Why would I use MME instead of a generic IT person?
I’ve heard this question often enough lately that I thought it would be worth a short article. I know that I have a substantial bias towards the topic, but I will try and keep this at bay.
IT is a relationship business. We don’t make widgets. As IT people we sell our skills to you with the goal of looking after your Practice’s needs. While there is no doubt that there are many talented IT people out there, finding the right one for your specific needs is the challenge. There are also a number of less talented individuals that we’d all like to avoid.
Specialization is part of most service industries. You can take your Subaru to a general automotive service shop and get basic help, but if you really want someone that knows how to maintain your vehicle you would take it to a Subaru dealer or specialist. Dentistry is equally specialized, ranging from General Dentistry to Periodontists, Orthodontists and Oral Surgeons. If a parent has a child needing orthodontics they tend to look to an Orthodontist.
Specialization is the primary reason to use MME over a generic IT resource. We have deliberately chosen to specialize by understanding how technology is used in the various dental specialties and to hire and continually train individuals well suited to this.
MME doesn’t just dump a cheap PC onto a desk and call it good, as so many discount computer guys do. I can’t stand seeing a PC or network setup in such a shallow and incomplete way. My mantra, and thus MME’s mantra, is to understand your goal first and then select, install and configure the best tool to help you accomplish this goal.
When we get a request for a whole network, or even a single PC, this triggers a chain of events for us:
- We’ll ask you what you’ll be using the system for so we understand the goal we need to meet.
- We may suggest ways to accomplish the goal that hadn’t been considered before.
- We’ll select specific equipment to get the job done. We’ll know through experience that the gear will work as needed.
- We’ll help you with purchasing, often using our relationships to get the equipment (the right equipment) for you at a deeper discount.
- We’ll setup the equipment at your Practice. We do a professional quality job and make the aesthetics of our work match your Practice. I hate installers that leave a mass of ‘spaghetti’ on the floor as they dump a PC and run.
- We’ll specifically tailor that equipment to your Practice’s needs. This is the ‘secret sauce’ that experience provides. A generic IT person can’t just step into this role. Several of the important steps include:
- Setup the Practice Management application following best practices.
- Integrate the Imaging Software and digital x-ray system.
- Setup backups and ensure they work.
- We’ll be onsite when you start to use the new system, making adjustments as needed to fine tune everything to your liking.
- We’ll proactively support your system for years to come and assist you as your practice evolves.
Does MME cost more? We might, since this level of thoroughness takes time and effort. But with this thoroughness I believe we deliver a more complete solution to you, reducing your headaches and providing you with a better overall value when compared to bargain IT solutions.
At MME we do IT right, the first time and on time.