Services

Chief Information Officer Services

Target market for CIO services:
Company size: between 20 and 250 employees
Location: south central Montana (including Billings)
Current IT staff: 0 to 2 non-executive employees.

	Example: Company with 50 Employees, 2 highly specialized database servers, an email server, and a desktop computer for each employee. Goals of the owner include leveraging IT to make his business more efficient as his company grows. IT Staff: One employee that is great at keeping the network running and providing helpdesk services to the end-users.
	Client's Concerns 1st - Turnover; the sole IT person would be the only one who knows how the company's IT infrastructure works. And is the only one who has a clear understanding of their IT direction. IT is becoming too critical to rely on one employee. This business' IT position is an entry level Administrator position, and is a great first job for an first time LAN administrator. The owner knows that as IT employees' skills grow, most will look to further their career and find more challenging positions. (Pay is only one factor.) This IT position is expected to turn-over every 2 to 3 years. 2nd - Management; the owner would like to focus on their core business. The owner would like IT infrastructure to be stable and just work. Decisions regarding IT projects should be based on costs/benefits. Too often IT salespeople are overly optimistic in their zeal to sell their products, and are not fully forthcoming with related business costs/risks. The owner is concerned about being mislead with his IT infrastructure.
	Solution: CIO Services. 1st Concern is addressed by having us as a backup to their IT staff in case of turnover. As part of our services, we will work with the IT staff to document their network, vendor listing, software setup, and disaster recovery planning. We have the skills to provide LAN Administration until a replacement is found and trained. An added benefit is that we can cover when the IT person is not available (i.e. on vacation). 2nd Concern is addressed by our knowledge of the client's business model, and of their IT infrastructure/direction. On a quarterly basis, we recommend to meet in an executive meeting. This is where we address IT needs, updates, and growth. We cover cost/benefits; business risks; upgrades; as well as other options (i.e. switching core systems/technology: Dot-Com offerings have unique business risks).