Syracuse Technologies seeks to break out of typical IT mold

SYRACUSE — A two-year-old information-technology firm in Syracuse is striving to move beyond the connotations that usually accompany working in the IT space.

“We don’t want to be a break-fix company,” Syracuse Technologies, LLC President Jeff Brinson says. “We try to be more proactive.”

That’s something that most IT companies would say, of course, Brinson notes. But actually putting it into practice can be difficult.

It takes time for clients to get comfortable enough with a firm for its experts to make recommendations, which naturally involves a cost. Customers need to know that their vendor is not just trying to sell them something, Brinson says.

“It takes a while to build that trust so they know we truly are trying to make it better,” he says.

It’s a challenging road, but it’s the direction Brinson says he is taking his business.

The firm launched in 2009. At the time, Brinson was working with Presentation Concepts of Baldwinsville, an audio-visual company that had also started an IT group.

New owners decided to refocus Presentation Concepts on its audio-visual work so Brinson decided to strike out on his own in the IT field. He was able to take a few of Presentation Concepts’ IT customers with him since the company was leaving that business, he says.

Another former Presentation Concepts employee, Matt Musumeci, is Brinson’s partner in Syracuse Technologies.

The firm employs five people, plus a stable of contractors. Brinson says he hopes to add another two or so employees in the next year.

Syracuse Technologies focuses on small businesses with five to about 100 users. Companies of that size account for a good portion of the Syracuse market, Brinson says.

Professional-services firms, and especially accounting firms, are a key group of customers, he adds. For example, accountants frequently employ Syracuse Technologies to handle data backup.

Syracuse Technologies can also allow the customers of those firms to back up their data. Partnering with its clients on services like that is one way in which Syracuse Technologies is working to expand its business, Brinson says.

Those relationships usually offer better results than just cold calling, he adds.

The firm also handles IT for the Oncenter. It recently completed a major project retooling the center’s server system and added wireless capabilities to the entire facility, Brinson says.

Syracuse Technologies also works with National Tractor Trailer School in Liverpool.

The firm offers Web development and design, Brinson says. The company has partnered with marketing firms to help its clients generate worthwhile content for their sites, he adds.

In addition, the company brought a vice president of business development on board last year. The position is meant to help speed up Syracuse Technologies’ growth, Brinson says.

“We want good, steady growth,” he adds.      

SYRACUSE — A two-year-old information-technology firm in Syracuse is striving to move beyond the connotations that usually accompany working in the IT space.

“We don’t want to be a break-fix company,” Syracuse Technologies, LLC President Jeff Brinson says. “We try to be more proactive.”

That’s something that most IT companies would say, of course, Brinson notes. But actually putting it into practice can be difficult.

It takes time for clients to get comfortable enough with a firm for its experts to make recommendations, which naturally involves a cost. Customers need to know that their vendor is not just trying to sell them something, Brinson says.

“It takes a while to build that trust so they know we truly are trying to make it better,” he says.

It’s a challenging road, but it’s the direction Brinson says he is taking his business.

The firm launched in 2009. At the time, Brinson was working with Presentation Concepts of Baldwinsville, an audio-visual company that had also started an IT group.

New owners decided to refocus Presentation Concepts on its audio-visual work so Brinson decided to strike out on his own in the IT field. He was able to take a few of Presentation Concepts’ IT customers with him since the company was leaving that business, he says.

Another former Presentation Concepts employee, Matt Musumeci, is Brinson’s partner in Syracuse Technologies.

The firm employs five people, plus a stable of contractors. Brinson says he hopes to add another two or so employees in the next year.

Syracuse Technologies focuses on small businesses with five to about 100 users. Companies of that size account for a good portion of the Syracuse market, Brinson says.

Professional-services firms, and especially accounting firms, are a key group of customers, he adds. For example, accountants frequently employ Syracuse Technologies to handle data backup.

Syracuse Technologies can also allow the customers of those firms to back up their data. Partnering with its clients on services like that is one way in which Syracuse Technologies is working to expand its business, Brinson says.

Those relationships usually offer better results than just cold calling, he adds.

The firm also handles IT for the Oncenter. It recently completed a major project retooling the center’s server system and added wireless capabilities to the entire facility, Brinson says.

Syracuse Technologies also works with National Tractor Trailer School in Liverpool.

The firm offers Web development and design, Brinson says. The company has partnered with marketing firms to help its clients generate worthwhile content for their sites, he adds.

In addition, the company brought a vice president of business development on board last year. The position is meant to help speed up Syracuse Technologies’ growth, Brinson says.

“We want good, steady growth,” he adds.