The Secret to Small Business Tech Support

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Rule Four: Cede Control

As a business owner, you are probably a control freak. Like me, you hate other people doing things you don't understand. That's why you don't work for anyone anymore. But to get your problem fixed, you're going to need to relinquish that control … at least for a few minutes. When the technician asks to remotely take over your system to do his troubleshooting, just let him. Don't worry about security. Try not to think of anything malicious he could be doing. Don't fret that he's going to search the websites you recently visited. Remember, he doesn't care about all that. He has others in your situation he needs to help, too. Let him take over your computer and run all those complicated scripts and programs that only the technical support guys know how to run. Don't ask what he's doing. In fact, don't even watch what he's doing. Look over some paperwork instead. Try to look busy. Walk around the office as if you're lost in your thoughts, conjuring up some brilliant plan to take your business to new heights. The tech guy will soon finish.

Rule Five: The Most Important Rule … Delegate

Haven't you learned anything over the past 20 years running your own business? You're the boss. So act like one! You know by now that you'll only screw things up by doing the service yourself, so you have someone else do it. You know by now that you'll lose that customer if you call him and scream about his overdue invoice, so you have someone else do it. And you should know by now that you'll never be the technical wizard that you once thought you could be when you bought your first Windows 3.1 computer—so you need to delegate this, too. The minute you see something is wrong, have another guy in your office, or your tech guy, deal with the problem. And instead, pick up the phone and call a customer. Check on an order. Walk around the warehouse. Order lunch for the staff. Just do something else more useful. And more appropriate for the owner of a company.

See? It was just a simple fix. Your computer is up and running. Life can return to normal—just in time for lunch.

Gene Marks, CPA, is the owner of the Marks Group, which sells customer relationship, service, and financial management tools to small and midsize businesses. Marks is the author of four best-selling small business books and writes the popular "Penny Pincher's Almanac" syndicated column. He frequently speaks to business groups on penny-pinching topics. More penny-pinching advice from Marks can be found at www.quickerbetterwiser.com.

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