Consultation - How We Work
The most basic service provided by FiForms solutions is hourly consultation for all your computer and networking needs. Many of our clients are businesses who find it more cost effective to call us for computer hardware / software / network support, rather than hiring in-house IT support. Our consultation services also include security assessment and data recovery.
Business Process Consultation
Do you feel like technology is under-utilized in your business? Does it seem like every new technology adds an additional burden on staff, rather than making life easier? A large number of businesses and organizations are plagued with problems similar to these. Systems are introduced on after another, often creating additional burdens by forcing staff to handle the same information over and over--leading to costly errors or the need to increase staff as more systems are introduced. Often, there are simple solutions, such as automating certain processes, which can increase the efficiency and accuracy of your business processes. This is the primary focus of our business consultation services. We will analyze your business processes, and determine the best solution for your needs, whether you should invest in new software, develop a custom software solution, or simply utilize your existing software more efficiently.
Custom Software Development
Usually, a software or networking project begins with a business process consultation and, if possible, an on-site visit. This allows us to better understand your needs. We will work with you to document your requirements. We try to involve as many people as possible in this process. For software and web projects, once an outline of the initial project scope has been decided upon, we will draft a proposal for building a "prototype," or a rough beta version of the software. For very large projects, this may be only a prototype of a core set of functionalities, or one branch of functionality. This first proposal will typically range from 60 to not more than 300 hours, depending on the client's wishes. Throughout the development of the prototype, we will have continuous communication, and you will be able to review the software as it is being developed, offer suggestions, and modify requirements to fit your needs. If the project is finished within the first iteration, you pay only for the hours worked. However, at the end of the agreed time, you are guaranteed to have something--not necessarily a finished product but "something" that resembles where we want to go. At that point we evaluate what we have, refine the feature requirements, and continue for an agreed-upon number of hours. This cycle continues until everyone is happy with the finished product. Your total cost really depends on you--how much software you want, how well-refined, and how many time-eaters come in the way. (i.e. If you start a project before you know what you want, then we waste time figuring out what you want, etc.)
Custom software isn't cheap. It takes an investment of time, energy, and creativity both on our part as the developers, and on your part as the client, to consider every aspect of your business process and how it gets modeled in the finished software product. But, as many of my clients can attest to, the end result is a computer software system that fits hand-in-glove with your business process, and if used properly can increase your efficiency tremendously.
Website Development
Custom website projects work much the same way as custom software projects, although we may do the first iteration in as little as 20 hours for simple websites that don't require a custom template.
Network Engineering
For networking projects, a site visit is clearly a must. Like software projects, we will undertake large projects one chunk at a time, billing hourly as we go along. Often, even more variables exist in these types of projects, as one project can lead to others, but the end result is an efficient and smooth-running network.
Security Assessment / Consultation
One of the services we offer is a network security assessment and consultation. We use specialized security software to professionally analyze your computer systems, network, and security practices to identify any weaknesses that could be used to compromise the integrity of your information systems. At FiForms Solutions, we view security as a process, not a product. Our security services not only include analysis and penetration testing, but also emphasize user training, education, and the implementation of secure practices throughout the workplace.
Software Packages
Our pre-packaged software products (not yet available, but hopefully coming soon) will be sold in conjunction with our consultation and software services. Due to the highly specialized nature of the software and application server, we prefer to setup the software and application server at your location, do any data migration necessary, and also provide some initial training.
Other Items You Will Need
All our business software applications require an application server in order to run. While it is possible to use an existing server or desktop system as the application server, our experience has shown us that the most reliable solution is to provide a dedicated application server for our software. We are considering adding support for virtual "appliances" or deployment in the "cloud" as additional alternatives to a dedicated application server. We will discuss the best options with you during your initial consultation.
For website and web applications, you will need either an application server (as above) with a stable Internet connection, or a web hosting plan. Currently, we at FiForms Solutions do not provide hosting directly to our clients (except in unusual circumstances). Basic web hosting is available from a variety of hosting companies for as little as $5-$10 per month. A domain name is also necessary. We can help you choose the best option as part of our consultation services.
Requesting a Proposal
If you are a new client, you can receive up to 30-minutes free phone consultation with absolutely no obligation. Simply call us--we'll be glad to help! Some clients with typical needs can receive a free proposal as part of the initial consultation. If you aren't sure what you need yet, we'd be glad to help out with a few hours of consultation, to analyze your business process and help you decide what's best for you. Then, once you're ready, we'll develop a detailed proposal to fit your needs.
If you're interested in any of our services, please contact us here, email us, or call us to discuss the details. You can call (606) 685-9678 Monday through Friday, 10:00AM - 6:00PM (Eastern Time). As we are a small company, we may be unavailable from time to time. If we don't answer, leave a message and we'll get back with you.
Hourly Rate
We bill at an hourly rate of $59.00 per hour for all our services--this includes travel time and phone/email consultation. All services will be billed in 15-minute increments, with 1 hour minimum for on-site services. We will provide a free 30-minute initial consultation for all new clients.
Travel Policy and Local Services
It is our general policy that travel time is billed at the same rate as services--no other mileage fees or other expenses are charged for travel (except for flying or overnight trips). Travel time is based on the distance from our location near Cumberland Falls. The following chart lists approximate one-way travel times to nearby cities:
- Somerset: 45 min (See Note Below)
- Corbin: 35 min
- Whitley City: 20 min
- Williamsburg: 35 min
- Monticello: 1hr
- Oneida, TN: 45 min
- Knoxville, TN: 1hr 45 min
- Lexington: 2hr
Local Services in Somerset / Whitley City
In order to provide consistent, local services for our clients located in Somerset, we will waive all travel time costs associated with any services in or near Somerset or Whitley City performed Tuesday's and Wednesday's each week, provided that appointments are scheduled at least 24 hours in advance, and that each appointment includes a minimum of one hour of services.
Pickup / Dropoff Computer Services
While general computer services is no the primary focus of our business, we do get asked on a regular basis to perform routine maintenance and restoration on desktop and laptop systems, both business and personal. When we do this as part of our on-site consultation services, this is billed at an hourly rate as above. However, we can also pick up your system at your location, service it offsite, and bring it back to you.