Part-time IT Support and Consulting for Small and Medium Sized Businesses

OVERVIEW:  Small and medium sized businesses usually have the same IT needs as larger firms – but not the same staff.  Large firms typically have full-time computer support staff that take care of reoccurring problems such as viruses, email delivery, and Internet access, and also more strategic issues such as planning for future technology needs designed to help create and serve business growth. Smaller firms typically rely on the skills of the most computer literate employee to accomplish some of these same functions, even if that person has other tasks to perform for which they were hired.

Today’s business world almost certainly demands the use of technology such as email and Internet access.  Customers and vendors alike are more frequently requiring electronic input of data, over paper forms.  All businesses need to continue to advance their set of available tools to keep up.  For example, fast Internet access has become extremely affordable, but sometimes companies are confused by all the options and don’t feel well equipped to make the needed decisions on how to move forward with the technology, and how to maintain any choices made once they are deployed.  What is a LAN, what can it do for me, and how can I keep it up and running, once installed?  Is a server necessary for my company?  These are some of the reasons a monthly support contract for IT services might make sense for your company. 

With Apollo Solutions, there will always be a main point of contact for any work covered under any maintenance agreement (support contract).  Work performed is always agreed upon by the consultant and the business owner.  The contract will have an agreed upon amount of hours spent per month and at the end of each month, a detailed record of work performed is delivered.  If consulting hours ever need to exceed that which has been allocated per month, additional hours would first be agreed upon and authorized by the business owner.

Should problems arise with any of the technology in use at the customer’s site, Apollo Solutions can provide you with the support to help diagnose errors and determine the most appropriate method of correcting the situation.  Regardless of whether the hardware or software in use has been sold by Apollo Solutions, we can act as your representative to the original manufacturer or creator of all products purchased, should you desire, to aid in typical problem resolution.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: 

• Predictable amounts of time (dollars) spent per month on IT support

• Act as your IT department when you do not have one in-house

• Visits can include work on implementing any product or procedure, typically to improve productivity or provide better company information flow

• Work also includes upkeep of:  existing email systems, Internet access, anti-virus protection systems, SPAM elimination controls, contact management systems, networked (shared) printers, remote access systems, file backups

• Maintenance of database applications typically used for accounting  (AP, AR, Purchasing, Inventory Control, etc.) and/or customer relationship applications

•Creation of reports from database applications to provide desired operations information to management