TechNosis Inc.

Description

New business model means clients don't pay more when computers break down Appleton, Wis. - Small business owners frustrated by spending too much time and revenue managing their computer systems are the target of a new Fox Cities business called TechNosis Incorporated Instead of using the traditional I.T. services model, in which customers pay technicians an hourly fee to make repairs, TechNosis partners Bob Pankratz and Kyle Restoule have developed a method of providing proactive I.T. support to companies that can't afford their own I.T. departments. "I felt there had to be a better way to provide top-notch I.T. services to small businesses," said Restoule, who has worked for a traditional I.T. services firm but felt uncomfortable "only engaging with the customer when they were helpless." Because TechNosis clients pay a monthly flat fee, not a per-hour repair charge, TechNosis has a big incentive to keep its customers' systems up and running. "Our motivation is aligned with the business owner's-to have a bulletproof system that doesn't go down. We don't generate revenue when systems break," Restoule said. To keep systems stable, TechNosis uses a variety of regular diagnostic measures and maintenance tools. They call the program "TechGuard." "No one else out there is doing something like TechGuard, with a focus on the smaller-sized organizations," Pankratz said. "Most I.T. consulting firms are structured so they can't effectively service fewer than 20 to 25 computers. They could do it, but it's not profitable for them, so they have to charge prohibitive fees. That creates a dilemma for the small business owner: either they forego I.T. services completely, or only buy the minimum. We're set up to fix that problem." Pankratz and Restoule have experience at small companies as well as large corporations. "We've delivered efficient I.T. on a large scale. Now we want to bring those same benefits to smaller organizations," said Pankratz, who has held two director-level I.T. positions in manufacturing and engineering. "We see a large need that's not being filled." With recent I.T. graduates often commanding salaries of $40,000 and up, plus benefits, most small and medium-sized businesses can't justify a full-time I.T. specialist. If a company does hire entry-level technicians, they often lack the necessary experience to address all facets of I.T. service, according to Pankratz. "You might have learned how to install a server, but you don't come out of school knowing how to negotiate vendor contracts, draft a budget, or design ongoing support strategies," he said. The flat-fee TechGuard program allows multiple small businesses to share the costs involved in having a full-service I.T. department. TechGuard includes tasks such as routine maintenance, updates, backups, vendor negotiation, software license management, disaster recovery and budget planning. "It's like having your own I.T. staff in-house, but much less expensive," Restoule said. "Businesses don't end up paying $4000 because an emergency breakdown occurred. We take a hands-on, proactive approach so that breakdowns are minimized or eliminated.

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