What is our USP

During the course of a sales call or visiting new prospects, I often get asked exactly WHAT our Unique Selling Proposition is. That got me thinking...

In a nutshell it is this: Concentrate on running your business, we'll run your IT.

We also have a few other key components to our success:

1. Our People

We have a dedicated Team of people. One of the lines on our mission statement read: "We will keep each other's promises."

That means that the buck stops with me. I will not hand over the responsibility to complete a job/service ticket/issue to another staff member. Ultimately, I need to finish the job (even if it is not mine). And I will never blame another staff member if something goes wrong - I take ultimate responsibility for all that happens in the business.

We have an ethos of always learning something new. Every day. Never stop studying! We have in-house courses that prepare our technicians for a life in the trenches. COST1 (Certified Omniskilled Technician Level 1) will prepare them for the basics and once they have completed COST2 I feel comfortable allowing them to work on client PC's.

Here are some of the subjects covered in the courses:

COST1:

1. The OSI Model
2. PC Name Resolution: How do you find a PC name if you have the IP Address? Simple - its called name resolution.
3. Protocols and Ports: Common Protocols and ports used
4. Useful Command Line Tools : There are various tools that you could use from a command line (DOS) in either Windows or Linux. Here are a couple of them:
5. Creating email accounts: Setting up new email users
6. VPN Setup Instructions: Setting up a VPN to a WOWConnect Server
7. Posix Administration Interface: We use Posix as our ADSL provider of choice. This is how you add ADSL accounts
8. ADSL Router Setup: How to setup ADSL Routers correctly.
9. Client Remote Support: Giving clients remote support with UltraVNC.
10. Server Setup Basics: The absolute minimum requirements for you to adhere to when setting up a new server
11. How to create VOIP Numbers :How to create VOIP Numbers on the Portabilling Interface


COST2:
1. Connectwise Training - Complete your Connectwise modules and exams
2. XXXXX Training - Our Managed Services specific training
- Basic Introduction to Setting up a new Site
- Server Monitoring Server Monitoring
etc....
3. Firewall Setup and Configuration
4. Webmin Training
5. Qmailadmin Training - How to use qmailadmin properly
-Logging In Logging In
-The Main Menu The Main Menu
-The Admin Pages The Admin Pages
-Quick Links Quick Links
-Accounts Accounts

6. VMWare Console Training

etc...

7. Exchange Server Training
- Configuring Exchange 2003 for Proactive Management
- Exchange 2003 Security Part 1
- Exchange 2003 Security Part 2
- Exchange 2003 Recipient Management
- Exchange 2003 Address Lists
- Public Folder Administration
- Outlook 2003 and Outlook Express Clients

8. Linux Command Line Tools Linux Command Line Tools
etc...

9. Understanding MX Records
- MX stands for Mail Exchange Records. MX records are used in DNS records(or Zone files) to specify how email should be routed.
- New Domain Registration and Email Setup How to register new domains

10. The Network Documentation Workbook

- What is the Network Documentation Workbook?
- The Binder Table Of Contents and Backup Log

etc... You get the idea!

2. Our Clients

I always tell staff that we work for the nicest people in the world. In fact, 99% of all our clients really are the nicest people in the world. If we take the time to talk to them and listen and resolve issues properly and on time, all people are the nicest people in the world!

We have built up a loyal client base over the past 10 years and we see them as business partners. As such we take responsibility for our clients IT infrastructure and we have changed our business model from one where the client is taking all the risk in our relationship (if something breaks, they pay for our time UNTIL the problems are fixed) to having the onus put on us for ensuring that their systems are always up. We are now doing unlimited remote and on-site support. If a server crashes, we pay. If there is a virus outbreak and we have to work for a week to get it sorted, that's our problem. You get the idea.

We also try and take as much of the daily administration of managing their IT infrastructure off their shoulders. We act as the middleman to all the clients vendors, be it Telecoms, broadband, PABX's, printers or cellphones. We call this service vendor management. By funneling all IT issues through our system we are able to monitor the vendors and we literally give the clients "one throat to choke". Doing this burdensome job allows us the opportunity to become a trusted advisor to the clients, and it also helps them to concentrate on running their business, not their IT.

In tough economic times we have to be very frugal with our hard earned cash. This is why our service offering includes helping our clients with setting up proper budgeting which results in a smart total managed IT spend.

3. Our Systems:

We have invested heavily in state of the art business systems to allow us to be the most productive at what we do. We use Connectwise as our PSA (Professional Services Automation) tool. It used to be a 'Helpdesk' system in the past but it has evolved way beyond that.

Our PSA allows us to resolve our calls within SLA, escalates the call to management if they are not resolvedwithin the allotted time period, checks when our client contracts are due for renewal, helps us schedule our staff, runs our projects, does our business workflow, maintains our client's asset base and gets our billing in on time and accurately (among other things).

It gives clients access to a portal where they can view upcoming projects, all tickets logged, invoices and if we are keeping within our SLA's (among others).

Solutions like these do not come cheap, but that is what differentiates us from our competition and leads to happier clients. We use international best practices in our company. And we are always asking what best practices are in companies similar to ours.

We have meticulously documented methodologies for each and every new business client that we implement. Our new client take-on checklist encompasses more than 350 items that needs to be done! All new projects, be it a server install, a new ADSL line, an entire VOIP rollout or designing an online marketing campaign has a step-by-step checklist that needs to be completed. Why? Because that is best practice!

and finally,

4. Our Business Outlook

We always try and have bold and innovative strategies to empower our clients. We have recently launched a service where clients are able to rent anti-virus software from three major AV vendors on a monthly basis. This enables clients that are not properly licensed to get legal quickly without a huge Capex outlay.

I have to admit that we're not re-inventing the wheel. Everything that we are trying to achieve in our IT Practice has already been done somewhere in the world. And done better, probably. That is why we partner with the most successful and innovative industry leaders in our field.

Some of these technology partners include MSP University, Microsoft, Connectwise and Zenith. We also follow technology trends like a hawk. People like Karl Palachuk, the VAR guy (yes, nobody know who he is - some clues may be found here: http://www.thevarguy.com/who-is-the-var-guy/ ), Erick Simpson and Vlad Mazek have amazing insights into the industry. And we study them and their companies so that our clients don't have to.

We are focused. Our target market are the SMME's. Our sweet spot is the 75 to 150 PC range. We are hungry for new business and agile when it comes to client needs. Need a new laptop by 7 AM tomorrow? No problem, we will sort it. We are willing to go that extra mile and try and exceed client expectations with every touch point that we have.

That is basically it. Not an elevator speech, I admit, but we really do have our very own USP.....

Please remember, if you have any questions or IT problems that you would like us to have a look at, we are only a phone call away...... 087 806 1330 or 0861 CLEVER.

Regards
Arno