12/11/08 at 4:30 PM by Tony Lael Everyone can sell services if they can develop a technique that they can get comfortable with.
There is not a day that goes by that I do not hear a VAR using PSA software in the IT service world tell me they do not like to sell, how uncomfortable it makes them, and how they just can’t seem to muster the…
11/24/08 at 12:32 PM by Tony Lael Join the SupportMatch LinkedIn Group
This group is for IT service companies who want to be a part of a peer group and IT community that strives to make outsourcing IT services the preferred choice for business leaders. Become part of a network of IT service providers that serve businesses everywhere
11/24/08 at 11:34 AM by Tony Lael A variety of accounting packages are in use by VARs, MSPs and IT service companies the world over.
In light of the recent economic issues showing themselves in various global markets we thought it would be appropriate to remind owners of IT service companies to focus on the financial numbers … and find out which systems companies are using the…
10/19/08 at 12:56 PM by Tony Lael Why should I analyze my client list?
Part 1 in this series, Portfolio Basics: The Client Portfolio Concept, introduced the concept of managing your clients as a portfolio. This is a way to understand the value and opportunities in the list of clients you currently serve. The goal of managing your clients as a portfolio has several benefits, but this blog…
8/26/08 at 12:55 PM by Tony Lael A question we are asked everyday is “what is CoreConnex seeing work well for other IT service companies?” While we do not share trade secrets, we can tell you that similar to the list of behaviors mentioned in Stephen Covey’s book 7 Habits of Highly Successful People that sold over 15 million copies, there are 10 habits that the most…
8/3/08 at 8:41 AM by Tony Lael Just because technology gives businesses the capability to work without an office, virtually, that does not mean technology has replaced the need to practice the disciplines of effective business, team and project management. In fact, technology has made virtual team management a requirement in today’s business world. Professional service companies are successfully managing virtual teams and reducing costs while increasing…
6/23/08 at 12:44 PM by Tony Lael The 6th annual SMB Nation Fall Conference will be held October 4th thru 6th, 2008 at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center, in the heart of downtown Seattle’s beautiful waterfront.
This is an amazing year with several significant industry product launches including Windows Small Business Server 2008, Windows Essential Business Server from Microsoft PLUS launches from third-parties!
SMB Nation publishes books, SMBPC…
4/19/08 at 12:29 PM by Tony Lael The success of business relationships as an IT service provider is largely affected by how well client projects are managed. Many of today’s IT service providers, small and large, use Microsoft Project as their tool of choice, simply because they see no other alternative and it comes free with their Microsoft Partner Action Pack. If you are managing multiple projects…
3/21/08 at 12:18 PM by Tony Lael As Software-as-a-Service applications proliferate through the Internet (‘The Cloud’) many smaller businesses are getting used to the idea of using a browser for their computing needs. The same can be said for networking with others on social networking sites like LinkedIn or IT Link. Social networking on the Internet is about building relationships, sharing knowledge and building a community of…
2/21/08 at 11:48 AM by Tony Lael There is a common misconception that an IT service company, by nature, must be in a constant state of chaos where time commitments are extremely difficult to make, customer service is only whose problem you can get to next, and growing a business is next to impossible because there just is not enough time. There is no doubt that supporting…