Taking a Rational Approach to Tech Support
TechBridge Establishes Scheduled Services for GAHSA

As technology becomes increasingly critical to nonprofits' ability to accomplish their missions, the lack of adequate IT support leaves nonprofits vulnerable in the face of systems problems, such as unexpected server "crashes" and computer virus outbreaks. Even outside technical support can come with unintended consequences when fixes and upgrades are done in an ad hoc fashion. IT "must do's" can work at cross purposes with operational priorities and at times, even disrupt the nonprofit's work. Smart organizations recognize the warning signs of out of control technology and take determined measures to establish a rational approach to IT system maintenance and optimization.

The Georgia Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (GAHSA) represents over 100 providers dedicated to providing quality housing, health care, community-based and other related services for over 124,000 older Georgians. Like many small nonprofits, GAHSA was experiencing growing pains. It had absorbed the resources of another nonprofit and expanded from a single staff member to five. GAHSA leadership realized that the nonprofit needed the ability to share information, files and printers. GAHSA had learned about TechBridge from an affiliated agency and believed choosing a nonprofit technology partner would be a wise strategy.

"Ask six technology vendors what needs to be done and you get six different answers and six different cost structures," said Walter Coffey, President and CEO of GAHSA. "TechBridge thinks like a nonprofit and we felt comfortable about working with a group that understood our needs and our resource capacity."

TechBridge helped GAHSA establish a local area network using existing resources. A PC was converted into a server to support file and printer sharing. Every computer device was networked, including the copier. In the new environment, any GAHSA staff member could log into any computer and replicate their personal desktop environment. TechBridge also networked the Association's membership management software that could be used on a shared basis.

With the new technology requirements came the need for more sophisticated technical support. "Initially we were getting by on periodic fixes made by one of our tech savvy business members," explained Coffey. "We knew that we needed more consistent support, so we engaged TechBridge on that front as well."

Both TechBridge and GAHSA quickly learned that supporting technology in a small nonprofit environment can be tenuous. Small nonprofits often do not have test systems or back up workstations, so all of the maintenance has to be done on working systems. "Initially, we were providing support in a more reactive manner, squeezing drop-in onsite visits into our schedules or trying to do updates remotely "said Michel Nachman, Chief Operating Officer at TechBridge. "The inability to test fixes offline made them risky and often, we'd solve one problem only to find that the fix had impacted other aspects of the system."

Recognizing that the lack of a planned maintenance schedule was taxing both the technology and GHASA staff, TechBridge decided to develop a more rational approach to support that would provide GAHSA with ongoing, planned proactive IT maintenance and help desk support. Thus was born TechBridge Scheduled Services.

Today, as part of its Scheduled Services, GAHSA keeps a running list of issues and works with TechBridge to resolve them. TechBridge and GAHSA have regular meetings to plot out upcoming support activity. Scheduled Services has also helped GAHSA and TechBridge reconcile the IT must do's with operational priorities so that the two are not in conflict. GAHSA pays a fixed monthly fee for its Scheduled Services, so there are no cost overruns or other budgetary surprises.

"In the past, our tech support operated on its own agenda, but now Scheduled Services put us on a structured path," Coffey observed. "Our systems operate better than ever and now we can start looking at more strategic needs such as a firewall and data switching to speed up the network."

"Our mission is to help nonprofits get the most out of their technology," said Nachman. "Scheduled Services gives us the opportunity to really help our smaller nonprofit clients ensure that their systems are properly set up, optimized and maintained. It has become one of the most important services we offer."

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Read more about TechBridge's Scheduled Services.