Macintosh Technical Support Services

On-site and SECURE Remote Macintosh Technical Support for
Home Users, Home Ofifce and Small and Mid-Sized Businesses

Alternative Marketing Experts specializes in technical support, tutoring, pre-purchase consulting, networking, and administration of Macintosh computers. I am located in Olympia, Washington, and provide service:

• On-site in the Olympia/Tacoma area
  
  
• Remotely by a combination of secure, encrypted screen sharing and telephone support anywhere in North America. See our SECURE Remote Support page for more information.

Here are some reasons why you should consider using my services:

I Don’t Do Windows!

(Well okay, that’s a bit an exaggeration. I do also work on Windows-based PC’s, but it is not the emphasis of my business. Most of the PC's I work on are at businesses that have both Macs and PC's. I also help Mac users who want to use Windows compatilbity products such as VirtualPC, Parallels and Crossover Mac)

Russ Alman demonstrating to a business client how to connect a PowerBook G4 to a VPN (secure internet network connection).

I have been an avid Macintosh user since the first year Apple sold the Macintosh. I am a strong proponent of Macs, but not a zealot – being a zealot is not good for business.

I have extensive experience Mac platform, and am literally a walking encyclopedia of everything Macintosh. I also use Macs to run my own business for everything from accounting to sales to creating my own business cards. (I also designed the macexpert.com website on a Mac.)

While there are certainly consultants out there that claim to work on Macs, most of these are IBM PC consultants that just happen to also work on Macs. This is not to say that they don’t know both – but wouldn’t you rather trust your Macintosh needs to someone that really knows the platform inside and out?

From 17 years of providing Macintosh technical support and Macintosh consulting, I have very specialized knowledge that the average computer consultant will not have about the Mac OS platform. I also carry an archive of years of operating system, applications software and driver updates with me on a portable hard drive – and if I don’t have what I need with me, I know where to find it.

No Client Is Too Big or Too Small

	Russ leading a demonstration of a Mac-only small business office to a local Mac Users Group in western Montana. This client runs all the functions a multi-million dollar manufacturing company, including accounting, sales, marketing, production, and advertising, on only 5 Macintosh computers.

I provide support services for a wide variety of clients – everyone from home users and home offices to educational institutions to mid-sized businesses. I am available for both on-call services billed hourly, or contract services at special discounted rates.

For home users, I am like the old-fashioned country doctor. Most importantly: I make house calls! This is a huge advantage for troubleshooting issues that might be specific to how your computer is set up at home, and is certainly more convenient than having to rip apart your whole workstation and lug it down to a store somewhere. I am also very personable and have a great bedside manner. I promise I won’t intimidate you with techno-babble or change things on your computer without explaining what I’m doing.

For home offices and small businesses, I provide a cost-effective method of receiving professional Macintosh support. You’ll find my prices to be less than the larger Mac stores. Also, since I am a small business owner myself, I have first-hand experience implementing Macs in a SO/HO environment.

	Russ working in a server closet for a large corporate client. This customer uses an Apple Xserve to provide mail services to a mixed network of over 70 Macs and PCs, and to provide public FTP services to their international client base.

For larger businesses, I am an excellent option for outsourced computer support services.

Most Mac-centric environments under 50 computers do not require a full-time support person. Also, in environments that are predominantly PC-compatible computers but have a few Macs, it’s not feasible to have a Mac specialist in house.

In these situations, it’s more cost-effective to hire a contracted Macintosh professional for only the time you need. This also eliminates the costs associated with a full-time employee, such as healthcare benefits and vacation days.

I Can Make Macs and PC’s Play Nice :-)

In addition, I have experience connecting Macs and PC’s in a mixed network environment, so if you are a business user trying to coexist in a Windows world, I can help you!

Or, in light of Apple’s “Switcher” community, if you are migrating from a PC to a Mac, I can help make the transition go smoothly.