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    "Trunk Slammer", IT Company versus

    When deciding to outsource your IT, there are a LOT of things to consider.  It can be tempting to think of IT as a commodity and take the cheapest solution that comes along, which is usually the Lone Wolf IT person, often referred to in our business as the "Trunk Slammer".  Let's dive into this topic just a bit...

    What is a "Trunk Slammer"?

    IT Outsourcing Services & Options

    Many entrepreneurs have started out their own IT support companies as a sole proprietor and built up from there.  There is nothing wrong with that approach at all, and very small businesses stand to save a pretty penny by leveraging them at early stages in their growth.  Those same IT guys/gals who don't grow their businesses are sometimes referred to as "Trunk Slammers" because all you really need is a laptop and cell phone to call yourself an IT Guy/Gal.  Here we will lay out some pros and cons of using a Trunk Slammer versus hiring a company to provide managed IT and ongoing support.

    IT support companies image

    "Trunk Slammer" (individual)

    The only real benefit to this type of support model is price.  You will pay the lowest price in this type of scenario.  With the lowest price come some fairly formidable problems or concerns that should be considered when basing your decision solely on price:

    • Availability

      What happens during sick/vacation time?

    • Coverage
      What if he/she gets multiple outages with different clients at the same time?
    • Insurance
      Do they carry Errors & Omissions coverage in the event they make mistakes that impact my business?
      Do they carry Cyber Liability Insurance in the event their systems get compromised?
    • Technology Training
      Are they working to continually update their technical skills?
    • Industry Changes
      Are they attending trade shows to stay current with emerging technology?
    • Mature Processes
      Onboarding, Offboarding, Escalation, Business Reviews and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are likely not present.

    IT Support Companies

    IT Support Companies that have been around for more than a hot minute tend to have most of those concerns addressed, or at least they should.  Seamless support is something we all work very hard to achieve.  Management should be focused on the following:

    • Availability
      A support request should not go unaddressed because a tech is out for any reason.
    • Coverage
      An IT Company should be able to address multiple outages in tandem.
    • Insurance
      Errors & Omissions Insurance in place
      Cyber Liability Insurance in place
    • Technology Training

      Techs are required to achieve certifications annually to stay with industry standards.

    • Industry Changes
      Leadership should be monitoring industry trends in technology and have a plan to test before recommending to clients.
    • Mature Processes
      Clients should be confident in the processes of their IT Managed Services Provider.  It's ok to ask what these are, and you should get confident answers.

    If you'd like to read more on how to select a Managed IT Support Company for your business, click the "Guide Me" button below to start your journey.