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Almost two thousand smaller
businesses, across the country, are being offered an
independent review of the information technology they
use, to identify where any improvements can make their
companies more profitable. The ‘Tech Check’ programme is
a €2 million government initiative run by, the 35 City
and County Enterprise Boards (CEB). A similar programme
launched late last year saw almost 1,000 businesses sign
up for a ‘Tech Check’ with some CEB regions reporting
they were twice oversubscribed. Based on the success of
last year’s campaign it has been decided to budget for
2,000 business checks this year.
The ‘Tech Check’ costs only €150, which is a fraction of
its commercial cost. It takes just one day for an
independent consultant to analyse a company’s use of
technology, from hardware to software, from cash
registers to CRM software packages to phone systems,
whatever the company is using. The consultant then
produces a brief, confidential ‘no nonsense’ report
highlighting the best options a business may take to
improve profitability through better use of technology.
The report’s integrity is guaranteed as the independent
consultant makes recommendations but may not sell the
businesses any solutions.
According to Eamon Ryan, Chair of the CEB Network, “The
‘Tech-Check’ is designed not to waste the time of small
business owners. Each ‘no-nonsense’ assessment gathers
information on the client’s business and the current
technical capacity and usage and the advisers focus on
maximising the benefits of the existing installations
before recommending further investment. The advisers
provide a short focused report tailored to the
particular needs of the individual business and
solutions that are appropriate and they specifically
avoid over-engineered or “over-spec`ed” solutions. Last
year one of my colleagues referrred to ‘Tech Check’ as
being the ‘Business Bargain of the Century’ and this is,
no doubt, why it was so popular. I strongly urge those
smaller enterprises, who really can derive a major
benefit from the service, to get on to their local CEB
and avoid being one of the many hundreds of disappointed
SMEs that we had last year. Though each CEB is given a
strict allocation, the demand in the majority of CEB
areas far outstripped demand, and therefore ‘Tech
Checks’ will be given on a ‘first come, first served
basis’.
The ‘Tech-Check’ programme is based on a recommendation
from the Small Business Forum to create more awareness
of the benefits of ICT and to drive adoption of new
technology, through a programme of ICT audits. The
Government backed €2m programme, will enable the CEBs to
provide access to the programme for up to 2,000
individual businesses in a full year of operation.
The programme is open to all small businesses in all
sectors of commercial activity. Interested small
businesses can apply directly to their local CEB to
participate in the programme. Details of the thirty-five
CEBs are available at
www.enterpriseboards.ie
See
Tech-Check
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