IT Solutions Through Tech Support

Recently, Lee Goldwich's computer network went down, leaving eight PCs cut off from sharing data and Internet connections, and his employees in a disconnected, unproductive mess.

He called the manufacturer. After almost an hour on hold, a foreign-based tech-support staffer came on the line. Forty-five minutes later, Goldwich was left with suggested remedies he couldn't pull off alone.

"Their explanations were over my head, so it didn't mean anything to me," said Goldwich, president of Horizon Investigations Inc., a Hollywood, Fla.-based private detective agency.

Frustrated, Goldwich called a client to find who they used for tech help. They referred Goldwich to a Weston, Fla., tech support company, The ComPros Inc. That day, a technician was at Horizon's offices. One hour and less than $100 later, the network was back up.

Most small businesses with fewer than 20 or so employees cannot afford a full-time IT guru. But the computer system often grows too complicated and time-consuming for an owner or manager to oversee.

That's where contracted IT service comes in. Available on retainer or as needed, IT consultants, like an accountant or attorney, come to know the business' specific needs as the relationship matures. That familiarity eliminates time spent introducing a new consultant to the system each time a problem arises.

"We're like a systems administrator on call," said The ComPros' Victor Kopcewich. "A small business can't afford a full-time network administrator for $60,000 a year. But they can afford it on a piecemeal basis."

Need tech support? Ask around. Get several recommendations from friends, business allies, customers or clients. When calling the company, ask about pricing and staffing levels to ensure they can respond quickly to your needs. Also ask about experience and knowledge with your specific software or hardware, especially if you use Apple computers, for example. If possible, have a computer-savvy friend pose some questions or scenarios, just to test the tech's knowledge.

"Think about how you would find an accountant, an attorney or any service provider," Kopcewich said. "This company or person will become a trusted advisor to your business."

Jeff Zbar, the ChiefHomeOfficer.com, is a speaker, writer and expert onalternative officing. He is the author of Teleworking & Telecommuting: Strategies for Remote Workers and Their Managers (Made E-Z Products,2002);Safe@Home: Seven Keys to HomeOffice Security (FirstPublish 2001) and Your Profitable Home Business (onCD-ROM from Made E-Z Products). Visit his Web site to subscribe to HomeOffice Success Stories, his free electronic magazine on home business andteleworking.