EF Fall 07.indd - National Association of Professional Allstate ...

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That sounds so Lex Luther…AS: Will you stop with the super herostuff? I said “encryption key”EFM: Whatever. Anyway, it soundspretty safe. Is that the only way to backup my data and is it the best way?AS: Great question! Your MSP willdiscuss the options available to you andwhich of them make the most sense foryour particular needs. The option yourMSP recommends will be based uponhow you do business, how much data youstore, and what makes the most sensefrom a business standpoint. Remember,good MSPs are there to work with you,not for you.EFM: What’s the difference?AS: When an MSP works with you,they are looking for the options that willbest fit your growth strategies and youroverall needs, not where they can make aprofit from you.EFM: MSPs are looking to makemoney?AS: Sure. They are a business like anyother. Maybe, now is the time to talkabout how MSP operate.EFM: I’m listening.AS: An MSP is a different businessmodel than a typical IT services company.Have you ever found that sometimesit takes a long time to get things resolved,or one problem is fixed and another onearises? Or the technician gets called awayin the middle of your project…EFM: What about being told that itwill take three hours to fix something,but it takes two or three times longer andnow you have to find the extra money tocover the work?AS: Or, how about living with a problembecause you don’t want to pay for thetime it takes to fix it?EFM: …so you wait for more problemsto arise to justify a service call?AS: Exactly. Many MSPs live up totheir name; Managed Services Provider,with the emphasis on managed.EFM: Meaning?AS: Before the relationship begins,your MSP contact sits down with youand takes inventory of what you have,the current state of your environment,and your short and long term plans. Aftergathering this information, a price isdetermined to support your agency’s individualneeds.EFM: Where is the managed part?AS: I’m getting to that. In my case, myMSP set a monthly price and doesn’t deviatefrom that no matter what happens.I like that because I can budget my ITcosts for the year. By keeping my systemstuned and operating at peak efficiencies,I am less likely to need an emergencyservice call. I call it preventative maintenance.I do it with my car and my health,so why not do it with my office technology?And, let’s face it, when your systemis down you lose money and so does yourMSP. Basically, nobody wins when youexperience a preventable emergency.EFM: So you get less support?AS: Quite the contrary. I have a muchhigher level of support than I ever expected.My MSP performs preventativemaintenance, keeps spyware off my computers,and fixes things in a timely manner;usually on the first visit. The mostimportant thing is that I have somethingI never truly had before.EFM: And that is?AS: Peace of mind. Same thing we offerour clients.EFM: Is that all I need to know?AS: There’s more. Since the onus is onmy MSP to support me no matter howmany hours it takes, they operate withgreater efficiency and I, in turn, have lessof a need to call them. But, when I doneed them, I don’t have to worry abouthow big or small the task is. It’s all thesame in importance. Because I don’t haveto live with the small problems, I findthat our office is more productive than ithas ever been. I can offer better supportto my clients, and can add additional clientswithout needing to increase staff.EFM: Is this the way all MSPs offertheir services?AS: MSPs offer their services in a varietyof ways, depending on their businessmodel. Some offer blocks of hoursthat you pay for in advance and use asnecessary. Some offer a price for basicsupport plus the cost of special projectsas needed. Some offer a guess of howmany hours of support will be used overthe course of a year, with money beingpaid or refunded for additional or unusedhours at the culmination of the year.EFM: That’s confusing.AS: Not really. The MSP that you decideupon will help you feel comfortablewith how things work. In my case, myMSP provides an “all you can eat” flat fee28 — Exclusivefocus Fall 2007
delivery of service. I like that because Iam relocating my office in the near futureand the one thing I don’t have to worryabout is the cost of labor for the ITportion of the move. As my “IT department”,it is all included in my monthlyfee with no additional costs. In addition,they are also helping me choose an Internetprovider, phones and service and ourcopier lease plan.EFM: So MSPs make things less confusing?AS: Look, my business is to build myAllstate agency and not be in the IT business.Allstate corporate was allowing meto do that, but now I have to find supportfrom a difference source, and I have.EFM: Apparently.AS: The other great thing is that I’llbe able to buy that Blackberry I had myeye on. I couldn’t justify buying it beforebecause the company wouldn’t allow meto sync with my computer. Well brother,this coming January I am going to havemy MSP set it up for me and then supportit for me.EFM: Is there anything that your MSPwon’t do for you?AS: The real question is what do theynot do?EFM: Okay, what don’t they do?AS: The best ones don’t sell hardwareor software.EFM: Why is that?AS: Positioning themselves as a trustedpartner, they want me to feel that ifthey recommend hardware upgrades orchanges, it is because I need it for mybusiness goals, not because they canmake some extra money.EFM: So, they won’t sell you things?AS: They tell me what I need and thespecifications. It’s my option to source itmyself or ask them to provide it to me.EFM: Fascinating.AS: Just as I want my clients to makeeducated decisions, so does my MSP.EFM: I’m glad that you contacted mefor this interview. It didn’t go as I expectedfrom someone with a code name like 24-7, but I feel like I’ve learned a lot. I knowthe readers of Exclusivefocus will too.AS: It was my pleasure. As part of thefamily of agents, I felt it was my responsibilityto share what I know.EFM: With only a short time beforethe change, Allstate agents need to preparethemselves and start looking for solutionsthat will make the transition assmooth as possible.AS: No time like the present.EFM: Al, I mean Agent 24-7, can youshare with me who you chose to be yourManaged Services Provider?AS: I’d be happy to tell you, but youreally need to find the best fit for yourbusiness. My MSP is my solution, myplan, my strategy, my means to an end,my way out, my salvation, and who arejust really good folks who are responsiveto my needs.EFM: Any final words?AS: I forgot to mention that thanksto my MSP, I can VPN (Virtual PrivateNetwork) into my office to work frommost anywhere as long as I have an internetconnection. I can seem to be at the officeeven if I am in a tropical destination.EFM: Is that your final thought?AS: It will have to be. I have a supersecret rendezvous with one of my contacts.EFM: It can’t be very super secret ifyou told me.✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ AS: I didn’t tell you who it’s with.EFM: I didn’t ask.AS: I’m not going to tell you.EFM: You told me all the things thatI needed to know. Finding IT support ismy goal, not who you’re meeting. In factI don’t care who you are meeting.AS: “Mr. Big” won’t like to hear thatyou don’t care…..Darn, I just told you. Iguess I’m not very good at being a supersecret agent. Maybe I’ll just stick to beingthe best Allstate agent I can be.EFM: You stick with that.EFM: In conclusion, if you have anyconcerns about choosing the right ITcompany to support you, don’t hesitate totalk to several and ask questions. Don’ttry to force a square peg into a roundhole. Look for a company that puts yourbest interests first.Article submitted by The Mentis Group, aManaged Service Provider, based in Dallas,Texas. Our team of professionals offers over75 years combined experience. We have a senseof humor and love our work. For more informationcall 214-393-6814 or visit www.mentis-group.com. One Call, One Solution.DO YOU HAVEENOUGH COVERAGE?Mentis Group✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Peace of mind for Allstate agentsanywhere in the South WestBE A SUPER AGENT!Mentis GroupFall 2007 Exclusivefocus — 29
Page 1: ExclusivefocusFall 2007An Official
Page 4 and 5: AAs you read through this issue of
Page 6 and 7: to find quality vendors who offer a
Page 8 and 9: I want to congratulate you all on a
Page 10 and 11: and stay involved. Come up with som
Page 12 and 13: featureWill Your AgencySink or Swim
Page 14 and 15: Smaller agencieshave a more difficu
Page 16 and 17: featureIs the Grass Really Greenero
Page 18 and 19: association benefitsIndustry Leadin
Page 20 and 21: marketingFinding the RightMEDIAf o
Page 22 and 23: to direct marketing, the EMAF study
Page 24 and 25: featurePutting Together an Idea Sha
Page 26 and 27: technologyExclusive Interviewwith M
Page 30 and 31: featureThe Canadian Experiment:a Pr
Page 32: marketingA Small Business Perspecti
Page 35 and 36: Looks like a job for AMS 360.Free y
Page 37 and 38: Hmmm... what could they be chatting
Page 40 and 41: NAPAA AnouncementDear Agency Owners
Page 42 and 43: technologyDSL - Reliable, Cost-Effe
Page 44 and 45: usinessStepping Stones to Purchasin
Page 46 and 47: technologyAnatomy of aToner Cartrid
Page 48 and 49: association benefitsAnother Brick i
Page 50 and 51: technologyManaged ServicesThe next
Page 52 and 53: technologyProtect Your ElectronicCu
Page 54 and 55: usinessWhen Your Callers are On Hol
Page 56 and 57: usiness tipsHow to SuccessfullyBran
Page 58 and 59: featureSix Keys to a Winning TeamTh
Page 60 and 61: You should set one, three and fivey
Page 62 and 63: the NAPAA market placeAgencies for
Page 64: “Coaching is an invaluable resour

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