With more than 50 information technology (IT) companies in Westchester alone, it”™s become increasingly difficult for such businesses to establish themselves.
Tarrytech Computer Consultants separates itself by being a managed service provider (MSP), marking its 11th year in business.
Tarrytech, at 828 S. Broadway in Tarrytown, employs 11 people and provides IT support and network services throughout the tristate area.
MSPs provide unlimited service for companies for a flat monthly fee, while other IT companies get paid only when clients need assistance.
“There”™s not a lot of value in that,” said James Kudla, president of Tarrytech. “They aren”™t doing anything preventatively or proactively. The best companies are MSPs.”
At Tarrytech, Kudla offers a core set of services and preventative maintenance, along with reactive support and network administration. At the companies he provides support for, he considers himself the “VCIO” ”“ virtual chief information officer.
“We help you be smarter with technology and improve efficiency and stability,” Kudla said. “We offer better customer service and a better product than break-fix companies. It”™s great for the client; they know the end result.”
He said businesses often struggle with the instability of using break-fix companies for IT support, which are paid anytime services are needed ”“ one month shelling out $10,000 and another month maybe only paying $2,000 ”“ versus the flat fee Kudla charges. Kudla said that by using a break-fix company, businesses leave themselves open to viruses and other issues that lead to unproductive employees.
Kudla declined to go into specifics about his company”™s fees, saying it depends on the size of the client.
“A company”™s biggest cost is its employees,” Kudla said. “You want employees to be able to get their work done. Morale will be better. With an MSP, you have somebody to help you plan for the future and make smart decisions about technology that allow you to prolong the life of your equipment. You see the benefits of technology rather than a cost.”
Tarrytech has been an MSP longer than anyone in Westchester, and Kudla said that his company has perfected it.
“I have taken my hardware and software, my process and honed it over the last seven years,” Kudla said. “You can”™t decide to just become an MSP and deliver what I perfected.”
Kudla”™s company also specializes in helping businesses connect with cloud computing. Cloud computing uses hardware and software delivered as a service on a network, usually over the Internet. Cloud computing has picked up steam over the last 18 months as Kudla has been putting a lot of his clients on the cloud.
“Rather than writing a bit fat check for new equipment every two to three years, you go to the cloud and pay for it over time,” Kudla said. “Whether you do it today or in three years, some part of your network is going to be on the cloud. We evaluate all new technologies and where it makes sense, we implement them for our clients.”
Kudla said IT companies that aren”™t proficient in the cloud or have not adopted a cloud strategy are going to be out of business.
To stay proficient in the latest technologies, Kudla is a member of several industry groups and attends eight conferences a year.
“If you”™ve been doing this long enough, it”™s easier to keep up,” he said. “There isn”™t as much of a steep learning curve.”
While other industries have struggled during the economic downturn, Kudla said that his business is recession proof.
“There are always companies that really need IT services,” Kudla said. “You can”™t go without it. Companies realize the value of technology and that we deliver it in a cost-effective fashion. Break-fix companies are suffering.”
For businesses, Kudla said it doesn”™t make sense for them to hire a full-time IT employee. An MSP is cheaper, since it doesn”™t require benefits, or take sick or leave time.
He said compared with having one IT employee, if there”™s a problem, he can have three employees on it, and a company will not have to deal with the impact of employee turnover.
“Their intentions might be good, but there may be some network malpractice,” Kudla said. “We get called in a lot after an IT person leaves to clean up their mistakes. There is always continuity with us. Technology implemented correctly is a benefit; it shouldn”™t be seen as a cost.”
While break-fix companies make money off of mistakes, Kudla points out that he loses money every time his phone rings.
“I want to keep the noise down,” Kudla said. “It becomes a mutually beneficial relationship with the company.”
