The Reality of Small Business Computer Support
Here's the reality of small business computer support -- friends, relatives or part-timers usually don't make the best computer support technicians. Sure, they may know a thing or two about troubleshooting but it's highly likely they lack the professional experience to turn your technology into an efficient tool.
When you’re in the start-up phase of setting up your small business it’s natural to rely on friends and family for support. You can count on them for word-of-mouth advertising as well as patronizing the products and services of your new business. They could also help out by offering their services and applying their own areas of expertise to your business. One such area is computer support. That’s probably how you were able to get your geeky nephew in junior high to set up your office computers.
Well and good, but what if you hit a problem and your nephew is not around or he has other things to attend to and can’t come to help out? Or what if your technology needs are expanding beyond his capabilities? Would he be able to help you handle a vicious virus attack or restore your systems and data after a disaster or mistake? Can he tweak your database or your network to optimize its performance? These and other concerns require small business computer support rendered by full-fledged IT professionals.
Even with in-house IT staff, small businesses can rarely afford to hire enough people with all the skills needed to support their IT needs. But a good first step is the realization that friends, relatives or part-timers usually don't make the best computer support technicians. You would be very lucky indeed if your friend or relative is well-rounded in various areas of IT expertise and is available whenever you need him.
If you had a friend or a family member who is a doctor you could probably consult him occasionally for minor ailments or ask for prescriptions for common diseases. But if you had a knee injury would you ask to be treated by your friend or cousin who happens to be a heart surgeon? When it comes to healthcare, you won’t have peace of mind unless you know you’re being treated by the right specialists.
And so it is with computer support. Even for small businesses there comes a time when you have to call in the professionals.