IT Certifications Your Clients Expect for the Best Support

Small businesses in your sweet spot will need specific support and IT certifications, along with strong desktop support and some LAN skills.

IT Certifications: What Help Do Clients Need?

Sweet spot clients will need help with basic desktop applications including Microsoft Office, Intuit QuickBooks and Interact ACT! They will also need help with hardware upgrades and setting up shared folder backup software. They will need to keep antivirus and firewall software current, and will probably have needs when it comes to syncing PDAs with different programs. Networks will also need attention.

IT Certifications and Micro Small Business Needs

Micro small businesses – those with less than ten PCs with peer-to-peer networks – will not require extensive IT certifications. In this area of small business, IT certifications can sometimes be negative; owners do not want to pay for too many qualifications.

IT Certifications and Real IT Managers

When you encounter larger small businesses with 50 or more systems, you will have more advanced IT buyers. IT certifications will be more important to IT managers of small businesses because they typically know what the different IT certifications mean.

Real IT managers are probably certified and will be looking specifically for niched experts instead of IT generalists. These IT managers usually do the general work in-house, so they do not need a full virtual IT department, rather a supplement to their skills.

A client may have a Microsoft Exchange Server installation need. The IT manager will want a consulting firm with IT certifications that are related to forms or Java-based applications – something related to the Microsoft Exchange Server Message Store. Regardless, the IT manager will want someone with specialty IT certifications that can get a specific job done properly.

IT Certifications

Sweet spot clients present a special opportunity for IT specialists. Put the most focus on the 10-50 PC space, which is big enough for advanced solutions but small enough to not require incredibly advanced IT certifications.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101

Hourly Rates and Your Competitors' Prices -- An Introduction

As a responsible IT consultant, you need to be aware of the hourly rates of your competitors in order to set a good hourly rate for your business. This means you have to know what low-end IT consultants are charging and the hourly rates of sweet spot clients like you.

Hourly Rates of Low-Cost, High-Volume IT Consultants

You don’t really want to compete with the hourly rates of low-margin IT consultants, but you should know them. Knowing the hourly rates of this group of consultants can help you get distance from it. Don’t cheat yourself out of getting your desired sweet spot clients by positioning yourself with the low-end group.

In order to figure out hourly rates for this low-end group you can use the following options: find websites by googling your city, state, province, etc. and type in keywords that fit these types of businesses; look in consumer-directed advertising including fliers, leaflets, coupon packs, etc. The hourly rates you find here will tell you what being too cheap means and help you avoid attracting price-focused clients.

The Next Step for Hourly Rates

Determining the hourly rates of low-end IT consultants is just the first step in setting the rates for your own business. The next step is looking at the hourly rates of the clients that look for sweet spot clients in your area and setting up competitive rates. But make sure you avoid attracting price-centric clients by first looking at the hourly rates of high volume IT consultants.

Created By: Joshua Feinberg

Hourly Rates: The Difference Between Discount and Retail Rates

Network consultants often worry about hourly rates and service agreements during business start up. How will their retail hourly rate be relative to the hourly rate in the service contract?

Many consultants will use a discounted hourly rate when starting a service contract with a client. This discounted hourly rate encourages a client to start a long-term relationship. But network consultants need to make sure the hourly rate is set so they can afford to offer a discount.

Setting Hourly Rates

When setting a retail hourly rate, network consultants should consider offering lower or waived minimums and premiums to valued, long-term service agreement clients. The hourly rate structure should allow for this from the beginning.

The following factors are important when setting hourly rates:

1. The first year’s expenses;

2. How hourly rates relate to salaries;

3. Sales commissions;

4. The hiring of subcontractors and additional staff;

5. Affordability of revenue-sharing arrangements and referral fees.
An hourly rate structure should provide something additional for the network consultant after rates are discounted for service agreement customers.

Hourly Rates: Sales Agreements and Discounts

If 85% to 90% of a network consultant’s business is coming from sales agreements, 85% to 90% of clients are being discounted. Therefore, the new discounted hourly rate needs to be high enough to offer a discount. Setting an hourly rate right from the beginning will foster trusting long-term client relationships and make for a profitable business.

Created By: Computer Consulting Kit

How Much Should an IT Audit Cost?

The best way to price an IT audit is using a fixed price model. The process of choosing the best fixed price to make sure you are not doing work for free but are still being fair to the customer is often a challenge,

Pricing an IT Audit

As previously mentioned, the fixed price strategy is often the best when it comes to pricing IT audits. It can cut profit margins, but it does help to overcome objections to sales during a crucial time. An IT audit is a doorway to further services.

Presenting a fixed-price IT audit shows you are willing to take some risks to make prospects happy and helps build your credibility. IT audit customers will more likely want to do long-term business with you if they perceive you are trustworthy.

Typical Price for an IT Audit

An IT audit for a standard sweet spot client with ten to twenty-five PCs and a single server will be approximately three to four hours of on-site work. If you are charging $125 hourly for client not on service contracts, three-to-four hours would cost about $375 - $500. An already contracted client will be charged $100 per hour or $300 - $400 per IT audit.

To build trust, price an IT audit at rates lower than what you would normally charge. You need to develop a relationship and make the IT audit a proving ground project.

The Main Idea About Pricing IT Audits

Pricing an IT audit accomplishes two things: it gets you paid; it gets a new client. Offer fixed price IT audits to show you are willing to shoulder some risk and build your credibility.

Added By: Computer Consulting Kit

The Best Customer Service Means Special Treatment of the Internal Guru

The main person that judges the quality of your customer service is the main decision maker or the internal computer guru. Treating these people with extra care is the way to provide the best customer service.

The following tips can help get you in with the internal guru or the primary decision maker and will help your reputation for offering excellent customer service.

Tips for Excellent Customer Service

1. Make the guru look good in front of superiors. If the guru is made to look well-versed and intelligent at handling issues, he/she will tell those that are giving you the check about your great customer service.

2. Get to know the main contacts for the account and take an interest in their jobs and functions. Remember personal details about them and ask them about these personal items later so you become known for the best customer service.

3. Take note of people’s personal lives and give appropriate gifts or cards to acknowledge major life events such as having a baby, getting married or losing a loved one. A small effort in this area will bring great rewards in terms of the perception of customer service.

4. Share some tips about productivity to help clients get the most out of their software. You don’t need to worry about losing a couple billing hours to do this, because at this point you have a long-term, established relationship with the client. Doing extra little training sessions helps build loyalty and shows you are putting client needs above your own.

5. Keep a wish list for clients of what they need in terms of IT. Organize the list in terms of their scheduling needs each month.

6. Help them clean out their old IT files. This process will only take 10 or 15 minutes and during this time you can help them figure out what should be kept and what can be thrown away. This process will contribute to great customer service.

7. Offer to give business tips with the guru. Tell what you learned from other clients as well as from other business sources.

8. Present a customer satisfaction survey annually. Excellent customer service means you have to exceed customer expectations. Surveys can help you determine where you are doing well and where you need work.


The Main Idea About Customer Service

Providing the best customer service is essential to your business. Focus your efforts on the guru and decision maker and position yourself to be known as a consultant that offers superior customer service to all your clients.

Added By: Joshua Feinberg

Subcontractors: With Whom Should You Work?

IT consultants frequently use subcontractors to fill in service gaps and get specialists that do not do what they do. Finding the appropriate subcontractors to complete tasks and making sure these subcontractors do not take existing clients are important issues for IT professionals.

Places to Find Subcontractors

The number one way to find subcontractors is by looking at current accounts. Finding subcontractors through client accounts allows you to work with the clients first before you have to deal with subcontractors.

Your business plan should include deciding which services to offer. Each service you decide not to offer should be represented by a qualified niche provider that can help. Subcontractors can be discussed with clients as you find them at networking events, channel seminars, training classes and other places.

You need to be looking for subcontractors all the time and asking questions of people you meet. Ask those you come across if they have relationships or experiences with any niche technology providers that might be opportunities for subcontractors.

Places to Avoid When Looking for Subcontractors

Using an outside IT employment service company is a bad way to find potential subcontractors. The best way to get the highest quality subcontractors is through face-to-face, in person meetings. If you rely on third party methods, you have less control.

What About Subcontractors?

The process of finding subcontractors should be simple if you are networking well. Use all available resources to find the best niche technology providers and improve your service level.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

Exceeding Customer Expectations with Great Project Management Techniques

Project management issues are often the source of customer expectations. Well-managed projects that are completed the right way and on time will help IT professionals exceed customer expectations.

Tools for Exceeding Customer Expectations

1. Hold a meeting with key decision makers and gurus four times annually to go over completed projects, pending projects and projects not yet started but planned.

2. Go over schedules week by week with clients.

3. Check for scheduling conflicts with clients when examining pending projects. If you want to exceed customer expectations you have to make sure the client’s dealings with you are without a hitch. Projects should be completed at the clients’ convenience rather than at your convenience.

4. When meeting with gurus and decision makers you need to determine if there are outstanding needs. Are there projects that need to be completed within the next 90 days? You need to put clients first if you want to exceed customer expectations. You might have to change your schedule.

5. Clear guidelines are essential. Set up phases and milestones in order to give everyone more control over the project and allow customers to give you feedback.

6. Weekly reports on your progress help to organize offsite work and can contribute to exceeding customer expectations. Many clients have never had this level of service, so you should email once a week even if you are not onsite. These small gestures take very little time and make a big difference.

Exceeding Customer Expectations

Well-plotted project management and communication with decision makers and gurus help you exceed customer expectations and take little time, effort or money to execute.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting Kit

Pricing Strategy: Some Examples of Fee Structures You Can Use

Pricing strategy is a tricky business. You can’t use a pricing strategy that gives you too low a rate, and you can’t use one that is too high or you will lose money and business. How do you set a pricing strategy that is right for your business?

Three Pricing Strategies

Computer consulting professionals use three pricing strategy methods: price-fixed pricing strategy; per PC or per server pricing strategy; hourly rate.

Fixed Price Pricing Strategy

When presenting a fixed price pricing strategy, you need to be prepared to outline the scope of the project. You will also need to have clear limits for your work so you don’t risk under-billing.

Per PC, Per Server Pricing Strategy

The per PC, per server pricing strategy is similar to the fixed price method, but you have to know what unit costs are. Hat will change as you begin to add or get rid of PCs, and how will these changes affect the total project? This type of pricing strategy gives you some leeway if the project grows from the original estimate and can be combined with the fixed price pricing strategy.

Hourly Rate Pricing Strategy

This type of pricing strategy can also be called “time and materials” and is the strategy used most commonly in the IT field. This pricing strategy allows you to set an hourly rate and then add cost based on the materials you use. This pricing strategy gives you superior protection when the project expands beyond what you originally predicted.

Choosing from Three Main Categories of Pricing Strategy

Before you choose the best pricing strategy for your company, think carefully about the benefits and pitfalls of each one. You need to price services based on what will be most profitable and allow you business to survive and thrive in the long run.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

Stop Feeling Guilty About Charging for Phone Support

Phone support, particularly at the beginning of the life of a network consulting business has to be a source of profit. There must be both benefits to you and your business and benefits to your client. No matter what, you should not feel guilty about charging regular, top rates for phone support.

Phone Support: If You Didn’t Provide it, What Would Clients Do?

If you did not offer phone support at all, your clients would have to call an independent phone support service. This type of phone support service usually charges $2.99 or even $3.99 per minute, which for a 15-minute phone support call would be $45 to $60. And the phone support would not even be as thorough or as personal as what you could provide.

Your Phone Support

You will be better skilled than the typical independent phone support person to provide your clients with service. You know the account and understand the needs of each and every client you serve. You also are well-versed in each client’s bizarre configurations, systems, workarounds and business issues. Because you have a full view of the business, you can provide a total solution to the problems presented during phone support.

What Should Your Hourly Rate Be for Phone Support?

Your hourly rate for phone support should definitely be between $75 and $125, and you should implement a 15-minute minimum to protect yourself. This means you can easily figure out billing and discourage incessant, unimportant phone support requests from clients. Your phone support for small problems would cost from $19 to $31 per call, assuming each one is approximately 15 minutes. The cost and the value of the phone support you are providing to clients in comparison to their alternatives should eliminate your feelings of guilt about offering it at top billing rates.

The Main Idea About Phone Support

When you think about phone support, think of it in regards to the value your client is getting, particularly in comparison to the other alternatives available. If you get any resistance about phone support charges from clients, inform them of how expensive it could be not to use your expertise.

Added By: Joshua Feinberg

An Outline of IT Audits: The Three Main Parts, Features and Benefits

There are three parts to IT audits: actual features; a written and detailed report; a set of vendor-neutral recommendations. You need to explain the three parts of IT audits carefully by focusing on benefits in order to sell them to clients.

IT Audits: Features of Your Audit

You need to complete the following steps as features of your IT audits:

1. Review the current network

2. Look at the configurations of PCs;

3. Look at the telco circuts;

4. Analyze and critique IT policies of the client;

5. Examine data security and data protection measures that are currently used;

6. Explain data loss risks to clients.

Change these features of IT audits into benefits such as the ability to understand what is already owned, awareness of the limitations of the items owned, a knowledge of weaknesses of systems and what could be done to get the most out of current systems and processes.

IT Audits: Written, Detailed Reports

Provide clients with a written report that includes a detailed and up-to-date assessment of inventory. This report give clients the following benefits: complete documentation for insurance; better ability to make good decisions about future purchases.

IT Audits: Provide a Set of Recommendations

As part of IT audits, you need to give clients a vendor-neutral series of recommendations named in order of possible risk and importance. The benefit of these recommendations to clients is that it protects them from being swayed to purchase products from non-technical sales representatives. This part of IT audits also helps clients understand their current IT investments and what they will need in the future.

IT Audits: The Three Parts, Features and Benefits

If you present the parts of IT audits to clients in a way that stresses features and benefits you will make the important point to them that IT audits are necessary and help them understand the reasons why they can help the future of a business.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101

Selling and Maintaining Computer Service Contracts

Computer service contracts are incredibly intricate and important parts of a business and need to be carefully maintained. Each computer service contract has to be sold with a good and consistent system, and each client needs follow up.

Go to each client with a prepared computer service contract. Base the amount of details you provide on the individual client; if the client likes computer service contracts that are detailed, provide as many details as you can, but if he/she prefers shorter versions, have that ready.

Computer Service Contracts: Time Block Contracts

This type of computer service contract involves a purchase of your time with the hope the client will renew the computer service agreement once the time expires. The basic information required in this type of computer service agreement is the following elements: the normal rate; the discount given for prepayment of the specified number of hours; the length of time the prepaid time block stands; the list of services that are included.

When clients sign time block computer service contracts, push them to use the time quickly. You want clients to realize how much IT affects their daily operations and show them that service contracts can be an essential item. This will encourage purchase of longer periods of time and year-long contracts.

When you have a client on a computer service contract, you want the client t use up time blocks consistently. If the client is not using these blocks up quickly, he/she is just a customer. Clients become customers when they renew their computer service contract time blocks or go to an annual contract.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101

The Benefits of Computer Service Contracts from a Client’s Perspective

Computer service contracts have real benefits for you and the long-term success of your business, but they are equally beneficial to each client. You need to make sure clients are aware of the benefits of computer service contracts if you are going to get them to sign on the dotted line.

If you clearly outline the benefits of computer service contracts to clients during sales calls, you can help get more clients signed on and add to the longevity and success of your business.

The Benefits of Computer Service Contracts for Clients

1. Dependability: Clients know with computer service contracts that you will be there for them in good times and bad. Computer service contracts are insurance policies offered at a premium.

2. Ownership of a part of you and your business: Clients on computer service contracts own a part of you and your business. They share you with other clients, but they can count on you as if you are a tech person on staff.

3. Peace of mind: Computer service contracts are a commitment you make to be there for clients for the long haul.

4. Hourly billing rates at a discount: You can waive some premiums, surcharges and fees and can offer clients on computer service contracts lower billing minimums.

5. Priority: Clients that sign onto computer service contracts get prioritized response time and scheduling precedence.

6. Access to your entire menu of virtual IT services and perks: Clients signed onto computer service contracts can use the whole range of your services and the perks that come along with them. They get access to different businesses in the area because of your relationships within the community.

Computer Service Contracts and Your Clients

Computer service contracts provide real value to loyal clients. You shouldn’t have to come up with pushy sales campaigns to get clients to agree to them if you really articulate the benefits they offer.

Added By: Joshua Feinberg

The Computer Consulting Kit Put into Practice: Ivan Judd and Photocom NZ, Ltd.

Computer consultants throughout the world are using the practical advice and templates offered by the Computer Consulting Kit. The Computer Consulting Kit outlines tangible strategies for marketing and sales along with templates to help establish rates, handle administrative functions and develop critical service contracts that will attract and keep long-term, steady and high-paying clients.

The Computer Consulting Kit in Wakatane, New Zealand

Ivan Judd, owner of Photocom NZ, Ltd. in Wakatane New Zealand, like many other computer consultants has found himself sometimes in a rut while trying to juggle the many tasks of operating his business and deliver the best services to clients. With suggestions provided by the Computer Consulting Kit about marketing and how to build a trustworthy reputation with clients, he has been able to boost his presence in the community and offer high quality solutions.

Becoming a trusted member of the community, known for offering high quality IT solutions takes time, and by thinking creatively and diversifying techniques for sales and marketing, Ivan has advanced his business and improved the quality of his client relationships.

“Last year we received public acknowledgement that our company is the dominant IT service company in our area. The Computer Consulting Kit enabled me to look at specific solutions with a different perspective, instead of following our previous habit of running around ‘putting out brush fires.’ We were able to earn an additional $30,000 in revenue.”

The Bottom Line of the Computer Consulting Kit

Ivan Judd has learned how to build his reputation within his community with the help of the Computer Consulting Kit and its presentation of practical marketing strategies and organizational tips. Join the many computer consultants worldwide that are learning to make the most of their businesses with free tips and helpful templates and information in the Computer Consulting Kit.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101

Get the Pricing Strategy Right from the Beginning

You have to think about your pricing strategy from the beginning of your business. Once you set a pricing strategy for your services, you won’t be able to change it very easily.

Clients depend upon a reliable pricing structure and will resist if and when you decide to change it. You can’t change your pricing strategy dramatically or you may lose clients completely.

What Increases Should You Use?

If you increase more than five to fifteen percent, you will probably get really negative responses from clients. If you intend to make a significant change in your pricing strategy, you will probably have to think about replacing clients entirely.

If you really need to make a change in your pricing strategy in order to stay afloat, you will have to find new clients that are willing to be brought on at your new rate. You will also face probably $500 to $1,200 in client acquisition cost.

Start Right from the Beginning with Your Pricing Strategy

Instead of facing a great deal of costs, you are better off starting off with the right pricing strategy so you can pass along minor increases gently and keep clients for the long term.

The Main Idea of Pricing Strategy

Pricing strategy is a critical component from the very beginning of a consulting business and will affect the long-term success of your business. Choose your pricing strategy well from the beginning and avoid attracting the wrong type of clients.

Added By: Computer Consulting Kit

The Computer Consulting Kit in Practice: Worldian Technology, LLC in Ohio

The Computer Consulting Kit offers practical advice for those in the IT services industry hoping to grow their businesses and revenue. Many professionals have used the Computer Consulting Kit as a road map to guide them through IT marketing and sales strategies, how to manage relationships with clients and how to juggle administrative tasks with billable work to best use their time.

The Computer Consulting Kit: Randy Hall of Worldian Technology, LLC

Randy Hall is the owner of Worldian Technology, LLC, a computer consulting business based in Medina Ohio. Before discovering the Computer Consulting Kit, like so many others in the IT field he found himself inundated with occasional customers and struggling to make ends meet.

“I was able to move 92% of my clients from being reactive ‘Break/Fix’ clients to full Managed Services clients. On the first of every month, our accounts receivable increases dramatically. Cash flow has never been better, I have never made more money and OUR CLIENTS HAVE NEVER BEEN HAPPIER.”

“The Computer Consulting Kit got me started on the right road, and its advice helped me to identify and separate the losers from the winners and taught me how to move some of the borderline losers to the Winners’ Circle.”

The Bottom Line About the Computer Consulting Kit and Service Contracts

The Computer Consulting Kit offers advice for consultants like Randy Hall looking to eliminate the hassle of occasional, break/fix clients and fill their client roster with high-paying, steady service contract clients. Join the consultants worldwide that are unlocking the potential of their IT services businesses with the Computer Consulting Kit.

Added By: Computer Consulting Kit

Customer Expectations: Dealing with Issues of Cost and Time

Customer expectations can change quickly if you don’t pay attention to specific issues that can help you stay in control.

You Have to Avoid Cost Overruns

Increased costs are a great way to lower customer expectations. You should never surprise a client with increased costs; limit cost-related surprises to projects that come in under budget.

Don’t Underestimate

Customer expectations are founded on the sum of clients’ experiences with you. If you underestimate costs for each project, your clients will get used to paying less every time, and this will decrease your value with them and falsely raise customer expectations.

Be On Time to Manage Customer Expectations

Lateness makes a bad impression on customers. If you will be late or need to reschedule completely, make sure you call as much in advance as possible. In order to exceed customer expectations you have to communicate as clearly and as often as possible. Your client should not be your boss.

Stick to Deadlines

Missing deadlines is very bad for managing customer expectations. You need to convey a sense of absolute professionalism at all times, which means sticking to your obligations as planned in the beginning.

More About Customer Expectations

Managing customer expectations is important for computer consultants and allows you to provide the best service possible to clients at all times.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

The Computer Consulting Kit in Practice: Robert Lewis and Plato Consulting

The Computer Consulting Kit provides important information, including business templates and strategies, for computer consultants worldwide looking to expand their IT services companies. Whether you are just starting your IT consulting business or have been developing it for years, the Computer Consulting Kit can help you with important issues such as time management, fee structures and how to sign up more clients on long-term service agreements to build more stable relationships, stay competitive and increase the longevity of the business.

The Computer Consulting Kit: How Robert Lewis Generates Leads and Builds Revenue

Robert Lewis is the owner of Plato Consulting, a business based in Cialfin, Kansas, USA. He is currently running his business part-time, and picked up the Computer Consulting Kit to get some ideas about transitioning into a full-time IT services company.

Reading the marketing, sales and time management strategies in the Computer Consulting Kit showed Robert that he was losing out on business because he was not approaching lead generation and customer acquisition in the most effective way.

Robert also used the tools in the Computer Consulting Kit to better organize his rate structures and make them consistent across all services to bring him more financially solvent and bring him one step closer to full time.

“After reading several pieces in the Computer Consulting Kit I realized that I was losing a substantial amount of revenue. Now that I have that issue under control the New Year's project is to start generating new leads and customers and hopefully by the year’s end I can begin doing my business full time and competing with some of the locally established computer service companies.

In 2006 I established a formal SLA and rates. Up to this point it was a hit-or-miss endeavor. After reading your program I knew exactly what I needed to do; I needed to start billing for ALL my services. I was missing a substantial part of my income, and to my surprise my service calls did NOT decrease when I started charging for everything, including phone support.”

The Bottom Line About the Computer Consulting Kit

If you are a computer consultant like Robert Lewis looking to get paid top rates for your skills and talents, attract high-paying clients and bring your business to the next level, look to the Computer Consulting Kit for tips and templates that can be your road map to success.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

Include Business Case Studies as Part of a Comprehensive Marketing Package

Business case studies are critical to offering prospects a thorough set of marketing materials.

When Should You Use a Business Case Study with Prospects?

If you are selling your solutions to an IT manager, you may want to show him/her a business case study. Make sure your business case study displays benefits other companies have received when they worked with you. Business case studies should be relevant and on-point to have maximum effectiveness.

What’s in a Good Business Case Study?

1. A couple sentences providing background information on what the company does.

2. The length of time the company has been in business, its location, etc.

3. The name of the main decision maker for the company.

4. The problem you helped solve for the company.

5. A description of the solution you used to fix the problem.

6. The benefits you were able to offer to the client.

You need to make sure the business case study shows clearly what you did and also states the name and address of the contact person in the case study.

What Writing Skills Do you Need to Have to Create a Business Case Study?

You don’t need to be an expert writer to put together a credible, solid business case study. Just sit down with the subject of the study for five or ten minutes with a tape recorder and conduct an interview. Add the details of what you did, but use your client’s words to create the business study.

Business Case Studies and Marketing Collateral

Don’t use generic or prepared business case studies as part of your marketing collateral. Instead, showcase your uniqueness by talking about the work you do and its benefits to clients.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101

The Computer Consulting Kit: Harold L. Bates and Robotics 1

Computer consultants that want to get the most out of their businesses are quickly realizing the benefits of the Computer Consulting Kit.

During start-up, those looking to create a community presence and get new clients through targeted marketing techniques and lead generation might find the process overwhelming while juggling the many administrative duties, billable hours and the sales process. The Computer Consulting Kit provides clearly laid-out tips and templates for computer consultants to help make the time spent on activities involved with their businesses as efficient as possible.

The Computer Consulting Kit in Vestal, New York

Like so many other computer consultants, Harold L. Bates faced challenges when starting his computer consulting business, Robotics 1. He came from a full-time job with a predictable salary and was concerned about his ability to stay afloat at the beginning and make a profit.

He used the Computer Consulting Kit as a guidepost to help lead him through the first few months in business and was able to succeed and create a real future with high quality clients and a competitive spot in the industry:

“The Computer Consulting Kit helped me earn an extra $5,000 in revenue this past year. I started my business from zero on June 1st, 2006 and was able to match what I was making as a network administrator after three months of being in business for myself.

I am really proud of the fact that the prognosis looks good and I am going to be able to stay in business. The Computer Consulting Kit gave me a direction! It also gave me the key words to use when speaking with new clients. I am going to refer to it again an again as I gain more experience and presence in the marketplace.”

The Bottom Line About the Computer Consulting Kit

The templates and best practice tips provided by the Computer Consulting Kit has given Harold L. Bates and other IT and computer consultants the guidance needed to start a viable services business. Join the many consultants learning how to implement the techniques laid out by the Computer Consulting Kit into their businesses by clicking the link provided. You can also get free tips and other resources.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

Business Partnerships and How to Avoid Complications

Business partnerships can enhance your business, but you have to be careful when you form them. The following are some tips for managing the pitfalls of business partnerships.

A List of Things to Think About with Business Partnerships

Form business partnerships with only non-competing companies. Carefully peruse business cards, marketing materials, websites and other items to make sure the company is truly non-competing.

Have a non-disclosure agreement and a non-compete document ready before you start any business partnerships. These items need to be reviewed by your attorney.

Get a real project commitment from your clients before you enter into business partnerships. You can’t risk forming business partnerships to manage a project and then finding out that the client wasn’t really serious about completing it.

Qualify the budget of your client, the timeline and the project’s importance before using a business partnership to manage it.

Talk about the relationship and the nature of all business partnerships with potential partners from the beginning. At the very least, you want to label the work to decide if it’s going to be done through an informal referral, if there will be revenue sharing, if the relationship will be master-subcontractor, who is going to be the go-to person on the account and who owns the account.

You can’t just count on your partner understanding the world of small business virtual IT. Work in some time for teaching and managing as part of business partnerships.

Be ready to manage relationships between clients and business partners. You will be responsible for protecting your partner and your client from uncomfortable situations that may arise.

Be ready to translate when you get involved with business partnerships. Your client and the partners may not be speaking the same business language so you will be responsible for helping them communicate. Coordination is your job as part of business partnerships.

Your Job is Virtual CIO

When getting involved in business partnerships, you will be the manager of all projects for your partners. Set clear guidelines and ensure the quality of the work being done through careful management and diligent monitoring.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit