Member Spotlight: Acey Systems

In a BNI chapter, every profession gets one seat. At BNI A1 Networkers, the IT consulting seat belongs to Acey Systems, represented by owner Ben LeMere.

What Acey Systems does

Acey Systems is a Peoria-based IT company that helps businesses keep their technology working so they can focus on their actual work. Their services center on:

• Office networking. Designing and setting up the network an office runs on, from the internet connection to the devices that rely on it.
• Computer support. Helping with the day-to-day problems that slow a business down.
• Security. Protecting business networks and data from cyber threats.
• Technology management and ongoing support. Keeping systems maintained after the initial setup, so problems get caught early instead of during a busy day.

Plenty of small businesses never have an IT department. They have whoever on the team is "good with computers," and that works until it does not. An IT consultant fills that gap with real expertise, without the cost of a full-time hire.

Why July is a good time to think about your tech

We are in the middle of monsoon season, and storms are hard on technology. Lightning, power flickers and outages can damage equipment, interrupt work and in the worst cases cause lost data.

A few questions every business owner should be able to answer this time of year:

• Are your computers, servers and network equipment on surge protection or battery backup?
• If your office lost power for an afternoon, would you lose anything that is not backed up?
• Do you know how to get back up and running if a key computer or your router fails?

Summer heat matters too. Equipment closets and server rooms without good airflow can get hot fast, and electronics do not like heat any more than we do.

If any of those questions make you uneasy, that is exactly the kind of conversation Ben has with business owners.

How you can refer Acey Systems

A great referral for Acey Systems is:

• A small business or office that does not have anyone dedicated to IT
• A business owner who is moving into a new office or opening a second location and needs a network set up
• Someone who just dealt with a computer failure, a virus or a scare with their data
• An office that complains their internet or Wi-Fi is slow or unreliable
• A business that has grown and now has more computers and users than its original setup was built for
• A company that is worried about security but does not know where to start

Listen for phrases like "our computers are a mess" or "we just kind of figure it out ourselves." Those are great openings for an introduction.

If someone you know fits, connect them with Ben at 602-460-4008 or point them to aceysystems.com.

Why IT is a great referral partner category

IT consultants work behind the scenes in a lot of businesses. That gives them a close look at how companies operate, and it makes them natural connectors to accountants, business coaches, marketers, insurance agents and other professionals who serve business owners. If your customers are businesses, getting to know your local IT consultant is a smart move.

Meet Ben in person

Ben is at BNI A1 Networkers every Thursday at 7:00 AM at Brothers Family Restaurant in Peoria. Come meet him, ask your tech questions and see how our referral chapter works. Plan your visit.