George Bardissi

To our customers,
I first want to thank all of you for your business. I also wanted to reflect back on 2009 and ahead on this New Year.

For some, 2009 has been a rocky year and 2010 brings some unknowns while for others the story may be completely in the other direction. I am pleased to say that Bardissi Enterprises has grown since our inception and 2009 has added to our continued success and we are excited to see what 2010 holds.

Thinking back, my goal behind starting Bardissi Enterprises was to build a successful technology business that provides You the opportunity to harness the power behind computer and network technology. Today, this idea holds true that much more because different technologies have and will continue to be deployed in a network based environment regardless of whether you are a home or business user.

The past several years have been extremely exciting for technology. We have watched computers, networking, telecommunications, cellular phones & devices, audio & visual, mobile computing, and of course the internet change and grow so rapidly. Imagine just a few years ago we were without iPods, iPhones, Skype, Facebook, Twitter, TV & Radio streaming over the internet and countless other things we use on a daily basis.

Some ask how we keep up with it all? The answer is very easy, we LOVE it.

Bardissi Enterprises has partnered with the leaders in our field to provide you with the latest and greatest products that the market has to offer. We have an extensive range of which encompasses every part of low cost to enterprise level solution. And of course Bardissi Enterprises is here for all of your computer, network support and installation needs.

Although we are growing at an exponential rate our unique business culture allows us to operate with all the advantages of a small company. We make our decisions promptly and we are very responsive to change. Our solutions and product offerings continue to grow so that we may further assist you in growing with the information superhighway. If you are seriously considering technology, please contact us so that we can help you. I give you my promise that when you choose Bardissi Enterprises you will be more than satisfied with the result.

Thank you for your time and looking forward working with all of you in this new year.

Warmest regards,
George Bardissi

Andino R. Ward

So, what should a well balanced IT service and support company look like and provide? First and foremost, they should not have a break/fix mentality that is the sum and total of their IT service and support platform. When looking for IT service and support, the company that you choose should have five things that they provide as part of what should be their comprehensive platform.

The first and most important thing to look at is the overall Knowledge Base that an IT service and support company maintains. When we say Knowledge Base this is a reference to the service and support providers awareness and understanding of the actual technology, be it the hardware, software and connectivity solutions that are currently being used along with the new technology that is being created and soon to be released into the market place. The ability of an IT service and support provider is greatly enhanced when they possess a very good Knowledge Based agenda. This caveat alone, immediately indicates that a service and support provider is much more than a break, fix specialist, because they have the ability to provide their clients with constant advice, information and education on existing technology and where Information technology solutions are headed and how the new technologies' applications will help the client's ability to conduct business easier and help increase revenue as well, in the case of a business and for the private user how it will help them to improve upon home based functions that they rely on their technology for.

The other day, I was talking with a friend who is a director at a local nonprofit and he was telling me about new software that the organization has just acquired for tracking its clients movements on a daily basis. The first thing, that he identified, regarding the new software, was that it is a web based system. This means that it is a system that comes over and through the internet from the originating company that created and hosts the software program. As he detailed the various aspects of the new software and what it would do, I immediately began to see numerous problems that could occur and one major problem that could literally cripple the organizations system immediately.

Now consider that the software will handle all aspects of the organizations client information, movement, payments and requested services in real time, but it is web based. So, let's say the internet goes down on any given day. Since the software program is web based, without the internet, it will not work and for whatever period of time the net is down the organization will not be able to input the constant stream of client information in real time, plus they could lose valuable information as well. Coming from a Knowledge Base, for an organization that handles very sensitive client information and must be concerned with real time imputing of the information a web based software program would not be an option and there are numerous other issues that can make a web based software program a real nightmare to deal with. My point, in this true example, is that there were details which were not pointed out to the organization by whoever was responsible for advising them on their IT concerns and the conclusion leads back to the aspect of having a sound Knowledge Based agenda. There are several other methods that a good IT service and support provider should possess for the benefit of their clients.

The next attribute a quality IT service and support provider should have is, Quality Product Partnerships. Since one of the main functions of an IT service and support provider is to maintain a clients IT hardware and software, it is only logical that the provider should be aligned with companies that provide quality IT hardware and software. When this happens, the IT service and support provider can get the best products for their clients and have the ability to negotiate pricing which will save the client money.

About three months ago, we received a call from a company that was just moving into the area and setting up their operation in a brand new office suite. The company was purchasing 80 PC's and two servers for which they had been quoted a price of almost $65,000.00. The company contacted us as a result of having talked to another business, in the area, who suggested that they call us as the price that they were being quoted seemed high. The company did make contact with us and we did go to our hardware supplier with whom we were able to negotiate pricing on behalf of the client and did so, getting the client everything that they needed, to the specifications they required, for $48,000.00. This is what can and should happen when an IT service and support provider has Quality Product Partnerships and the ability to negotiate pricing on behalf of the client.

IT Training Initiatives is the next method and attribute that an IT service and support company should provide for its clients. This is necessary as the IT service and support provider should have created numerous methods of providing training for their clients in the areas of IT hardware and software use and the training should be an ongoing process. There should also be numerous methods of training such as; Technical Webcasts, IT Seminars, Onsite Group Training at the clients business, Newsletters and Blogs. The idea is to constantly provide the client with easy, accessible ways to get information that will help them to understand their technology which will enable them to get the best results from their technology. This initiative will also create a sense of comfort and security within the client as it pertains to the IT service and support providers expertise and it will be obvious to the client that they and their technology are in good hands with the IT company.

I remember receiving a call, from a person who was having a particular problem with her computer and she wanted us to come out, to her house, and fix the issue. When I asked her what the problem was her response was both shocking and very funny. She began by saying that the cup holder, on her computer was broken and could we repair it? Well, you can just imagine the look on my face and the thought in my head. I paused for a moment and then said to her, "Miss, computers don't have cup holders on them". The women almost got irate and insisted that there was a cup holder. I remained calm and asked, "Please tell me where the cup holder is on your computer".

The women began to describe where the supposed cup holder was and immediately, I knew that what she was referring to as a cup holder, was really the CD ROM Drive, which she had been using, for the last six months, as a cup holder for her daily coffees. Once I informed her as to what the device really was and what it was for, we both had a really good, long laugh. After we both regained our composure, I asked her if, the entity that sold her the computer or the service and support provider, she used, ever offered her any training on the use of the computer to include a review of its parts. Of course she said no and proceeded to tell me of the many problems she had and money she had spent in repairs on a PC that was only six months old. Needless to say, she did become my client and the rest is history.

I tell you the story only to show you why it is both important and necessary for an IT service and support provider to have IT Training Initiatives as part of their service and support agenda. There are two more initiatives and methods that a good IT service and support provider should have. They are: Managed IT Solutions and Research & Testing. If you are a business owner, then you are well aware of the significance that information technology plays in your day – to – day operations and just how much of a negative impact it can have on your business when it's not working properly. This also applies to private citizens as well who, while in their homes, are very dependent on their information technology and do experience the same negative impact when it is not working properly.

Since the hardware portion of information technology is usually at the forefront of the negative experience, we most then consider the ongoing cost that is relative to keeping it working. On average, a small to medium size business can spend up to $600.00 per month in hourly service and support fees unless they have someone, in house, who can fix problems up to a certain point. However, this in no way can help a small to medium size business in the long run because eventually the problems will become so advanced and ongoing that an outside service and support provider will need to be called and the problems will be so severe that the cost of fixing them will be incredible.

Let's face it IT hardware + software + connectivity = continuous, ongoing service and support expenses due to the fact that the technology is like no other and is expected to run many differing applications all at one time and for numerous users that are spread out over the network and internet as well. So, taking all of this into consideration and the expense associated with its upkeep, it is very important that a business or private user look at the cost with a desire to control it.

This is where it is important to have an IT service and support provider that has Managed IT Solutions as part of its service and support agenda. Managed IT Solution providers are more important to businesses than private users, because a business's information technology is extensive and will require more service and support over time. Managed IT Solutions providers have the ability to help a business set a specific level of cost for their service and support by creating an annual service and support contract for a fixed fee. This method gives a business the ability to know immediately what they will spend so that they never have to consult with their accountant to get an audit on what was been spent on IT service and support. Most contracts will be set according to the amount of IT hardware that the business uses, i.e. The number of PC's, laptops, servers, printers, etc and it should include spam protection, system analysis software, virus protection and a host of other support services. This solution also affords a business the ability to structure their contract in any way that they want. If they don't want to put all of their IT hardware, on the contract, they don't have to. Instead, they can put only those pieces of hardware that will need the most service and support, while leaving the other IT hardware to be dealt with on an hourly fee basis, which the Managed IT Solutions provider should also offer, but at a reduced cost factor.

The other great thing about Managed IT Solutions provider's, is that they are or should be a one stop shop that services every aspect of a business or private user's information technology needs. This is very important, because it allows the business or private user to have peace of mind in knowing that the IT service and support provider is aware of and familiar with every aspect of their IT situation. When this happens, it means that the business and private user need only deal with one source for all their IT needs and this can make life so much easier and less confusing as it would be if there were multiple service and support providers.

Research and Testing is the last of the five initiatives that a good IT service and support provider should have in its service and support agenda. When talking about research and testing, this refers to looking at the IT market place of new ideas and the technology that it is producing for you the business or private user. Everyday there is some new device or software that is coming onto the market and is suppose to be something that will help you the business or private user do what you do better and with greater ease. Thus, it is important for an IT service and support provider to have a process in place that searches for, screens and tests the new technology to determine how it can benefit their clients in both doing business and saving money.

And there you have it, everything that a business or private information technology user should be looking for in an IT service and support provider. Knowledge Base, Quality Product Partnerships, IT Training Initiatives, Managed IT Solutions and Research & Testing are all the attributes that a good, reputable IT service and support provider should have in their portfolio. I would definitely encourage every business and private IT user to do an in-depth reassessment of your current IT service and support provider to determine if they have the necessary attributes as previously listed. If not, then you need to ask yourself several questions, like am I really getting the best service and support for the money I am spending? Am I really getting the best advice regarding my information technology infrastructure to include my hardware and software? Does my IT service and support provider negotiate pricing on my hardware and software to get me the best deal and save money? Is my IT service and support provider keeping me up to date on the changes taking place in information technology and providing ongoing training on my current IT infrastructure?

If you can answer yes to all of the aforementioned questions, then you're doing well, but if not, then you're losing time, money and probably valuable information that are relative to your business or use at home. Whatever the situation, use the information in this series as a guidepost and you will never go wrong as you move forward in the ever changing world of information technology and the service and support needed to maintain it.

Andino R. Ward is the VP of Marketing & Operations of Bardissi Enterprises in Hatfield, PA. Bardissi Enterprises welcomes your questions or comments. Questions you would like answered or topics you would like discussed should be sent to Andino R. Ward at award@bardissi.net. You can also visit www.bardissi.net, or call 215 853-2266 ext. 151.

In continuing with the spirit of giving, Bardissi Enterprises spotlights, this month, "A Women's Place" which is the only domestic violence organization in Bucks County that is working to end domestic violence and abuse. It is a community organization that provides a full range of assistance and support services for victims of domestic violence and abuse. The organization extends help to the victims children as well and includes a free 24 hour confidential hotline. There is a full service residential shelter, individual and group counseling, legal and medical advocacy and children's programs.

The organization also provides comprehensive community based domestic violence awareness and preventive training, education, outreach and advocacy.

"A Women's Place" is having its 15th Annual Chocolate Lover's Fantasy Fundraiser on Saturday, February 13, 2010 at Tyler Hall, which is located on the campus Bucks County College located at 275 Swamp Road, Newtown, PA. For more information call 215 343-9241 ext. 108 or email jsalisbury@awomensplace.org. You can visit their website at awomensplace.org. We urge you to help support their initiative in any way that you can. Let’s help bring an end to domestic violence and abuse in the 21st century.

As we all know, there has been a tragic and terrible situation befall Haiti by way of the tremendous earthquake that devastated the country last week. Over 100,000 are believed dead and the death toll continues to rise. The people of Haiti are in need of much help and it is wondered if the country can ever really be rebuilt and the people’s way of life restored.

Haiti needs our help, and we, at Bardissi Enterprises ask all who are reading this newsletter to extend your love and support to the people of Haiti through donating whatever you can to help in their rebuilding and return to a state of normalcy. Remember, humanity is like an organism. What effects one part of the organism if left untreated will eventually affect the entire organism. We hope you will find it in your heart to help!!