The Reality of 2007
For some 2007 was Great, for others a bust. For us it was a reality check. The Concept of Managed Services is intriguing. We at Annabel Watters, PC believe in Managed Services for Small Businesses. So much so that at around this point in 2006 we sat down and 'projected' what we thought 2007 would be like. We made investments and plans around managed services. We believed so much in it that we predicted that 45% of our business would come from Managed Services. Unfortunately that did not pan out.
2007
The reality of it is that in this Marketplace, right now, clients and customers don't get Managed Services. I think on some level they understand it, but they don't get it. When they can look online, on the fridge, in the mail, hell EVERYWHERE they look, they see Person X, or Franchise Y, ready willing and able to come in provide a one-off service for break-fix at pennies-on-the-dollar, it makes it VERY DIFFICULT to sell the concept of proactive monitoring and management.
We believe in the promise of Managed Services, and will continue to work to sell it when it is right. But right now we see our business evolving into Project Work and Long-Term Consulting. We are working much harder on perfecting a practice around Core IO. Helping clients out of the basic IT world and into a more rationalized IT investment of time, energy and focus.
For the New Year, look for our IT Services company under a new name that more accurately reflects our practice. Annabel Watters, PC will continue to operate as a Public CPA practice. If you are a Microsoft Partner and are looking to make better connections, let us know. If you are a Small Business that is tired of your systems breaking, and tired of wrong answers to your Information Management needs, give us a call. We are excited about 2008.
Have you made a Budget for 2008?
Do you have KPIs for 2008? First Quarter, Second Quarter, Third Quarter, Fourth Quarter?
Are you plugged into the community?