As a computer consulting business, you shouldn’t be spending precious time and your clients’ limited budgets troubleshooting a malfunctioning monitor or CD-RW drive.
If your computer consulting business is large enough that you have both senior-level and technician-level staff, you’re probably already doing a great job of directing workload to the right personnel.
Are You a Company of One?
However, if you are a small computer consulting business, where perhaps you are the company, it makes sense to let the PC vendor’s technical support staff arrange for hardware warranty repairs, using their large networks of national service providers.
Know the Facts about Warranty Service
As a computer consulting business, you will want to know how long the warranty period is, if it covers parts, labor or both and what the promised response and turnaround time on warranty service may be.
Also, determine whether the vendor will try to pressure your clients to do their own service. If so, are your clients prepared to pay your consulting firm to do the labor?
Scheduling Hardware Warranty Service Calls
If possible, try to have your clients’ internal gurus schedule hardware warranty service calls to coincide with times when you are at your clients’ offices on other related computer consulting business. Or at the minimum, be sure that your clients’ internal gurus are there to supervise the third party hardware technicians.
The spring season is in bloom. For most, it represents a time of warmer temperatures and relaxation. But unfortunately, it can also mean strong storms including lightning strikes. As these storms are now appearing on a more frequent basis, is your computer system protected? A power surge can cause a computer system to crash and can also cause data loss by causing the read/write heads to malfunction. It can occur as one large surge or multiple spikes over a period of time. The following tips provide information on how you can ensure your system does not fall victim to a power surge.
Power Down and Unplug The System During Bad Weather
This is a tip that most users disregard, but powering down and unplugging the computer system during bad weather is the best way to safeguard against a power surge. For those operating servers, this may not be an option. For those who fall into this category, continue reading below. But for most home users, powering down and unplugging is certainly an option that can be followed.
Use a High Quality Surge Protector
During a power surge or spike, there is excess voltage in the electrical lines above that which is normal. A high quality surge protector can absorb the excess voltage preventing it from damaging your system. It is important to do your homework before you purchase a surge protector. You should compare the ratings and ensure you are getting a good quality surge protector. It is also important to remember that while a surge protector helps, it is not a guarantee against a direct lightning strike. Powering down and unplugging the system is the sure way to protect against lightning strikes.
Nobody works in complete isolation. In virtually all lines of business, contact with other people will be required in some capacity. Whether it is meeting with clients or colleagues; presenting new ideas or products; or giving or receiving training, good communication is the key to running a successful business.
However, in the modern world of commerce, business takes place twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Large, international organizations have sites across the globe and thanks to the Internet, even small and medium sized companies have found themselves trading on an international scale.
International markets and twenty-four hour business undoubtedly provide great opportunities, but they are not without their difficulties. Trying to arrange a seminar for a large number of delegates based in different countries, for example, can be a logistical nightmare. Diaries need to be synchronized, flights booked, accommodation sourced and meeting facilities organized. It is a major undertaking, and one that takes a lot of time, money and effort.
No Need To Travel
In this instance, the advantages of web conferencing are easy to see - nobody needs to travel anywhere. From the comfort of their own office delegates can participate in meetings and seminars without having to travel a single extra mile.
For smaller organizations, web conferencing can open up whole new markets. Where before, perhaps there was not the man-power to spare for long periods out of the office, web conferencing reduces the need for travel to allow face to face meetings. Proposals can be pitched and new business won without the need for lengthy trips away from the office.
The reduced need for travel that web conferencing brings has other advantages; staff spend less time traveling and more time at home – that should make for a happier and more productive workforce; thousands of dollars spend on air fares, car hire and accommodation are saved and less time is spent sourcing flights and making hotel reservations. All these benefits, simply by reducing the need for travel with web conferencing.