Start & Run a Rural Computer Consultant Business. John D. Deans

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СКАЧАТЬ not until mid-1991, when I joined Paranet and they were billing me out to clients at a high hourly rate to perform specific tasks or complete defined projects, that I was performing external support.

      The external IT world is much different than the internal IT world, trust me. Every new project is usually a new client and it is very much like going through a job interview and then being put into a high-stress and high-expectation position the next day. After a few years of this, one learns how to adapt to new environments quickly, strategically interface with different client personalities, and complete challenging projects with hard problems in a timely manner. These external support experiences are critical assets for a successful career as a rural computer consultant. So if you are mono-talented in a narrow computer field, you may want to hold off on becoming an independent consultant in a rural area.

      In this book I will list in detail the technical skill sets required to profitably service your rural clients. The majority of these skills will not require expensive certifications or costly training, since most can be picked up by reading the right books and taking cost-effective online courses. Some of the skill sets required for this multifaceted position were not in my résumé when I started up in 2000, but just as I had done for nearly 20 years, I taught myself quickly, via computer-based training, which had become much more advanced since those late nights in front of the Plato terminal at Control Data in Houston.

      With online tutorials and Internet-based training courses, I was able to pick up numerous tips and tricks, as well as the more complex skills I needed such as web page design and programming. So even if your skill set is more limited at this time, this book can help you prepare for a later shot at becoming a rural computer consultant.

      Another factor is money. If you and your spouse are riding high on a $175,000-plus income and have the bills to go along with it (such as a big mortgage, car loans, and other debts), this income would be hard to replace quickly or easily as a rural computer consultant. I do, however, explain later on in this book how to trim down your lifestyle, consumption, and debt to be less dependent on such high salaries.

      Your success as a rural computer consultant will be strongly influenced by your customer service skills and attitude. Prompt and friendly customer service is an absolute requirement for small-town business needs. One of the first things I learned was that my new clients strongly desired fast, consistent response. They were tired of waiting for their previous Houston-based computer support person to call back, or better yet, to finally show up on-site to fix the critical computer problem stopping their small but important business task.

      You have also got to want to get in front of people, market yourself, sell your services, and adapt to the customs, dialect, and culture of the town’s people. If you’re a male liberal hippy with tattoos, earrings, and a DNC sticker on your VW Bug, don’t count on landing new clients in conservative central Texas near where I live.

      The opposite is true for a right-wing, gun-toting conservative like myself trying to get clients in small left-wing towns within Marin County just outside of San Francisco. That said, remember that the majority of small towns are more conservative than liberal, and this is especially true in rural farming and ranching areas. Political leanings will be an issue in small towns, and we will discuss this aspect of client relations in more detail later in the book.

      The major potential showstopper to becoming a rural computer consultant is that you and your spouse (if applicable) have got to want to live, work, shop, and raise your kids in a small town. As I explained, this was initially a major issue with my wife. It was rough on her for the first couple of years, due to the vast change in distance to her family and the major change of going to a new church and developing a new set of friends.

      If you and your family are addicted to the conveniences of city life, then maybe working in a small rural town will not be for you. But you should check things out by visiting small towns and spending some weekends at bed-and-breakfast inns, which will allow you to meet locals and get the feel of the area.

      So if you have the urge to escape the urban rat race, possess a varied computer support skill set, have moderate income needs and debt, and like working directly with clients, you may strongly consider becoming a rural computer consultant.

      Part 2

      SERVICE NEEDS AND SKILL SET REQUIREMENTS

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