Most IT consultants know that PC vendors typically include inexpensive products like a mouse as part of a regular warranty. But because your clients can buy a mouse for just $10 or $30, waiting for a day or more to get this item from a PC vendor and being without it during this time may not be worth it.
Spare Parts Are Important for Clients
If your clients keep spare mice around, warranty claims can be delayed until there is more time to deal with them. As a responsible IT consultant, you have managed to help a client eliminate downtime.
As an IT consultant, you can also keep an extra keyboard or monitor at the site. These items are inexpensive when compared to the cost of lost productivity and the wait for items to get there.
Extra Desktops
The price of basic desktop PCs has decreased greatly in the past few years as has the tolerance for downtime with small businesses. As an IT consultant, you can advise clients to purchase a fully-configured entry-level desktop PC for $600 or so, so they never risk losing a lot if a computer goes down.
Be a Smart Advisor for Clients
You are your clients’ IT consultant and should recommend smart investments on spare parts and a full desktop PC. If they have extra parts on-hand, they can handle warranty claims at convenient times rather than during emergencies. And if they have fewer emergencies because they have spare parts, they can save money on your IT consultant emergency rate premiums.
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
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Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Sunday, May 27, 2007
How Long Should IT Audits Take to Complete?
The key to successful IT audits is to keep them short – at about a half day. If you need to do more work, schedule additional time at a later date.
IT Audits Should Be Short and Sweet
Keep IT audits short and minimize the amount of work you do. You don’t want to accidentally make a mistake and get yourself into a problematic situation! Keep your audit as short as you can to minimize risk and schedule more work for a later date if necessary.
How Do You Time It?
Keep IT audits limited to 4 hours or less with a dozen or a few more areas to look at. The following is a standard list of items to check with IT audits:
1. Half an hour to an hour should be spent on the main server.
2. Spend 15 or 20 minutes on a secondary server.
3. Spend just a few minutes on LAN hub infrastructure.
4. Look at routers, CSUs, DSUs, DSL routers, hub switches, etc. in time blocks of 10 to 15 minutes. Make basic notes about how the items look when you inspect them and some elements you notice with LADs or surge protection.
5. Spend half an hour or 45 minutes on some “representative PCs.”
Representative PCs
These PCs are defined as the most important in the company. Ask the main contact where these are located during your IT audits. The person in charge of accounting or billing or the owner of the company will have important PCs. You need to look at two or more PCs to get a good idea of configurations, drive mappings, network protocols and others. Determine whether or not they are in good shape.
The Main Point About IT Audits
IT audits will let you know the priority list of a prospective client. See what needs to be addressed immediately, what can wait a month or two and what can go onto the list for long-term planning.
Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg
IT Audits Should Be Short and Sweet
Keep IT audits short and minimize the amount of work you do. You don’t want to accidentally make a mistake and get yourself into a problematic situation! Keep your audit as short as you can to minimize risk and schedule more work for a later date if necessary.
How Do You Time It?
Keep IT audits limited to 4 hours or less with a dozen or a few more areas to look at. The following is a standard list of items to check with IT audits:
1. Half an hour to an hour should be spent on the main server.
2. Spend 15 or 20 minutes on a secondary server.
3. Spend just a few minutes on LAN hub infrastructure.
4. Look at routers, CSUs, DSUs, DSL routers, hub switches, etc. in time blocks of 10 to 15 minutes. Make basic notes about how the items look when you inspect them and some elements you notice with LADs or surge protection.
5. Spend half an hour or 45 minutes on some “representative PCs.”
Representative PCs
These PCs are defined as the most important in the company. Ask the main contact where these are located during your IT audits. The person in charge of accounting or billing or the owner of the company will have important PCs. You need to look at two or more PCs to get a good idea of configurations, drive mappings, network protocols and others. Determine whether or not they are in good shape.
The Main Point About IT Audits
IT audits will let you know the priority list of a prospective client. See what needs to be addressed immediately, what can wait a month or two and what can go onto the list for long-term planning.
Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
What Are Your Computer Consulting Business Skills? Tips for Start-Up
If you want to be successful in the world of computer consulting, you need to have more than just technical skills. Your job will not be about playing with gadgets or wi-fi devices, routers, VPNs or firewalls. You need to have the skills to work with technology devices because your clients will be buying your skills, but your computer consulting firm is a business.
Business Skills are Critical
If you want your computer consulting practice to work, you need to know how to get revenue and keep expenses low. You need to be able to bill, negotiate and network. If you are an adamant techie, you may think if you study the Windows Server Resource Kit you will find out all you need to know about running a business, but a computer consulting business is about way more than technology.
Get a Good Resume
If you are self-employed when you start your computer consulting business, you might not have a current resume. Get a copy of your resume out and a yellow highlighter and go through each sentence or phrase that describes a job or endeavor related to small business ownership.
Organize Your Resume
Look through your resume and seek out phrases related to your jobs and projects in the past few years that will make small business owners and managers take notice. Go through each item and decide whether it was IT related, had to do with running a small business or was related to being able to communicate well with others.
This type of work will help you with your computer consulting business start-up.
Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional
Business Skills are Critical
If you want your computer consulting practice to work, you need to know how to get revenue and keep expenses low. You need to be able to bill, negotiate and network. If you are an adamant techie, you may think if you study the Windows Server Resource Kit you will find out all you need to know about running a business, but a computer consulting business is about way more than technology.
Get a Good Resume
If you are self-employed when you start your computer consulting business, you might not have a current resume. Get a copy of your resume out and a yellow highlighter and go through each sentence or phrase that describes a job or endeavor related to small business ownership.
Organize Your Resume
Look through your resume and seek out phrases related to your jobs and projects in the past few years that will make small business owners and managers take notice. Go through each item and decide whether it was IT related, had to do with running a small business or was related to being able to communicate well with others.
This type of work will help you with your computer consulting business start-up.
Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional
Sunday, May 20, 2007
IT Consultants: Where Are Your Best Clients for Moonlighting
IT consultants that want to moonlighting to bring themselves closer to a full-time consulting gig should not try to get anything but steady clients. If you involve yourself with one-shot deals, you can’t establish the consistency and continuity that will eventually be needed to sustain a full-time, successful firm of IT consultants. You need to get clients willing to make commitments.
IT Consultants: Select Your Clients Well
Think before you accept one-shot deals. You need to focus on small businesses with complex IT needs. They should be clients that will need you a couple evenings per month or one or two Saturdays per month. They should also have enough IT work for you to work offsite in between these times.
IT Consultants Moonlighting Should Watch Their Schedule
IT consultants thinking about moonlighting need to have a schedule that allows for it. If you are already working 80 hours in a week, you are not going to have time. Most IT consultants moonlighting have nine-to-five jobs that allow them a morning or afternoon off or a long lunch from time-to-time.
IT Consultants: What Jobs Should You Seek?
The best situation for moonlighting as IT consultants is $1,000 per month clients that will need one-to-two evenings monthly or one or two Saturdays or Sundays with light phone support in between. Your minimum requirement for a moonlighting client should be businesses that will need at least $500 per month of services.
IT Consultants and Moonlighting
If you don’t want to give up your nights and weekends, you probably don’t want to moonlight. IT consultants thinking about moonlighting need to be committed with committed clients.
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
IT Consultants: Select Your Clients Well
Think before you accept one-shot deals. You need to focus on small businesses with complex IT needs. They should be clients that will need you a couple evenings per month or one or two Saturdays per month. They should also have enough IT work for you to work offsite in between these times.
IT Consultants Moonlighting Should Watch Their Schedule
IT consultants thinking about moonlighting need to have a schedule that allows for it. If you are already working 80 hours in a week, you are not going to have time. Most IT consultants moonlighting have nine-to-five jobs that allow them a morning or afternoon off or a long lunch from time-to-time.
IT Consultants: What Jobs Should You Seek?
The best situation for moonlighting as IT consultants is $1,000 per month clients that will need one-to-two evenings monthly or one or two Saturdays or Sundays with light phone support in between. Your minimum requirement for a moonlighting client should be businesses that will need at least $500 per month of services.
IT Consultants and Moonlighting
If you don’t want to give up your nights and weekends, you probably don’t want to moonlight. IT consultants thinking about moonlighting need to be committed with committed clients.
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
Sunday, May 13, 2007
The Computer Consulting Kit: Tips for Reducing Small Business Printing Costs
Printer ink can be incredibly expensive. Joshua Feinberg and the Computer Consulting Kit along with other professional experts recently weighed in on their opinions of how small businesses can cut printing costs and be more productive.
The Computer Consulting Kit: Printer Ink is Expensive
Business leaders need to look at what they print before they print. As an example, the going rate for a bottle of Cristal Champagne is $350; but if small business owners were to fill that bottle of champagne with printer ink, it would cost about $1,350.
The Computer Consulting Kit: Printing Costs Often Go Undetected
Printing costs often don’t figure into regular business operations because much of the cost comes out of petty cash for small businesses. So how can small businesses figure ink into the bottom line?
Most small and mid-sized businesses count on in-house printing but are always watching costs. The printer business has been most lucrative for hardware manufacturers such as HP, Lexmark and even Dell and is driven mainly by custom-fit ink cartridges. New types of printing techniques such as outsourcing, laser printers and multi-function devices are taking over traditional inkjet printers. Still, major manufacturers continue to entice small businesses.
The Computer Consulting Kit: Tips to Cut Printing Costs
Many small businesses get creative when they think about alternatives to high ink bills. Joshua Feinberg of The Computer Consulting Kit and other professionals say,
1. Laser printers are a good investment and have come down in price. They will have a lower printing cost per page than inkjet printers.
2. Study manufacturing specifications on printers and also on cartridges. Checking settings and resetting settings such as the duty cycle and others can help improve the efficiency of a machine.
3. Set computers to duplex printing. You will not save on ink, but you will save on paper and storage space for documents.
4. Keep print jobs in-house, as outsourcing printing jobs can cost as much as three times more on average.
5. Look out for hidden costs and think about the “headache factor,” which comes from installation, maintenance, lost productivity during paper jams and other inconveniences. There are software programs that can track consumable expenses like ink and paper, but The Computer Consulting Kit expert warns they can lead to more trouble than they are worth.
The Computer Consulting Kit: The Bottom Line About Printing
The majority of small businesses have made progress when it comes to getting away from paper processes and using email and digital filing systems. But printing needs continue to be an issue. These tips from The Computer Consulting Kit can help professionals save money and grow their businesses.
Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit
The Computer Consulting Kit: Printer Ink is Expensive
Business leaders need to look at what they print before they print. As an example, the going rate for a bottle of Cristal Champagne is $350; but if small business owners were to fill that bottle of champagne with printer ink, it would cost about $1,350.
The Computer Consulting Kit: Printing Costs Often Go Undetected
Printing costs often don’t figure into regular business operations because much of the cost comes out of petty cash for small businesses. So how can small businesses figure ink into the bottom line?
Most small and mid-sized businesses count on in-house printing but are always watching costs. The printer business has been most lucrative for hardware manufacturers such as HP, Lexmark and even Dell and is driven mainly by custom-fit ink cartridges. New types of printing techniques such as outsourcing, laser printers and multi-function devices are taking over traditional inkjet printers. Still, major manufacturers continue to entice small businesses.
The Computer Consulting Kit: Tips to Cut Printing Costs
Many small businesses get creative when they think about alternatives to high ink bills. Joshua Feinberg of The Computer Consulting Kit and other professionals say,
1. Laser printers are a good investment and have come down in price. They will have a lower printing cost per page than inkjet printers.
2. Study manufacturing specifications on printers and also on cartridges. Checking settings and resetting settings such as the duty cycle and others can help improve the efficiency of a machine.
3. Set computers to duplex printing. You will not save on ink, but you will save on paper and storage space for documents.
4. Keep print jobs in-house, as outsourcing printing jobs can cost as much as three times more on average.
5. Look out for hidden costs and think about the “headache factor,” which comes from installation, maintenance, lost productivity during paper jams and other inconveniences. There are software programs that can track consumable expenses like ink and paper, but The Computer Consulting Kit expert warns they can lead to more trouble than they are worth.
The Computer Consulting Kit: The Bottom Line About Printing
The majority of small businesses have made progress when it comes to getting away from paper processes and using email and digital filing systems. But printing needs continue to be an issue. These tips from The Computer Consulting Kit can help professionals save money and grow their businesses.
Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Tips for IT: Focus on Services Rather Than Products
If you want your IT consulting business to see success, you have to sell services instead of products. Being a dealer or authorized solution for someone should not be your IT consulting focus.
Selling some products is fine if you think it will supplement your business, but you should not build your whole business around it. Prospects and clients are looking for IT consulting solutions, not commodities.
IT Tips: An Example
If you connect with a software vendor, you need to first establish for certain what your IT consulting niche will be. If you decide to sell products for a specific industry, you better be sure it’s the right place to get paying clients and an area in which you have real expertise.
IT Consulting: Get Niche Experience
If you are just starting anew with an IT consulting business, you need to get experience in your niche first before investing with vendors and going to conferences, etc.
Get clients or a part-time job that allows you to work with those within your niche before building your whole IT consulting business around a particular area.
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
Selling some products is fine if you think it will supplement your business, but you should not build your whole business around it. Prospects and clients are looking for IT consulting solutions, not commodities.
IT Tips: An Example
If you connect with a software vendor, you need to first establish for certain what your IT consulting niche will be. If you decide to sell products for a specific industry, you better be sure it’s the right place to get paying clients and an area in which you have real expertise.
IT Consulting: Get Niche Experience
If you are just starting anew with an IT consulting business, you need to get experience in your niche first before investing with vendors and going to conferences, etc.
Get clients or a part-time job that allows you to work with those within your niche before building your whole IT consulting business around a particular area.
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Your IT Consulting Business Needs Sweet Spot Clients
There are characteristics that will determine right away if a prospect is going to be your IT consulting business’ next sweet spot client.
Is There a Company Website?
If a prospect has a website, the prospect will be searchable by your IT consulting business. You can find prospects by going to Google and putting your town’s name, zip code, postal code, area codes, prefixes or other search categories in and looking for potential IT consulting clients.
IT Consulting: Can You Meet Company Leaders?
Look at company information or the “about” page and see if the business is a good fit for your IT consulting business. If the company belongs to a local Chamber of Commerce organization, you can join the organization to meet them or go as a guest.
You need to get the most out of the time and money you invest in networking. Track every minute and justify each dollar spent so you can get the most out of your investment.
IT Consulting: Other Methods for Finding Sweet Spot Prospects
If a company attends business-to-business expos, you ca attend them to network with potential sweet spot IT consulting clients.
The company may also get covered in local newspapers, business journals, regional business journals or magazines. Subscribe to these or read back issues to study a company and find out how much experience it has, how many employees there are and the annual revenue.
The Main Idea About IT Consulting Sweet Spot Prospects
Do online research and study up on prospects along with attending networking events to find the best sweet spot IT consulting prospects for your business.
Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg
Is There a Company Website?
If a prospect has a website, the prospect will be searchable by your IT consulting business. You can find prospects by going to Google and putting your town’s name, zip code, postal code, area codes, prefixes or other search categories in and looking for potential IT consulting clients.
IT Consulting: Can You Meet Company Leaders?
Look at company information or the “about” page and see if the business is a good fit for your IT consulting business. If the company belongs to a local Chamber of Commerce organization, you can join the organization to meet them or go as a guest.
You need to get the most out of the time and money you invest in networking. Track every minute and justify each dollar spent so you can get the most out of your investment.
IT Consulting: Other Methods for Finding Sweet Spot Prospects
If a company attends business-to-business expos, you ca attend them to network with potential sweet spot IT consulting clients.
The company may also get covered in local newspapers, business journals, regional business journals or magazines. Subscribe to these or read back issues to study a company and find out how much experience it has, how many employees there are and the annual revenue.
The Main Idea About IT Consulting Sweet Spot Prospects
Do online research and study up on prospects along with attending networking events to find the best sweet spot IT consulting prospects for your business.
Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
You Need to Charge Enough for Your IT Consulting Services
As an IT consulting professional you need to know the connection between hourly billing rates and a decent salary so you can plan to keep your salary and future employee salaries consistent. Many make the mistake of not charging enough from the beginning for IT consulting and end up with problems.
IT Consulting: Services Can’t Be Free
Those new to IT consulting will sometimes give away services for close-to-free rates -- $25 or $30 per hour – because they are identifying the wrong people as competitors. As an IT consultant, you can’t emulate the rates of computer repair technicians or moonlighters or you will never have a viable business.
Your IT Consulting Services are Valuable
What your clients pay your IT consulting firm, your hourly billing rate and being able to offer a competitive salary package for future employees are all intricately related. Even if you have no plans to hire staff, you need to be paid appropriately for the work you do.
IT Consulting: Appropriately Estimate Expenses
If you underestimate expenses and what you should be charging for your services, you will run into trouble. Your billing rates can’t be too low for IT consulting, or you will have a hard time attracting staff that will be best for working with and helping recruit ideal sweet spot clients.
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
IT Consulting: Services Can’t Be Free
Those new to IT consulting will sometimes give away services for close-to-free rates -- $25 or $30 per hour – because they are identifying the wrong people as competitors. As an IT consultant, you can’t emulate the rates of computer repair technicians or moonlighters or you will never have a viable business.
Your IT Consulting Services are Valuable
What your clients pay your IT consulting firm, your hourly billing rate and being able to offer a competitive salary package for future employees are all intricately related. Even if you have no plans to hire staff, you need to be paid appropriately for the work you do.
IT Consulting: Appropriately Estimate Expenses
If you underestimate expenses and what you should be charging for your services, you will run into trouble. Your billing rates can’t be too low for IT consulting, or you will have a hard time attracting staff that will be best for working with and helping recruit ideal sweet spot clients.
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
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