Selecting the Right IT Support for Your Nonprofit

© 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 GrahamSeptember 19, 2013


Nice to meet you!

Karen GrahamDirector, Technology & InnovationMAP for Nonprofits

[email protected]@karentgraham

mailto:[email protected]


Let’s chat: What is your burning question about selecting the right IT support?

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


GETTING READY


Needs Assessment for IT Support

*Worksheet

SCOPE

•What are you looking for?

•Consider dividing IT needs into categories.



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



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?


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?


• 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?


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


Options for IT Support

• Volunteers

• Internal staff

• On Demand

• Managed IT


VOLUNTEERSGreat for short term projects, engaging people with special skills.


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


STAFFI know you. I’m here, if you need me or not.


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


ON DEMANDHelp! My computer is on fire!


MANAGED IT SERVICES Steady support, but beware the off shore call center


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.


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?

Selecting the Right IT Support for Your Nonprofit

Technology

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