Office Relocation

[messengerhot]

Help, please! My Uncle and his business partner are operating a small travel agency in San Francisco and they will be relocating to a new office which is a few kilometers away only from the current location. I want to help and thank them in a way too coz I will join their team in 3 mos from now as an assistant in the Administration Office. So my Uncle asked me to check on the net for some IT companies that provide assistance for relocation to help them in fixing their network. My question is, is it really necessary to hire an IT company for network relocation? Can't we just rely on the internet service provider? I was just thinking that they can do that too and the company can get a bigger saving. What do you think is better?

[profnot]

I would ask your uncle what problems his network is having so you can ask specific questions of tech installation companies.

I would hire a tech as there will probably be new wiring, especially if the phones are connected. They will have the right equipment and knowledge to get everything done quickly and correctly.

No computers and phones mean the business can't be open and working. I would prioritize them, as it sounds your uncle has done.

[messengerhot]

My Uncle is thinking of hiring this company (http://parachutetechs.com/) to help with the problems in the office. I checked them on the internet and they seem reliable. Have you heard of them before? I have some doubts about the price though they look expensive. My Uncle will be calling them tomorrow for a quote. Hopefully everything goes okay.

[SteveinMN]

I haven't heard of that particular company and I'm not going to click on a generic link to review their offerings. I would think that your uncle might have some connections with other business owners in his area -- maybe a group of travel agents or neighborhood small-business association? They might be a good source of information on who did a good job and who should be avoided. He (or you, really) also could post on some SF-specific Internet forums or even the likes of Twitter or Facebook to ask customers who they might recommend (and why).

If you or your uncle are wondering if you should contract the job to someone technical, then you should. Efficient networks which don't leave doors wide open to hackers and thieves are not simple and they don't form by accident. I think you and your uncle will find it well worth the money to hire someone who knows what you want (spelled out clearly, by you) and how to do it.