Starting own IT consultancy - Gathering list of tools required and recommendations
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@JaredBusch said:
We do not bill anything flat rate. We bill work performed only.
I give clients estimates, such as "you have 4 Windows servers. I will spend between 2 and 4 hours a month on routine maintenance."
Things like that.
So you don't have any AMC option there. Most of the companies here would like to do an annual contract with quarterly payment. So i think giving them a rough amount gives them an idea on how much they spend but rather than going back and let them wait, giving a spot quote sounds good. But this applies only on AMC and for set amount of machines where you do regular maintenance on monthly basis.
What do you think about the designs i shared for the app/web?
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It looks nice but until you know an environment you can't give a fair estimate. you need to be cautious though, asking some questions is fine, we all ask lots of questions, but it seems you dont have any sort of plan for what you're trying to do.
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@hubtechagain said:
It looks nice but until you know an environment you can't give a fair estimate. you need to be cautious though, asking some questions is fine, we all ask lots of questions, but it seems you dont have any sort of plan for what you're trying to do.
Right, this. I know that the MSP model caters hard to fixed services of certain specific types. It works for many companies, but it is simply not something by we choose to do, so I cannot give any advice on specifics.
Regarding the website, it needs work to be more detailed about what the services do.
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Every MSP in our area we talked to (or investigated) and every RMM platform we looked at recommend/use this method.
We charge X, Y, and Z. You don't like it? Find someone else.
Not saying it is the right way, but it's basically all we saw.
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@BRRABill said:
Every MSP in our area we talked to (or investigated) and every RMM platform we looked at recommend/use this method.
We charge X, Y, and Z. You don't like it? Find someone else.
Not saying it is the right way, but it's basically all we saw.
If you were looking at MSP companies, then this is a very good thing. You were looking at companies doing MSP the right way.
We are an IT outsource and consulting firm. It is a completely different model and that is why I cannot give @Ambarishrh any advice on how to structure his offering.
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Gotcha.
From what he was looking to do I figured he was looking to do an MSP versus a pure consultancy.
I think I'm also confusing this with another thread, though, LOL.
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To clear the confusions, first that design is not for my website, its just an app/ service i will be using to provide clients charges when i know that the contract will be to maintain computers and servers on a long term basis. As mentioned, it could give the customer an easy access/understand how much we are talking rather than spending few days making them wait and me spending time on doing a detailed proposal. Its for a rough estimate only and done in a much presentable way.
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@Ambarishrh said:
To clear the confusions, first that design is not for my website, its just an app/ service i will be using to provide clients charges when i know that the contract will be to maintain computers and servers on a long term basis. As mentioned, it could give the customer an easy access/understand how much we are talking rather than spending few days making them wait and me spending time on doing a detailed proposal. Its for a rough estimate only and done in a much presentable way.
This sounds to me like a MSP-type service offering, no?
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@BRRABill said:
@Ambarishrh said:
To clear the confusions, first that design is not for my website, its just an app/ service i will be using to provide clients charges when i know that the contract will be to maintain computers and servers on a long term basis. As mentioned, it could give the customer an easy access/understand how much we are talking rather than spending few days making them wait and me spending time on doing a detailed proposal. Its for a rough estimate only and done in a much presentable way.
This sounds to me like a MSP-type service offering, no?
Yes it is an MSP type service offering.
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I am still confused about which tool to choose for remote support.
Used screenconnect almost 3-4 years ago, remember few things about it, and i wanted to start with that, but not the hosting one for now at least. I like the approach for Max Focus, as it does more than just remote support. Could offer more things like patch management, av (again, not a big fan of bitdefender/viper though!), and some automated maintenance task. Main issue with Max focus is it doesn't have a MAC client yet, but the contact person in GFI told me that they are planning to release MAC version by Jan 2016. Good thing about GFI as far as i understood is it starts billing only when you install agent, so no upfront cost and first 3 months are also free.
Read few good things about http://www.naverisk.com/features-and-benefits/ and labtech (most people say labtech is difficult to configure) too. If screenconnect is your tool, how do you manage other things like patch management, just autoupdate?
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I think most people in the MSP business use a RMM (remote monitoring and management) tool which takes care of all of that.
We use N-Able by Solarwinds. They have remote control built into the software. You can also add on a standalone option for new clients on which you do not have the monitoring software installed.
Everything you were asking about is included in their package. They also help you do pricing, and services offered, and marketing. Though I am pretty sure most RMM companies do the same.
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@BRRABill said:
I think most people in the MSP business use a RMM (remote monitoring and management) tool which takes care of all of that.
Exactly, if you are going the MSP path, make use of the existing tools already on the market. It is highly unlikely that you can mix multiple tools and be more cost effective.
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So I am planning to start with ScreenConnect for now, with the monthly package till the time Maxfocus comes up with MAC support- supporting MAC is very crucial for me, (my contact person in GFI told me that MAC support would be released very soon, I've invited him to ML so we can get more details). After MAC support is released I will reconsider the right tool which is why for now only planning to go with month-month subscription with screenconnect.
Not sure if comodo's product is useful enough, need to test this as well, its a free solution, might as well give a try! https://one.comodo.com
And upgrading my freshbooks account to the paid one as i really like it, easy and simple, can manage estimates, has built in ticketing system.
For emails, i am sticking with the current free google apps account and go with $8 office 365 which gives me full MS office desktop apps.
Laptop, decided to go with MAC Pro with Parallels for MAC installed for Windows side by side. -
I have Comodo One setup (only on my home computers at the moment) and it seems to work well enough for what it does. I haven't mucked around with the helpdesk or anything else in it much, yet.
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@dafyre Hows the remote support in that, and does it support MAC?
I really need to spend few days on testing all these and finalise. But for now as i said going with screenconnect
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The remote support seems to be usable. It ain't super fancy, but it does work. I don't know about Mac support as I don't have tone to test with.
Edit: Shiney Donations accepted.
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@Ambarishrh for Mac remote desktop look at Apple Remote Desktop
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@larsen161 said in Starting own IT consultancy - Gathering list of tools required and recommendations:
@Ambarishrh for Mac remote desktop look at Apple Remote Desktop
That's for controlling MAC which is on the same network
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Yes, I would presume you have access to the local lan via VPN and then access is available to those 'local' machines.
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@larsen161 said in Starting own IT consultancy - Gathering list of tools required and recommendations:
Yes, I would presume you have access to the local lan via VPN and then access is available to those 'local' machines.
that would suck, you never want to be on a VPN with clients.
