Computer Consultants Secrets ™

Growing group of VARs, Splinternet Holdings, Inc. recently stated it has a new division – Nutmeg Systems.  This new division will first release a new private branch exchange (PBX) for use with the Mac system.  The IP-based phone system is designed for a Mac Mini for businesses with as many as 10 phone lines.  It will hopefully improve business communications and cut costs for many other professionals looking for high quality products provided by VARs.

President of Splinternet, James Ackery stated that Nutmeg systems helped the Mac business in the mid 1980s, and this partnership with Splinternet and the new products being developed will fit into VARs Nutmeg’s previous product lines.  

The Nutmeg ElevenX System will run on the Intel-based Mac Minis.  With a web browser-based interface, administrators and other VARs can help organize and manage information from PCs or Macs.  The system includes voicemail, auto-attendant, call forwarding and other standard communications features.  

The latest system is still under development, but will support up to 199 phone extensions and will have extended features beyond the ElevenX.  For more information on this story for VARs, view the attached link.

Added By:  Joshua Feinberg

There are several ways to decide whether to buy a computer consulting franchise along with many pros and cons.

The Pros of Buying a Computer Consulting Franchise

There are quite a few benefits to buying a computer consulting franchise:  you get the benefits that go along with being part of a larger company; you have a built-in peer support network; you start out with many tools and resources; you have a place to go with your problems and concerns.

The Cons of Buying a Computer Consulting Franchise

The biggest problem with buying a computer consulting franchise for most entrepreneurs is the capital investment needed to start.  Plus, a percentage of your revenue and profit each month will go to the franchiser, and you will be restricted with what you can do with your company because of the pre-set standards of the organization.

Computer Consulting Takes Time More Than Money

Starting a computer consulting business usually has low overhead, but is very time consuming.  You might spend three to six months or even more getting enough contacts, prospects and project opportunities to be booked to 50 or 60 percent utilization rate (or 20 to 24 billable hours per week).  

Expectations of Revenue in Computer Consulting

Even if you go to all local networking activities, reach out to your community and go out on sales calls, three or six months is a good estimate of how long it will take to have decent revenue and cash flow.  Add to that adding staff to your computer consulting business, and the estimate can change to years.

You need capital so you can keep paying business expenses.  Keep overhead low so you don’t have extra items to worry about.  Weigh the pros and cons of computer consulting franchise ownership and then decide if the process is right for you.

Blogged By:  Computer Consulting 101

Recently top resource for solution providers CRN announced the five top selling wireless products for solution providers.  These gadgets represent the favorites among cutting edge solution providers for SMBs throughout the United States and beyond.  

Top Products for Solution Providers:

1.    Linksys WRT54G 802.11g Broadband Router.  The retail value for this tool is $54.

2.    Cisco Systems AIR-ANT4941:  An Omni-Directional antenna that goes for $11.

3.    Linksys WMP54G 802.11G adapter.  The price of this solution providers product is $46.

4.    Cisco Systems AIR CB21AG-A-K9 AIRONET 802.11a/b/g Wireless Adapter Card.  The retail value of this package is $100.

5.    Linksys WPC54G 802.11g PC Card Adapter.  This tool sells for $46.

These tools for solution providers were most popular during the months of October and December, 2006.

Blogged By:  Computer Consulting 101

When you are trying to execute IT sales to strangers, you need to sell knowledge and solutions instead of products.  

IT Sales:  Adding Value for Prospects

Sell the value of your company as part of IT sales rather than generic products.  Similarly, stop selling to customers that will base decisions on product offerings and price.  If you can’t bundle in value-added services, you need to stop competing solely on the basis of price.  Being able to survive will depend upon your ability to add value and sell services.

IT sales is about selling “You, Incorporated.”  Your whole marketing plan should revolve around reaching clients instead of customers and establishing long-term relationships with clients that will be willing and able to hire you as an outsourced IT department.   

IT Sales:  Use Your Expertise

There are possibly hundreds of professionals in your area capable of doing easy technical fixes.  But you are one of only a few that do exactly what you do.  When you stress your specific expertise as part of IT sales, you get rid of price-sensitive buyers.  

IT Sales:  Experience and Niche Mean Higher Rates

When you eliminate price-sensitive buyers, you can add to your rates.  Business-to-business clients will know they have to pay more for your expertise and will value it as specific to their businesses.  

Successful IT sales is about changing your mindset and using new marketing and advertising techniques that stress you and your particular services and solutions.

Added By:  Computer Consulting 101

IT consulting firm recently was granted an IT contract by Germany’s Federal Office of Administration.  Known as Bundesverwaltungsamt, the Office’s purpose is to help bring Germany’s administrative systems up-to-date.  

CSC will provide IT consulting services to the German federal ministries along with national authorities and non-profits.  CSC will help fulfill IT consulting needs as the Federal Office of Administration begins to implement new systems and begins to set up new procedures that ease the process of managing documents and controlling workflow.  All the new IT consulting procedures will follow German Department of Interior standards for new e-government systems and procedures.  

IT consulting experts at CSC will also offer solutions for specific government-related projects.  One of the largest area of focus will be on the “Future-Oriented Administration through Innovation” and “e-government 2.0” areas.  

Added By:  Joshua Feinberg

Asking the following three questions of all your computer consulting clients will improve customer service and help grow your company.

“How Can We Improve the Service We Provide?”

Regularly ask computer consulting clients this question – at least a few times annually.  They will probably give you plenty of suggestions that will help your customer service, including many items you will be able to add to your services without charging them more money.  E-mail reminders of your visits are a great example.

Some services will be a little more difficult to deliver, such as the request for niche specialists.  The main point is, some computer consulting services will require more or in some cases too much extra work on your part (and not enough benefits!) but some might be wonderful chances to earn more revenue.

Questions Number Two and Three

“Is There Anything Else Related to IT That Your Company Needs?”

“Do You Know Anyone Else – Business Associates, Friends, Family Members – in the Area That Can Use Help with IT Problems?”

You Can Help Computer Consulting Clients Help You

If you spend a few minutes talking to computer consulting clients and telling them what to look for, they will think of you when talking to their own associates, friends and family members that are dealing with IT issues.  If you train computer consulting clients to listen for clues that are opportunities for you and they are happy with the work you do for them, they will recommend you.

Blogged By:  Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

A new computer consulting video series created by IT-User Services helps university-related users learn about the technology they have.  These computer consulting videos answer basic questions about connecting computers to university networks, security for files and other information and many other important issues.

This video series, entitled “Consulting on Demand” increases awareness of the computer consulting services in place in the university setting and was created by computer experts at the University of Delaware.  The videos work with both PCs and Macs and come with free software needed to play them:  QuickTime or iTunes.  Episodes of the computer consulting video series can be obtained by subscription (either RSS or iTunes) or as needed, by downloading the episodes when desired.

A spokesperson for IT-User Services states that the computer consulting videos can be attached to any browser that permits an RSS feed.  Episodes of the series can also be watched on either a computer or an iPod.

The company hopes the computer consulting videos, because they combine instructions with related online support, will make help with computers easier for a larger group of users.

In its first year, Consulting on Demand won the SIGUCCS 2006 Hgher Education Publications competition under the category of promotional video/audio.  SIGUCCS is a professional association that handles the many facets of IT services at higher education institutions.  Representatives of SIGUCCS state that this award for the computer consulting video series and the University of Delaware is a huge honor because of the scope of the SIGUCCS conference.    

The episodes of the computer consulting video series can be viewed on Windows and Mac machines in two different formats:  a larger version designed for computer monitors; a smaller version that can be viewed on video iPods.

Added By:  Computer Consulting 101

IT marketing sales letters have to address you prospects’ greatest needs and stress benefits if you want them to be successful.  Regardless of which niche you are serving, your IT marketing letters must stress benefits for your prospects.  

IT Marketing:  Short is Not Always Sweet When it Comes to Sales Letters

You may have received writing advice in your life suggesting that short sales letters are your best bet for grabbing attention.  But in IT marketing, sales letters can and often should be long in order to fully capture your purpose.

IT Marketing:  When Should You Use Long Sales Letters?

1.    When you want to show the urgency of your clients’ needs;

2.    When you want to shake things up for targets;

3.    When you are trying to motivate someone to act;

4.    When you want to illustrate what will happen when prospects do not do things properly in terms of data security;

5.    If you want to show prospects the excitement of having a productive staff;

6.    If you would like to explain benefits to potential clients of growing their businesses exponentially without adding very much more staff.

Long sales letters can best accomplish the above goals because they give you the time and space to clearly annunciate benefits and your own purpose.

IT Marketing:  Address What Hurts the Most

You may not be completely confident of your ability to write sales letters.  An ad or marketing consultant or even a freelance writer can help complete them for you.  Regardless of who writes the letter, the letter must touch on your clients’ greatest needs and must show the main points of pain for the specific niche in which you work.

IT Marketing:  A Sales Letter Should Offer Something Valuable for Free

In order to have success with your IT marketing efforts, your sales letter should provide a business card along with something valuable and time sensitive that will appeal to clients.  Offer something like a free one-hour assessment.  Make sure you have a deadline attached to the free offer and limit it to only the first respondents.  

IT Marketing Sales Letters:  Be a True Niche Provider

If your sales letter clearly discusses that you are an IT expert for your particular niche industry, your IT marketing efforts will get more responses.  Your headline should show your knowledge and should be carried through the whole letter.  You should stress that the benefits you offer are relevant to your targets.  Talk about what you have done for other firms like theirs with glowing testimonials and you can hit a home run with your sales letter.

IT Marketing:  Sales Letters are Key

The whole point of an IT marketing sales letter is to nudge prospects into the next step of a billable IT audit.  Move then onto your proving ground project and into the ranks of your clientele.  

Added By:  Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

IT consulting firm Acando has decided to acquire IQ Consulting, Ltd. for an as-of-yet unnamed amount of money.  The Swedish services vendor hopes that the acquisition of this specialized IT consulting firm will increase its presence worldwide, particularly in the United Kingdom.  

IQ Consulting is based in Manchester, England.  The IT consulting firm provides solutions for clients in strictly monitored niches, including the pharmaceuticals and financial services industries.  The small IT consulting firm has 15 employees.  Its annual revenue is $2.5 million, as registered in 2006.

Charles Halpin, managing director at IQ is slated to take over as the Managing Director of the IT Consulting firm Acando UK.  Acando’s office in Manchester will expand and be combined with the newly-acquired IT consulting company’s offices.  

The recent takeover by Acando is the IT consulting firm’s second in February.  Recently it took over the Swedish business intelligence IT consulting company Deva Management Consulting.  

Blogged By:  Computer Consulting Kit