How We Operate

When people ask us what Wittig Associates does, we simply tell them we help small companies with computer and technology issues.

For some of our customers that means we do everything. We design and install their Windows-based computer networks (desktops, laptops, servers, email systems, VOIP systems, Internet connections, firewalls, switches, smart phones, backup systems, etc...). We maintain and monitor the health of their network after installation. We provide support to their end-users. We change backup tapes. We do anything they need us to do.

Another customer might want a subset of these services. Maybe they have an in-house IT or help-desk person and they just want us to step in when needed (to offer 2nd tier support, or to provide support when someone is on vacation).

Another customer may use us only to install and support their Voice over IP phone system, or provide them with an off-site backup solution for disaster recovery purposes.

We try to help with any technology issue a small company might need help with.

Can Wittig Associates really help us with everything?

No, of course not. If you need something in an area where we don't have the required expertise, we tell you. We don't pretend to do things we can't do.

Does Wittig Associates partner with other companies?

Absolutely. Through our partnerships with other companies, we provide a much more robust menu of services and products to our customers.

Some Examples:

• The number one anti-spam solution used by Fortune 500 companies is provided by a company called Postini. The services provided by Postini are out of reach to many small companies because Postini is geared to work with large corporations who have thousands of email accounts. Wittig Associates became a Postini reseller so that we could combine our customer base into one account, and in turn, provide Postini services to businesses with as little as 5 mailboxes.
  
  
• We originally became authorized Amerivault resellers so that we could bring enterprise level off-site backup and disaster recovery services to our small customers. What we learned is that the combined purchasing power of our customers allows us to get lower rates from great companies like Amerivault, and we can pass those savings on to our customers. So, someone storing 5 GB of critical data at Amerivault through Wittig Associates is benefiting from the fact that our combined customer base is storing over 500 GB of data.
  
  
• Last year, our customers purchased more than $250,000 of computers through us from Dell computer. This represents only a small portion of computer equipment purchased by our customers, but our ability to funnel these purchases through a single reseller account allows us to earn discounts, and we share those discounts with our customers.
  

Beyond discounts and bulk pricing opportunities, our customers benefit from our ability to consolidate support services from these vendors as well. For instance, a company with 5 mailboxes might have a hard time getting the attention of a large service provider when they need help. Since we represent 800 mailboxes, we have no trouble getting their attention.

Do these partnerships create a bias towards certain products and services, potentially decreasing the value of your advice and recommendations?

When we create partnerships with other companies, we face the risk that our customers will interpret our recommendations as biased attempts to push them towards specific products. The bottom line for us is that we are most successful when our customers are happy with the services and products we bring to the table from our partner companies. We recommend Dell computers because they are a great brand for small companies, and because we can offer discounts the customer can't get on their own, and because we know how to make Dell support work. We recommend Postini and Amerivault because they offer great products at competitive prices, and because over time as our combined volume grows, we can pass on lower prices.