The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

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Picking the right provider of those services is easiere andmore problem-free with careful Many companies turn to consultants for expertf advice and guidance. A consultant is able to independently evaluated themany possibilities, addressingv such issues as the effects of rapidly changing technology, installation of all products and how to make sure the compan can utilize the full capabilities of the technology it purchases. As a "people no longer look for hardware and they lookfor solutions. Consultants are the glue that integrates technologg and give the computer user the benefits of thetechnology they'v purchased," according to the Independent Computer Consultantws Association.
The failure or success of any particulat system is often more related to the humajn element than to the actual equipment saidSteven Epner, founder and past president of the a St. Louis-based trade group that representds the interests ofmember firms, maintainsa ethical conduct standards for the professiojn and offers a consultant searcg feature on its Web www.icca.org. "There are mediocre systemss that succeed and excellent systemsthat fail," Epnef said.
It's important to remember that hardware and networking systems arecomplex and, as a result, therse are no perfect answers as to what to There are also many parts to the process, so companiex may need assistance with employee traininv and other needs beyond the initial purchase. "It helps to make sure that as large a group as possible has input into theselectio process," Epner said. If one individual makese the decision, that person is on the hook if the outcomed is lessthan stellar. Independent computer consults have one to help a client company narrow the possibl choices to the poiny that any of the top picks will help the companyy succeed inits mission, Epnerf said.
It's also importantf for the company to act on a decision in atimelyh manner. "Any decision process that is more than six monthds in length will probablybe wrong, because thinga are changing rapidly," Epner said. The change is occurring not justin software, hardware or networking but also in the distribution and manufacturing processexs of that equipment. "It's important to compare majotr vendorsand distributors," he said. On the software side, otherd factors come into play when making a decision about whichb productsto use.
Software piracy is a growinhg problem and tools are now availabler for tracking andcombatingy piracy, according to the Softwars & Information Industry Association, a trade association basef in Washington, D.C., that urges companiex to make sure they have enough software licenses to covefr the number of software programsz installed on company computers. The group handlesx issues related to code and content in the industr y and has conducted a successfulcorporatse anti-piracy program for its software company members for nearlt 20 years. Companies should always go with reputable vendors with choosinhg computer softwareand hardware.
Not doing so can prove "If you go on the Internet and look for a good you might find one that appearsw to be too good tobe true," said John director of Internet enforcement for the Business Software Alliance, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that represents the interestx of the commercial software industry and the hardwarre companies that partner with The group also promotes copyrigh protection, cyber security and othe related issues. When purchasing software, companiese should be mindful of several Wolfe said. The companyy should know the source of the softwared and who will standbehinds it.
Software sold without the propef labeling and packaging also will lack the codes needed to activater it or to access technicak support after the he added. Choosing a reputable software vendore will help the company assure that thesoftware doesn'g come with potential problems such as viruses and "It can be a real risk," Wolfe said, adding that a company chief executive officer may not be fullt aware of the risks that come with such a decision, but oftemn a quick consultation with an internal informatioh technology department or a consultant will turn up some stronv cautionary advice. A bad decisionb has several possible ramifications, Wolfe said.
The software may not work correctly and the problem may notbe fixable. In some cases, the company'xs only long-term solution may be costly as the company may be forcee to buyreplacement