The Utility Company? Announces Franchise Partnership with Largest IT Solution Provider in Northern California -- Western Blue Corporation Becomes Excl

(PRWEB) September 7, 2007 -- The Utility Company?, a global managed service franchise that provides information technology (IT) as a utility to small and medium-sized businesses (SMB), today announced Western Blue Corporation has joined its Beyond Managed Services? franchise system.

The Utility Company was founded to address the two major problems plaguing businesses today:

* Over-Spending -- the fact that the average business spends $360 per user per month on technology for an industry total of $400 billion annually.

* Under-Utilization -- unfortunately only 15 percent of this investment in technology is actually utilized.

Technology convergence including network/desktop, business applications, Web/Internet, copier/printer and telecommunications provides businesses with an increasing desire to consolidate (or converge) their suppliers. To deliver on its "single-source" provider vision, The Utility Company partners with leading service organizations in the IT and vertical channels, such as telecom resellers and office equipment dealers, across 2,000 exclusive markets in North America.

"Terry and his team at Western Blue represent a flagship Utility Service Provider and will bring tremendous value and experience to Utility with initiatives like their 'Green IT' program," stated Mark Scott, President of The Utility Company. "The reality of our business model is that we are true business partners for at least the next 10 years, therefore our selection process is careful to say the least. We are very excited about our partnership and the prospects of bringing our 'single-source' provider solution to the Sacramento market."

"Western Blue has a compelling reason for leveraging this model. Over the years as an IT systems integrator we have noticed that our industry lacks an activity-based sales and marketing approach and the disciplines needed to penetrate the SMB market effectively. This is partially because of the return on investment (ROI) associated with small ticket low margin transactional model with a high investment in people," stated Terry Joslin, President of Western Blue Corporation. "The Utility Company fills a void by franchising a proven activity and delivery methodology to reach the SMB market with an attractive annuity stream. From our knowledge and experience it makes sense to leverage the Utility Business System to deliver an acceptable ROI and motivation to develop an SMB managed service business."

Solution Providers Turn to The Utility Company as New Path to Managed Services and the Emerging Utility Computing

While the managed services industry continues to evolve with various versions of "Do-it-Yourself" programs from vendors and distributors, many solution providers, large and small, are now turning to The Utility Company as a better alternative. Quick Fix Computers of Brunswick, Georgia has consistently been a top performing Utility Service Provider since joining earlier in the year. "The customers we've put on the Connected Office fixed-fee managed service program have received excellent service, which is really 'all that matters'," stated Andre Jones, President of Quick Fix Computers. "Being a Utility Service Provider allows us to focus on the two things that builds our business: proactively servicing customers and acquiring more of them. It is also great to be part of a national service organization to share ideas and see our growth each month."

"For 30 years the IT value chain has primarily operated in the same manner, that being, vendors build technology, distributors automate the supply chain and solution providers deliver the technology and related time-based services," added Mark Scott. "New technology models such as Software-as-a-Service, managed services and now virtualization has made the traditional model less relevant particularly for the SMB market, which is already over-spending on under-utilized technology. Our affiliate franchise model is a new type of channel approach which creates total alignment to tackle the activity-based sales and marketing required on the front-end and insurance-like service delivery on the back-end to be successful in the fixed-fee managed service business."

Hear what small and medium-sized businesses across North America are saying by viewing our Connected Office Success Stories at www.theutilitycompany.com or register for one of our upcoming Friday Webinars:

* Technology is Converging (and So Should Your Suppliers) -- September 7 at 2 p.m. ET.

* How to Address Technology Over-Spending and Under-Utilization -- September 21 at 2 p.m. ET.

For more information on our Connected Office services in Sacramento contact Toni Billigmier at (916) 669-4442 or tbilligmier @ westernblue.com.

About The Utility Company?

The Utility Company is a global managed service franchise that provides information technology as a utility to small and medium-sized businesses, delivering the required hardware, software and service for a monthly fee per user. Our Connected Office? technology service program empowers people to operate, communicate and manage their business more effectively to increase productivity, performance and ultimately profit. Our customers are supported by the Utility Service Network delivering on-site service and business-technology consulting across North America - our Beyond Managed Services? franchise opportunity is available by prospectus only. Learn how to make technology work for your business today at www.theutilitycompany.com

For more information contact:

Aaron Bradley

Marketing Manager

1-866-My-Utility (698-8454) ext.7675

abradley @ theutilitycompany.com

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