The CPSR Guide To Picking A Consultant
If you are a small or
medium-sized business (SME), the potential impact of the
Year 2000 computer problem could be devastating. Chances
are you lack the resources necessary to eradicate the
problem's potential effects on your business. One way to
assist you in alleviating the problem is to hire a
consultant. Unfortunately, most SMEs are not accustomed
to hiring and/or working with consultants, and possibly
have had no experience whatsoever in this area. Following
are some suggestions for finding and selecting a
consultant with whom you can work and who is qualified to
service the needs of your business.
As an initial step you may
want to check the classified section of the largest
circulation newspaper in your area. Check under such
headings as "Computer",
"Programmer/Analyst", "Information
Technology" for consultants and/or consulting firms
that may be looking to hire technologists. This should
give you a good idea of the consultants/consulting firms
in your area.
In light of all the Y2K
"service providers" springing up lately, a good
route would be hooking up with an established
organization and/or consultant, or at least one on which
you can do a background/reference-type check. This could
be someone with whom you've worked in the past, or
someone who comes highly recommended from a reliable
source such as a colleague in the same industry as your
business. A word of caution: Just because a company is
"established" does not necessarily mean you're
going to receive quality work and/or reliability for the
$$$$$ you'll be paying. And usually, the more established
the company, the more $$$$$ that will be. The best
formula here is word-of-mouth and/or past experiences. Be
sure to ask for and check references.
As the Year 2000 problem
is becoming more widely recognized as a
business-threatening problem, many industry associations
are gathering and archiving useful information for their
members. If your business is represented by an industry
association, they may be a source of Year 2000
information. They may be able to supply you with a list
of possible resources in your industry, perhaps even in
your area.
Another extremely useful
resource to help you locate a consultant is the Internet.
There are vast amounts of information out there, but a
good, targeted search can help you locate consultants in
your area. Check through as many search engines (i.e.,
AltaVista, Yahoo!, WebCrawler, etc.) as you can. This
method may take some time, but you can probably find out
most of what you need to know about a consultant through
his/her web site.
One more fairly reliable
resource for locating a consultant is to check with your
hardware and/or software vendor(s). They usually have
some knowledge in this area, whether it be from working
relationships or other means. One of the major drawbacks
to this method is the "channel partner"-type
programs that seem to be all over the industry between
vendors and service providers. A "channel
partner" is oftentimes a vendor who offers certain
benefits to a consulting firm in exchange for the
recommendation of the vendor's product(s).
A good source of Year 2000
information as well as a potential networking opportunity
is Year 2000 User Groups in your area. Attend the
meetings so you can obtain valuable information, and
perhaps connect with potential consultants. Also check
for a possible user group with your fellow small
business-people or one specifically geared to your
industry. Contact your local government on the state of
their awareness and to see if they have any programs
and/or information available to you. You might also
consider checking with your local Small Business
Administration to see if they have any programs and/or
information available to you. Check to see if your home
state has a Year 2000 web site. Many states maintain
fairly extensive Year 2000-related web sites that contain
valuable Year 2000 information.
You can aslo find helpful
information on our Further Reading page.
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