Problem Solving

Information Technology Consulting

We are your local IT Consulting / Computer Consulting experts who can assist in all aspects of software implementation, as well as repairing your network and server, whether they run on Windows or Linux.  Like most small business, you may not have the luxury of having your own Information Technology department to take on new projects or tackle complex challenges.  You may be just barely hanging on to what you currently have and praying that your systems do not break down. We are here to come in with our knowledge, expertise, and experience to do the job of the Information Technology Department you wish you had.

911 Emergency Service

We understand that downtime is expensive to your business and disruptive to your operation.  Give us a call so that we may get started right away and evaluate what is needed to get you back up and running.  We have the technical skills and experience to think on our feet and decide what resources we can pull together in order to get you operational as quickly as possible.

Help Desk Technical Support

In the ever changing world of technology, users are expected to be more and more self sufficient in adapting to and using new technology.  The problem is that your business may rely on employees who are more creative in nature or managerial and technology does not come naturally to them.  A question or technical issue can stop a user's  productivity and lead to frustration, unless they have somewhere to turn for assistance from Help Desk Technical Support and Problem Solving.  In larger corporations, this is called the Help Desk, where an entry-level IT person would answer questions and solve problems on technical issues.  Unfortunately it is rare, especially for a small or medium sized business, to have their own Help Desk.  We can fill this void by serving the role of Help Desk Technical Support and provide assistance with problem solving.

Your computer network is the most used, most relied upon, most critical asset for running your business..... but it is probably the least appreciated.

There are two types of computer networks in business today. Those that were designed and installed well by competent professionals, and those that were not.  Most likely your network falls into the second category because you are looking for help and reading this!  Most networks that we encounter are a product of evolution.  When you first set up a network, it was a simple matter of running some wire around from computer to computer until the lights started blinking.  You either installed your first network yourself, or gave a deserving kid an opportunity to earn some money and gain experience while on summer vacation.  Maybe it was your own kid or relative and nobody wants to criticize their work.  It all seemed simple enough, but then you started adding more computers and eventually a server to share files.  You added Internet and maybe some multi-user software, printers, and other devices.  At some point, you added a wireless router so that your employees could use their laptops, smartphones, and tablets.  Somehow it all magically worked,,,, until it didn't!  This was all great until things started slowing down.  Strange error messages started appearing on your screens, and some computers could not get reliably connected.  Data got corrupted and you started having some real problems.  You can see from the variety of types and colors of network cable lying around that different people have come through and expanded or repaired your network, spendng no more than what it takes to get by.   You lost track of what goes where and what is actually being used. Employees come and go and nobody today really knows exactly what you have or understands how it all works, nor do they care. Eventually something breaks and you find out that the company, or individual who installed your network is out of business, or grew up and moved on.  Now you have a mess and you want someone to come in and straighten it all out.  Yes, we have seen it all before.  It is time for a new network, this time professionally installed!

Problems in your computing environment can drag down your entire business.

Your business relies heavily on technology.  Technical problem solving is key to keeping your business running smoothly.  When there is a technical problem with your network hardware, server, or software, it can effect employee morale, as well as productivity and ultimately profitability.  Are your employees complaining about the technology they use?  How many times do you have to stop and think about issues with your network server, software or computer hardware?  Are your computing resources being abused or used for personal entertainment rather than business use?  Have you had to shut your business down, cancel appointments, or change your plans because of technical problems or limitations?  Do you have an employee that you cannot fire or are afraid will quit because they are the only ones with the knowledge to keep your systems running?  These are not the type of problems that some technology whiz kid can solve.  You need a team of trustworthy, experienced business IT Consultants, who can be the problem solver to help make management decisions and implement a solution.  We will be happy to meet with you, privately if necessary, and see what we can do to help solve your technology problems.

Specializing in Business and Medical Computing

For over 30 years, CMI has been installing, upgrading, and maintaining business computer systems all over Indianapolis and central Indiana.  We enjoy working with small and medium sized businesses and medical practices, helping them grow, and run smoothly.  We help you take the advantage with the best of available technology.  Our customers include Medical and Dental Practices, Retail Stores, and just about everything else from Accounting to Manufacturing. Installing successful systems and establishing long relationships with our customers, by maintaining those systems, is what we do best.

There are times when you need to call in Experienced Technical Problem Solvers

Our extensive experience is our biggest asset.  We take the time to listen to users, analyze customer's needs, and recommend solutions that work.  Whenever we install something, we make sure we do the job right, according to well established industry standards and best practices.  We will only use the best available computer hardware and software that will assure success.  We are used to solving problems that nobody else can.

With experience in the field, implementing and maintaining mission critical computer systems, networking, and servers, we are in a position to recommend solutions that we have used before.  There is "No need to recreate the wheel" every time you need a solution.  We use our experience to your advantage.  While we know what works and what to recommend, we also will keep you from making the mistake of investing in a system that does not meet your needs.

CMI can serve as your your Outsourced IT Department.

As a result of downsizing, cost reduction, or employee turnover, you may no longer have anyone around to take care of your computer systems.  Our services cost a lot less than employing a full time IT person.  We pride ourselves in saving our customers much more money than our services cost.  We help you make the right decisions on how to invest your IT Budget wisely in order to keep your computing environment running smoothly.  We help you keep up with the ever changing technology, IT modernization and computing demands, while at the same time recommending practical, cost effective solutions.  Give us a call.  Tell us what you are trying to accomplish.

Training is a great opportunity to receive user feedback.

Successful computer system administrators address the concerns of users.  Users have a unique perspective that can only come from real life experience using the system everyday.  They will be the first to notice problems or come up with ideas to make the system better. They care about their jobs.  They will let you know what should be done to make their job easier, more efficient, and help them meet expectations.  Users ideas and suggestions need to be fully appreciated and used to make improvements.

Some emergencies can be solved remotely.

Sometimes, what may seem like a big problem can be solved either over the telephone, or, if you have Internet available, through a remote connection.  Unless there is a physical problem, involving smoke, or fried electronics that require replacement, we can solve most problems remotely, either by doing some simple troubleshooting over the phone, or using a remote access solution like terminal services, or remotely controlling a workstation.

Companies need someone who is familiar with their entire computing environment. Computer systems need Administration.

We provide guidance to help navigate your business through a sea of technology.  We can perform a management, decision making role as a member of your team.

Decisions need to be made, and right or wrong decisions can make or break a business.  Without consistant administration, your computer system will be adrift and eventually show the signs of neglect.  Your system needs someone to keep a watchful eye on changing technology and innovations in Windows, Linux, network security issues, as well as all the hardware and software in use.  Someone needs to make practical recommendations on how to utilize new technology to your best advantage.  Someone needs to be looking down the road at emerging technology and the future of your company.

Many companies no longer have the luxury of their own IT Departments to, or even dedicated, qualified, IT Personnel as a result of downsizing or recent economic hardship.  Your computing environment is unique and it is wasteful to have different technicians come in from time to time and try to fix or maintain a system they are not familiar with. By performing regular maintenance and IT Technical support, we build a level of familiarity that will allow us to diagnose problems and implement solutions much more quickly, thus saving you a lot of money over time.

Help Desk Remote Telephone Technical support is a service we provide for our customers who are on a maintenance program.

We only provide technical support to customers with whom we have an ongoing relationship or who are willing to pay for our srvice.  We see Technical Support as a value that we add to our overall IT Consulting Services and will allow for a certain amount of Technical Support to be included in our Systems Maintenance Plans.  We can not provide free technical support to random callers looking to leach information from us.  We receive calls from desperate people who find us on the Internet every day and we are willing to help if they are willing to pay our $150/hour base fee and our priorities allow for it.

There is no such thing as a dumb question.

We treat users with the respect they deserve.  We understand that users have other things to do besides keep up with the latest technology and they are not interested in what makes their computers work.  We try to provide assistance and explain answers thoroughly.  When possible we try to go a step beyond answering the question to make sure the user becomes a little more technically proficient from the experience. There will always be people who are "Technically Challenged," but by using our skills and patience, we try our best to be helpful. It is the end users, after all, who we depend on to make a computer system successful.

The tools we use to provide help have advanced greatly.

It is rare, these days, that we need to travel to your location in order to provide technical support.  With just a few keystrokes, you can allow us to access your computer and provide remote support so that we may see and control your computer as if we were sitting next to you.  This eliminates most of the challenge of a user trying to describe a problem sufficiently for a technician to understand what is going on and find the solution.  Questions can be answered quickly over the telephone and maintenance or repairs can be performed on your computer software remotely using a Remote Support program.  We also have the ability to access and monitor servers and routers remotely so being on-site may not be required.

Your technology problem may not be all that unique.

Chances are other companies we work with have been through a problem similar to yours and we already know the solution.  This is where our experience comes in handy. Many companies face similar problems in growth, changing technology, data recovery, or disaster management.  We have the battle scars that come from solving a lot of problems over many years and we have yet to see a challenge we can not meet.

 

We keep ourselves up to date on all the latest security patches, varnings, and various bugs that are known problems.  We know how to track down error codes and search for solutions based on other peoples experiences with the same problem.  There is often no need to invent a solution.  By keeping up and reading about problems, vulnerabilities and their solutions, we can often prevent a problem on your system before it ever happens.

 

Users need to know that they are supported.

The most frustrating thing for a user is not having someone to go to when they have a question or concern.  Leaving users to figure out a system on their own, or handing them a stack of manuals is not the right approach.  Proper training and ongoing support will lead to a comfort level that will assure success.  Users need to know that they are not alone, that help is available, and they should know where to go and be encouraged to seek that help.  Sometimes we need to come in and assist in working with the technical support services of your software vendor.  By allowing us, your technical people, to work with their technical people, we can work together to find a solution that we can bring back and implement in a non technical way.  In other words, we can fight the technical support challenges for you.

We know how to deal with Security Related Emergencies.

Has your system been hacked?  Is your Internet connection under attack?  Are your computers infected with a fast spreading virus?  Has someone taken over your server?  Do you need your system secured after an employee change?  These are all issues that we have dealt with in the past and know how to get under control.  We have the tools and experience necessary to figure out what is going on and find a solution.  We will repair the damages, find the source of the problem, and implement preventions to secure your systems.

We are not afraid to ruffle feathers in order to bring about positive change.

Some of the most difficult problems may be caused by your own employees.  Users generally do not like and are resistant to change or restrictions.  End users may be too used to having the freedom to do anything they want with company computers, regardless of the problems they may cause.  Many viruses and security problems are a result of employees using their work computers the same way the do their personal computers at home. Acceptable Use Policies need to be developed, implemented, and enforced with backing from top levels of management.  We can help by installing tools to keep your employees and their computer use under control.  We are not interested in corporate drama, politics, or winning popularity contests.  We are here to solve problems.

The technology we deal with is not just limited to computers and networks.

We understand how to integrate different technoloies so that they work together.  We are versitle enough to work with practically any technology and interface multiple technologies together for an overall solution.

Any kind of technology can be intimidating.  We are also capable and have experience installing medical equipment, phone systems, security systems, cash register point of sale systems, and sometimes become involved in the technical design of customer products.  We can work with your vendors and their technical specifications to make sure their products will interface with your computing environment and make any adjustments necessary.

We are used to reading manuals, working with technical specifications, and applying technology to any type of business application.  Bring us in and let us look at what you are trying to accomplish.  We can help with the research and evaluation of the next piece of equipment you are wanting to buy.  We may know of another customer who is facing the same challenge or using the same technology.

We are not afraid to take on new technology.

All technology starts out as new technology.  Every project and solution is unique.  We are not afraid to try something that nobody has done before in order to give your business a competitive edge.  We are constantly absorbing new technology as technology itself evolves with time.  There are several companies around Indianapolis where we installed their first personal computers.  We installed the first PC Network in Indianapolis.  We were pioneers when the Internet first started by setting up one of the first Internet Service Providers in the area.  Doctor and Dentist offices are constantly having us integrate new medical equipment with their practice management software and servers. Just because something has not been done before, does not mean that it can't be done and we can't do it.  We are also available to help you evaluate new technology to see if it is necessary and will actually improve your business.  We can help in the decision and evaluational process to help decide which new technology to take on.

Once the problem is identified, we can quickly get the resources you need.

We consider all the resources available to us whether it be placing a temporary server, offloading services to our own network, or knowing where to quickly obtain a critical replacement part.   We do whatever it takes to get you operational as quickly as possible.  An example of this is a customer who runs QuickBooks Enterprise on their server that crashed.  In order to buy time to build a new server, we installed their QuickBooks on one of our servers for the customer to access remotely.  Once the new server is up and running, the QuickBooks and Data were transferred to the new or repaired server.

We have loaner Servers, Switches, Routers, Hard Drives, and pretty much anything else to get your system back up and running so your business will not suffer.

Many companies have downsized and no longer have their own IT Technical Support staff to go to help.

Unfortunately, many companies do not realize until. after they have let their IT People go, how critical they actually were.  We do not advocate downsizing IT Staff, but we are available to fill in the void that they leave behind.  Help Desk Technical Support is critical to the ongoing operation of your business.  We can provide Help Desk Technical Support so that your employees have someone to turn to for help their occasional questions and technical problem solving needs.

We have the skills and tools to find and correct problems on your network.

We have the ability to perform a full analysis of your network and find out what is going on. We can find and correct connection problems due to bad cable, connectors, or electrical interfearance.  We analyze your network traffic to abnormalities, traffic restrictions, or signs of virus activity.  We make sure your network is secure from attackers and hackers and that your corporate and customer data is protected.  We often implement QOS or Quality of Service Policies to make sure that your Internet connection is shared in a way that nobody can hog all the Internet bandwidth.  We monitor your network remotely and are alerted whenever a problem arises.

We are accustomed to dealing with the unknown.

The solutions to many problems are yet to be invented.  You may be on the "bleeding edge" of technology with new equipment or software that still needs some bugs worked out.  We often work directly with companies like Dell, Microsoft, and Intuit in order to bring a problem to their attention and work on a solution as a team.

Priority Service goes to our existing customers on Maintenance Programs.

This is one big advantage of being on a Maintenance Program with us. Not only do we provide you with Priority Service, but we would also be familiar with your overall computing environment.  This is like a firefighter being familiar with a building before fighting a fire there.  If you are not one of our regular customers, give us a call anyway.  We charge on an hourly basis at the rate of $150/hour with a minimum of three hours per incident.

Once a server is set up and installed on your network, it must be secured.

Server Security, especially for servers accessible through the Internet must have the proper security to keep them from getting hacked.  We take server security very seriously because we realize just how dangerous the world is.  It is a given fact that there will be attempts to hack into your server every hour of every day.  This is just the nature of the Internet and a properly setup and secure server will be prepared and protected from such attacks.  We utilize firewall security, user and file security, as well as intrusion detection to keep your servers secure.  Servers, and the software they run, must be constantly maintained and updated to protect against the latest security threat.  Server Security is something that should be set up and maintained by competent professionals like us.  We can set up your server and monitor and maintain it remotely keeping an ever watchful eye for problems.

There is a silver lining in every cloud.

Emergencies are unfortunate, but usually our customers are better off once the problem is solved.  You may wind up with a better system than you had before.  You may learn and take corrective actions that will make your system more reliable.  When we fix something, we fix it right and leave our customers in better shape as a result of the experience.

Give us a call so we may meet and discuss your problem and help find a solution.

We have a lot of experience and resources that we can utilize to solve your problem.  We will work with you as a part of your management team with the common goal of solving the problem.  We have turned many problems into solutions and turned bad situations around.  We are often the Big Guns that come in and solve problems where others have failed because we are experienced and know how to solve problems.

Give us a call so we may meet and discuss your needs. We will give you a fast and honest answer whether or not we can help.

We do not pretend to do anything and everything.  The things we know best are computers and computer networking.  Chances are that your problem is not all that unique and we have worked on something similar before.  Most of the time our the solutions we recommend are based on real life experiences or things we know we can handle.  Just as importantly, we are also honest enough to let you know our limitations and avoid the disaster of taking on something we are not ready to handle.