

LOCATION

Some computer repair franchises don’t offer help with finding location, but some do. Make a careful list of travel expenses, market data, competitive analysis and other real estate-related costs.

DEPOSITS

Since your potential building landlord will need a deposit for leases and property, you will need to take this into account when detailing your budget. But don’t forget to also include the costs of business licenses, phone and utility deposits.

ARCHITECTS, CONTRACTORS, LANDSCAPERS AND OTHERS

Sometimes entrepreneurs investigate locations for franchises that haven’t yet been built. If you are looking at an unbuilt franchise, make sure you don’t miss hidden costs. Certainly you will have to pay architects and contractors, but what will you pay them to do? It will cost you extra money to have them prepare drawings and also make lists of materials they will need to start construction.

Once construction begins, the real cost enters the picture. Physically building your franchise will of course cost a significant amount of money and time in man-hours. Landscaping will become an issue at this point as well; you will need built-in items such as sprinkler systems. Even if you are leasing a space, you will need to consider repairs, improvements and general redesign to fit your particular franchise.

EQUIPMENT, FIXTURES

Once you’ve taken care of the franchise building from the outside, you will need to envision what is going to go inside. Desks, chairs, computers, telephones and decorations will need to be either leased or bought.

INSURANCE

Your best-case scenario for insurance as a computer franchise owner will be that you only need to pay a deposit for premiums. But many insurance requirements will demand that you pay up-front for the first year. You will need to include everything from auto to worker’s compensation and property or casualty.

Working capital will cover the cost of start-up for most computer repair franchises, but you should expect not to make a profit for at least the first few months. Regardless, you should seek the advice of an accountant or trained financial expert before embarking on your exciting venture.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

Computer Business: HP Redesigns Company in Favor of Smartphones

Hewlett Packard stated on February 13 that it would be splitting its hand-held device sector from its notebook-computer sector. To help make for a smooth transition, HP has hired a new staff with new leadership to head off the project. Former senior director of corporate development at Sun Microsystems, Inc., Dave Rothschild has been named the new head of the hand-held division according to a Wall Street Journal report.

As a response to questions about this initiative, HP will report its earnings publicly on Wednesday, February 15.

The redesign of the company will help HP benefit from the rapid growth of the “smartphone,” a new mobile technology that allows users to make calls and check email, along with many other functions, while on the go. When CEO Mark Hurd took over the company in March 2005, he began the redesign of the hand-held devices and notebook-computer divisions, and has stated that he now hopes to make the smartphone and other mobile, hand-held devices a priority for HP.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

Solution Providers: NetSuite Offers Discounted Provider Plan

On-demand business applications provider NetSuite, is offering discounts, free training, sales margin increases and other benefits to clients in an attempt to lure Microsoft resellers into Netsuite solution providers.

NetSuite will be providing Microsoft resellers with a 35 percent margin on sales of NetSuite products along with a 50 percent discount on the product for use internally in their companies. The company has also announced it will give free training to up to five people as part of this deal. Even better for Microsoft resellers is that they are not required to stop selling Microsoft products in order to enlist in this special program.

Quite a few Microsoft resellers have already joined NetSuite to benefit from this plan, including Nolan Computers, a Great Plains reseller, Altico Advisors, a Marlborough, Massachusets-based business consulting and software implementation group and several others. All have already enjoyed the flexibility of NetSuite products and the increase in revenue the discounted provider program has brought to their companies.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting Professional Kit

IT Sales: Starting Off Well

Before you make an initial IT sales call, you have to prepare yourself appropriately. Preparation begins well before you pick up the phone or meet with a client; you have to do your homework. Properly qualify the potential customer by asking questions regarding the mission of his company, the company size and his specific industry.

If you determine your client is worth driving a half an hour to see in person for a one- or two-hour meeting, then he’s certainly worth 10-15 minutes of more detailed Internet research, if not more.

SERVICES VS. PRODUCTS

If you do appropriate background research on your client before the initial meeting, you will be able to anticipate all expectations and respond to them immediately. Make sure the client knows right off the bat that you’re there to sell your expertise and solutions instead of simply a piece of machinery. Your services and qualifications should be your first priority when building a relationship and building a profitable and successful business.

If your plan is to also sell products, make that a peripheral item when talking to your client for the first time. Make sure the prospect knows you are embedded in the service industry and therefore want to work with his particular company and its specific problems. If the client feels you are simply selling goods, he will be tempted to shop around for better prices rather for specific problem solving skills and expertise.

YOU CHOOSE YOUR CLIENTS

If you make it clear to your potential clients that you’re a service provider from the very beginning, there will be no doubt as to your intentions and the quality of your business. In IT sales, you are interviewing clients as much as they are interviewing you, so you should ask questions that determine whether they have potential for a long-term, enjoyable business relationship with you.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101

LAN Support Contracts: Providing Strong Management Support

LAN support contracts and starting up remote computer systems are fantastic ways to create technical support for your company. Allowing staff to use their personal computers to link to the company’s network from any location increases the flexibility of the workplace and can improve a company’s efficiency. LAN support contracts can help you better manage your workforce.

When you have a business with multiple offices in different locations, sometimes it’s difficult to envision having the ability to have your most talented technical support staff at every location. Thanks to LAN support contracts, you can offer remote, but immediate support to all locations at once affordably and effectively.

Remote computer support and LAN support contracts promote flexibility not only in the workforce, but also for clients, particularly of service-oriented companies. Being able to log onto a computer anywhere and have access to a specific computer within the office or its system as if you were sitting in front of it is an amazing experience that was not possible before LAN support contracts. The ability for employees and clients to access important information remotely will improve the quality of customer service and office life. LAN support contracts can give an already intelligent organization limitless possibilities.

Created By: Computer Consulting Kit

Solution Provider: Apple Computers Revolutionizes iPod

A Mac fan site announced that Apple Computers, Inc. is close to finishing a new iPod model that would incorporate a touch screen instead of the usual click wheel that currently navigates the device. Think Secret, the site that revealed the new plans, stated that the revamped video iPod would have a 3.5-inch screen that would encompass the entire front surface area of the media player. It would also be a solution provider for some of the problems users have had with the traditional wheel.

The new iPod will apparently feature a navigating wheel that appears on the screen when the user touches it, and go away as soon as the person’s finger is removed. Apple has been working on this digital navigating tool with several other companies, but is looking to have exclusive licensing rights to the device that will keep it out of competitors’ reach for a while.

While Apple declined comment, the fact that they filed for a patent with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Cupertino, CA last week for the new touch screen raises serious suspicion.

Think Secret has, for a long time anticipated new Apple technology and reported it publicly on their website. In fact, in 2005, Apple sued the company for revealing unreleased products, including the solution provider for the budget-conscious, the under-$500 iMac. The lawsuit is still pending.

Added By: Computer Consulting Professional Kit

VARs News: Lotus Notes Susceptible to Bugs

Big Blue and security advisors announced to the public on February 10 that six critical bugs that could impact the VARs world significantly have been identified in IBM’s Lotus Notes. They claim that the weaknesses could allow hackers to break into and attack corporate networks if not addressed.

The bugs were discovered by a Danish tracking company Secunia, and have been labeled as “highly critical.” The firm stated that some of these imperfections created buffer overflows, which is the only gateway needed for hackers to get into systems and start entering their own codes. Some of the half dozen bugs can transmit dangerous information merely if a user opens a malicious email, while others require attachments to be opened in order to inflict harm.

Several Lotus Notes versions, including 6.5.4 and 7.0 displayed these bugs, which can be fixed simply by updating to version 6.5.5 or 7.0.1. IBM recommended to users that they be particularly vigilant about not opening suspicious emails or file attachments, even from familiar or known senders. IBM offered quick fixes for some Lotus Notes clients unable to immediately patch the problem, but required other administrators to disable many DLLs.

The last bugs to show themselves in Lotus Notes were in late January. It was at this point that IBM first announced that the email system and its client could be at risk for DoS strikes.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101

PC Support Contracts: Going with the Online Alternative

PC maintenance contracts are quickly becoming the best way to generate sales, improve support and lower the cost of labor. Because an online sales and support staff can more quickly attend to the needs of customers than those that provide telephone support, many people are beginning to choose to go with online contracts.

Sometimes very limited PC maintenance contracts cannot offer help in real-time, so if you are shopping around for support that will help you with immediate needs, you should go with an online contract that offers chat-based support. Having instant access to a technician can give you the answers you need at a moment’s notice and improve the efficiency of your business exponentially by often being able to instantly patch your systems or resolve your problems yourself with guided help.

USING YOUR FUNDS MORE EFFICIENTLY

When it comes to overhead, using live online help is a much less expensive way to handle PC maintenance contracts than having full-time office-based workers. Communication costs are lowered significantly, and questions can be answered very quickly, allowing for more customers to be served simultaneously.

LOWERING EXPENSES

Chat-based support under PC maintenance contracts can help organizations noticeably decrease their expenses. Through high-speed connections, instant messaging to gain computer support and to personally communicate has become commonplace in offices everywhere. In time, there is the real chance that online PC maintenance contracts will become the premiere choice for all businesses.

Created By: Joshua Feinberg

IT Marketing: How to Incorporate Testimonials

Testimonials are one of the best IT marketing tools for your business and give you the foundation of credibility you need to gain a client base. If you want believable testimonials, they have to include at least the following information: first name; last name; job title; company name; city; and state. Having all this relevant information to pass onto prospective clients will help legitimize your business. Prospective clients will unfortunately be more apt to believe the testimonies of third parties without a direct interest in your company than they are your IT marketing sales copy.

WHAT SHOULD TESTIMONIALS INVOLVE?

When looking to get strong testimonials from clients, make sure they are benefits-focused, written on your customer’s letterhead and that they discuss how your company has helped them over a relatively long period of time. Clients should include specific information such as the return on their investment, how reliable you have been, what kind of response time you offered and your conduct and policies regarding emergencies.

HOW DO YOU GET TESTIMONIALS?

The most important thing you can do to ensure that customers will work with you to give high quality testimonials is to make the process simple for them:

n Interview them and guide them in the proper direction with specific questions.
n E-mail them testimonials in the suggested format to give them a clear example of what you want. They can even simply edit it or just sign off on it and print it on their own letterhead.
n Put together a survey-like list of five or six bullet-points for them to talk about in their testimonial.
n Take clients out for a meal and interview them directly about their experiences with your business. Jot down notes and afterwards type it up in the form of a sample testimonial. Send it to your clients and ask them if it accurately portrays their experiences with you. If it does, they can print it on their letterhead, sign it and send it back to you for your files.

Regardless of how you go about getting your testimonials, make it a simple process for your clients, and you will gain an excellent IT marketing tool.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting Kit

Service Level Agreements: Anticipating Emergencies

Service level agreements with help for computer crashes are critical for any business. The time you put into creating the documents that you store on your computer is invaluable, and the sheer amount of information stored in every PC is often irreplaceable. If and when a computer crash happens, those without access to skilled technical consultants attached to service level agreements can feel helpless.

PROCRASTINATION IS NOT AN OPTION

Most individuals do not think about computer crashes or service level agreements until they are in the midst of a crisis. Even though nearly everyone has experienced a nasty computer crash, or is at least aware that they do happen from time-to-time, no one addresses them until they happen. Planning ahead by setting up a service level agreement at the beginning of your computer’s life is very important, and will help you in the event of a major emergency.

PREVENTION, NOT A CURE

Even though certain computer crashes might be inevitable and very disastrous, having a service level agreement with your own technical consultant can help you make the most of the situation. Consultants attached to high quality service level agreements can help get computers working again and even sometimes recover important lost documents. To many experienced consultants who offer service level agreements, even the most awful-looking disaster can have a simple solution.

The most important part of planning service level agreements is to get them early and not wait until the last minute to hire a consultant for a disaster. You must be proactive and maintain a relationship with technicians so they can get to know your computers and systems and help you quickly should serious issues arise.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101

IT Marketing: Critical Decision Makers

One of the most effective ways in IT marketing to expand beyond your initial client base is to reach out into your community and mingle with those you know to be decision makers. It is especially beneficial to find those that will be most helpful to you within your chosen niche.

For example, if you plan to target small business owners and managers, you may go out and meet a lot of bank branch managers; however, these people are not your kind of decision makers, nor are the non-profit executive directors that do not have money to spend on your IT services. It’s important for you to familiarize yourself with the kind of decision maker you’re looking for and figure out how to find this person in the organizations you belong to or seminars and conferences you attend.

PARTNER PROGRAMS

Joining a partner or reseller program can be an excellent IT marketing technique and will help you become known in the local community. For example, you could join a Microsoft Certified Partner program. Once you do this, particularly as a smaller IT firm, it is critical that you identify the local field representative and make contact. Then take the time to talk to the field rep, exchange business cards, make sure they remember your face and your name. Send this person emails or call every few weeks to give them updates and ask them important questions about the local market.

INVESTIGATE THE ISSUES

Once you establish a relationship with the decision maker in this partner program, or any decision maker you meet, truly investigate the problems in the local community. Ask the decision maker if there are any really big issues they continually run into when speaking with others, and if he/she knows any ways you could help solve them. Ask if there are any members of the channel programs that might be interested in partnering, either for work quote issues or even non-competing skill sets. Local channel representatives and other such decision makers are a great source for helping to identify common community problems and furthering your IT marketing plan.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

Computer Business: Risks of Instant Messenger and Business Communication

Instant Messenger (IM) was once reserved for the social practices of teenagers that used the same IM chat provider. However, this changed in 2004 when Microsoft announced its enterprise IM program, Live Communications Server that could link to other public chat services such as AOL and Yahoo. In January, IBM pronounced that its IM program, Sametime now has agreements with AOL and Yahoo that will make it compatible with more platforms.

While the prevalence of IM programs in business certainly makes communication easier in many ways for companies, there are some issues with public IM services that should be taken into account by companies before they take the plunge into real-time communication.
The first issue is that IM programs give no namespace control. If employers allow their staff to install their own public IM programs and set up their own identities, the identities might not be in line with the company’s naming policy. Also, if and when the employee leaves the company, there is no way to prevent that employee to continue to use the identity.

Another issue is the important one of security. Because IM programs can and do break through corporate firewalls, companies make themselves susceptible to malicious and dangerous instant messages. There is also the risk that messages containing sensitive and important company information can be intercepted by an outside party, or even that worms or other dangerous viruses can be transmitted.

Still a third issue is limited monitoring of conversations. If your company runs under any of the compliance regulations, such as Sarbanes Oxley or Basel II, which require you to monitor and log all IM conversations, consumer-grade IM programs will not allow threads to be saved. Sametime and Live Communication Server both deal with this issue when used internally by a company, but you have to be careful when linking to outside systems and public IM programs.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

Computer Consulting News: Premiere Global Services Executive Randy Leigh Receives Pace Award

On February 1, Premiere Global Services executive Randy Leigh was honored as the 2005 TeleSpan Pace Award. The award, delivered annually, honors teleconferencing professionals that have been prominent in their field for a decade or more.

According to the founder and publisher of TeleSpan Eliot Gold, Leigh’s focus on customer-based innovative conferencing systems and his technical expertise led to his receipt of the prestigious award. Gold further stated that virtually no other figure in technological foundations and advances in the voice conferencing market has been as critical as Leigh.

Leigh has more than 15 years’ experience in software development and in other technology-related fields. He oversees all technology advancements that takes place in the systems development and research departments of Premiere Global Services. Leigh joined the company in 1998 after working as a project leader at Lacerte Software (now Intuit), where he was instrumental in developing cutting edge Windows-based tax software. While at Premiere Global, Leigh has helped design countless conferencing products that have helped simplify the business lives of clients and help them communicate more efficiently.

Premiere Global Services, Inc. is an Atlanta-based, global provider of business process solutions that help clients simplify their critical business processes and also allow improve their communication capabilities.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

Computer Consulting: Starting With a Written Plan

Opening a computer consulting business starts with a written plan. Instead of relying on the plan that’s in your head, you should write them down. Putting a tangible plan in front of you makes accomplishing your goals easier and much more likely.

STEP 1

As an initial step, think of all the things you will need to accomplish before opening your computer consulting firm. Then write them down in order of their priority. You may think of some or all of the following: choosing a name; printing business cards; ordering a second phone line; or joining organizations that will help you network.

MAKE A TEMPLATE

Creating a template is a good way to organize your thoughts and ideas. In it, you can write down all your tasks and the date by which you should have accomplished them, working backwards from the launch date of your computer consulting business.

At the top of your template should be the “Launch Date” of your business.

Next on the page should be your “Top Ten” to-do list with a date affixed to each task. Be sure to keep referring back to your launch date when making your list, as this date is important in envisioning your long-term goals.

The next item on the list should be a space for a list of company name suggestions, followed by a second space for a list of organizations to join that will help you get into your niche.

Breaking your tasks down into small steps and making a very solid list will make meeting your goals by the launch date very possible. If you give yourself enough time, you can make it a point to accomplish two tasks on the list per week, and your computer consulting business will be open before you know it.

Created By: Joshua Feinberg

IT Marketing: Ways to Put Your Company Out There

Selling a solution as a consultant through an IT marketing plan to a community of clients takes two primary steps. The first step is building awareness of the problem to be solved, and the second is building awareness in the community that your firm can solve that problem. Not only do you have to convince others that your firm can address the issue, no matter how complex, but you also have to let them know you will be able to do it in the most painless and efficient way possible.

SEMINAR MARKETING

Seminar marketing is an excellent IT marketing strategy because it has the express purpose of making others aware of your firm in a very time-efficient manner. Instead of sending salespeople out to individual clients, or going out yourself, you get the benefit of having a large group of prospects in the room at the same time.

Seminar marketing also takes the pressure off your potential clients because they are not put on the spot individually; they can simply listen to the information you provide and decide for themselves how they feel about your solutions. With the right communication of your skills and problem solving plan, and the right registration and follow-up plan, you can drum up a great deal of business through these seminars delivered to clients within your niche.

WHITE PAPERS

Publishing a white paper report or an E-zine is also a great IT marketing strategy and one that will help you get leads and capture the attention of potential clients. For example, if you have a direct mail campaign, it helps to have something tangible and valuable to include for prospects besides just the letter you send. You can develop the white paper yourself, outsource a freelance writer or simply write something based on marketing seminars you do.

GET THE WORD OUT

Once you come up with a white paper or E-zine, make getting it out there an essential part of your IT marketing campaign. Include it in any mailings you send, or advertise its existence in print ads. The promise of a paper about your company will spark prospect interest and increase their desire to call you for it or go online and request something. And once prospects come to you, you have a great excuse to capture their information and start a relationship.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting Professional Kit

Solution Providers: Motorola Improves MotoMesh Network

Motorola recently announced its MotoMesh network solution is now widely available, and stated its upcoming plans to launch a new channel program next quarter to help boost its visibility and success in the rapidly advancing mesh market.

The program emerged after Motorola’s 2004 acquisition of the Florida-based Mesh Networks, which already had 15 mobile broadband VARs. It is one of the leading mesh-based solution providers on the market.

The MotoMesh program will include two levels, Gold and Silver, both dependent upon volume. It will also have both co-marketing and co-branding features. MotoMesh is system intended to provide simultaneous Wi-Fi access and connectivity service to public safety agencies.

Each access point available through the program offers two Wi-Fi radios and two of Motorola’s Mesh Enabled Architecture (MEA) radios. The access point operates in channels reserved for emergency personnel.

Terry Brown, Marketing Manager at Viasys, a Motorola Partner in Lakeland, Florida, says the Mesh Network strategy was to engage experienced integrators and allow them to be involved in all elements of the process from winning the projects to selling, servicing and installing. The main idea of the program is to give Motorola the opportunity to be an extra set of hands for the vendor, who doesn’t typically have field experience.

The MotoMesh solution works excellently for vehicles in motion, a feature attributed to its 802.20a technology, a rapidly growing mobile broadband standard that makes it possible to stream technologically heavy and complex broadband content to a vehicle moving up to 100 miles per hour.

Created By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

IT Consulting News: ActiveShopper Site Visits Boom

The Shelron Group, parent company of ActiveShopper.com, stated February 3 that site traffic during the fourth quarter of 2005 rose to nearly 12 million page views for both the ActiveShopper.com site and other versions of the site. The site’s growing popularity continued in January, which saw 5.7 million page views. Chairman and CEO of the Shelron Group, Eliron Yaron expects that the first quarter of 2006 will set a new quarterly page views record.

The Shelron Group also announced that its discussions to enter into a licensing agreement with NeoMedia Technologies, a major force in IT consulting, are on track. Both companies signed their letter of intent to work together during the first quarter of 2005. The agreement will give Shelron global rights to both use and license NeoMedia’s technology PaperClick ® and also patents in the creation of an ActiveShopper ™ technology for mobile devices.

Shelron Group, Inc. is one of the world’s leading developer of comparative shopping software, services and products. ActiveShopper ™ is the official brand name of the company’s comparative shopping products, including a search engine and various installable clients. NeoMedia Technologies, Inc. is a marketer and international developer of software and patented technologies used in many businesses globally.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

IT Marketing: Reaching Out to Your Customer Database

Creating a mailing for your current customers is an excellent way to start in IT marketing and can be a very effective business tool. First of all, you already know the people on the list, so it should be easy for you to reach out to them. But, even more importantly, they already know and trust you, so they will be receptive to your ideas.

WHAT SHOULD YOU PITCH?

If you are already perfectly comfortable talking to business managers and owners you know about providing services like virus protection, firewalls, password protection, data back-up and other issues, it should be easy for you to add to that list more complex items like IT audit and data protection.

Chances are, the people that know you will listen to you, but they may not automatically buy into new ideas. When pitching new concepts, offer an extremely discounted IT audit package. For example, if normally you would charge $400, tell them it’s only $299. Throw in some bonus features like a surge protector or an entry-level battery back-up unit. Because they are your most valued clients, they not only deserve it, but they will respond with more business in the future.

TRACK YOUR RESULTS

Part of a successful IT marketing plan is tracking the responses you get from mailing campaigns. Your current client database is a good place to do a test to see how others in the community might respond to your offers. If you see that out of all the existing clients you reach, 5 percent respond and half of those take the audit package it will allow you to measure responses you might get from similar mailings to other potential clients.

HELP YOUR CUSTOMERS USE EXISTING RESOURCES

You can build trust in your relationships with current clients by asking them how you can help them additionally to better use hardware, software or other items that they already own. Most companies buy a lot of things that end up collecting dust. Showing them how to use things they already have that might truly advance their businesses will increase the esteem they have for you and boost your relationship with them. Helping them make use of things they already have will also help support your business by giving you incremental service revenue.

Posted By: Computer Consulting Kit

IT Specialist: Specialist, Not Generalist

Becoming a true IT specialist can be rather difficult when to be successful in virtual IT, you also have to be a generalist, balancing many tasks at once. As a specialist, you may find yourself multi-tasking constantly and completing tasks that sometimes seem unrelated to each other or to your mission.

You might be designing networks, helping clients with procurement, managing relations, dealing with phone companies, web hosts and ISP’s, deciding what to buy and inspecting it when it arrives, configuring, testing, integrating, customizing, training and trouble shooting. And chances are you are doing all these things simultaneously for multiple clients.

While you may be doing everything, there is no law that says you have to work for everyone. Being and IT specialist often means being choosy more than it means having a singular focus in the daily tasks you do for customers; and being choosy will improve your marketing campaigns and get you better customers. So, be selective with your clients while still taking full accountability for the work you do.

Finding your niche will help you to be more selective with your clients as well. For example, if you choose real estate as your specialty, you will do a lot of work with local real estate firms and probably be at the top of their list as an IT specialist. Even if you feel you are doing everything for each firm and company, you will get testimonials that identify you as an industry specialist.

The good thing about specializing is that it does not require a great deal of experience. It could be as simple as finding a few clients in the same field and working with them for a year or two. If you get to know their business systems, you can position yourself easily as an IT specialist in that area. Specialization will truly improve your focus and help you remain poised at the top of your game.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

Computer Business Reviews: Xandros Uses Desktop for Opportunities in Education

Linux and Desktop specialist Xandros, Inc., a New York-based company, announced recently a new campaign to target the education sector. The Education Edition of its Xandros Desktop OS Linux operating system starts at $10 per seat for use by students.

Xandros already offers business and consumer versions of its Linux desktop product, but hopes that the recently-launched education edition will open up a brand new market for Linux in regards to the desktop computer. This package will introduce a new base of clients for the computer business to Linux.

Xandros Desktop OS Education Edition is compatible with Microsoft Corp’s Active Directory, the Firefox web browser, the OpenOffice.org productivity suite, the Ximian Evolution email client, and support for Microsoft's Office applications in the form of a trial of Codeweavers Inc's CrossOver Office.

Academic Institutions that qualify can receive the Xandros educational software package starting from $10 per station for both students and faculty. This deal also allows students and faculties to use the standard version of the software at home for personal use. Certain individual qualified students and staff can also get copies of Xandros Desktop OS Education Edition for less than $50.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101

Computer Business: Software Groups Encourage Employees to Report Illegal Software Use

Software trade organizations are creating incentives to encourage discontented, recently fired or ethically charged employees to report company executives for illegal software use. Rewards for employees are reported to be as high as $200,000.

Laurie Atkinson of the Business Software Alliance states that many people are responding, either because they are unhappy at work or because they simply think reporting such activities is the right thing to do. The Alliance has paid for radio ads to promote this campaign and appeal to as many workers as possible.

The software industry is losing millions of dollars annually because of the epidemic of illegally copied software. Computer business giants from Microsoft to Adobe have called upon the help of organizations like the BSA and the Software and Information Industry Association to help spotlight companies that are using pirated packages.

Computer business trade associations are not going after small companies. But companies that have more than 500 work stations loaded with more than one illegal and expensive software programs are definitely targets.

In the past year, both the SIIA and the BSA – two of the country’s top copyright protection groups -- have started offering hard cash to reporting employees. Both are also offering online filing forms for employees to further ease the process. The SIIA alone gets approximately 200 reports per month and investigates about 50 of those. The penalty for each company determined to have pirated programs is three times the market rate for each illegal program it has.

The BSA and the SIIA offer very similar rewards to employees that report their companies. If a settlement or judgment ranges from $10,000 to $50,000, the tipster receives $500; from $50,000 to $100,000, the reward is $5,000, and so on, as long as it is under $200,000.The SIIA paid employees about $75,000 in reward money last year.

Posted By: Joshua Feinberg

The IT Specialist and Information: A #1 Combination

As an IT specialist, in order to have a successful marketing campaign, you must reach your target client community. The best way to start this process is to pull together information about your chosen niche.

STUDY WHAT THEY STUDY

Every IT specialist should invest time studying what the customers in their niche do. If it’s your goal to reach small medical offices, you should get to know the issues that directly impact the people that make decisions. This process should include finding trade publications, email newsletters and any other industry publications that might help you gain insight. Regardless of whether it is a national or international publication, you should go where you know these clients will go for business tips and information within their own field.

FINDING SOLUTIONS

Once you get to intimately get to know the problems and concerns of the clients within your niche, you can start to determine what you, as an IT specialist, can do to provide technological solutions. Find out how these businesses currently use technology in their daily lives to change the way they do business, make scheduling more efficient, handle their own clients, and keep track of their own documents. Understanding the big picture is fine to start out with, but eventually these companies will want their ideal IT specialist to be experts on their problems and interests.

Finding solutions before you meet with prospective clients will give you an edge, and make you a true Virtual CIO, and not just someone going in to install LAN’s or fix software problems. You will be an IT specialist able to assess their specific business needs and come up with long-term strategies easily, on-budget and on-time.

BE A LIVING SPECIALIST

If you truly get to know your prospective clients and their community, you will become more than just a tech person. Because you are an IT specialist, you are expected to know the ins and outs of your customers’ business so you can come up with the best possible solutions to their specific and complex problems. Clients will want to know you have already done the groundwork necessary to understand their field, and that they will not need to train you just to get you started. Even if you are just starting out, it should feel to your clients as though you are a human being, not a product, and one who has worked with many others in their field and have an invested interest in their needs.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

IT Marketing: The Importance of Trustworthy Business Advisors

Trusted business advisors can be a real asset to IT marketing campaigns. Since small businesses rely on these advisors for very important advice, their customers give their recommendations a great deal of weight. Therefore, as an IT specialist or firm, having their recommendation on your side can be worth a great deal.

Influencing a trusted business advisor can be as simple as finding your local lawyer, accountant or banker and assessing problems they might have to which you as an IT specialist have solutions. Appeal to an area accountant – he might even be your accountant – and see if he needs help with his technology. If he does, and you do a good job for him, this could be very helpful to your credibility and could provide a very influential testimonial to other businesses and clients that rely on the accountant for advice.

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

Even if you don’t end up fixing a problem for a local accountant, you should certainly have a discussion with him and other local professionals in respected positions in the community about they types of computer problems their clients typically have. Most accountants, lawyers and bankers will get questions from customers that revolve around financial, legal and computer needs. They will ask for advice on local small businesses that can provide them with specific services in these areas.

Accountants, lawyers and bankers are an excellent way for you to build your IT marketing efforts, and you should ask them questions that keep you in mind the next time they are dealing with clients that ask them “Who do you know?” and have problems you might be able to solve.

Added By: Joshua Feinberg

Computer Business: FSFE Declares New Windows Plan Flawed

The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) announced recently that open source software developers should be careful of Microsoft Corp’s new plot to license its Windows source code. The organization claims that the availability of the code might make it significantly more difficult to create interoperability with Windows.

On Wednesday, January 25, Microsoft decided to license the Windows Server Operating System to developers and competitors in an attempt to try to counteract claims that its documentation was faulty. However, the Boston arm of the FSFE fears that this could victimize free software developers and make them vulnerable to copyright infringement if they use the code.

Spokespeople for the FSFE claim that Microsoft has worsened the situation with this release of information; because the source code is still under Microsoft copyright, anyone that sees the code and re-implements it in free software packages risks violating copyright law.

Microsoft opposes sharing its communications protocol specifications with open source software vendors, despite urgings of the European Commission attorneys assisting in the anti-trust lawsuits against the company.

Microsoft representative, the general counsel Brad Smith stated the company is comfortable with hybrids that will emerge as a result of the code release, but not comfortable with open source developers publishing the code to the world.

The issue of the code will be decided by the Court of First Instance through another appeal. However, the FSFE is concerned that even if open source software developers have access to the protocols, they will not be able to use them without referring to the code.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

News for IT Consultants: MindTree Consulting Named “Leader in Human Capital”

On January 25, 2006, the international IT company MindTree Consulting earned a top spot among 100 leading service providers in international ranking from the new publication Global Services magazine. MindTree was also acclaimed as the leading service provider in the “Human Capital” category. The awards will be announced officially at the Global Services Conference on February 2, 2006 in New York.

Rusty Weston, editor in chief of the magazine, feels that MindTree produces some of the most inspiring IT consultants in the industry, and that it is because of comprehensive employee training that the company has a competitive advantage and is able to serve clients so well.

MindTree was formed six years ago in Bangalore, India and is now comprised of more than 3,000 employees, providing an array of IT and R & D solutions to Global 2000 companies. The company has development centers in India and in the U.S. MindTree has been labeled one of the best places to work by many organizations,including Hewitt Associates, Great Places to Work Institute and Mercer.

MindTree spokesperson Ashok Shoota feels that that what truly sets the company apart is its focus on its employees and the human element of IT consulting. He states that the IT consultants working there often refer to themselves as “MindTree Minds.” It is because of this focus on cultivating the very best workers that attracts the leading IT consultants in the industry to the firm and garnered the company the award.

MindTree has gained recognition with many awards since its inception. It has been named one of the fastest growing technology companies in India by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu in the "Deloitte Technology Fast 50 India" program. The company has also been ranked among the "Best Companies to Work for in 2005" in the Business Today-Mercer-TNS study.

Blogged by Computer Consulting Kit

Network Support Contracts: Firewalls

The best way for any business to provide the best security for their networks is through network support contracts. Firewalls are the most obvious and one of the most critical means for specialists to secure a company’s infrastructure.

Even highly trained technicians who offer network support contracts use firewalls to protect themselves against elements that can compromise the safety and security of business computer systems. More experienced consultants unfamiliar with firewalls also could use back-up support occasionally, provided by network support contracts. Access to online computer help as a part of these contracts becomes invaluable to virtually any type of business or individual that deals with computers and computer networks.

WHAT IS A FIREWALL?

A firewall is software that blocks access to personal information or data. It can be installed in a one off operation and can be monitored easily by a network support contract. Anyone that has used the Internet has encountered a firewall at some point. Typically they are used to protect secure Internet transactions or to track online behavior or activity in the workplace.

IT’S ALL ABOUT SECURITY

Firewalls can also be installed to allow users off-site and in remote locations to use the network when out of the office. Often there are elements that can try to bring down a firewall so it can invade the infrastructure of a company or business network. In these situations, it helps to have network support contracts to monitor and protect you against these risks.

The combination of a firewall and a network support contract will act as a filter to screen all incoming data. There are many firewall and network support contract combinations that will help keep your company ahead of the curve, and can be introduced by a designated consultant. If your problem is very complex, you might need a technician to try multiple approaches to manage the problem successfully.

Submitted By: Computer Consulting Kit

Organizations and IT Marketing: Be Active!

In the world of IT Marketing, the greatest prospects come from personal referrals. Clients that are referred personally are, for the most part, already pre-sold because they will immediately trust you. And in the IT services business, trust is paramount.

TRUST AND IT MARKETING

People in search of a good IT consultant look for one in the same way they would look for any other specialist, such as a doctor or a lawyer. While some might go to the yellow pages or another directory, most look first to their friends, family and colleagues for recommendations. When it comes to the important matter of personal health, well-being or business, personal word-of-mouth from those people trust will carry more weight than an ad on the back of a billboard.

MAKE YOURSELF VISIBLE IN THE COMMUNITY

As an IT consultant, the best way for you to reach the heads of companies that might need your services is to make yourself more personally and professionally visible within your local community, and specifically, within the target market you hope to serve. There are a few ways to do this, but all will take some time. One way to reach out is to network. This is a strategy that will be a true test for any solution provider because it is truly wrapped up in relationships. If you can do this successfully, you will prove your weight in the community. People will begin to trust you and believe in you, and you will establish relationships with potential clients and leaders in the community.

GETTING RECOMMENDATIONS

Knowing more people in the local community is really the only way to get more personal recommendations in IT marketing. As a consultant, you have to get active in your community by joining organizations and attending events that will get you noticed. You don’t necessarily have to go to absolutely everything offered in your community, but if you pick specific organizations and attend most of the events they offer, you will get to know a lot of people in a short amount of time. And after a little bit of practice, you will start to be able to identify the kinds of people that can lead you to knew opportunities.

Posted By: Computer Consulting Kit

Small Business Summit 2006 Conference in NYC

Are you a small business technology provider in the greater New York City metro area?

Or do you own a small business in the greater New York City metro area and have a strong interest in small business technology adoption?

Either way, you should really go check out Ramon Ray’s Small Business Summit 2006. (URL linked to above)

The Small Business Summit 2006 is being held on Friday, February 10, 2006 at The Roosevelt Hotel, 45 East 45th St. in New York City.

Topics on agenda include:

• Business Strategy
• Communications
• Finance
• Marketing
• Sales
• Technology

Speakers include:

• Ramon Ray, Smallbiztechnology.com (it’s basically Ramon Ray’s event)
• Marian Banker, Prime Strategies
• Charles Hand, President, New York Metro Region, Verizon Wireless
• Scott Vaccaro, Regional VP New York City, Enterprise Rent-A-Car
• Lisa McCarthy, Founder, Accounting Resource, LLC (Intuit Professional Advisor)
• Harry Brelsford, President, SMBNation (Brelsford as the World’s leading independent guru on Microsoft Small Business Server should be very familiar to Computer Consulting Blog readers)
• Plus there are some additional roundtable panelists
  

If you’re local in the greater New York City metro area (NJ, CT, Long Island, etc.), the Small Business Summit 2006 should be a day well spent.

Computer Consulting Blog power tip: If you’re a small business technology provider that’s attending, you should be able to get triple mileage out of the networking experience:

• Network with other small business technology providers (potential partners)
• Network with small business owners interested in technology (potential clients)
• Network with the small business technology gurus speaking at the event (great industry contracts

Posted by Computer Consulting Blog

PC Maintenance Contracts: Personalizing Business with Phone Support

Every business today, from those that directly sell technology to those that sell actual merchandise, is dependent on technology to keep afloat. Because of this fact, any reliable, efficient and respected business needs PC maintenance contracts and technical phone support. If you own and operate a business, giving customers and clients the ability to contact you via telephone directly will positively affect their desire to purchase products and services, so it’s critical to provide them with easily accessible systems.

Since 1998, the cost of running help desk centers and support positions in-house have increased dramatically, an occurrence that can be directly attributed to the lightning speed pace of technological advancement. Because of growing technology, hardware and software prices have gone down significantly over the past 10 years. Unfortunately, because of this trend, the cost of the PC maintenance contracts necessary to run hardware and software packages has risen.

As a response to the expensive prices of PC maintenance contracts with major companies, many businesses and organizations are turning to PC maintenance contracts offered by consultants. Computer support, database management, website design and other services typically done in-house or offered by larger corporations are being outsourced to companies who offer PC maintenance contracts, and those that offer these along with personal service will have the upper hand in today’s market.

Blogged by Joshua Feinberg

How to Put "You" in Your IT Marketing

Many IT specialists question how they can make themselves stand out, especially in their local marketplace that grows on a daily basis. One of the ideal, and simplest ways IT marketers can differentiate themselves is by getting a very clear idea of their special area of expertise. Since clients in search of you as a specialist are buying all the intricacies of a human being, and not just a “thing,” emphasizing the qualities that make you unique is the key to successful IT marketing.

ARE YOU PRODUCTIVE, OR A PRODUCT?
Commodities can be cheap, and all those looking for them tend to be price shopping. To avoid making yourself look like a mere product, focus on selling your unique expertise, your values and the special ideological trouble shooting skills you offer.

PUT THE "YOU" IN YOUR MARKETING MATERIALS
In the same vein as making your IT marketing campaign, and you, as “personal” as possible, you should never hide behind your own website. As tempting as it might be to try to make your company look larger than it is by shrouding it in anonymity. If you focus on selling the depth and strengths of your own background and of the staff you trust and work with, you will appear professional and polished.

The key to IT marketing is really making yourself and your marketing materials unique. If you establish a mission for you and your company that is based on your own ideals and background and follow it in everything you do and produce, you will undoubtedly stand out in the IT world. If you design your company around your unique mission, your clients will get the message.

Posted By: Computer Consulting Kit

News in IT Consulting: Dakini Chooses Port City

A highly acclaimed, full service eMarketing, eCommerce, website design, development and IT consulting firm, Port City Web, LLC proudly announced on January 18 that major client Dakini selected them for eMarketing and to host and maintain their eCommerce and business website.

Port City Web plans to improve online sales for Dakini as well as make their brand name more known in the business community through an aggressive upgrade in the efficiency of the Dakini corporate website. Port City will use a specially-designed version of ProductCart to modify the Dakini eCommerce website to better serve the company’s and its clients’ complex needs. Since the speed of particularly an eCommerce website makes it more accessible to customers and the company itself, these upgrades will be critical to the future success of Dakini.

Port City Web will also work with its new client to install an eMarketing program called Online Marketing. Because of the flexibility of this program, it will fit both within the marketing budget of Dakini now, but will also be able to expand or even decrease with the future budget movement of the business. With this new marketing and web optimization plan, the IT consulting firm hopes to increase traffic on the corporate website and boost sales and visibility within the market.

Founded in 1993, Dakini is an outdoor clothing company based in Bedford, MA that employs 20 people and affects countless others in its community by providing support for local businesses. Port City Web is an IT Consulting, web development and eMarketing and eCommerce company that has won awards for its work in its New Hampshire base and in the rest of the world.

Submitted By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

Computer Consulting: Low Desktop Sales Wound Intel

Poor desktop computer sales for Intel caused very low fourth quarter sales results. Intel, the world’s largest manufacturer of microprocessors with clients ranging from small computer consulting firms to larger corporations reported revenue of $10.2 billion on January 17, which was just under the amount they had predicted in December 2005 and was an increase of nearly six percent from 2004. The company had hoped for revenue of $10.4-$10.6 billion.

The company also posted a net income of $2.45 billion, or 40 cents per share. While this amount was 16 percent beyond the profits for Intel in the same quarter in 2004, it was still three cents per share below what executives had expected and reported to analysts previously.

Spokespeople for Intel stated that the largest problem was desktop processors, which were difficult for the company to sell and their prices lower than anticipated. CFO Andy Bryant and Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini attributed the problem with processor sales to chipset shortages in 2005. Both are confident Intel will fix the problem by selling off the excess inventory and also by ensuring that in the future there is the right mixture of motherboards, chipsets and other computer hardware.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101

Learning and Service Level Agreements

Because technology changes very quickly, everyone from new computer users to seasoned computer professionals needs service level agreements that cover and protect them in case they need basic computer help or on-going computer maintenance. In order to keep abreast of changes in the industry, every business that wants staying power in the future needs to employ reliable and knowledgeable consultants who can offer them the best and most comprehensive service level agreements.

Some professionals assume that just because they have used a computer on a regular or even semi-regular basis in either their business or their personal lives that they know all there is to know about how it works, when in actuality this is not necessarily the case. Computers are constantly evolving, and even the most diligent individual, particularly those not directly involved with the computer industry in their daily business lives, cannot hope to keep up with the influx of technological information. Chances are, anyone could benefit from a service agreement if only because it can bring the latest new computer software and other practices that can make a company more efficient to the attention of those working there without having to expend the valuable time on research. Even very basic service level agreements can give just the right information to boost the technological awareness of staff and provide easy help in case of an emergency.

Service level agreements are useful because they can be critical tools that will bring any business to the next level of efficiency. And because they are often inexpensive and not time-consuming, there is little risk involved. In the world of the internet, online computer help that includes tech support through service level agreements allow professionals to move forward at their own speed. Those looking for service level agreements can also shop various consultants before deciding to commit to a provider and make sure they are truly getting a valuable resource.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Kit

Finding Your Niche as an IT Specialist

Just because you are an IT specialist doesn’t mean you should limit your pool of potential clients. Your marketing efforts should not be a process of elimination, rather an investigation of whether or not you have a large enough group of clients to woo. Rather than narrowing down the field of clients, as an IT specialist you can instead market to very specific niches and base the type of people to which to are marketing on an entire industry with which you’ve had great success in the past, such as small accounting offices or small medical practices. Then you can start your search by looking for all the accounting firms or medical practices within an hour of your location, or contact one of that industry’s trade groups or even a local mailing list broker.

Marketing to a niche, or a specific industry, is much simpler for you as an IT specialist because you know exactly where to advertise, whether in local trade publications or other journals geared towards the businesses you choose. You will not waste valuable time with very generic ads in newspapers, radio or your local phone book, and by working with clients in one niche you will develop expertise in both marketing for and working in an area that can bring you business for years to come, and your present and future clients will immediately trust and value your knowledge of the field. You will also have more time to create a marketing message geared towards each individual client, instead of one that tries to appeal to everyone, and each customer will immediately sense how valuable you can be do their specific company and will be more likely to truly value your specific involvement and services.

Once you find your niche as an IT specialist, make yourself visible! Take the time to find out if there is a special newsletter or magazine that attracts all potential clients in that particular field, and come up with a ad that clearly expresses your particular talents, or even write an article or become active in the organization by volunteering or presenting at an event. No matter what you do, make sure to reiterate how your company can provide excellent IT solutions for that exact industry. Most importantly, whatever you do as an IT specialist, above all else make sure before you even choose your niche that it is one you enjoy that will provide you with a large supply of future clients. The customers you work with will feel your enthusiasm and put their faith in you and perhaps even recommend you to other individuals and companies in their field.

Submitted By: Computer Consulting 101

Buzzle Computers & Internet Chapter Page

Do you have an interest in computers and the Internet?

Since you’re reading the Computer Consulting Blog, the answer is probably YES!

In case you’re not familiar with the Buzzle Web portal, Buzzle has a really good Computers & Internet Chapter page. (URL linked to above)

On the Buzzle Computers & Internet Chapter page, you’ll find articles, reviews, new and hand-selected Web links to some really helpful Web sites.

The News and Comments section is updated almost every day.

And the Suggested Links introduces you to some really cool, useful Web sites, including:

• COLOTRAQ, which helps you buy telecommunications services like colocation, bandwidth, dark fiber, dedicated hosting & managed services.
• Computer Consultants Sales Secrets, which teaches computer consultants various tips and secrets on computer consulting sales, marketing, and business development topics.
• Mystik Media, which produces multimedia software for behind-the-scenes tasks like converting, editing, recording, and burning virtually all audio, video, and graphics formats.
• Small Business Computer Consulting Blog, which shows you proven small business computer consulting tactics to grow your computer consulting business.
  

Blogged by Computer Consulting 101

Joshua Feinberg Interviewed in CMP’s Small Biz Pipeline / Networking Pipeline

Joshua Feinberg, co-founder of Computer Consulting 101, was recently quoted in an article in CMP’s Small Business Pipeline and Networking Pipeline on “10 Ways To Juice Up Your Network”.

The article by freelancer Phil Britt offers expert tips on how to put your network in the fast lane in 2006.

Some of Joshua Feinberg’s top picks include:

• Investing in new LAN/WAN equipment
• Reevaluating both bandwidth availability and its pricing packages
• Adding on network available storage
• Ongoing hardening of networking security configurations

To read Joshua Feinberg’s network improvement suggestions for 2006, go read the full article at the above URL right now.

Computer Consulting Business Strategies for 2006

Own a computer consulting business?

If so, then NOW is as good of a time as any to talk about what it’s going to take to make 2006 your best year EVER for your computer consulting business.

Here are the 6 things you need to start working on right now.

Understand Your Business Model and Target Audience – Way too many computer consulting businesses make the mistake of trying to serve “everyone”… and end up specializing in virtually “no one”. Unless you have the marketing budget of Best Buy or CDW, you simply can’t afford to market to everyone. And while we’re on the subject of FOCUS, you’d better figure out what services you WILL and WON’T provide.

Dig the Well BEFORE You’re Thirsty – Regardless of whether we’re talking about finding prospects, customers, clients, staff, contractors, and partners, you MUST work on these activities EVERY week. Computer consulting business owners that procrastinate end up panicking and making stupid mistakes… that would’ve NEVER been made in a more calm, well-thought-out way of doing things.

Recognize That Quality ALWAYS Trumps Quantity – It’s not about having the biggest customer list. It’s about having the most PROFITABLE and stable client list.

Don’t “Train” Your Customers to Treat You Like Crap – Huh? Seriously, if you charge bargain basement rates, go on-site for 15 minutes of work, “eat” big blocks of hours on a regular basis (i.e. working for free), tolerate verbally abusive customers, downplay late payments, and allow customers to “own” you without signing a support contract, guess what you’ve just done? You’ve trained your customers to treat your firm like crap. Don’t do it. Enough said.

Make a Plan and Stick to It – No successful computer consulting business ever gets very far by accident. Although having a full-blown business plan is highly recommended, for most computer consulting businesses even a business development “to do” list (updated weekly) would be a HUGE step in the right direction. To work, your “to do” list must contain three columns: a) How much time you’re going to spend, b) how much money you’re going to spend, c) the start/end dates. Once this plan is done, get it on your calendar and stick to it.

Treat Your Time Like It Has Value – Finally, recognize that your time is essentially your inventory. It’s what you're selling. So you better know where every ¼ hour block of it is going each week. Is it a) billable, b) management/administration, or c) sales/marketing? If each ¼ block of your time doesn’t fall into one of those buckets, you’re in trouble. But at the end of the day, don’t forget to treat your time like it has value.

The Bottom Line on Computer Consulting Business Strategies for 2006
While it’s possible that you **could** have a good 2006 purely by accident, it’s pretty unlikely. Your computer consulting business can DRAMATICALLY increase its chances of making 2006 its best year ever though by simply following the very simple, field-tested PROVEN ways of growing a highly-profitable, stable computer consulting business.

To learn more about how YOU can make 2006 your best year ever in the computer consulting business, sign-up now for the free computer consulting business training.

Computer Consulting 101 Gets Seekon Nod of Approval

The Computer Consulting 101 free training seminar is now also featured in the Seekon Web Directory among other prestigious computer-related Web sites such as Geeks To Go, Hardware Reference, and Script Singles.

Typical Managed Services Cheerleader

Earlier this week I blogged about how computer consulting business owners are being sold a “bill of goods” when it comes to the profitability of managed services for the typical small computer consulting firm.

In other words… managed services, at least in my eyes, represents little more than a stupid catchphrase and HUGE potential distraction for the impressionable small business computer consultant.

That said, if you’re hell-bent on trashing your existing computer consulting business and just about starting over from scratch in a much more competitive space, be my guest and read this article on the profit potential of managed services.

“New Year Holds Promise for Managed Services” by Pedro Pereira on the The Channel Insider Web site. (Web site URL above)

Now granted, Mr. Pereira makes some excellent points about managed services.

But you need to understand the built-in bias of The Channel Insider Web site, which is owned by eWeek and Ziff Davis Holdings.

Ziff Davis Holdings' revenue model is largely based on vendor advertising. The same kinds of vendors that want to cram managed services down your throat. So there’ an inherent conflict of interest.

Computer Consulting 101 on the other hand does NOT accept any outside advertisements from 3rd party vendors (just some extremely tiny Google AdSense ads, which barely cover free monthly hosting expenses). Computer Consulting 101’s revenue model is 110% focused on computer consulting business owners and looking out for their interests.

So don’t allow yourself to get sidetracked into managed services by the typical mainstream channel press and PR cheerleaders. Computer Consulting 101 is the one who's REALLY watching your back.

Computer Consulting 101 Gains Entry in Best of the Web Directory

If you’re looking to get access to free training from Computer Consulting 101, there’s now one more way to get there: through the Best of the Web Directory.

Computer Consulting 101 has now gained entry into the well-respected Best of the Web Directory, alongside other computer business systems consultants.

Web site URL provided above

Managed Services: Real Profits or Stupid Catch Phrase?

Every once in a while a computer consultant will contact me to ask my opinion about managed services and why our training materials don’t really even touch on managed services.

The answer’s pretty simple… I believe strongly that managed services are NOT meant for the vast majority of computer consulting businesses.

Managed services seek to commoditize or productize value-added services and the entire virtual IT relationship. Because of this, managed services will basically put you into competition with technology providers hundreds, even thousands of miles away from your primary geographic market.

Why is that you ask? Because managed services are the antithesis of face-time-value.

Plus on top of all this, transitioning a computer consulting business to managed services is a VERY radical transformation that involves such pretty substantial time and capital investments… in other words an entirely different business model with its own set of challenges.

Since most computer consulting businesses are undercapitalized to start with, this again makes managed services a poor fit for the typical computer consulting business.

Usually the computer consultants most eager to “buy” into ** thinking ** that managed services are the way to go are the computer consultants that are struggling to keep their calendar filled up with steady, high-paying clients (in other words, they haven’t yet experienced the benefits of the field-tested, PROVEN marketing strategies in the Computer Consulting Kit).

And finally, why is there a “guru” out there espousing that managed services for computer consultants are a better fit than even the miracles of sliced bread and toilet paper?

Real simple, because that “guru” is a really good direct response marketing expert, but has virtually zero experience in owning, growing, and managing a small business computer consulting company.

So yes, my personal opinion, as one of the World’s most respected experts on small business computer consulting, is that managed services aren’t where the real profits are for the typical small business computer consulting firm, as a result represents like more than a stupid catchphrase.

Computer Consulting 101 Free Training Seminar

Would you like to get some free training from Computer Consulting 101?

So that you too can get more steady, high-paying computer consulting clients?

Computer Consulting 101 shows you how with a free 1 hour self-paced training seminar:
“Discover 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business”

Web site URL listed above, courtesy of Computer Consulting 101

Microsoft Small Business Specialist

I haven’t written much about the Microsoft Small Business Specialist yet, even though it’s now about 6 months old.

Why? Frankly I wanted to make sure that this one was a keeper, because I’ve seen Microsoft debating a Small Business Server type of certification for the better part of 8 years.

But it looks like the Microsoft Small Business Specialist designation is here to stay.

Is the Microsoft Small Business Specialist designation worth it for you and your computer consulting business?

That all depends on how married your computer consulting company is to Microsoft’s family of products… particularly Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS).

Bear in mind, most of the non-technical small businesses that you’d sell Microsoft Small Business Server to will have virtually no brand-name recognition of Small Business Server, let alone the Microsoft Small Business Specialist designation. (Of course, every small business owner, even those buried under a rock for the past 10 years, knows who Microsoft is.)

There’s a good article about the Microsoft Small Business Specialist designation by Joanna L. Krotz in Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine Online. And the article even got a huge thumbs up from the godfather of Small Business Server, Mr. Harry Brelsford.

Web link URL provided above.

Posted by Joshua Feinberg, Computer Consulting 101

More Computer Consulting 101 Hiring Tips (Part 2 of 2)

Does your company need to retain the services of a competent computer consulting firm, but you have no idea how to really evaluate “competence”?

In the first part of this two-part series on Computer Consulting 101 hiring tips, we looked at why small businesses find it so difficult to hire good computer consulting companies, as well as four basic questions that you must be addressed when searching for a new computer consulting vendor.

Now in this second and final installment of this two part series on Computer Consulting 101 hiring tips, we’ll look at how you can evaluate the true, often-confusing expenses of using a computer consulting company, as well as how to more thoroughly review the computer consulting company’s professional credentials and experience.

Remember, if you own a restaurant, you’re probably really good at hiring chefs…

If you own a auto shop, you’re probably very good at hiring mechanics…

And if you own a florist shop, you’re probably very experienced at hiring floral designers and delivery staff…

BUT unless you’re an IT professional, you probably have NO idea where to even start when PROPERLY evaluating the skills of a computer consulting vendor.

Learn how in this article on More Computer Consulting 101 Hiring Tips (Part 2 of 2).

Computer Consulting 101 Hiring Tips Part 1 of 2

Does your business need the services of a good computer consulting firm?

Or do you own a computer consulting business and need to educate your prospects on hiring criteria? So you can frame the discussion and sway your prospects toward YOUR computer consulting firm?

Before you rush out and hire the first techie or slick-salesperson that knocks on your door, be sure to consider these favorite Computer Consulting 101 interview questions.

HP Extends SMB Olive Branch

After years of alienating SMB solution provider, systems integrations, resellers, and consulting firms alike, HP is changing its ways… maybe, hopefully, or at least that’s what HP’s public relations team is telling its channel-oriented media colleagues at CRN.

If you recall back to the time before when Compaq and Hewlett Packard exchanged vows, there was a time when HP had a very PRO-channel attitude toward its SMB solution providers.

However, various market pressures, including the 2001 tech bubble collapse, led to very different and rather anti-channel ways of HP doing business with small and medium-sized businesses.

To say this ruffled some feathers among SMB solution provider, systems integrations, resellers, and consulting firms would probably be the understatement of the year.

And I still can’t put my finger on what caused HP to have this change of heart, but it **should** be good news for the channel that focused on the SMB marketplace.

Internet Usage Policy Article from Joshua Feinberg

Re: Internet Policy Examples to Keep Employees Out of Trouble
Joshua Feinberg Helps You Write an Effective Internet Usage Policy

Do you or your clients have problems with certain employees goofing off (or worse!) on the Web? If so, you need a way to create an effective Internet usage policy.

So now, we turn our attention to an issue that may already be plaguing your small business: how to give your small business staff unrestricted access to the Internet, without compromising productivity, destroying employee morale, or getting your company into a mountain of legal troubles. In this first in a two-part series, we'll give you an overview of what to plan for as you develop a company-wide Internet access policy.
And do this now... before you discover that one of your employees has gotten you and your company into a whole bunch of hot water online.

Added by Joshua Feinberg, Computer Consulting 101

Small Business Server Legal Problems in South Korea

For computer consulting businesses that focus on Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS), it’s well known that the software will ALWAYS be “evolving”.

After all, in the age of constantly discovered OS and application vulnerabilities, regularly released hot fixed and patches, after a while most computer consultants just sort of “accept” the fact that Microsoft Small Business Server, like most commercially available network operating systems (NOS’s) and application suites will never be “done” or never be 100% secure.

Well apparently one lawyer in South Korea is fed up with this lackadaisical attitude and complacency surrounding flaws in Microsoft Small Business Server… so fed up that he decided to file a law suit against Microsoft’s Korean unit after he lost some data when downloading files from his Microsoft Small Business Server network to his PDA.

This lawsuit follows on the heals of Microsoft Korea being ordered earlier this month to pay a $32M U.S. fine by South Korean antitrust regulators.

Joshua Feinberg SBS Exchange Server FAQs

Rescuing the Exchange Server on SBS
by Joshua Feinberg

Got a misbehaving Microsoft Exchange Server at a Small Business Server (SBS) client site?

If you’re a system administrator in a Fortune 1000 IT department, you might have the luxury of specializing in Microsoft Exchange Server. However, system administrators and computer consultants in smaller companies often need to be generalists.

So what do you do when confronted with Rescuing the Exchange Server on SBS?

Although this article is a little dated now, it’s challenge is pretty universal… it shows the struggle of backing up/restoring Exchange Server on SBS.

Joshua Feinberg Small Business Server Case Study on WindowsITPro

Looking for Joshua Feinberg’s articles online? And is Joshua Feinberg credible? See for yourself with this Joshua Feinberg article published on the prestigious WindowsITPro network.

Small Business Case Study Roundup
by Joshua Feinberg

Part of the challenge when networking small businesses comes from how computer consulting firms and internal systems administrators adapt Fortune 1000 IT solutions to small-business budgets. Nowhere is this more evident than with solutions centered about Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS).
This article helps you decide whether an SBS solution is right for your organization.

VARBusiness Magazine Announces VARs of the Year

You’ve heard of the Grammy’s, the Emmy’s and the American Music Awards.
Move over Billy Crystal and Chris Rock. VARBusiness Magazine is ready to announce its own roster of superstar value-added-resellers (VARs).

While VARBusiness has always published various lists of top channel programs and top solution providers, this year 2005 is the first time that VARBusiness has gone to such great lengths to become a cheerleader for its readership like this.

The VARBusiness list of top VARs includes:

• Net Direct Systems, Apex, North Carolina
• iGov, McLean, Virginia
• Alvaka Networks, Huntington Beach, California
• MSI Systems Integrators, Omaha, Nebraska
• Advanced Technical Solutions, Scott Depot, West Virginia
• Lighthouse Computer Services, Lincoln, Rhode Island
  

Congratulations to the all 6 of the VARBusiness Magazine VARs of the Year!

We applaud your efforts to raise the bar in the value added reseller and computer consulting industry.

Contributed by Joshua Feinberg, Computer Consulting 101

Great Computer Consulting Niche Web Site

It’s been a long-time coming, but I’ve exactly found an example of a great computer consulting niche Web site… for a consulting firm that serves CPA’s and tax professionals.

I see so many lousy computer consulting Web sites that for lack of a better word suck that when I run across a good, or even great one, I feel compelled to bring it to your attention.

My only real complaint with this site? The owner went out of his way to hide his identity… There’s no “About Us” page… or “About the Founder”, listing a bio.

However, I still figured out who the site owner is (I won’t post it here because he probably prefers to stay anonymous) but I ** CAN ** tell you that his computer consulting company got their business development training from yours truly… Joshua Feinberg’s Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit.

So if you specialize in accounting offices, or just want to go see a great example of a deeply niched computer consulting Web site, go see this company's Web site at the above link.

Subcontracting Success Secrets

Do subcontracting? Or do you want to get involved in subcontracting, either as the master contractor or the subcontractor?

Just to give you fair warning, there are a LOT more computer consulting firms doing subcontracting the wrong way than the right way.

Subcontracting done right can be a VERY powerful way to broaden any computer consulting firm’s technical capabilities and potential for referrals. However, subcontracting done wrong has the power to completely sink your business with TONS of negativity, stress, and premature hair loss.

What’s the problem you ask?

Most computer consultants are often SO excited about the prospect of getting involved in a subcontracting relationship that they often fail to look before they leap.

In other they jump the gun… put the cart before the horse… whatever you want to call it.

Subcontracting done wrong usually stems from an overzealous desire to startup a subcontracting relationship prematurely.

Not to be crude, but subcontracting too quickly is kind of like someone meeting a companion in a singles’-bar and sleeping with that person an hour later. Does that make you a computer consulting “slut”? Maybe, maybe not.

BUT to have a good chance of finding the right kinds of like-minded subcontractors, you’ve got to dig the well BEFORE you’re thirsty… i.e. before you’re desperate to fill a client’s need on 4 hours notice.

So if you’re new to subcontracting, you really owe it to your business to learn how to do subcontracting the right way. Learn how to ask the right questions BEFORE you engage in your new subcontracting relationship.

Added by Joshua Feinberg, publisher of the Computer Consulting Kit

Why Software Consultants Sometimes Fail

Being a software consultant is kind of a weird conundrum. Why?

Because although some of the wealthiest people in the World like Gates, Ballmer, Allen, and Ellison lead armies of software consultants, owning a software consultant business in and of itself is not a slam-dunk for profitability.

Most owners of small software consultants businesses actually miss a HUGE point about business success that can really end up dooming their businesses… which is a shame, because it’s pretty easy to remedy.

This fatal flaw you ask? Software consultant businesses obsess more about delivering great “code” or a great app than developing a great relationship with their clients.

If you just want to develop software code and applications all day long your firm should really be in the business of being an independent software vendor (ISV), rather than a software consultant business.

However, in the software consultant business, relationships with clients and strategic partners are EXTREMELY important.

To give you a taste of what this is all about, so you too can develop these really important client and partner relationships, you really need to discover how thousands of software consultants, from all over the world, get more steady, high-paying consulting clients

Hey Software Consultants:

If you’re tired of only hearing from your clients when something's wrong…

Are you’re fed up with being treated like a third-rate propeller head...

It’s high-time that you discover how YOU can capture more steady, monthly recurring revenue, just like thousands of Software Consultants already have.

PC Repair Businesses: Stupid or Glutton for Punishment?

Do you own a PC repair business?

If so, don’t take this the wrong way, but I’ve GOT to know are you STUPID or just a glutton for punishment?!?

If you’ve read this far, you’re way too smart to be the first. So I’ve got to assume that both you and your PC repair business are into self-inflicted-pain.

By now, you’re probably wondering, just what the heck is this guy talking about?

I’ll tell you…

I’m seeing WAY too many PC repair businesses lately that act like amateurs, when they need to run their business like the professionals that they aspire to be.

After all, which do you like more, playing with motherboards and Registry keys?

Or going out to schmooze some potential clients at a networking event?

Which is more important to you and your PC repair business? Spending an hour each week reading PC Magazine? Or spending an hour each week following-up on leads that haven’t bought yet?

If you’re tired of running your PC repair business like an amateur, isn’t it time you did something about it?!?

Discover how thousands of PC Repair Businesses and computer consulting firms, from all over the world, get more steady, high-paying consulting clients for their PC Repair Businesses.