There are common sayings in the business world, usually tossed around by sales people to explain why the cost of goods and services for option A is higher than option B. We’ve all heard them; they go something like this…..
- You get what you pay for.
- Consider the value and not the cost.
And my all time favorite…..
- If you pay in peanuts, you get monkeys.
I must apologize ahead of time if this becomes a rant because in the technology industry these clichés hold true in so many ways; especially when it comes to technology goods and technology service. Let me try and explain.
As technology evolves, the bells and whistles increase in quantity and quality. When I began working on computers in the mid 90s computers were already far more advanced from their ancestors, but the basic function of the networked computer was to allow employees to easily share files and easily share printers. That was basically it, those two functions were worth considerable investment in technology. The basics of collaboration some fifteen years ago relied on those two functions, files and printing.
In today’s corporate network we have sophisticated communications options including online web meetings, video conferencing, phones that work over the Internet through a myriad of service providers, the concepts of access anywhere anytime, integrated messaging, collaboration portals, and so much more. As you can imagine, the products to provide these functions have significantly changed, and the processes for installing, supporting, and maintaining these business technology solutions has increased in complexity.
Here’s the kicker in all of this…….picture yourself as the successful business manager of the Widgets Unlimited Corporation. You know everything there is to know about widgets, how they are designed, how they are manufactured, how they are used, and how they are maintained. You no doubt have learned over the years how certain pieces of technology help you produce and support the best widgets in the world. So let’s now picture the scenario where your widget making system which is no doubt driven by and relies on a complex information system suddenly stops working normally or even worse completely shuts down.
You know everything there is to know about the widget, but not the computer system.
You have two options….
OPTION 1: Call a certified reputable solution provider that employees highly trained individuals to fix your problem and assist you in the future to maintain and plan the future of your widget making empire.
OPTION 2: Call the receptionist’s neighbor’s third cousin who has his own computer business with no physical business address…..AKA the trunk slammer.
The certified reputable solution provider is going to cost you more money per hour than friendly neighborhood trunk slammer. So if you are strictly looking for the cheapest per hour solution to your current problem and future direction of your widget making empire you are not only missing the boat, but you’ve just missed the entire ocean.
The following table will highlight the major differences between the certified reputable solution provider and the trunk slammer.
| Solution Provider | Trunk Slammer | |
| Certified Support Professionals | Solution providers like Axxys technologies work closely with vendor partners to provide extensive training to service professionals. These credentials are awarded to service professionals after completing rigorous training and certification examinations. | Trunk slammer Jim Bob has read an Internet and printed a self made certificate that declares him “Mr. IT Wizard” |
| Experienced Support Professionals | Solution providers like Axxys work closely with multiple organizations to provide effective technology strategies for organizations to meet business objectives including short term and long term needs. | Trunk slammer Jim Bob has setup a network for a few of his neighbors and the bingo parlor down the street. |
| Team Approach | Solution providers like Axxys employee multiple certified professionals who collaborate on technology solutions and how they integrate with each other as well as business processes to provide the best solution for organizations. | Trunk slammer Jim Bob has a parrot he’s taught to say “Press Control Alt Delete” |
| Partner Support | Solution providers like Axxys work diligently to meet partner requirements of top tier vendors such as Microsoft, Cisco, HP, Watchguard, and many others to ensure that we have a direct voice into the vendor and the support channels offered straight from the manufacturer. | Trunk slammer Jim Bob can call third cousin in Timbuktu to see if he knows the secret password. |
| Process Driven Methodology | Solution providers like Axxys work to develop processes to deliver the most effective support to organizations. This means faster and better service delivery. | Trunk slammer Jim Bob thinks he may have written that down on a sticky note. |
In short there are many options to reaching any goal, and certainly achieving technology goals is no different. You can hire the cheaper by the hour trunk slammer and hope that he has the skill set, knowledge, and connections required to help your organization succeed, or you can turn to a trusted business advisor and solution provider like Axxys Technologies, Inc. and confidently rely on a long term, certified, and experienced partner.
In short…..if you pay peanuts……you get monkeys.
