Contact me to bring this presentation to your foundation or nonprofit conference. -pros and cons of internal staff, volunteers, on demand services and managed IT -questions to ask before you start -tips for choosing a provider

1. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 1Selecting the Right IT Support
Tech Support
Confidential
Insider Advice on Selecting
the Right IT Support
#nptechsupt
Presented by Karen Graham
September 19, 2013

2. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 2Selecting the Right IT Support
Nice to meet you!
Karen Graham
Director, Technology & Innovation
MAP for Nonprofits
651-632-7231
kgraham@mapfornonprofits.org
@karentgraham

3. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 3Selecting the Right IT Support
Let’s chat: What is your
burning question about
selecting the right IT support?

4. 1. Questions to ask before you start
2. Overview of major options for IT
support
3. Tips for choosing a provider
4. Questions and wrap-up

5. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 5Selecting the Right IT Support
GETTING READY

6. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 6Selecting the Right IT Support
Needs Assessment for IT Support
*Worksheet
SCOPE
•What are you looking for?
•Consider dividing IT needs into categories.

7. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 7Selecting the Right IT Support
Needs Assessment for IT Support
SKILL LEVEL
•Ask yourself how complex your tech needs are.
•Find out and document the technical knowledge
and abilities of your staff
AVAILABILITY
•Expectation of availability to staff
•How frequently do your IT problems pop up?
•Response time

8. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 8Selecting the Right IT Support
Needs Assessment for IT Support
BUDGET
•What can you budget for IT support?
•Are you in a position to invest more now in order
to potentially reduce costs later or improve
productivity?
STRATEGY
•What elements of your technology are most
mission-critical?
•Where are the stakes highest?

9. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 9Selecting the Right IT Support
More questions…
• Who provides internet services for your organization?
• Who supports your telecommunication services?
• Who supports your network cables (voice & data)?
• Who supports your telephone systems?
• Who supports your copy machine?
• Where is your Domain Name registered?
• Who host your DNS?
• Where is your web site hosted?
• Who supports or maintains your web site?
• Where is your email hosted?
• Who supports your email?

10. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 10Selecting the Right IT Support
• Do you have SPAM filtering for your email?
• What kind of databases do you have? (Donor, accounting, client,
etc.) Are these databases online or hosted on a server or workstation
your network?
• Who does your social media?
• How is help desk type support provided now?
• Do you have a Technology Plan or Database Plan?
• Do you have an IT Budget?
• Do you have a backup system? If yes, where? Online or locally on
your server?
• What knowledge and expertise do you have on staff or on the board?
Are there people who may have skills you could leverage?

11. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 11Selecting the Right IT Support
Rank your requirements.
What’s the relative importance of…
•Quick response time and resolution time
•Reliability/availability
•Depth of understanding of organization
•Strategic approach
•Cost

12. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 12Selecting the Right IT Support
Options for IT Support
• Volunteers
• Internal staff
• On Demand
• Managed IT

13. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 13Selecting the Right IT Support
VOLUNTEERS
Great for short term projects, engaging people with special skills.

14. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 14Selecting the Right IT Support
Tips for Successful IT Volunteers
• Pick the right project
• Provide clear expectations and support
• Keep volunteer’s needs in mind
Find Volunteers:
HandsOn Network VolunteerMatch
Community Corps Landit.org

15. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 15Selecting the Right IT Support
STAFF
I know you. I’m here, if you need me or not.

16. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 16Selecting the Right IT Support
IT staffing and salary survey
Average annual salaries
Small <$1M Med $1-5M
System/network
admin
$43,333 $47,291
Technician/IT
support
$35,416 $47,500
IT staff to org staff ratio
Small <$1M Med $1-5M
1:5 (2.3-10) 1:10.5 (5.8-23.3)
http://www.nten.org/research/download_it_staffing_2012

17. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 17Selecting the Right IT Support
ON DEMAND
Help! My computer is on fire!

18. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 18Selecting the Right IT Support
MANAGED IT SERVICES
Steady support, but beware the off shore call center

19. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 19Selecting the Right IT Support
Pros Cons
Volunteer “Free”, potentially available, project work,
engage people in meaningful way
Scheduling/response time,
knowledge/skill level and need for
supervision widely variable, can be
flaky
Internal
staff
Availability, knows your systems well,
around to observe and make proactive
recommendations, invested in the
organization.
Less flexible to match workload
fluctuation, most expensive cost of
ownership, training is your
responsibility/working in isolation
On
Demand
It’s on demand! There when you need it.
Often higher level of technical
expertise/resources.
Most expensive (hourly at least),
unfamiliar w/your system. Focus on
putting out fires. Variable budget
item.
Managed IT Regular maintenance, proactive. Knows
your system. Potentially strategic.
Predictable cost.
Not necessarily invested in
organization. Some bundled services
may not be necessary.

20. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013
• Questions to ask
• Contract
• Relationship tips

21. © MAP for Nonprofits - 2013 Slide 21Selecting the Right IT Support
Quiz
• What’s one question to ask before you choose an
IT support option?
• Compare and contrast: managed IT vs help desk
support
• Name two things that can help make your IT
support relationship successful.
• Your questions?