Help is on the Way Columbia SC

Posted by : Dan Heilman

If you own a small business, odds are you know how to run a computer. Maybe you've even set up your own small local-area network, or an FTP site. But it's likely that your tech expertise ends somewhere near there--and even if it doesn't, you probably don't have the time or the inclination to dirty your hands on keeping your computers going.

That's where IT consulting comes in. The world is full of brainy folks who would just love to dig into the technical chores your small-to-midsize business (SMB) has sitting around--for a modest fee, of course.

If your small business is typical, you don't need a full-time consultant; you might not even need to turn to the same one more than once. But anytime you come across a project need that's beyond your area of expertise, you'll be glad that help is only a phone call away.

Lots of ifs

So when is a good time to turn to a consultant, and when should you save your pennies? Unfortunately, the answer to that question is fraught with contingencies. Some feel you should have consultants on the line from Day One to help you develop an IT strategy, while others maintain such services should be sought on an as-needed basis only.

"If you are managing a modest networking environment, a couple of file and database servers, 25 to 50 desktops, e-mail and a Web site, [there are] monthly system maintenance activities that need to be done and monitored by an IT professional," says Detroit-based IT consultant...

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