Building Local IT Support

[Laila Q. Deles]

During the Regional Consultations, it was mentioned that there is lack of service providers at the local level. Many of the MFIs get the services of vendors based in the major cities. Thus, for the MFIs located in the rural areas, after-sales support can be delayed because of the time needed to travel. Other MFIs, on the other hand, get the services of individual programmers. However, it is often found that these programmers leave the community to work in the city or even outside the country. As a result, the MFIs have no one to run to in case there are technical problems or they need an upgrade.

PinoyME, in partnership with the Regional Councils, is exploring how this local support can be strengthened. One idea is to tap the local IT schools, so that the students can be used as a resource.

What are your thoughts on this? Would you find this service useful? How do you propose we operationalize it? Any other strategies we can take?

[PC Montecino]

First thing first, having an IT is not cheap. Yes, even inhouse is expensive to maintain.

Next, come up with a blueprint of your IT plans. A programmer is as only good as the design s/he is attempting to interpret. A systems administrator is as only good as the well-planned system. Then you can outsource.

General Rule. Every IT warmbody should be indispensable.

[MarieValdez]

Hi Paul,

Great feedback. I completely agree, a sound IT Strategy is a must for IT to make a big impact to an organization. This maybe a service that may be provided by other professionals, but not the students.

If for example an IT Strategy exists for an MFI. Can that be then passed on to the students? Would this be the ideal scenario? I ask this question to make sure that we come up with a comprehensive and realistic intervention.

So, in the proposed intervention, we will have local schools providing tactical support - Database maintenance, Programming, Troubleshooting, creating reports, deskptop support, and even simple network support. If we have this, we then have basically a technical support staff who at the beginning will do as he was asked to do. I think for some MFIs this is good enough.

For others, a strategic direction might be needed and maybe this is needed on bigger IT projects and very advisable at the start of automation.

I would like to ask the MFIs then if the local support by local IT schools when implemented on its own (as first step) would be useful?

-Marie

[PC Montecino]

Hi Marie (and every one in the list)

Local IT schools is a good place to find IT warmbodies. Will the MFIs open their door to these greenhorns? Again, it requires guts... you are lucky if they stay around for 2 years (or until some headhunter offers them US$100K per year plus benefits and incentives).

That is why an IT strategy plan is a must. It should be the same as other departments. Like, the top accountant leaves for a greener pasture but the organization still runs--- a bit shaky but only for a short duration.

I am an E-RIDER (http://www.eriders.net). Basically, an e-rider helps non-profit organization with their IT needs-- pro-bono! Well, someone has to pay for the travelling expenses and other incidentals. There's not many of us in the Philippines. Maybe the MFIs (specially the NotForProfit) can fund a local IT Group to help them with their IT. More bang for the bucks, as the saying goes.

But then we come full circle again. Should I entrust my confidential information to outsource services? The issue is best answered by an IT Strategy Plan.

my 0.02


*I'm still out of work, Toto!*