Tech Support Confidential: Insider Advice for Nonprofits on Selecting the Right IT Support

Editor's Notes

• #2: Introduce each of us, MAP
• #3: Warm-up: write on notecards, collect, Roger goes through them and selects a few good ones while Karen asks audience questions. Roles (show of hands): IT staff, service provider/consultant, director or exec level org staff. Who is making a decision about IT support in the next 12 months? Roger reads off 3-4 of the notecards.
• #4: (Karen) Not covering software, strategy consulting Focus on network support, infrastructure, user help on general productivity tools; maybe web development services Intended audience is small-medium orgs (say up to $2 mil) without full time IT staff
• #11: (Roger can talk?) State that this will be an overview of major options citing pros/cons
• #12: (Karen) Salaries System/network admin salaries decreased 21% (overall average for all sized orgs) from 2010-2011 survey results Midwest pays better? Ratios Average number of tech staff for small orgs was 1.26, but 75 th percentile was 1, meaning 75% have less than 1 FTE. Things to consider when thinking about hiring vs outsourcing – does org own the devices/hardware or BYOD? Need server, database support – need IT in house sooner, smaller ratio. Cloud service needs lower level of support. At 20 staff start thinking about whether you ought to hire a part time person. Or if outsourced support is exceding $700/week. Consider salaried vs hourly, incentives to stay until job is completed, employment law considerations. Job description (meeting w/Rusty about this) -specify what the employee is responsible for and what they call in expert for (maybe help desk support or server) Qualifications -asking for self-assessment or independent test during selection process -certifications, degrees: server maintenance look for work experience. Help desk MS Office certification is helpful. Make sure it gets renewed – org should cover this or specify who is responsible for that. -how important is nonprofit experience? Mac vs PC support Specializing vs all-in-one Splitting IT with operations, accounting, pros/cons of that – 35% of small orgs and 40% of medium orgs in NTEN 2011 survey placed primary responsibility for technology (staff oversight) in general operations or administration; next most common was a separate IT department within the org. -reporting to ops can delay purchases -reporting to finance marks IT as a cost center, impedes strategic thinking/investment, but gives better access to budgeting Oversight for your IT person, how do you know they are doing a good job? -minimal disasters and smooth operation indicate things are going well, but may be a result of bad infrastructure the person inherited -documentation up to date, contracts managed, customer service to staff How to train your accidental techie, how much to budget for that…? Source for data is 2011 Tech Staffing and Investments Report from NTEN Overall pros/cons of having internal staff: Knows your systems very well, and your staff Around to observe and overhear things that might lead to insight, proactive recommendations Lower hourly rate? Total cost includes benefits, you are responsible for their ongoing training You take on more risk – if they make a mistake you are on the line for it Backup plan? What if the person is sick, on vacation, staff turnover Hard to find one person who does it all, probably still need to outsource specialty items In small orgs: IT person working in isolation, no colleagues with tech expertise, need to facilitate them staying connected w/professional network Less flexibility to match workload fluctuations to staffing (elasticity)
• #16: Hand out several scenarios and ask individuals or small groups to recommend a type of support, using the worksheet tool, and defend their view. (TO BE ASSIGNED)
• #17: Questions to ask prospective providers, their client references What to look for Negotiating a contract Tips for successful relationship with IT person Where to look: Get a referral! Friends and colleagues Professional networks (online, offline, membership) Web search/yellow pages as a last resort Questions to ask provider: Response time commitment, actual record Credentials of person providing the service, will that person stay on our account? (staff turnover trend?) What if I decide to move to another provider? (What happens to the documentation, will you provide a walk-through) Who purchases equipment, who calls other service providers, policy on remote access and after-hours access to your site Are you insured, bonded, what if you accidentally damage equipment or cause loss of data or breach of privacy? Questions to ask references: Average response time Specific example of a problem handled How is communication handled w/main contact, help desk context Contract: Talked to Michael Cohen, attorney and author of Legal Guide to Technology Transactions (MN specific) “ What remedies am I entitled to if…” for example damage to your stuff or lost productivity due to slow response time. Cancellation terms Paying for overage Confidentiality and security concerns Privacy Tips for successful relationship: Go over contract with your service provider Agree on communication method – logs, emails, face-to-face meetings Invest time in helping them understand your organization’s mission, goals and culture – this will pay off. Be ready to think strategically about how IT fits into your future direction.