Frequently Asked Questions
Do you perform support on an as-needed “hourly” basis?
Hourly and “as-needed” services are generally reactive; they are dealing with a problem that has just arisen, rather than maintaining a system so as to prevent or minimize problems from occurring in the first place. While we are happy to perform as-needed service at an hourly fee, we strive to greatly reduce these costs - and increase your satisfaction and efficiency - by implementing our PinPoint services at Flat-fee.
Providing service at an hourly rate can create a tenuous relationship between the service provider and the client. It is the very nature of the two businesses to be at opposing goals when it comes to billing. The client naturally wants a problem solved as quickly and efficiently as possible, at the lowest rate, for the least number of hours possible. The service provider naturally wants a problem solved, too, but they can be rewarded by those billable hours particularly when the problem takes many hours to resolve. Often the result is a push-and-pull effect where both sides are distrustful of each other’s judgment. The client can attempt to fix things on his or her own before notifying a service provider in order to save money, but often complicates the problem by getting involved. The service provider can create complicated, convoluted solutions that lock the client out of the equation, creating a web of confusion that requires the service provider’s help at every turn - for an hourly fee, of course! We pledge to not be unethical in our hourly billing, but we strive to reduce hourly billing to an absolute minimum through Flat-fee services, and by pricing projects on a Flat-fee basis as well.
So how do you escape from hourly fees? How can you get support that’s efficient, cost-effective, and consistent?
Oasis Technologies provides a line of products and services we call PinPoint. We offer licensing, products, and services that can protect your users, minimize your outages and downtime, backup your data, and manage your network, and we do it all for a fixed, monthly fee.
Additionally, our premier service offering - PinPoint ELITE - transfers a greater amount of responsibility and the risk of network issues and downtime from you to us! Essentially, all maintenance and break/fix work related to your server and most user network administration activities are covered for one monthly fee. Projects and services outside the scope of the ELITE service - things like new software installations, new systems (growth), and upgrades and adding/modifying software - are left to the client, but we still provide that hourly or Flat-fee project work, at your discretion. While this leaves some risk to the client, most of the more unpredictable items our on our dime and our time.
PinPoint ELITE is the big package, but we provide many components as separate, a la carte offering. PinPoint ELITE’s two options are Server-Only and Server+ (where the + includes the user workstations). Both plans include proactive maintenance and monitoring for all covered equipment, operating systems and applications:
- Patch Management and Service Pack updates
- Anti-Spam management, updates and remediation (PinPoint Messaging)
- Anti-Virus management, updates and remediation (PinPoint A/V)
- Manage backups and restores (PinPoint Backup)
- Disk and memory optimization
- Manage user accounts
- Manage network and internet connectivity
- Manage Firewalls (PinPoint Firewall)
- Routers and Switches (PinPoint Switching)
PinPoint ELITE includes most Break/Fix related issues and repairs, covered equipment, operating systems and applications even when On-Site Service is needed:
- Servers
- PC workstations and laptops (when Server+ is selected)
- Apple workstations and laptops (when Server+ is selected)
- iOS, Android, and Windows phones and tablets (when Server+ is selected)
- Microsoft Windows 7 (and coming in Q4 2012: Windows 8)
- Apple Mac OS X (10.6, 10.7, and coming in Summer 2012: 10.8)
- Microsoft Office 2007 and newer
- Apple iWorks and iLife suites
- Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and newer
- Small Business Server 2008 and newer
- Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 and newer
- Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and newer
- Much More
So no matter what happens in my environment, I’ll never pay more than one Flat-fee per month?
Equipment replacements, upgrades, and additions are separate from this service; software licensing is typically provided on a monthly basis and over a given term; third-party vendor or manufacturer support and incident fees should be budgeted separately. We leave the little, occasional expenses like those up for discussion as they arise, though upon enrollment in PinPoint ELITE, many things that aren’t typically covered by default can be added to the plan. We’re happy to discuss the details at length and go item-by-item through covered/not-covered when you’re ready.
What other services and solutions do you provide?
We can take care of all of your business needs, using technology solutions to reduce your costs, increase your revenues and mitigate your business risks. Some examples of these solutions are:
- Cost-saving Voice Services (Phone Trunks, including VoIP and SIP)
- Telephone Systems (PBXs, including VoIP and SIP)
- Messaging Service (Continuity for Email access, junk filtering, A/V, and prevention from being blacklisted)
- Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Planning to mitigate your risks in the event of Disaster
- High availability solutions such as co-location Services for your critical systems
How can I get more information and get started with your Services?
Just give us a call at (405) 948-6500 or email us at info@oasistechnologies.com and we’ll be happy to schedule an appointment with you to discuss your particular business needs. In order to make certain that we can help your business, we may start with a Technology Assessment of your network and business.
