Allen Miller Computer Consulting
IT Firm Makes Large Strides in Becoming a Sole Service Provider to Small Businesses
Partner: Allen Miller Computer Consulting
Web Site: www.millermanor.net
Partner Size: 2 employees
Country or Region: United States
Industry: Professional services - IT Services
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Partner Profile
As one of the first Microsoft® Small Business Specialists in Cincinnati, Ohio, Allen Miller Computer Consulting is a small IT practice that provides managed services and break-fix services for small businesses.
Software and Services
- Microsoft® Response Point™
- Microsoft Server Product Portfolio
- Windows® Small Business Server
"Sometimes when you sell a new product, it can cause headaches. But Microsoft Response Point is a solid product with a nice markup. It has been an easy source of revenue for me."
Allen Miller, President, Allen Miller Computer Consulting
Company Profile
Allen Miller Computer Consulting provides IT services to small and midsize businesses throughout Cincinnati, Ohio, and Northern Kentucky. Offering both managed services and break-fix services for companies ranging from 10 to 40 employees, Allen Miller Computer Consulting has established itself as one of the first Microsoft® Small Business Specialists in the greater Cincinnati area.
As a small company, Allen Miller Computer Consulting strives to be the sole provider of IT services for its clients and seeks opportunities to build its business. In early 2007, the company decided to add telephony to its line of service offerings.
Initially, the company considered supporting trixbox, a free, open-source business telephony software package. Although the open-source software offered a low price point for both Allen Miller Computer Consulting and its clients, the complexity of the system—and the lack of available technical support— caused some concern. "When I did finally get a trixbox system set up, I knew there was no way I could support it. It was too difficult and complicated, and I just wouldn‘t have felt comfortable selling it," explains Allen Miller, President of Allen Miller Computer Consulting.
The company needed a solution that its small staff could easily support, and it had to be priced attractively for the small-business market.
Business Opportunity
At an IT conference that focused on the needs of small businesses, Miller heard about Microsoft Response Point™, the advanced phone system software designed especially for small businesses. The phone system was not only easy to support, but it also offered an inexpensive alternative to hosted PBX phone systems. After Miller attended a one-day training course on setup and use of the phone software, his company was added to the list of qualified Microsoft Response Point specialists on the Microsoft Response Point Web site.
In the first five weeks since becoming qualified, Allen Miller Computer Consulting implemented Microsoft Response Point for four new clients, with five additional sales leads in the pipeline. The company found that many customers were motivated to purchase Microsoft Response Point because of its unique features, and once deployed, they quickly became advocates for the system. "One client cited the voice-dialing features as his main reason for choosing Microsoft Response Point," says Miller. "Now, he says he‘ll refer this product to others to help me push and sell it."
Go-to-Market Strategy
While the specialist list on the Microsoft Response Point Web site has generated a significant number of leads for the company, Miller plans to develop his own campaign to raise awareness of the product.
Miller also plans to use Microsoft Response Point as an opportunity to drive demand for the company‘s core small-business services, such as implementations for Windows® Small Business Server. "In many cases, working on site with a small-business customer is social," explains Miller. "Typically, I‘m talking directly to the owner or a principal, and after we have a conversation about phones, we can talk about Windows Small Business Server. There‘s a great end benefit across the two products."
Allen Miller Computer Consulting will offer Microsoft Response Point phone system software at the suggested retail price, and depending on the customer, the company may provide additional services to set up and maintain the system. "I‘ve got a couple customers who are tech savvy and want to do the installation themselves. So, for them, I can simply act as a reseller," Miller explains. "Some customers are the opposite; they want to be hands-off. In that case, I act as a consultant and sell my time."
In either case, Miller cites a close relationship with his distributor as a key to offering the new system with confidence. "I work with CMP, the distributor for the Syspine equipment, and they‘re fantastic," says Miller. "I‘m a real person when I talk to them, and the same person answers the phone when I call. I can get reports when I need them, and they‘re always up-front about availability and ship dates, so I can keep my customers informed."
Requires Minimal Investment
Allen Miller Computer Consulting became qualified to resell Microsoft Response Point phone system software after only 10 hours of training. In addition, the company can resell the product without adding support staff. "Microsoft Response Point is a ‘set it up and walk away‘ type of system," explains Miller. "I offer IT-managed services that monitor system thresholds, minimize downtime, and generate ongoing maintenance work and revenue, but I don‘t see many recurring problems with Microsoft Response Point. That makes it an ideal product offering for IT companies with a small support staff."
Increases Sales
Because the Microsoft Response Point phone system hardware and software are easy to set up and use, it is virtually effortless to sell. "Sometimes when you sell a new product, it can cause headaches. But Microsoft Response Point is a solid product with a nice markup. It has been an easy source of revenue for me," Miller explains. "I‘ll spend 15 to 20 minutes on the phone with a client, ascertain their needs, call the distributor, and initiate a shipment. Then I get a check." Miller predicts that Microsoft Response Point will account for 10 to 20 percent of the company‘s annual revenue.
In addition, the strength of the Microsoft brand has helped the company close deals and allay skepticism that may accompany a new product. "Even though it's a new product, it's very stable, and people recognize that," explains Miller. "The Microsoft name adds credibility to the product; customers trust Microsoft technology and they see value in the Microsoft brand, so they are more likely to buy."
Complements Other Technology Services
As a Microsoft Small Business Specialist, Allen Miller Computer Consulting is well positioned to introduce Microsoft Response Point and related services to its clients. In particular, Miller has found that customers who rely on Windows Small Business Server represent an opportunity to sell telephony solutions. "Like a foot in the door, Windows Small Business Server provides an opening to market or sell additional technologies to small businesses. There‘s a great end benefit in both directions, and the strengths of one service can be used to leverage the sale of the other," Miller concludes.
For more information about other Microsoft customer successes, please visit: www.microsoft.com/casestudies