The Difference between an technology consulting company and a "Computer Guy"

Hello blog readers.

It has been awhile since I have posted...I do apologize.  I had somethings on my mind for the last few days and wanted to gather my thoughts.

As I have been going around and shaking hands with people and trying to win their business, some things have been clear to me.  As a  professional that offers full service consulting in just about any area related to technology (networks, security, web sites, applications, etc), I find that most companies don't know what the difference is between a Technology Consulting Firm and a "computer" guy. 

Sure, there are many businesses that just use computers to check their email, print stuff out, and maybe run their accounting software.  Most small business try to find a "computer guy" that is a freelancer (side job) type of person.  It is usually less expensive among other things.  But what happens when the accounting computer crashes and you can't get the computer guy on the phone because he has a day job...etc.

I win lots of client for scenairos just like this.  So I wanted to blog a bit and try to discuss some of the difference between a professional firm and a freelancer.

1. Scalability: Most businesses are much more reliable on technology than they realize.   A technology firm has the bandwidth and resources to jump on the problem right away. Some problems are even more wide spread where there needs to be more than 1 engineer working the issue.  A firm can call in the troops when needed and can scale to meet the needs of the job
2. Partnership: As a full service firm, I really view myself as a true business partner of my clients.   It is important to me to engage my clients and fully understand THEIR business.  This allows my company to choose the best course of action for the given business.
3. Trust: Trust is always an interesting item in this arena.  Many businesses hand over the keys to the tech guys.  But what are the protocols for handling sensitive data?  I find that most firms contractually have strict rules outlined for how they are to handle a customers data.  It can be done in a way that protects the client.  I find that many businesses that hire a computer guy are stuck because they don't know what backdoor or access he may have to the system.  Firms generally have the insurance and coverage to take care of the most sensitive data.
4. Response: I was once a "computer guy" and I can always remember the sinking feeling I would get when I was 30 miles form a client that couldn't print their paychecks, or couldn't get on the net.  It wasn't because I wasn't responsible or couldn't happen..it was because I was stretched too thin.   Lets face it, unless its scheduled work...as a business, you should assume that your computer guy is working at another location.  What would happen if XYZ happens...what would it mean to the business.

I could write a few more, but these are some of the areas that businesses should think about when making their choices.  I have nothing at all against "computer guys" at all...there are many businesses that can use a computer guy just fine.   My point is that there are too many businesses that need services that simply don't know or realize the difference.

Ok...that is my .02 =)  Catch you on my next post.

Article Generation Software

I am not much of an SEO guy...infact, I really try not to touch it with a 10 ft pole because I cannot guarantee my customers results.  Anyhow, I have been working on my website and trying to improve its rankings.  Part of the process is to write a bunch of blogs (like this) and articles that point back to your website.

Well, I don't mind writing but it is hard to find the time to generate enough information where it can been effective.  

I didn't know this, but there is actually software out there that will search the web and build custom articles...with the need to type.  I figured it would be terrible cheesy stuff....but I decided to pony up the $$ for some software called Instant Article Wizard.

I used this thing to generate tons of content for press releases and other places on the web so it could link back to my site.

Anyhow, I would recommend it....

Sharp Increase in Custom E-Commerce Websites for Established Technology Consulting Firm

Orlando Florida April 26^th, 2009 – A leading full service technology firm in Orlando, Florida has experienced a dramatic increase in the number of E-Commerce related websites in Q1 2009.

Elliston Consulting, Inc has experienced a 75% increase in the amount of E-Commerce project sales.

President Eric Elliston says “It only makes sense in today’s economic times that the prospect of using the web vs. a brick and mortar store is a much more viable option when you look at the investment and operational costs.”

As more and more shoppers are seeking the best deals, many resort to buying even the most basic items on the web.

“Simply look at Amazon’s grocery offering “adds Elliston.  “It provides the opportunity to really research your day to day purchases.  It’s economics and convenience in one place.”

Elliston Consulting has said that over half of the new E-Commerce projects are migrations from software as a service (SaaS) commerce providers.

“I have talked to numerous clients who feel that their current E-Commerce solution is held hostage by their current providers” Elliston reports.  “We wanted to come up with a service where they actually own the technology that operates their store.”   

While the investment is initially more, the return on investment works out for the vast majority of committed store owners.

Elliston says, “While we have always offered end to end retail solutions, we have had to retool our shop to handle the influx of commerce sites”

It’s impossible to determine if this trend will continue but this consulting firm will certainly welcome the business.

 

Elliston Consulting is a full service technology consulting firm that specializes in E-Commerce, web design, software development, technology consulting, and outsourcing management.  You can find out more about them by going to http://www.EllistonConsulting.com

Ditching Ebay for your Own E-Commerce Site

I have been building web sites and web application for many years now.   They have ranged from real estate sites to music sites.  One of the areas that has spiked my interest over the last couple of years is E-Commerce. 

In the last 3 years or so, there has been such a shift in the amount of web stores that I see online.  Every tom, dick and harry is now selling their products online....which I think is great.   I would also say that the effectiveness of EBay has been drastically reduced.   I used to be able to find anything in the world on Ebay, but now its not quite as easy.  Personally, I think they have alienated themselves from the sellers.  The fees are too high and they are too restrictive.   You are no longer allowed to promote your "real" store.  If you link outside of your ebay store, you are toast.   And...don't get me started on Paypal (which is Ebay owned).

The only thing Ebay has going for them is how easy it is for a normal john doe to post his widgets online.  But for the seasoned retailer, the tide has turned and it is now easier than ever to own your own E-Commerce store.  Many retailers are afraid to take the plunge.  At Elliston Consulting,  I built a ton of E-Commerce sites...so I am going to try loosen up some of the sticky points that my clients ran into.

1. Ebay Gets more users - It is very true, its unrealistic that you will be able to compete with Ebay's visibility.  But with social networking and product syndication (ie. GOOGLE product search), you have all of the tools you need to "post" your products all over the Internet and drive traffic back to your E-Commerce store.  You only need to worry about the potential customers that will buy your products.  Focus on targeted marketing...

2.  Cost - Depending on the solution, weather its a software as a service (SaaS) or your own solution you have custom developed, there is more risk up front.  My response to this is: go read #1 on this list.  If you can invest in driving traffic (both in $$ and time) to your site...and your prices are competitive, the ROI will be a no-brainer.  One of the solutions that I specialize in offers a fully featured store that includes drop shipping (where you don't have to carry inventory), SEO features, syndication tools, content management system, inventory mgmt and about 300 other key features (Visit this Link).  The initial investment can start around $5k, but when you compare that to a true brick and mortar operation...that cost is nothing.  Plus, with the richness of the features, a system like this could easily go for over $250k.   There are many SaaS companies that offer nice solutions as well for a low fee.  The only problem is, you are totally stuck with them.   If you ever want to leave a SaaS E-Commerce company, you have to manually move all your products to your new provider.  This can be an enormous task.   I recommend the large investment because you can take your store with you.   I am getting many customers leaving GoECart because of various issues they are having...so much so I have even dedicated a site to capture that business (www.leavegoecart.com)

3.  Complexity - Many people think that it will be more complex to run your own E-Commerce store.  I think anyone would be surprised as to how easy it is.  Many systems offer some really nice tools to manage your inventory.   The ones that I have used are easier and more feature rich that Ebay

4.  Security - I have heard that people are worried about being responsible for storing credit card information.   I would pick a solution that has some credentials like Verified by Visa or some other type of stamp of approval where the system has been vetted.

5.  Customer Service - Believe it or not, many people think that Ebay handles all the store owner customer service requests related to a sale.  To me, it won't be any different.  You will still be responsible for your customer.  Generally, I have experienced that with your own E-Commerce solution you can provide a more friendly experience, and the overall customer service requests as it compares to sales should be less.

I could go on and on, but these are the 5 areas that people always ask me.  Sure, Ebay still has its place for those wanting to clean out their garage...but its days as being an end-to-end solution for retailers are numbered.

For more information about E-Commerce, please visit us at http://www.ellistonconsulting.com

100 tips for outsourcing to India

I came across this article that provides 100 tips for outsourcing your projects to India.

http://www.hrworld.com/features/100-tips-outsourcing-india-021508/

My First Experience with Outsourcing Software Development to India Part 1

During the last year, I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to quite a bit of travel to India.  For me, this was a VERY big deal...until that point, I was never any further west than Colorado.

 

After I got the passport and the visa and the shots and the plane tickets, I was on the 13 hour flight CO82....on my way to New Delhi.  I was quite nervous, mainly because of what the travel health clinic told me.  The last thing I wanted to have happen was for me to get sick.

 

Anyhow after I landed in Delhi...I found out my bags were missing.  So that was an adventure.  I had packed a bunch of my own food since I am not a huge fan of Indian cuisine.  So, that had me all concerned.  I started looking for the next flight back out =).

 

To make a very long story short, we made it to the guest house (a corporate apartment our company leased in South Delhi)...and I crashed.

 

So the next morning, I woke up very early to the sound of horns beeping constantly.  To my surprise, I wasn't too upside down from the jet lag.  Still in the same clothes I flew over in, I headed over to the office to meet the new team I was going to manage.

 

As I walked to the office, I saw many cows, dogs, and monkeys.  When I got to the office, I was impressed.  It looked just like an office we would have in the states.  Everyone was very friendly when I walked in...this was very cool.   I walked into our suite, I was one of the 1st folks there. Those who were there, came up and introduced themselves...so far, nothing was different that in the US.

 

After an hour or so, I took some time and went around to everyone to formally introduce myself.  Many had their iPods or were checking their Gmail.   Again, it was a perfectly normal office environment.  

 

Now to the tech....    (We were a .NET shop that specializes in rich media).  My first week was to try to get a feel as to how the shop operates.  I had plans on standing up Microsoft Team Foundation Server...so I came prepared to do the installation.   Not many members of the team knew about TFS, but I explained what it was and what it would provide for us.  Their eyes lit up.  It was quite amazing and really started opening my eyes  and exposing the real areas we needed to focus on. 

 

Every single member of the team had a burning desire to understand the business.  Most of them only ever saw very high-level requirements document (more like a wish list) to build off of.  So much of the time, they would have no idea as to what they were building and why.   TFS help provide visibility into the vision of the project...which really excited the team.

 

I started to have a lot of longer conversations with the members about business and talking to them about the plans of the company etc.  It was clear that they were so disconnected from that process....which was always the issue I had with outsourcing overseas.  The way things work in India is so different, normal business logic and process like we have in the US does not even cross their minds.

 

I have heard many times that when you outsource, it is important that you detail every single aspect of the process.  For me personally, that is hard because I believe in an Agile process that typically has less planning.  Anyhow, it was clear that by the end of this week long trip, I would have to be back before I knew it.  There was much work to do...after all, "give a man a fish, he will eat for a day....Teach a man to fish, he will eat for a lifetime."  

 

I will talk about month #2 in my next post...

How can the technology consultants weather the storm??

I have been putting off starting a blog for quite awhile now, but given the economic conditions...it is now more important than ever.  I have always had more work than I can handle but things are starting to REALLY change.  It is becoming clear that we those of us in the technology consulting field, weather its web development or business networking service...its clear that it will take some elbow grease to drum up some new business.

It seems that many companies are not spending money AT ALL.  I have experienecd companies that have a clear short term ROI on technology investment simply will not move.  Much of my business used to be based new system integrations, e-commerce applications, or other web solutions....now, I only fix stuff that is broken.

I wanted to open up a discussion about all of your ways to survive this crazy time.  What are some thoughts on the following:

1) Getting new business

2) Using social media to drive new business

3) On board new customers

4) Charge less?

5) Offer more?

I still have a very positive outlook.  I am in a good area for technology, Orlando Florida...so I am confident that it will turn around and those who are decisive, will survive.