I Have a Question - Volume 267 [Read Only]

Honest John Back Room » General discussion ( non motoring )
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Thu 8 Jan 2009 06:19
Made Redundant Advice on setting up IT Business - Falkirk Bairn
There is a world of difference fixing your mate's PC to maintaining and solving networking and comms issues with a even a Small Co LAN with 1 x file server, a modest accts package and Web access.

Sit down and work out your range of skills (+ those of current/former colleagues who you can call on for modest ££s) and then look at what part of the market you can best address.
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Thu 8 Jan 2009 06:49
Made Redundant Advice on setting up IT Business - retgwte
bog standard desktop support in the commercial world is a comodity service with very low price per device per year

funding model is more like insurance, with subsidies from original sale into the support often

economies of scale play big in being able to play in this space, call centres to handle the calls, specialist staff within the support call centre able to support each other, access to a team of men in vans on the road (or credibility to sub to the right people cheap enough)

also wide use of indian and other similar lower paid nations staff, either here on work visas or working remotely from their home location mean that an exclusively UK workforce is hard to make work economically

so you may be able to make a small success if you stay very small and stay local, you will fail if you try to take on the mid range or larger players (unless of course you want to address these issues)

etc
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Thu 8 Jan 2009 07:02
Made Redundant Advice on setting up IT Business - Paul Robinson
I'm an Accountant who's been helping people launch business ventures for 30 years now. Statistically most ventures fail, but most are entered into in a very casual way! As a first step I would alway suggest that you write a 'Business Plan' if you can make your idea work on paper having made reasonable assumptions, you are well on the way to success.

Business Link are very good at helping people like you:

www.businesslink.gov.uk

Good luck.
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Thu 8 Jan 2009 07:38
Made Redundant Advice on setting up IT Business - Mr X
I've been S.E for 30 years... advice - forget it.
The S.E is now seen as a cash cow by the revenue who will target the legit S.E with the determination of Sherlock Holmes but rarely bothers it's hindquarters with those mysterious young types in flash motors, dressed in bling and yet with no visible source of income ?
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Thu 8 Jan 2009 12:02
Made Redundant Advice on setting up IT Business - Mapmaker
>>The S.E is now seen as a cash cow by the revenue who will target the legit S.E

You need a winter sun holiday, Mr X. It might cheer you up.

If you're legit, then you pay tax on your earnings at a fair rate (40%). If you're legit you have nothing to worry about. If you're pointing out that they're remarkably good at sniffing out apparently legitimate businesses that aren't paying enough tax, then I should hope so too.
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