I need a researcher to look around for statistical and/or
anecdotal information to help me prepare a reasonable
computer services proposal for a small business (20
workstations, one satellite office).

I have a prospective client I'm qualified to help, but my
prior experience is with large companies, which operate
very differently.

What I need to know:
- Going rates for various small business oriented computer-related
services in Chicago. e.g. Office network configuration (file servers,
backups, printers, Internet access, firewalls, etc), software and
hardware troubleshooting & repair, Windows PC upgrades, etc. 
- Common contract structures. Are small businesses usually comfortable
with "retainer" type deals? Do they prefer straight hourly fees?
Do they prefer that the service costs be hidden in hardware prices?
- Some basic marketing do's and don'ts.... Is it a good idea to list
your prices in a brochure? Or should you keep it mysterious and
negotiable?
- What are common payment terms... Credit Card on the spot? 30-day
invoicing?

One way you can go about answering my questions, is to pretend you're
a small business shopping for computer support, and tell me what
you can find (i.e. you'll be analyzing what my competition does).

Another way, you could go to a website were businesses seek for help
(where they post for consultants) and summarize what their common
needs and complaints are.
 
Focus on small businesses only.

Some time ago I came across someone trying to sell some pretty good
software that he had written. His big mistake, in trying to sell to
a large company, was to ask a low price for the software with a
mandatory multi-year support agreement, when it would have been much
easier to sell the software for a higher price and an optional
low-cost support package that didn't require buyers to step outside
their corporate thinking box - this year's budget! This is the sort
of mistake I'm trying to avoid when putting together the
small-business proposal.

atr-ga:

One characteristic of small businesses that you should consider,
relates to your final point regarding budget. In a large company, the
decision maker must work within the limits of an imposed budget, and
the career/job security of the decision maker depends on the bang for
the buck they can deliver within that budget. They look bad if they
underspend or overspend. This all relates to the need to show good
in-year return on investment to the stakeholders of the company.

For a small business, the decision maker is often the owner.
Especially for a 20 person business, the owner thinks more like an
individual, looking at how to stretch each dollar for the maximum
benefit today, while being cognizant that they can't sell out the
future either. So, think about your proposal from the point of view of
a consumer. When you buy a car, what turns you on and off about the
pricing structure? Avoid that. What do you hate about the financial
side of buying a car or a computer? Make it even easier.

Regards,

aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher

You are proposing that I should use common sense. I want to augment my
common sense with data on other people's common sense. Assuming other
people have put their money where their common sense is.