Terry Davis, senior field engineer for the nonprofit consultant Mid-America Manufacturing Technology Center in Kansas City, has helped five clients select ASPs in the last year. One of those clients, Midland Lithographing Co. of North Kansas City, began using Avazpour Networking Services nearly a year ago. Melvin H. Voth, Midland's controller, said the company looked closely at the ASP's monthly fees before choosing it and will evaluate its cost-effectiveness periodically. In a telephone interview, Voth was reluctant to discuss many details about Avazpour's services. However, a testimonial letter from Voth appears on Avazpour's Web site, along with letters from other local clients.
Clients get hardware, software, a consultant, an Internet service provider and phone line.
If one server fails, another picks right up. ASPs don't do much of is training their clients' employees on the software applications they provide. Although some offer very basic instruction, most refer clients to local training programs. Some focus on widely used applications geared toward small to medium-size companies, while others narrow their range to highly customized software, or applications needed for a specific business function or an entire industry. ImagoASP's Carden thinks customer demand will drive the growth of ASPs' offerings, both in existing software and in new applications developed and available only through the service providers.