notacomputergeek

Have you tried restarting the computer? Don’t laugh, it fixes a lot of problems. Same goes for other devices too – printers, modems, etc.

OK, so you think you’ve got your IT issues covered because one of your staff took some computer classes. It’s helpful that your staff can work on some computer issues, but you still need to establish a relationship with a local professional IT vendor. A few words of advice from them can go a long way to keep you out of deep, perhaps costly problems. Technology issues are vast and change quickly, so you need someone whose skills and knowledge are up to date. Today, specific skills in cybersecurity are very important to keep your environment safe and adhere to any business regulations.

Here are your support options in order of worst to best:

1) Ignore it: Yes, this is a strategy employed too often. I’ve seen IT environments neglected many times over my career, but this strategy usually ends in failure. If you don’t update your hardware, software, polices, procedures, or security, eventually, you’ll learn the hard way and wish you had done things differently.

2) Utilize existing staff that are paid to do something else: Sounds good but wait! Just because someone has some technical aptitude doesn’t mean they can manage your IT. They may be able to fix small problems, but you will end up with the same results as Option 1.

3) Find a volunteer: This can work, but sometimes you get what you pay for. This person should still be in the IT field developing their IT knowledge and be involved regularly with your environment or this will end with the same results as Option 1.

4) Hire an online vendor: The number of companies providing this service has exploded in the last few years. Yes, this can seem cheap and is usually based on the number of devices supported, but I compare this type of support to insurance. You may never use it, but it can be handy to have if you need it. Read the Service Level Agreement (SLA) carefully since it will describe what is or is not included. Not all problems can be solved remotely, so will they come on-site? This type of service will typically require someone from your office to be the point of contact or the vendor’s boots on the ground, which will waste your staff’s time costing you more in the long run.

5) Hire a local vendor (on-call): This option is “pay as you go” but can be the most expensive. If you call them only when you need them, you will pay their highest hourly rate, or they may not be immediately available. This option is a lot like needing a plumber or electrician at your house for a specific reason.

6) Hire a local vendor (MSP – Managed Service Provider): Depending on your agreement with them, they will spend a scheduled amount of time per week or per month on your account for a fixed fee. This option enables them to be proactive and will likely get to know your staff and environment better. Once your staff knows when the support will be there, they can start saving their issues for when the technician arrives – thereby maximizing the technician’s time. If it’s an emergency, they will usually give scheduled clients preference. When signing the initial agreement, try to negotiate a trial period or limited period until they prove they are the right vendor for you. BTW, it goes both ways – I have past clients I will refer to someone else if they need further assistance.

7) Hire in-house staff: If your organization is larger, this will be a cost-effective option and usually provide the fastest support to your end users.

The best option for your company will either be 6, 7, or a combination of the two. I usually recommend that a SMB either hire in-house staff or find a vendor that can come on-site at regularly scheduled days and times. These approaches are easier to budget, are proactive, and allow the support to get familiar with your staff and environment. Small, routine issues fixed early can reduce the likelihood of a major disaster.

As a rule of thumb, the minimum number of IT support hours per week should be about 20% times the number of computers you have. For example, if you have 100 computers in a server environment, you will need about 20 (100 x 0.2) hours per week to keep your environment running smoothly. 10 computers would be about 2 hours per week. There are a lot of additional factors where this will vary, but this is a starting point, and you can adjust later as needed. Effective IT support will also automate many things to help reduce future need.

Back in the 1990s when computers were being utilized more and more to get the work done, IT was thought of as a necessary evil when it came to spending on it. That’s why the CFO was usually in charge of IT – to keep costs in check. Now, IT expenses should be budgeted, and IT considered a strategic part of your business.

Non-Profit Tip
• If you can’t find a professional IT volunteer, then interview several IT vendors and ask them if they provide a discount for non-profits – many of them will.