Jefric Consulting, LLC – Blog

September 2009 – Technology is an essential tool for your Small Business and staying current is extremely difficult. Let us help you. Read this month’s newsletter here.

All newsletters can be found here.
Visit the Jefric Consulting website here.

Alan Buckwalter, Principal and Founder of Jefric Consulting, LLC was recently interviewed by Bruce Freeman, The Small Business Professor. Read the transcript here.

A related article “What is a Small Business IT Consultant?“.

Alan M Buckwalter
Microsoft Small Business Specialist
Jefric Consulting, LLC
alan@jefric.com
http://www.jefric.com
201.370.6430
917.837.3535
http://blog.jefric.com

In the area of technology, Total Cost Of Ownership (TCOA) is one of the many things driving people to consider Cloud Computing as a way to lower costs and save money. Purchasing a $500 computer may seem like a bargain, but add to that software, the time to set it up and configure it, the electricity to power it, space to keep it, the air conditioning to cool it, future maintenance, upgrades, support, etc and you can easily pay multiples of that in very little time.

While Cloud Computing removes many of these “hidden costs”, typically not accounted for in the TCOA calculation, it is not without some of its own. Different pricing models for Cloud Computing are making it difficult to create a side by side comparison.

See more at: “Calculating the real costs of cloud computing”

Read the fine print, make sure you are comparing “apples to apples”, and don’t get your head lost in the Clouds.

Starting and growing a small business is no easy task. Even having the best business plan does not guarantee success. It requires (at a minimum) a balance of talent and resources, with the right level of expertise in a wide variety of disciplines. Small business owners (and employees) must remain focused on their product or service, acquiring and satisfying clients, and generating revenue and profits. To help round out their team, small business owners might enlist the help of a business coach, attorney, accountant and marketing specialist, and others. What is surprising however is that it is estimated that more than 50% of small businesses today perform their own technology planning, implementation and support; done by either the owner themselves or some other person in the office as a part time job. This is time taken away from servicing clients, the business and making money. Furthermore, the IT solutions they will have are likely to be no better than the knowledge of someone who is not versed or trained in (current) technology. Is this a cost effective or strategic approach for success? Probably not.

A Small Business IT Consultant is someone who will work with you, the business owner (or other senior executive of your firm), understand how the business operates and makes money, creating and executing a business technology strategy for success. This should include a variety of options that will enable the company to grow, improve efficiency and productivity, save and make (more) money. Essentially being successful!

While there are a number of highly skilled technology service providers who will support your small business, you will want to find one that is more than an “order taker”; performing the specific implementation and (“break-fix”) support tasks that you design. This is again a scenario that will yield you a solution only as good as your technical knowledge. This is where an IT consultant will work with you, help you and add value.

As a small business owner, you have enough things on your plate to worry about. Technology should not be one of them. Find a Small Business IT Consultant who will be your partner for success.

Alan M Buckwalter
Principal and Founder, Jefric Consulting, LLC
Small Business IT Consultant
Microsoft Small Business Specialist
Microsoft Certified Professional
alan@jefric.com
http://www.jefric.com
http://blog.jefric.com

Custom Technology Solutions for Small Business

Security is a critical aspect of any technology platform. Whether you your technology resides on one or more servers in your office or is hosted in the cloud by a service provider, it is critical that you have and understand the steps being taken to protect your data and other intellectual property.

Unfortunately, many people who are using cloud computing services may be taking this for granted, assuming that their service provider has everything under control. Be smart, don’t assume.

Read more from the “5 lessons from the dark side of cloud computing“

In the middle of these challenging economic times, the cost of technology continues to drop. Prices for computers, equipment and supplies have never been lower, and they are continuing to fall.

“To support changing business requirements and processes, companies often need to modernize their business applications. Strategic investments in the right technology can help companies execute all their business initiatives—now and into the future. Companies are looking to adopt new and better technologies that yield a quicker return on investment (ROI) and lower total cost of ownership (TCO).”

Source: “Recession-Proof the Business, The Top Five Ways IT Organizations Can Help Companies Survive a Tough Economy”

Make sure you company is prepared for when your clients need you most. For more information and help with your technology strategy contact: Jefric Consulting: 201-370-6430

While not always the optimal solution or even desireable, sharing computer accounts is very common in the business world.

“If your company has its own Twitter account, your team can manage it better using third-party apps. Here we highlight five of the best Twitter apps for handling multiple users, search, scheduling and tracking tweets and more.”

Read more here.

August 2009 – Technology is an essential tool for your Small Business and staying current is extremely difficult. Let us help you. Read this month’s newsletter here.

All newsletters can be found here.
Visit the Jefric Consulting website here.