Hi everyone
I guess we all know the benefits of SBS 2003 but the question I often get asked in my company when I try to recommend this to the business (Im the IT guy here) is:
Whats the return ? If I invest X what savings do I get (my boss is the finance guy).
I try to explain the efficiencys and how we will be able to move the business forward with a good infrastructure but he wants to know the physical savings. At this point I mention the savings on anti-spam using the inbuilt Exchange IMF filter but I need some more examples. Can we work together and get a list ?
Anti-Spam - Rather than pay out for third party products you can use the IMF product in Exchange.
Faxing - Fax direct from the server and through the already paid for internet line (no telephone call cost).
I did bang out a big list here, then realised that we already have the materials:
Partner Market - go here and search for product = Small Business Server - order them to see - http://www.microsoft.com/uk/partner/apps/market/mktplace.aspx
Campaign Builder - https://www.partnercampaignbuilder.com/SearchGTM.aspx?txt=small+business - look at 1st server right server campaign
bCentral - http://www.bcentral.co.uk/products/small-business-server.mspx
eg -
Let me know if this is what you are looking for.
ttfn
David
Hi
Thanks for the links, it makes interesting reading..
but.....
he is looking for what actual money its going to save him, he knows the benefits of SBS but what doesnt he have to actual spend money on next year because he has invested in SBS 2003.
So for example we are currently paying for anti-spam at £1000 (figure made up) per year so if we use the Exchange IMF we can save £1000 per year.
Does that help ? - actual possibility of money saved rather than improvements in can bring to a business ??
How could someone else ever do that piece of work? This is a standard benefits analysis that is unique to each customer. Ideally this is what a SBSC partner can do for the customer, or worst case the customer for themselves or with a local Business Link.
There is no industry standard metric on how much people spend or save by using one process over another. What is the cost of no spam filtering? How much do people get paid and how much time and energy does it take for them to delete it?
This is something the technology accessment tool can help with, but ultimately the answers will be discovered with the company.
thanks
Hi David
Thanks for the reply, I guess I have been unable to make myself clear (sometimes a problem when communicating in forums).
I understand that only the business can do a benefits analysis and with your example above of SPAM filtering I was not looking for time / efficiency savings (although I appreciate that time = money) in the first instance I was hoping for just ideas for actual hard cash savings, the type that means you can cancel an existing arrangment with a third party company.
Keeping on the SPAM filtering idea we already have an anti-spam product which costs us £1000 per year, and so the benefits regarding people not having to spend time deleting spam, losing emails because it was in the middle of a bunch of emails etc.. has already been taken as we no longer have a SPAM problem. But I would rather spend that £1000 towards SBS 2003 rather than pay it out every year, assuming the IMF was as good as my existing anti-spam product (which I am sure it is) then I have the same benefits without getting a bill every year. If a project can have a cash (he can cancel x contracts rather than renew) payback within 3 years he will consider a more detailed examination.
I know the list would not be able to say how much would be saved, or indeed not be the same for all businesses but I guess I was hoping for ideas from other members of the community where they wear able to cancel existing contracts (not efficiency savings) having installed SBS 2003.
I would have loved to be able to go to my boss and say for example rather than paying £x every year for anti-spam, and £x on your pop3 accounts why dont you put that money towards SBS2003, you will still get anti-spam and email accounts but its a one off cost rather than every year and in addition you get the additional benefits of .........
Anyway, thankyou for your time. In the last two days this has become theoretical as I have had a job offer from another company which I have accepted so for me its a happy ending to this thread (and they have already seen the light and have an SBS server !).
Again, thankyou for your time and I apologise if I couldnt / havent made myself clear on what I was looking for from the community.
Your going to spend money each year on anti-spam and AV products if you want to be 100% secure. Period.
SBS2003 may help reduce spam through exchanges' SCL, but all that does is rely on other ISPs flagging the spam with a spam rating code. In its basic form all it does is send stuff it finds tothe receipents junk folder.
Good luck with the possible new job (if your in the SW, send me your old companies details, im always looking for new clients hehehe)
Tez
(c)David Overton 2006-23