Perhaps you think our services might benefit you but you're still a little wary of plunging into a potentially expensive and time-consuming relationship. OK. We can still be of help.

The first thing you should do is explore our Web site, if you haven't done so already. Just poke around a bit. An investment of 10 to 30 minutes will give you a real good idea of who we are and what we do. Pay special attention to Our Products, which are designed as low-cost, low-risk solutions to many simpler IT problems. Some of the easiest to use and most inexpensive are do-it-yourself tools, such as our IT Diagnostic Checklist. We also have product packages in which we assist you in using the tools and interpreting the results.

As you work on getting more back from your investment in information technology, you may conclude that you would like to have us more deeply involved. Be sure to check Our Services, which are designed as flexible responses to your specific situation. And be sure to fill out and send us the IT Diagnostic Checklist.

When you feel ready, we can have a telephone conversation. You may reach us between the hours of 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM Pacific Coast time (that's 3 hours behind New York and 8 behind London), Monday through Friday:

Within USA: (800) 557-7634
Outside USA: 1 (415) 472-3210

Or you can send us an e-mail message, and we will contact you.

In our first phone call, we'll try to determine if you are a good candidate for our services. We'll talk about the reason for your call and go over your IT Diagnostic Checklist, if you send one to us. We will concentrate on the symptoms and problems that you are experiencing and want to make go away.

If we're both satisfied with the results of our first call, we can proceed to the next step. If you are within the San Francisco Bay Area we can arrange to visit you. Otherwise we will continue to work via phone, fax, and e-mail. Our focus will be on moving quickly toward a proposal for a project that will start you down the path towards higher returns on your technology investment.

Ordinarily we would expect to start a relationship with our Current Technology Assessment service. It's sort of like the general physical exam you take the first time you visit your family doctor, providing a background and history that will enable us to prescribe additional treatment, as appropriate.

Our proposal process is fairly simple: we always submit a written a proposal for your approval. In it we specify exactly what we will deliver, and we provide time and cost estimates. Most of our projects are made up of multiple phases, and each phase is the subject of a separate proposal.

Before beginning a project, we ask for a small deposit to help defer the costs of starting up. Thereafter we bill twice a month for activities performed and services provided during the period.

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"We know what your problems, pains, and predicaments are because we deal with them every day, just as you do. We approach your situation as sophisticated business managers, we can talk to you in a language that you understand, and we can translate your needs into specifications for appropriate technical solutions."

-Altenbernd Consulting