Blizzards as usual

The ITonCommand service also provided e-mail backup—a vital component to financial organizations. "In our industry, if you get audited by the state corporation commission, you have to turn over all your e-mails," said Williams. "We do e-mail a lot, so it's nice to have someone back up our e-mail."

Old problem, new solution

ITonCommand's hosted desktop and network solution provides a Windows desktop that features Microsoft business programs, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Exchange and Outlook, and a range of third-party applications. Everything can be accessed from any broadband connection, and security, anti-spam, anti-virus and a help desk are included.

"I've been impressed that they are a close partner with Microsoft," said Williams. "They are continually getting the most up-to-date information from Microsoft and build around that, which is huge to me."

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"Application service providers were the rage and then industry took a nose dive and application providers went out of business because they were focused on one solution rather than a suite of solutions," said Finney. "Our model is a whole network that is essentially outsourced, but from the end-user standpoint there is little cultural impact or change required."

Pricing for the service starts at $99 per month, per user. ITonCommand estimates that small and midsize businesses can save 25 to 50 percent on their IT spending during three to five years with the hosted model, said Finney.

"Added to that are the soft advantages, such as peace of mind, extended functionality [such as automated backup and restoration], and the expertise we bring," he said.

"Customers like the fact that the amount they spend on the service is predictable each month," added Chuck Macune, vice president of operations at ITonCommand. "They avoid large capital outlays or associated surprises."

When it launched the hosted service several years ago, ITonCommand found that this new way of delivering IT services required a different way of selling.

"The sales cycle for getting a client to sign up for a managed service is somewhat lengthy compared to selling a copy of Microsoft Office," said Finney. "Our sales cycle is six months on average, which is somewhat lengthy compared to selling a copy of Microsoft Office. We have to establish credibility, earn their trust and show through demos and client references that it is scalable and efficient and affordable."

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