Leave It To The Experts Computer crashes, corrupted disks, scary signs flashing on your screen--you're probably missing that MIS guy from the office right about now. We show you how to hire a tech support consultant ... without getting ripped off.

A homebased business is usually a one-person show. In exchangefor the freedom of running a business out of your home, you have towear a number of hats: CEO, CFO, human resources guy, even officemanager. But when it comes to purchasing new computer hardware,wiring small networks or troubleshooting printer jams, youdon't have to go it alone. An Information Technology Consultant(ITC) can serve as a "virtual MIS department" for yourbusiness, evaluating technology needs, implementing solutions andmaintaining systems already in place.

Even if you are tech-savvy enough to do it all by yourself,hiring an ITC to look after your technology needs can free you upto pursue other interests, like building a successful business orhaving a family life.

So how does a homebased business owner with a layperson'sknowledge of computers hire, pay and intelligently discuss problemswith an ITC? Read on to figure out exactly what you need, when youneed it, how to get the most from your ITC and how to get the mostfor your money.

Finding Your Dream ITC

The Internet can be an invaluable resource for finding acompetent, reliable ITC in your area, but like most products andservices advertised in cyberspace, you shouldn't take what yousee at face value, according to Ramon Ray, small-businesstechnology analyst and consultant, founder and CEO of FamilyComputer Consulting Services in New York City and publisher of theonline newsletter Smallbiztechnology.com."There are a lot of places on the Net where you can findconsultants, but just because they have a nice-looking Web site,that doesn't tell you if the guy is a scam artist or if he justgot out of jail," says Ray. "That's where word ofmouth comes into play. If [an ITC] can provide you with the name ofa client you've heard of, or if your own network of friends cansay good things about this guy, I would rely on that. You shouldalso ask for references. If [the ITC] is good, they'll beprepared to give you some. And if they don't have references,that can also be a good indicator."

When it comes to complex projects like designing a small networkor programming a database, an ITC should have some certification,or at least some verifiable experience with these types ofprojects, says Andy Chang, vice president of sales and marketing atNDC Communications Inc., a Sunnyvale, California-based maker ofSOHO networking products. "Certification, whether it's aMCSE (Microsoft Certified Software Engineer) or a CNE (CertifiedNovell Engineer) can tell you something about the person'slevel of knowledge, but there is really no substitute for hands-onexperience," Chang explains. "Before hiring for a bigproject, you need to find out what kind of projects the ITC hasbeen involved in, whether it's networking, installing softwareor writing software applications for specific kinds of businesses.You should know exactly what applications they worked with, or whatrole they played in their previous job."

Once you've decided on an ITC, the next step is to work withthe professional to produce a proposal, which spells out theservices the consultant will provide, the equipment needed for thejob, the time frame for completion and the amount and method ofpayment. "The written agreement is the core of the wholerelationship," says Chang. "How closely the ITC adheresto the provisions of the proposal also tells you a great deal abouttheir professionalism. If they're not meeting the schedule orgoals they mapped out in the proposal, or are coming to you formore money above the agreed upon amount, that can be a badsign."

Language Barrier

For a homebased business owner unfamiliar with computerterminology, discussing technology needs with your ITC can be afrustrating experience. Still, you don't need to be fluent intechnospeak to express yourself clearly.

Chang suggests describing your technology needs to the ITC interms of applications, rather than specific brands or modelnumbers. "Tell them your objectives, what you want thetechnology to help you achieve," says Chang. "If youprepare an itemized list, the ITC should be able to translate thoseobjectives into a series of project goals, software and hardwarerequirements that will accomplish those objectives."

Ramon Ray agrees that the burden of clear communication lies onthe shoulders of the consultant. "If the ITC is good,he'll keep his mouth shut and eyes open, listen to the businessowner and figure out what the technology needs of the business are,because oftentimes business owners can't say what products theyneed, but they can say what problems they're having that may besolvable with technology. Don't try to give the ITC all thetech talk, and say we need this and that, because you really maynot need what you think. Tell that person where you want to end upat, and see what solutions he can come up with."

What To Pay?

The next part of the proposal should lay out the billingarrangement, and whether it's on an hourly or per projectbasis. The payment methods you specify should depend on the typeand size of the job the ITC will be doing, says Chang. "Ifyou're looking at a very small project, like troubleshooting,which should take no more than half an hour to an hour, you shouldpay at an hourly rate. If the consultant is any good, it shouldtake no more than three hours to solve a problem, assumingyou're a small business with less than five or 10 PCs. But ifyou want them to build an e-commerce site or a Web page, I wouldsuggest asking for an overall proposal with a one-time projectcost. That would be much more economical."

Ramon Ray warns entrepreneurs to use hourly rates verycautiously. "An hourly project should really be something youcan quantify. If they're helping you enter 100 names into adatabase, you can kind of quantify that, but if you pay hourly forsomething like installing printers, watch out! If somethinghappens, and the installation takes longer than it should,you're going to be shelling out a pile of money for somethingyou should have paid a predetermined fee for. As an IT consultantmyself, I shy away from charging at an hourly rate because Idon't want clients thinking I'm scamming them."

As part of a project proposal, many consultants list the costsof the computer equipment necessary to implement a technologysolution. In the past, these prices could be somewhat inflated byconsultants in an effort to increase their profit margins.According to Chang, while this tendency hasn't completelydisappeared, the pricing information widely available on theInternet has changed the market. Now business owners can compareprices and search for the best bargain on hardware, forcingconsultants to focus more on providing value-added services likeinstallation and customization.

"If you're knowledgeable about technology, you shoulduse the Internet to check out the lowest prices for the hardwareand software based on the specs given by the ITC," says Chang."Or you can buy the hardware yourself and ask the ITC to dothe value-added work. But if you don't want the hassle, ordon't know tech, the best thing to do is get quotes from atleast two different consultants and compare them."

Panic Buttons

In a corporate environment, the MIS department is tasked withresponding to computer crashes as quickly as possible in order tokeep user downtime to an absolute minimum.

Should the "virtual MIS department" for a homebasedbusiness have the same responsibilities? According to Ray, unlessyour business would suffer tremendous losses from unscheduledcomputer downtime, keeping your IT consultant on call forafter-hours or weekend visits would be prohibitively expensive."If you're a normal 9-to-5 business, emergency on-callservice is an expense you can really do without. I've found itvery rare for a computer to simply break down."

Ray compares IT consultants who offer 24/7 on-call service tomanufacturers who sell consumers costly extended warrantees withthe purchase of a telephone or other product, suggesting you canhead off computer emergencies by scheduling regular maintenance ofyour systems-during normal business hours.

If you're running a business where a midnight computer crashwould spell disaster, you have several options for after-hours techsupport. Ranging from most to least expensive, you could put in anemergency contingency clause in your consultant's proposal orservice contract, making it mandatory for the ITC to provide24-hour on-call service at a specified rate. Again, if youdon't stand to lose a lot of money from a computer crash, itmay not make sense to pay the extra charge for this kind ofemergency or on-call service.

There are also several 24-hour tech support hotlines, which, fora relatively small fee (far less than an unscheduled 2AM visit byyour ITC), talk you through the process of diagnosing and repairingsoftware crashes.

Finally, some consultants with nervous clients have taken tobuilding their own Web site with a FAQ section where the businessowner can go during non-business hours to find answers.

Building a good working relationship with a tech consultantprovides much more than just advice on your next computer purchase.It also offers you something you can't buy in any store: peaceof mind.

Rescue Me

Microsoft Business Advantage
http://www.microsoft.com/biz
This Web resource created specifically for small to medium-sizedbusinesses with five to 500 PCs features a referral engine linkingto local technology experts, as well as software licensinginformation.

Ontrack Data Recovery
(800) 872-2599, http://www.ontrack.com
If you have lost or inaccessible data on your hard drive or floppydisks, Ontrack Data Recovery is the place to get help. Solutionsrange from in-lab and remote services to cost-effectivedo-it-yourself software.

Intel's Answer Express (888) 795-7357, http://www.intel.com/answerexpress/index.htm
Answer Express supports more than 200 leading software titles--plushardware and peripherals--
and offers help with installations, troubleshooting and how-toquestions.

Contact Sources

• NDC Communications, Inc.,http://www.sohoware.com, e-mail:sales@sohoware.com
• Family Computer Consulting Services, e-mail: rayramon@NYFCCS.com