Jargon

“Incomprehensible jargon is the hallmark of a profession.” – Kingman Brewster, Jr.

Jargon impresses no one—especially your clients. More than likely, they do not care how many letters you have after your name, how many years you have in the field, or even if you graduated high school. If you try to explain connectivity issues like this:

“The TCP/IP stack is called a stack because it contains 4 layers chained together. Sometimes the links between layers can become broken resulting in total loss of connection to the network. If you experience total connection loss and you get no reply when you type “ping 127.0.0.1” at the command prompt your stack has probably become corrupted. If you get a reply from the ping, but still can’t connect to the network your problem is elsewhere.”

You may have just totally confused your clients and made them feel like idiots. Sounding pretentious will not impress your clients. Being able to explain the problem and solution in a way that is understandable will. Furthermore, eliminating the jargon and communicating on a “down to Earth” level opens the door to educate your clients on the technology they are running.

Explaining situations and solutions in laymen term doesn’t mean you are dumbing yourself down. It simply means that you are accurately describing the situation to your clients so that they can understand. Many times, they don’t even have to understand the entire concept.

“That thing unexpectedly broke causing you not to surf the Internet. The reason why it broke is currently unclear, however; I can replace it and get you back up and surfing. After words, I will investigate to see if this is something that can be prevented in the future.”

Michael D. Alligood
Partner Sales & Support, ExchangeDefender & Shockey Monkey
michael@ownwebnow.com
(877) 546-0316 x707

Pricing Services

For many IT solution companies, pricing seems to be a never-ending game of chance. When do you raise prices? When do you drop prices? What do you charge to be competitive? How do you stay profitable?

These are all valid questions and the truth is, there is no real right answer when it comes to pricing. It has been conceived in the IT community that you must get X for certain services and you must charge Y for others. This has been developed by certain advisors and coaches based on past experience in certain areas.

Though some of this can be good information and provide a good starting point it is by no means the definitive. Getting pricing right can take time and unfortunately it is sometimes a gamble with the potential of losing business. Price too high equals lost business, price too low and the potential is lost revenues or worst yet possible negative revenues.

The key is in research. This means putting on your stealth hat and calling the competition, or having someone do it for you. Researching the competitions pricing will give you the best insight into your area. It is recommended to gather as many prices as possible to give the most accurate picture.

Once you have gathered the information necessary, you must determine a good place to be with your pricing. If you are new to the area you may want to sit at the lower end of the pricing spectrum or provide incentives to build a book of business.  This could mean providing promotions or introductory service offerings to gain recognition in the community.

If you are an established business you can price your services at the top of the pricing average. It is important if you do this, to utilize your referral network as well as reputation to market higher quality, trusted services. The nice thing about an established business is you have more opportunity to provide discounts to win business.

Be assured that initially you will not have the perfect price. Pricing is ever evolving and changing. Established businesses can raise prices slightly each year with little push back from customers but make small price increases or you may risk business.

One controversial notion is to pass on savings when you meet tiered price savings from IT vendors. Generally IT companies have added these savings to their revenue and there is nothing wrong with this. It may however be a significant differentiator to show customers savings when you meet tiered pricing goals.

No matter how you price your services, make sure to pay attention to your sales. Monitor the reasons why potential customers choose other providers by simply asking them why they went with the competition and don’t be afraid to make adjustments to your pricing on the fly. When it comes to pricing nothing is set in stone.

Frank Gurnee
VP, Channel Services, ExchangeDefender
(877) 546-0316 x4777
frank@ownwebnow.com

5 Reasons Why Belonging To An Industry Association is a No-Brainer

The IT industry offers a number of organizations and associations for IT companies and Managed Service Providers to be a part of. Many companies overlook the advantages that belonging to these organizations provides.

1. Peer to Peer Networking – Peer to peer networking is a major part of belonging to an industry association. Some have forums where information is shared and there are usually events where face to face networking provides a chance to discuss industry issues, trends, and topics.

2. Vendor Awareness – Vendor Awareness can be a big advantage for companies looking to separate their businesses from their competition. Many vendors belong to industry associations and association events can be a good way to improve vendor relations as well as provide a foot in the door for personalized interaction.

3. Discounts and Group Buys – Discounts and group buys are another positive influence that associations can bring. Often times the association can leverage their membership to help decrease costs of many items from parts to group insurance, which increases overall revenues.

4. Building a Reputation – Building a reputation in the industry can lead to many new opportunities. Associations provide a voice and allow members to partake in surveys, roundtable discussions, and leadership trainings. By creating and fostering a positive industry reputation companies can see doors open and collaboration beyond the local level.

5. Education – Education is one of the biggest reasons to join an organization. Most provide formal training for leadership and employees,certification opportunities, as well as the potential to lead and become a subject matter expert on many topics.

Most industry organizations have a small fee, but the value provided far outweighs the cost to an IT company. Research the organizations and associations by talking to peers and evaluating the organizations online resources. Once you join, don’t leave it at that. Become a part of the communities and gain a voice in the industry. Take advantage of as many resources as are provided, and make sure to reach out to organization staff to get a better understanding of available benefits.

Frank Gurnee
VP, Channel Services, ExchangeDefender
(877) 546-0316 x4777
frank@ownwebnow.com

“Marketing Does Not Work” Really?

Marketing success is not kept a secret and it certainly does not have a magical recipe! It is actually fairly simplistic. When you market your business correctly, you will thrive and if you market your business ineffectively, you will struggle. This statement holds true because marketing is based on not only needs and wants but also cause and effect.

Earlier this month I received an email from one of our partners that was telling me about how they were trying to expand their client base in their area – but that their marketing strategies were letting them down and basically told me straight up that “Marketing doesn’t work.”

Your Tools Are Not To Blame

In the above example, the suggestion was that the failure of this company’s efforts to generate business was not their fault, but that marketing ‘doesn’t work’. Actually, their problem was not as they suggested, it was simply that they were going about it all wrong!  For example, a poorly written advertisement or campaign, placed in the wrong location or targeted towards the wrong market, is unlikely to generate a ton of interest or sales!  However, this certainly does not mean that marketing doesn’t work; it just means that the strategy and placement was wrong.

When selling goods and services to people remember that they will buy more based on what they need or want. When you identify those needs and wants you can provide the best solution for them. Then you can “go and advertise” where they go to fulfill those needs and wants. This is one of the reasons why ExchangeDefender goes to so many tradeshows and industry events as part of our marketing efforts; we can reach more solution providers were they are and better cater to their needs and wants.

Stephanie Hasenour
VP Marketing, ExchangeDefender
stephanie@ownwebnow.com

Ahsay Restore File Prompts for Encryption Key

We have come across a couple users who were unable to restore files from Ahsay because they were continuously prompted for an Encryption Key.

This issue occurs when a user changes the Ahsay user password from the original password.

When a user is created Ahsay hashes their password as the file encryption key. Using the encryption key, Ahsay then hashes with a salt any data backed up. When a user goes to restore a file from Ahsay the agent will automatically try to decrypt the data with the current user hashed password, which if changed from the original causes the agent to prompt the user for the encryption key.

If you are unable to restore a file you can contact our support team as we may have the original key on file in the account history however this is not guaranteed.

If a user wants to use a custom password for the encryption key they must configure the custom encryption key BEFORE backing up any data. If a user changes the encryption key after data has been backed up then the original backed up data will be inaccessible without the previous encryption password.

Travis Sheldon
VP, Network Operations, ExchangeDefender
(877) 546-0316 x757
travis@ownwebnow.com

Making the Most Out of IT

For many IT Solution Providers and Managed Service Providers the bottom line depends on as little interaction as possible with clients to make the most revenue. This is great for creating efficiencies and productivity for clients, but may not help with relationship building. It is easy for a client to look at an IT bill and wonder exactly what they are getting for their spend when they rarely see their provider.

This is an issue that many providers face when managing a client network with few problems. There are some things that can be done to provide great face time, build relationships, and keep clients. I like to call this series “Making the Most out of IT.”

A Little Help Can Make A Lot of Difference

Usually when you install new products, devices, or software solutions there is a bit of a learning curve for users. If you install and run, most people will not take the time to use the new solution thus making the install a wasted effort. Especially for managed service or recurring revenue clients, setting up a quarterly lunch and learn might be a great way to keep clients happy and on top of technology. This fun and educational event for your client will keep them appreciative and most likely gain you additional sales and a better relationship. Get your vendors involved, as they will most likely have small giveaway items, materials, and advice on how to educate your clients on the products you are covering.

Unexpected Visits

Unexpected visits are always welcomed when you bring a gift for the office. This can be a simple gesture such as donuts, pizza, or a tub of licorice but the effort will always make you the good guy. The key to this is frequency. It doesn’t have to be all the time just on a regular basis. Quarterly is a good start just schedule your client visits in your calendar and keep your own appointment to build rapport. This will be remembered when there is a problem that needs some understanding from the client side, such as in the event of an outage.

Think outside of the box and provide new resourceful ways to stay connected to your clients. Email, marketing, and newsletters are good but the good old face to face is what will set you apart from your competition. By going the extra mile and providing education or simple training and regular interaction, you will keep clients happy, keep them buying, keep them recommending your service, and you will just flat keep them.

Frank Gurnee
VP, Channel Services, ExchangeDefender
(877) 546-0316 x4777
frank@ownwebnow.com

Network Improvements

Over the past month we have been slowly upgrading the network for our Exchange 2010 clusters to segregate network traffic not only between clusters, but between the resources within the cluster. Prior to the upgrades all clusters and services within the clusters (CAS arrays, DAG, etc.) were able to interact with each other. By utilizing VLAN and QoS on the switch we have been able to limit down the amount of multicast traffic and broadcasts between networks which dramatically improved network responsiveness within each cluster. By limiting the outside “noise” we have seen a 130% improvement of log shipment between DAG nodes across clusters and an 80% improvement of CAS related traffic. All in all these network changes directly improve the customer experience by providing a faster handling and response of requests to mailboxes.

Travis Sheldon
VP, Network Operations, ExchangeDefender
(877) 546-0316 x757
travis@ownwebnow.com

Software as a Service Just Makes Good Sense

With the adoption of Software services and cloud implementations the days of traditional retail boxed software is all but disappearing and for good reason. Disk-based software and licensing had many faults. First requiring customers to keep track of software, let alone licenses, could create many issues when there was a dreaded failure and reload scenario. Second high priced support could take a large chunk out of a technology budget not leaving much room for repairs or necessary upgrades when due.

These days things are much much different. There are no longer worries of media, boxes, licensing, or support. Licensing, one of the biggest headaches in the previous model, can simply be looked up with customer information and provided within an instant. Not having media means accessing applications and downloads from virtually anywhere. Support is now rolled into products providing value and overcoming the issue of large capital outlays or the worry of companies deciding not to get support and then having issues.

Some may look at SaaS as costing more over time, but considering the fact that SaaS solutions provide unlimited software updates, rolled into support, and peace of mind regarding licensing, the values outweigh any additional costs. Software ownership has never been a good investment; just head to your basement or closet sometime and find some of those retail boxes we’ve been talking about. Outside of nostalgic memories of that Windows 3.1 or that early version of QuickBooks, the box and media disks really have no value.

Software as a Service and cloud solutions are becoming a standard in the software industry. For vendors there are lower costs and guaranteed recurring revenues. For Providers the benefits are very much the same. On top of the outlined benefits, IT solution Providers and MSP’s can provide value added services to their solutions. By utilizing ExchangeDefender, providers can even create their own pricing and add-ons to create the most value and revenue.

Frank Gurnee
VP, Channel Services, ExchangeDefender
(877) 546-0316 x4777
frank@ownwebnow.com

Becoming a Partner

As a former I.T. VAR and small business owner, one of the duties I love about my job at ExchangeDefender is talking to current business owners about their technology offerings. You see, I know how difficult it is to choose the right vendor for your business. There are tons of I.T. conferences, webinars, seminars, mailers, emails, phone calls, and yes; promises, that are made to you on a daily basis by vendors. The absolute worst thing that can happen is that you get involved with a vendor without knowing all the details:

• Is there partnership program fee-based?
• Are there minimum requirements, either financial or otherwise, to maintain that partnership?
• Are you paying for items you really do not need or use in your everyday workflow process?
• How easy (or difficult) is it to receive help when needed?

Having been in your shoes before, I empathize with you. What baffles me, however, is when you know who I am and who I work for, but never tried ExchangeDefender products and services!

“Yeah, I see yours and Vlad’s posts on Facebook. I’ve been meaning to check you guys out.”

“I’ve been thinking of signing up as an ExchangeDefender partner, but I haven’t had the time.”

“The Moon isn’t in the ninth house. It’s not a good time.”

While I’ve heard the gamut of excuses answers when asked, “Why haven’t you signed up to be an ExchangeDefender partner;” my favorite by far is, “I don’t know how…” Well folks, I’m here to tell you that it’s as easy as visiting our website: www.exchangedefender.com. If you’re still reading this post, then you’re half way there! From our homepage, you click on the “Become a Partner” link and sign up. From start to finish, the process should not take more than 5 minutes—depending on your typing skills.

The best part about becoming an ExchangeDefender partner is that it’s FREE! So, in a way, we are giving you a way to make ‘money for nothing’ (for the Millennial Generation, see: “Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits.) The only time our partners are billed is when they order products or services. There are no long term contracts, no annual commitment fees, and no hidden costs. Plus, ExchangeDefender is up 24/7, 365 days of the year. For all support, presale and urgent matters; partners have around the clock access to their support portal. If you would like to talk to a human being, pick up the phone and call us: (877) 546-0316.

To put the process in perspective, you could have signed up as a partner in the time it took you to read this post! So sign up, get familiar with our products, and expand your technical portfolio by offering ExchangeDefender solutions.

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Michael D. Alligood,

Partner Sales and Support

ExchangeDefender | Shockey Monkey

(877) 546-0316 x707

michael@ownwebnow.com