Managed IT Services for Small Businesses

The Greater Boston Area Medical Executive’

s Guide To IT Support Services And Fees

What You Should Expect To Pay For IT Support For Your Practice

(AndHowToGet Exactly WhatYouNeedWithout UnnecessaryExtras,HiddenFeesAndBloatedContracts)

Read this guide and you’ll discover:

✓ The3mostcommonwaysITservicescompanieschargefortheirservices,andtheprosand consofeachapproach.

✓ AcommonbillingmodelthatputsALLTHERISKonyou,thecustomer,whenbuyingIT services;you’lllearnwhatitisandwhyyouneedtoavoidagreeingtoit.

✓ Exclusions,hiddenfeesandother“gotcha”clausesITcompaniesputintheircontractsthat youDON’Twanttoagreeto.

✓ Howtomakesureyouknowexactlywhatyou’regettingtoavoiddisappointment,frustration andaddedcostslateronthatyoudidn’tanticipate.

✓ 21revealingquestionstoaskyourITsupportfirmBEFOREgivingthemaccesstoyour computernetwork,e mailanddata.

Provided as an educational service by:

EdwardJones,President

AmericaOneTechnologies

25BraintreeHillPark Suite200

Braintree,MA02184

(781)356 3535

25 Braintree Hill Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA 02184 (781) 356 3535

DearColleague,

IfyouareamedicalpracticeexecutiveintheGreaterBostonareathatiscurrentlylookingto outsourcesomeoralloftheITsupportforyourpractice,thisreportcontainsimportant informationthatwillbeextremelyvaluabletoyouasyousearchforacompetentfirmyoucan trust

MynameisEdJones,PresidentofAmericaOneTechnologies,Inc.We’vebeenprovidingIT servicestobusinessesinBostonforover30yearsnow.Youmaynothaveheardofusbefore,but I’msureyou’refamiliarwithoneormoreoftheothermedicalpracticeswhoareclientsofours. Afewoftheircommentsareenclosed.

One of the most commons questions we get from new prospective clients calling our office is “What do you guys charge for your services?” Sincethisissuchacommonquestion andaveryimportantonetoaddress Idecidedtowritethisreportfor3reasons:

1. Iwantedaneasywaytoanswerthisquestionandeducateallprospectiveclientswho cometousonthemostcommonwaysITservicecompaniespackageandpricetheir services,andtheprosandconsofeachapproach.

2. Iwantedtobringtolightafew“industrysecrets”aboutITservicecontractsandSLAs (servicelevelagreements)thatalmostnomedicalexecutivethinksabout,understandsor knowstoaskaboutwhenevaluatingITserviceprovidersthatcanendupburningyou withhiddenfeesandlockingyouintoalong termcontractwhentheyareunwillingor unabletodeliverthequalityofserviceyouneed.

3. Iwantedtoeducatemedicalexecutivesonhowtopickthe right ITservicescompanyfor theirspecificsituation,budgetandneedsbasedonthe VALUE thecompanycandeliver, notjusttheprice,highORlow.

Intheend,mypurposeistohelpyoumakethemostinformeddecisionpossiblesoyouendup workingwithsomeonewhohelpsyousolveyourproblemsandaccomplishwhatyouwantina timeframe,mannerandbudgetthatisrightforyou.

Dedicatedtoservingyou, EdJones

Never Ask An IT Services Company, “What Do You Charge For Your Services?” Instead You Should Ask, “What Will I Get For My Money?”

Comparing Apples To Apples: The Predominant IT Service Models Explained

Beforeyoucanaccuratelycomparethefees,servicesanddeliverablesofoneITservices companytoanother,youneedtounderstandthe3predominantservicemodelsmostofthese companiesfitwithin.Somecompaniesofferablendofall3,whileothersarestrictaboutoffering onlyoneserviceplan.The3predominantservicemodelsare:

• Time and Materials.Intheindustry,wecallthis“break fix”services.Essentiallyyoupay anagreed uponhourlyrateforatechnicianto“fix”yourproblemwhensomething “breaks.”Underthismodel,youmightbeabletonegotiateadiscountbasedonbuyinga blockofhours.Thescopeofworkmaybesimplytoresolveaspecificproblem(like removingavirus),oritmayencompassalargeprojectlikeacomputernetworkupgrade ormovethathasaspecificresultandenddateclarified.Somecompanieswillofferstaff augmentationandplacementunderthismodelaswell.

• Managed IT Services. ThisisamodelwheretheITservicescompanytakestheroleof your“ITdepartment”andnotonlyinstallsandsupportsallthedevicesandPCsthat connecttoyourserver(s),butalsooffersphoneandon-sitesupport,antivirus,security, backupandahostofotherservicestomonitorandmaintainthehealth,speed, performanceandsecurityofyourcomputernetwork.

• Software Vendor-Supplied IT Services. ManysoftwarecompanieswillofferITsupport fortheircustomersintheformofahelpdeskorremotesupportforanadditionalfee. However,thesearetypicallyscaled backservices,limitedtotroubleshootingtheir specificapplicationandNOTyourentirecomputernetworkandalltheapplicationsand devicesconnectedtoit.Ifyourproblemresidesoutsideoftheirspecificsoftwareorthe serverit’shostedon,theycan’thelpyouandwilloftenreferyouto“yourITdepartment.” Whileit’softenagoodideatobuysomebasic levelsupportpackagewithacritical softwareapplicationyouusetorunyourbusiness,thisisnotenoughtoprovidethefullIT servicesandsupportmostbusinessesneedtostayupandrunning.

WhenlookingtooutsourceyourITsupport,thetwoservicemodelsyouaremostlikelytoend uphavingtochoosebetweenarethe“managedITservices”and“break fix”models.Therefore, let’sdiveintotheprosandconsofthesetwooptions,andthenthetypicalfeestructureforboth.

Managed IT Services Vs. Break-Fix: Which Is The Better, More Cost-Effective Option?

You’veprobablyheardthefamousBenjaminFranklinquote,“Anounceofpreventionisworth apoundofcure.”Icouldn’tagreemore andthat’swhyit’smysincerebeliefthatthemanaged ITapproachis,byfar,themostcost effective,smartestoptionforanymedicalpractice.Theonly timeIwouldrecommenda“timeandmaterials”approachiswhenyoualreadyhaveacompetent

ITpersonorteamproactivelymanagingyourcomputernetworkandsimplyhaveaspecificIT projecttocompletethatyourcurrentin houseITteamdoesn’thavethetimeorexpertiseto implement(suchasanetworkupgrade,installingabackupsolution,etc.).Outsideofthatspecific scenario,Idonotthinkthebreak fixapproachisagoodideaforgeneralITsupportforonevery important,fundamentalreason:you’llultimatelyenduppayingforapoundof“cure”for problemsthatcouldhaveeasilybeenavoidedwithan“ounce”ofprevention.

Why Regular Monitoring And Maintenance Is Critical For Today’s Computer Networks

Thefactofthematteris,computernetworksabsolutely,positivelyneedongoingmaintenance andmonitoringtostaysecure.Theever increasingdependencywehaveonITsystemsandthe datatheyhold nottomentionthe type ofdatawe’renowsavingdigitally hasgivenriseto verysmartandsophisticatedcybercrimeorganizationsandwhoworkaroundtheclocktodo onething:compromiseyournetworksforillegalactivities.

Inmostcasestheirintentistoaccessfinancialinformationandpasswordstorobyou(oryour clients),createfakeidentitiesforcreditcardfraud,etc.Inothercasestheymaywanttouseyour computernetworktosendillegalspam,hostpiratedsoftware,spreadviruses,etc.Andsomedo itjustforthe“fun”ofbeingabletomakecomputersystemsinoperable.Thesecriminalswork aroundtheclockinteams,constantlyfindingandinventingnewwaystogetaroundyour antivirussoftwareandfirewalls;that’swhyyouhavetoremainevervigilantagainsttheir attacks.

Ofcourse,thisdoesn’teventakeintoconsiderationothercommon“disasters”suchasrogue employees,lostdevices,hardwarefailures(whicharethe#1reasonfordataloss),fireand naturaldisastersandahostofotherissuesthatcaninterruptoroutrightdestroyyourIT infrastructureandthedataitholds.Thenthere’sregulatorycomplianceforanybusinesshosting ortouchingcreditcardorfinancialinformation,medicalrecordsandevenclientcontact informationsuchase mailaddresses.

Preventingtheseproblemsandkeepingyoursystemsupandrunning(whichiswhat managedITservicesisallabout)isaLOTlessexpensiveanddamagingtoyourorganization thanwaitinguntiloneofthesethingshappensandthenpayingforemergencyITservicesto restoreyoursystemstoworkingorder(break fix).

Should You Just Hire A Full-Time IT Manager?

Inmostcases,itisnotcost-effectiveforcompanieswithunder50employeestohireafulltimeITperson,becauseyoucanoutsourcethisfunctionofyourbusinessfarcheaperandwitha lotlesswork;butyouDOwanttohireaprofessionaltoperformbasicmaintenancejustasyou

25 Braintree Hill Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA 02184 (781) 356 3535

wouldhireanattorneytohandleyourlegalmattersoranaccountanttoprepareyourtaxes. And if you truly understand the cost of your TIME and factor in employee productivity, the managed IT services model is considerably less expensive over time than the “break-fix” model.

Why “Break-Fix” Works Entirely In The Consultant’s Favor, Not Yours

Undera“break-fix”model,thereisafundamentalconflictofinterestsbetweenyouandyour ITfirm.TheITservicescompanyhasnoincentivetostabilizeyourcomputernetworkorto resolveproblemsquicklybecausetheyaregettingpaidbythehour;therefore,theriskof unforeseencircumstances,scopecreep,learningcurveinefficienciesandoutrightincompetence areallshiftedtoYOU,thecustomer.Essentially,themoreproblemsyouhave,themorethey profit,whichispreciselywhatyouDON’Twant.

Underthismodel,theITconsultantcantakethelibertyofassigningajunior(lower paid) techniciantoworkonyourproblemwhomaytaketwotothreetimesaslongtoresolveanissue thatamoresenior(andmoreexpensive)technicianmayhaveresolvedinafractionofthetime. Thereisnoincentivetoproperlymanagethetimeofthattechnicianortheirefficiency,andthere iseveryreasonforthemtoprolongtheprojectandtofindMOREproblemsthansolutions.Of course,ifthey’reethicalandwanttokeepyouasaclient,they should bedoingeverything possibletoresolveyourproblemsquicklyandefficiently;however,that’sakintoputtinga Germanshepherdinchargeofwatchingoverthehamsandwiches.Notagoodidea.

Second,itcreatesamanagementproblemforyou,thecustomer,whonowhastokeeptrackof thehoursthey’veworkedtomakesureyouaren’tgettingoverbilled;andsinceyouoftenhave nowayofreallyknowingifthey’veworkedthehourstheysaytheyhave,itcreatesasituation whereyoureally,trulyneedtobeabletotrusttheyarebeing100%ethicalandhonestAND trackingTHEIRhoursproperly(notalldo)

Andfinally,itmakesbudgetingforITprojectsandexpensesanightmaresincetheymaybe zeroonemonthandthousandsthenext.

What To Look For In A Managed IT Services Agreement And What You Should Expect To Pay

Important! Pleasenotethatthefollowingpricequotesareindustryaveragesbasedona recentITindustrysurveyconductedofover750differentITservicesfirms.Weareproviding thisinformationtogiveyouageneralideaofwhatmostITservicesfirmschargeandtohelpyou understandtheVASTDIFFERENCESinservicecontractsthatyoumustbeawareofbefore signingonthedottedline.PleaseunderstandthatthisdoesNOTreflectourpricingmodelor

25 Braintree Hill Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA 02184 (781) 356 3535

approach,whichissimplytounderstandexactlywhatyouwanttoaccomplishFIRSTandthen customizeasolutionbasedonyourspecificneeds,budgetandsituation.

Hourly Break-Fix Fees: MostITservicescompaniessellingbreak fixservicescharge between$95and$200perhourwithaone-hourminimum.Inmostcases,theywillgiveyoua discountof5%toasmuchas20%ontheirhourlyratesifyoupurchaseandpayforablockof hoursinadvance.

Iftheyarequotinga project,thefeesrangewidelybasedonthescopeofworkoutlined.Ifyou arehiringanITconsultingfirmforaproject,Iwouldsuggestyoudemandthefollowing:

• A very detailed scope of work that specifies what “success” is. Makesureyoudetail whatyourexpectationsareinperformance,workflow,costs,security,access,etc.The moredetailedyoucanbe,thebetter.Detailingyourexpectationsupfrontwillgoalong wayinavoidingmiscommunicationsandadditionalfeeslaterontogiveyouwhatyou REALLYwanted.

• A fixed budget and time frame for completion. Agreeingtothisupfrontalignsboth youragendaandtheconsultant’s.Beverywaryoflooseestimatesthatallowthe consultingfirmtobillyoufor“unforeseen”circumstances.Thebottomlineisthis:itis yourITconsultingfirm’sresponsibilitytobeabletoaccuratelyassessyoursituationand quoteaprojectbasedontheirexperience.Youshouldnothavetopickupthetabfora consultantunderestimatingajoborfortheirinefficiencies.Atrueprofessionalknows howtotakeintoconsiderationthosecontingenciesandbillaccordingly.

Managed IT Services: MostmanagedITservicesfirmswillquoteyouaMONTHLYfeebased onthenumberofdevicestheyneedtomaintain,backupandsupport.InBoston,thatfeeis somewhereintherangeof$150to$350perserver,$75to$200perdesktopandapproximately $10persmartphoneormobiledevice.

IfyouhireanITconsultantandsignupforamanagedITservicescontract,herearesome thingsthatSHOULDbeincluded(makesureyoureadyourcontracttovalidatethis):

• Securitypatchesappliedweekly,ifnotdaily,forurgentandemergingthreats

• Antivirusupdatesandmonitoring

• Firewallupdatesandmonitoring

• Backupmonitoringandtestrestores

• Spam filterinstallationandupdates

• Spywaredetectionandremoval

• Monitoringdiskspaceonworkstationsandservers

• Monitoringhardwareforsignsoffailure

• Optimizingsystemsformaximumspeed

• UnlimitedremoteHelpDesksupport

Thefollowingservicesmay NOT be included andwilloftenbebilledseparately.Thisisnot necessarilya“scam”orunethicalUNLESSthemanagedITservicescompanytriestohidethese

25 Braintree Hill Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA 02184 (781) 356 3535

feeswhensellingyouaserviceagreement.Makesureyoureviewyourcontractcarefullyto knowwhatisandisNOTincluded!

• Onboardingfees

• On sitesupport/Traveltimeortripfees

• Newhardwareinstallationsorupgrades,suchasnewservers,PCs,laptops,etc.

• Newsoftwareinstallationsorupgrades

• Compliancecertifications(HIPAA,PCI,HITECH,etc.)

• “HowTo…”questionsorend-usertraining

• EMRor3rd partysoftwaresupport

Warning! Gray areas of “all-inclusive” service contracts.Inordertotrulycomparethe “cost”ofonemanagedITservicescontracttoanother,youneedtomakesureyoufully understandwhatISandISN’TincludedANDthe“SLA”or“servicelevelagreement”youare signingupfor.It’sVERYeasyforoneITservicesprovidertoappearfarlessexpensivethan anotherUNTILyoulookcloselyatwhatyouaregetting.

Thefollowingare21questionstoaskyourITservicesproviderthatwillclarifyexactlywhat you’regettingforthemoney.Someoftheseitemsmaynotbethatimportanttoyou,whileothers (likeresponsetime,adequateinsuranceanduptimeguarantees)maybecritical.Makesureyou fullyunderstandeachoftheseitemsbeforemakingadecisionaboutwhotherightprovideris foryou;thenmakesureyougetthisINWRITING.

from8:30a.m.to5:00p.m.

giveallclientsan

after-hoursnumbertheymaycallifaproblemarises,evenonweekends.Why? BecausemanyoftheCEOsandexecutiveswesupportworkoutsidenormalhoursandfinditthe mostproductivetimetheyhave.IftheycannotaccesstheircomputernetworkANDcan’tget holdofanyonetohelpthem,it’sincrediblyfrustrating.

Q2:

Our Answer:

guarantee

haveatechnicianworkingonaproblemwithin45minutesor lessof

Thisiswrittenintoeveryserviceagreementwegivetoourclientsbecauseit’s standardprocedure.CriticalCareClientshavearesponsetimeof15minutesorless,guaranteed ortheyreceivea$500credit.

25 Braintree Hill Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA 02184 (781) 356 3535

Q3: Do they take the time to explain what they are doing and answer your questions in terms that you can understand (not geek speak), or do they come across as arrogant and make you feel stupid for asking simple questions?

Our Answer: Ourtechniciansaretrainedtohavethe“heartofateacher”andwilltaketimeto answeryourquestionsandexplaineverythinginsimpleterms.Justlookatwhattheseclients hadtosay:

“…they know our company’s employees individually and treats everyone with kindness and consideration. There isn’t any condescending treatment of people who may not have IT skills…” Primary Care Medical Associates

“…they always accommodate our questions with great patience, no matter how simple…” Plymouth Carver Primary Care

Q4: Do they consistently (and proactively) offer new ways to improve your network’s performance, or do they wait until you have a problem to make recommendations?

Our Answer: Weconductregularreviewmeetingswithourclientstolookfornewwaystohelp improvetheiroperations,lowercosts,increaseefficienciesandresolveanyproblemsthatmay bearising.Ourgoalwiththesemeetingsistohelpourclientsbemoreprofitable,efficientand competitive.

Q5: Do they provide detailed invoices that clearly explain what you are paying for?

Our Answer: Weprovidedetailedinvoicesthatshowwhatworkwasdone,whyandwhen,so youneverhavetoguesswhatyouarepayingfor.Wealsodouble checkourinvoicesforaccuracy beforetheyaresenttoyou.

Q6: Do they have adequate errors and omissions insurance as well as workers’ compensation insurance to protect YOU?

Our Answer: Here’ssomethingtoconsider:ifTHEYcauseaproblemwithyournetworkthat causesyoutobedownforhoursordaysortolosedata,who’sresponsible?Here’sanother questiontoconsider:ifoneoftheirtechniciansgetshurtatyouroffice,who’spaying?Inthis litigioussocietywelivein,youbettermakedarnsurewhomeveryouhireisadequatelyinsured withbotherrorsandomissionsinsuranceANDworkers’compensation anddon’tbeshy aboutaskingtoseetheirlatestinsurancepolicies!

TrueStory:AfewyearsagoGeekSquadwasslappedwithmultimillion dollarlawsuitsfrom customersforbadbehaviorbytheirtechnicians.Insomecases,theirtechswhereaccessing, copyinganddistributingpersonalinformationtheygainedaccesstooncustomers’PCsand laptopsbroughtinforrepairs.Inothercases,theylostaclient’slaptop(andsubsequentlyallthe dataonit)andtriedtocoveritup.Bottomline:makesurethecompanyyouarehiringhas properinsurancetoprotectYOU.

Q7: Do they guarantee to complete projects on time and on budget?

Our Answer: Allprojectsarefixed pricedandguaranteedtobecompletedontime,inwriting. Thisisimportantbecausemanyunethicalorincompetentcomputerguyswillonlyquote“time andmaterials,”whichgivesthemfreereintonickel and dimeyouaswellastakeasmuchtime astheywantcompletingaproject.

25 Braintree Hill Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA 02184 (781) 356 3535

Maintenance Of Your Network:

Q8: Do they insist on remotely monitoring your network 24/7/365 to keep critical security settings, virus definitions and security patches up-to-date and PREVENT problems from turning into downtime, viruses, lost data and other issues?

Our Answer: Yes;ourremotenetworkmonitoringsystemwatchesoveryournetworkto constantlylookfordevelopingproblems,securityissuesandotherproblemssowecanaddress themBEFOREtheyturnintobiggerproblems.

Q9: Do they provide you with a weekly report that shows all the updates, security patches, and status of every machine on your network so you know for SURE your systems have been secured and updated?

Our Answer: Everyweekourclientsgetadetailedreportthatshowsanoverallhealthscoreof theirnetworkandtheupdatestotheirantivirus,securitysettings,patchesandotherimportant networkchecks(likehard drivespace,backups,speedandperformance,etc.).

Q10: Is it standard procedure for them to provide you with written network documentation detailing what software licenses you own, critical passwords, user information, hardware inventory, etc., or are they the only person with the “keys to the kingdom”?

Our Answer: Allclientsreceivethisinwrittenandelectronicformatnoadditionalcost.Wealso performaquarterlyupdateonthismaterialandmakesurecertainkeypeoplefromyour organizationhavethisinformationandknowhowtouseit,givingyoucompletecontrolover yournetwork.

SideNote:YoushouldNEVERallowanITpersontohavethatmuchcontroloveryouandyour company.IfyougetthesneakingsuspicionthatyourcurrentITpersoniskeepingthisunder theircontrolasameansofjobsecurity,getridofthem(andwecanhelptomakesureyoudon’t sufferANYilleffects).Thisisdownrightunethicalanddangeroustoyourorganization,sodon’t tolerateit!

Q11: Do they have other technicians on staff who are familiar with your network in case your regular technician goes on vacation or gets sick?

Our Answer: Yes;andsincewekeepdetailednetworkdocumentation(basicallyablueprintof yourcomputernetwork)andupdatesoneveryclient’saccount,anyofourtechnicianscanpick upwhereanotheronehasleftoff.

Q12: When they offer an “all inclusive” support plan, is it TRULY all inclusive, or are their “gotchas” hidden in the fine print?

Our Answer: Our“all inclusive”supportplanisjustthat all inclusive.Oneofthemore popularserviceplansofferedbyconsultingfirmstodayisan“all-inclusive”or“all-you-can-eat” managedservicesplan.Theseareactuallyagoodthingbecausethey’llsaveyoualotofmoneyin thelongrun HOWEVER,makesureyouREALLYunderstandwhatisandisn’tincluded.Some thingstoconsiderare:

• Isphone/e mailhelpdeskincludedorextra?

• Whataboutnetworkupgrades,movesoradding/removingusers?

• Ishardwareand/orsoftwareincluded?

• Whatabout3rd partysoftwaresupport?(WerecommendthatthisISincluded)

• Whatarethecosts/consequencesofearlycancellation?

• Whatifyouaren’thappywiththeirservices?Dotheyofferamoney back guarantee?

• Ifthehardwareandsoftwareisincluded,whathappensifyoucancelthe contract?

• Areoff sitebackupsincluded?Towhatdegree?

• Ifyouhaveamajordisaster,isrestoringyournetworkincludedorextra?

• Whatabouton sitesupportcalls?Orsupporttoremoteoffices?

• ArehomePCsusedtoaccessthecompany’snetworkafterhoursincludedor extra?

Backups And Disaster Recovery:

Q13: Do they INSIST on monitoring an off-site as well as an on-site backup, or are they letting you rely on outdated tape backups?

Our Answer: Wedonotallowourclientstousetapebackupsbecausetapebackupsare incrediblyunreliable.Wemakesureallofourclientshave both an onsite backup for quick recoveries and an offsite (cloud) backup in case of theft, fire or other disaster recovery.

Q14: Do they INSIST on doing periodic test restores of your backups to make sure the data is not corrupt and could be restored in the event of a disaster?

Our Answer: Weperformaperiodic“firedrill”andperformatestrestorefrombackupforour clientstomakesuretheirdataCANberecoveredintheeventofanemergency.Afterall,the WORSTtimeto“test”abackupiswhenyoudesperatelyneedit.

Q15: Do they insist on backing up your network BEFORE performing any type of project or upgrade?

Our Answer: Wedo,andthat’ssimplyasaprecautionincaseahardwarefailureorsoftware glitchcausesamajorproblem.

Q16: If you were to experience a major disaster, do they have a written plan for how your data could be restored FAST and/or enable you to work from a remote location?

Our Answer: Allclientsreceiveasimpledisasterrecoveryplanfortheirdataandnetwork.We encouragethemtodoafulldisasterrecoveryplanfortheiroffice,butataminimum,their networkwillbecoveredshouldsomethinghappen.

25 Braintree Hill Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA 02184 (781) 356 3535

Technical Expertise And Support:

Q17: Is their help-desk U.S.-based or outsourced to an overseas company or third party?

Our Answer: Weprovideourownin househelpdeskandmakesurethefolkshelpingyouare friendlyandhelpful.Weconsiderthisoneofthemostimportantaspectsofcustomerservice, pluswefeelit’simportanttokeepingyourdatasecure.

Q18: Do they perform background checks and drug screening on their technicians?

OurAnswer:Allourtechniciansarerequiredtopassacriminalbackgroundcheckanddrug screening.Plus,ourhiringprocessissostringent,99%ofthetechnicianswhoapplydon’tmake itthrough.(Guesswho’shiringthem?)

Q19: Do their technicians arrive on time and dress professionally?

Our Answer: Ourtechniciansaretrueprofessionalsthatyouwouldbeproudtohaveinyour office.Theydressprofessionallyandshowupontime,andiftheycannot(forsomeodd, unforeseenreason),wealwaysnotifytheclientimmediately.Webelievetheseareminimum requirementsfordeliveringaprofessionalservice.

Q20: Are they familiar with (and can they support) your unique line of business applications?

Our Answer: Weowntheproblemswithalllinesofbusinessapplicationsforourclients.That doesn’tmeanwecanfixfaultysoftware butweWILLbetheliaisonbetweenyouandyour vendortoresolveproblemsyouarehavingandmakesuretheseapplicationsworksmoothlyfor you.

Q21: When something goes wrong with your Internet service, phone systems, printers or other IT services, do they own the problem or do they say, “That’s not our problem to fix”?

Our Answer: WefeelWEshouldowntheproblemforourclientssotheydon’thavetotryand resolveanyoftheseissuesontheirown that’sjustplainoldgoodserviceandsomething manycomputerguyswon’tdo.

Ihopeyouhavefoundthisguidehelpfulinsheddingsomelightonwhattolookforwhen hiringaprofessionalfirmtooutsourceyourITsupportto AsIstatedintheopeningofthis report,mypurposeinprovidingthisinformationwastohelpyoumakeaninformeddecision andavoidgettingburnedbyincompetentorunethicalfirmsluringyouinwithcheapprices.

Below you will find information on how to request a FREE IT Optimization Plan for your company as a next step in engaging with us. Thereisnocostorobligation,andI guaranteeyouwillfindthisconsulttobeextremelyvaluableandeye-opening.

Lookingforwardtoyourcall!

EdJones

President,AmericaOneTechnologies

Phone:781 356 3535 Web:www.americatech.com

About The Author

EdwardJonesisanMITgraduatewithadegreeinElectricalEngineering. Hehasover30 yearsexperiencesupportingtheITneedsofbusinessesintheNewEnglandarea. Heis thepresidentandownerofAmericaOne,anITConsultingandManagedServicesfirm basedinBraintree,Massachusetts.

25 Braintree Hill Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA 02184 (781) 356 3535

FromTheDeskOf: EdJones

President,AmericaOneTechnologies Braintree,MA02184

DearColleague,

Doyouhavea nagging suspicion thatyourcurrentITproviderisn’tdeliveringthe qualityofserviceyou’repayingfor?

Maybeyou’reexperiencing chronic problems withyourcomputerandphone systemsthatyourITproviderjustneverseemstoresolve.

Maybeithasbecomeeasiertofindawork-aroundor try to fix IT problems yourself thantocallyourITprovider.

Ormaybeyou’resendingacheckeverymonthfortheirservices but don’t really know what you’re paying for.Couldtheyreallygetyoubackupandrunningaftera disaster?Arethey truly maintainingcriticalsecurityupdatesforyourITsystems?Have yououtgrowntheirabilitytoadequatelysupportyou?

It’sverycommonforbusinessestobeunhappywiththequalityofserviceandsupport they’regettingfromtheircurrentITcompany,buttheytolerateitsimplybecausethey don’tknowwhoelsetocall,orthey’rejusttoodarnbusytotakethetimetofindsomeone else.

Free Customized IT Optimization Plan And 57-Point IT Systems Security And Performance Assessment

IfIjustdescribedyoursituation,Iwanttogiveyoua customized IT Optimization Plan for free thatwillrevealwhat’sREALLYgoingoninyourcomputernetworkand showyouthefastestandmostefficientwaytogetyoursystemsworkingthewaythey’re

supposedto,savingyouagreatdealoftime,aggravationandmoney. Briefly, here’s what I have in mind…

First,Iwanttoperformourproprietary 57 Point IT Systems Security And Performance Assessment onyourcomputernetwork(onethat’stakenmeover10 yearstoperfect).

There’snochargeforthis,anditonlyrequiresa30 to60 minutemeetingwithmeor oneofmytopITconsultants.Afterdoingthistypeofthingforover30years,we’vetruly perfectedaprocessforhelpingcompanieslikeyourstogettheirITsystemsworkingthe waytheyaresupposedto.

After conducting this Free Assessment, we’ll be able to answer your top questions, such as:

• AreyourITsystemstrulysecuredfromhackers,virusesandrogueemployees?

• Areyourbackupsconfiguredproperlytoensurethatyoucouldbebackupand runningagainfastinadisaster?

• Areyouunknowinglyexposingyourcompanytoexpensivefinesandlitigation undernewMassachusettsdata breachlaws?

• Couldyouutilizecheaperandmoreefficientcloud computingtechnologiesto lowerITcostsandmakeiteasiertoworkremotely?

• Areyoursystemsoptimizedformaximumspeedandperformance?(Icantellyou, 99%ofthecomputernetworkswereviewareNOT.)

Oncewehaveaclearpictureofthestate,healthandperformanceofyourcurrentIT systems,we’llthendelivera customized IT Optimization Plan thatwillshowyouhow toeliminateeverysinglenaggingproblem,enableyoutoworkfasterandeasierand lowerITcostswhereverpossible.

At The End Of This Assessment, One Of Three Things Will Happen:

You love the plan anddecidetoimplementitonyourown.Ifthisisthecase,we’ll wishyouthebestofluckand ask that you keep in touch with us to let us know how you’re doing.

25 Braintree Hill Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA 02184 (781) 356 3535

You love the plan and ask to become our client so we can personally help you implement it ASAP. If that’s the case, we’ll knock it out of the park…and that’s a promise.

Orfinally…

Intheunlikelyand unprecedented eventthatyoufeellikeyouwastedyourtime,and thatwedon’tfindawaytodramaticallyimproveyoursituation, we will send you a check for $100 immediately.Noquestionsasked.Yourtimeisyourmostvaluable asset,andIrespectthat.Todate,we’veNEVERhadanyonesaythatwe’vewastedtheir time,soIfeelcompletelycomfortablemakingthisguaranteetoyou.

Thinkaboutthis…

The“worst”thatcanhappenisyouget$100for“wasting”anhourhavingan independentthirdpartyvalidateandreviewthesecurity,speedandhealthofyour computernetwork.

The best that can happen is we work together to finally take all IT complaints off your plate.

Here’s How This Will Work:

First,you’llfilloutaquickrequestforthe customized IT Optimization Plan onour website:www.americatech.com/about us/security assessment

Onceyoucompletethis,ourofficewillcallyouandsetupaconvenienttimeforusto cometoyourofficeandperformour 57-Point IT Systems Security And Performance Assessment.

Afterthatinitialmeeting,we’llpreparea customized IT Optimization Plan and a “Report Of Findings” thatwillrevealanyvulnerabilitiesinyourbackupsandsecurity,as wellasshowyouhowtooptimizeyourITtoincreaseeveryone’sproductivityinthe fastest,mostefficientwaypossible.

AndlikeIsaid, there’s no charge for this.

25 Braintree Hill Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA 02184 (781) 356 3535

So Why Would We Offer This For Free?

For one simple reason:

It’s the fastest and easiest way for us to demonstrate the value we can deliver without any risk to you. Frankly,it’showwegetthehappyclientsyou’veseenallover ourwebsiteandhaveprobablyheardaboutbefore.(Seeattached.)

Afterall,ifyoulikewhatyouseeandweshowyouhowtosolveanumberofIT related problemsinyourcompany,whywouldn’tyouwanttoworkwithus?Ofcourse,wewill approachthiswithnoexpectationsorheavysalespressureofanykind.Idon’tlikepushy salespeopleanymorethanyoudo and we stand on the belief that providing extreme value in advance is the best way to showcase our services andwinnew business.Infact,here’smy“VALUEINADVANCEPROMISE”toyou…

You’ll Find This Consultation To Be Incredibly Valuable Or We’ll Send You A Check For $100

To Compensate You For Your Time

Now,obviouslythisisanamazingofferthatyou’llprobablyneverseefromanyother ITcompanyorcomputerexpertintheworld.ButI’mSOconfidentthatwecandeliver extremevaluethatIhavenoconcernswithputtingthistypeofguaranteeonourtime together.

TheONLYcatchisthatwecan’thelpeveryone,sowehaveastrict(butreasonable)set ofcriteriathatneedtobemetinorderforustoproceed.Hereitis:

1. You have to at least have a server and 10 workstations. Ourservicesandadviceworkbestforcompaniesthathaveatleastoneserverand 10workstations.Ifthat’snotyou(orifyouareabrand newstartup),wemightbe abletohelpyouthroughadifferentprocess.Calltheofficeandwe’lldirectyou fromthere:781 356 3535

2. You must be the owner of the business. Duetothenatureoftheadvicewe’llgiveyou,itwillbeactionableonlyforthe ownerorkeyexecutive.

3. Your workstations must be predominantly Microsoft/Windows based AswespecializemainlyinMicrosoft/Windows-basedcomputersystems,MacOS andLinuxarenotcoveredunderthescopeofourservices.

If You Meet The Criteria Above, Here’s How We Get Started:

Step 1: Gotothewebsitebelowtocompletearequestfortheassessment.Don’t worry,it’sEASY,simpleandunobtrusive.

www.americatech.com/about us/security assessment

Step 2: Oncewe’vereceivedyourapplicationandreviewedit,ourofficewillcallyou andsetupatimeforustomeet.

Theinitialmeetingwillbebetween30and60minutes.Thisiswherewereallybegin workingtofigureoutexactlywhatyouwantandhowtomakeithappen. We’llalso initiateour 57-Point IT Systems Security And Performance Assessment

Step 3: Afterthatinitialmeeting,we’llpreparea customized IT Optimization Plan and a “Report Of Findings” thatwillrevealanyvulnerabilitiesinyourbackupsand security,aswellasshowyouhowtooptimizeyourITtoincreaseeveryone’sproductivity inthefastest,mostefficientwaypossible.Thissecondmeetingshouldbearealeyeopenerforyou

Ifyouseethevalueinengagingbeyondthat,great!Wecantalkaboutitatthattime. Andifyoudon’twanttobecomeaclient that’s OK too. Bytheway,we’ve never had anyonefeelliketheirtimewaswasted.EVER.That’swhywecanmakethisoffer.WE DELIVER.

So,unlessyouare100%happywiththeITsupportyouaregettingandabsolutely confidentthatyournetworkissecure,backedupproperlyandrunningatoptimallevels, whywouldn’tyougivethisatry?Doitnowandyou’llbegladyoudid:

www.americatech.com/about us/security assessment

Dedicatedtoyoursuccess,

EdJones

President,AmericaOneTechnologies (781)356 3535

25 Braintree Hill Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA 02184 (781) 356 3535

See What Other Practices/Businesses Are Saying:

“IMMEDIATE RESPONSE FROM AMERICA ONE!

Heather Lancaster PracticeManager, NewEnglandEye Centers, Framingham,MA

America One has always given our practice assurance that our computer issues are their top priority until resolution. When calling, you always speak to a live person. You don’t have to wait on a ticket process or recorded voicemail. When we have a problem, hearing a voice on the other end assuring us that progress is being made ASAP is paramount to a medical practice. America One also does not have a simple “cookie cutter” service level plan of choices. They will work with you to customize a support structure to your needs. Contact them and see that great service is their number one priority!”

“ALWAYS ACCOMMODATE OUR QUESTIONS WITH GREAT PATIENCE

GinaCerrado PracticeManager, PlymouthCarver PrimaryCare, Plymouth,MA

Our practice values America One’s knowledge, availability and promptness to our IT needs and concerns. I would tell any potential client that they always accommodate our questions with great patience, no matter how simple. We also benefit from America One’s willingness to help us understand and communicate with our EMR vendor; eClinicalworks.”

“NO CONDESCENDING TREATMENT OF PEOPLE WITHOUT IT SKILLS

KathyDevlin Healthcare Administrator, PrimaryCareMedical Associates, Norwood,MA

I would urge any company to use America One because of their personal service. They know our company’s employees individually and treat everyone with kindness and consideration. There isn’t any condescending treatment of people who may not have IT skills.”

“BIGGEST BENEFIT IS IMMEDIATE SERVICE!

MariaJoseph PracticeManager, TuftsFloatingSpecialty Center, Brockton,MA

The biggest benefit from America One is being able to reach them quickly and their promptness to resolve our computer issues, either remotely or onsite. We appreciate their professionalism, dedication, concern and knowledge. We also appreciate that their techs are patient and understanding when we try to explain our computer issues in our own words (not knowing the tech words). I would recommend America One because of all the things they do for us. They make sure our office runs well every day without interference from computer issues.”

The Top 7 Reasons Why You’ll Want To Outsource Your IT Support To Us:

1. We Respond Within 15 Minutes Or Less. Theaverageamountoftimeittakesforoneof ourclientstogetonthephonewithatechnicianwhocanstartworkingonresolvingtheir problemis7minutes.Weknowyou’rebusyandhavemadeasincerecommitmentto makingsureyourcomputerproblemsgetfixedFAST.Andsincemostrepairscanbedone remotelyusingoursecuremanagementtools,youdon’thavetowaitaroundfora techniciantoshowup.

2. No Geek Speak. YoudeservetogetanswerstoyourquestionsinPLAINENGLISH,notin confusingtechnicalterms.Ourtechnicianswillalsonottalkdowntoyouormakeyoufeel stupidbecauseyoudon’tunderstandhowallthis“technology”works.That’sourjob!

3. 100% No-Small-Print Satisfaction Guarantee. Quitesimply,ifyouarenothappywith ourwork,we’lldowhateverittakestomakeitrighttoYOURstandardswithoutcharging youforit.Andifwecan’tmakeitright,theserviceisfree.

4. All Projects Are Completed On Time And On Budget. Whenyouhireustocompletea projectforyou,wewon’tnickel and dimeyouwithunforeseenorunexpectedchargesor delays.Weguaranteetodeliverpreciselywhatwepromisedtodeliver,ontimeandon budget,withnoexcuses.

5. Lower Costs, Waste And Complexity With Cloud Solutions. Byutilizingcloud computingandotheradvancedtechnologies,wecaneliminatethecost,complexityand problemsofmanagingyourownin houseserverwhilegivingyoumorefreedom,lowered costs,tightersecurityandinstantdisasterrecovery.

6. We Won’t Hold You Hostage. ManyITcompaniesdoNOTprovidetheirclientswith simpleandeasy to understanddocumentationthatoutlineskeynetworkresources, passwords,licenses,etc.Bykeepingthattothemselves,ITcompaniesholdtheirclients “hostage”toscarethemawayfromhiringsomeoneelse.Thisisbothunethicaland unprofessional.Asaclientofours,we’llprovideyouwithfull,writtendocumentationof yournetworkandalltheresources,softwarelicenses,passwords,hardware,etc.,in simpletermssoYOUcanunderstandit.Wekeepourclientsbydeliveringexceptional service notbykeepingtheminthedark.

7. Peace Of Mind. Becausewemonitorallofourclients’networks24/7/365,younever havetoworrythatavirushasspread,ahackerhasbrokeninorabackuphasfailedto perform.Wewatchoveryourentirenetwork,takingthemanagementandhassleof maintainingitoffyourhands.Thisfreesyoutofocusonyourcustomersandrunningyour business,notonyourITsystems,securityandbackups.