Small used car dealership wants an overhaul/domain user accounts?

[Mr. Ingram's Computer Repair & Shoppe]

So I got a call yesterday from a used car dealership (they are everywhere in my area)

The owner herself called and wanted to ask some "window shopping" questions.

Facts I gathered:
1: 3 or 4 person workforce.
2: she wants domain accounts, so she can log into her Win10 account and "just have everything where it should be."
3: wants one or two of the laptops upgraded to "run faster" (SSD+refresh Win10 or trash and get a new one probably)

I told her I will do a little research over the weekend and get back to her mid next week with a few ideas and questions.

My question to you is:
1. Does she ACTUALLY want domain accounts? I have always felt doing accounts this way had more points of failure, and was slower. (And I'd have to do a (insert adult word here) of research on how to set this up.)

2. I personally think they might be better off consolidating their software, so everybody would use the same browser, the same version of MSO, the same everything on software. Then just adding in some type of google drive/drop box for their files.

3. What would you might look into doing?

 

[frase]

A server - Client/Domain setup would be preferable think expansion as well. Is going to be a pain, making sure everyone is on the same level without a server pushing through otherwise.

As well an Exchange Server using MSOffice 365 would be beneficial to users currently and future users to the Domain.

In regards to systems, I would upsell the option to upgrade to newer/ reliable Win10 capable workstations/laptops.

Just my opinion, sure others will have theirs.

 

[kwest]

Server with a network Company share and each user will have their own personal share.

Windows 10 pro throughout the network

Office 365 exchange for email.

Teach them that anything work related needs to be saved on the Server. Whatever computer they login to will have access to all of their files. You could do roaming profiles but it sucks. So just login and setup their exchange profile for each user on each computer.

Final result. They have their files on all computers and all their email, contacts, etc.

 

[Diggs]

Domain account? Network domain or Internet domain?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Years ago it used to be "roaming profiles".....unless you had a seriously fast server and fast network, yeah those had slow logins. But since Win7 came along, "folder redirection" replaced roaming profiles. Just need to sync key folders (desktop, docs mostly).

Lots of car dealerships only access a handful of intra-net sites (if they're part of a big dealership chain)...or online sites. Not a lot of "local data" is needed.
I'd do an onsite with the potential client and have them show you what they need/use on a day to day basis.

 

[nlinecomputers]

What would a car dealer need with a roaming profile? Each salesman has their own desk do they not? The question you need to ask is what is changing and why? Some dealerships are pretty cutthroat so I could see fellow salespeople sitting down at some one's desk and messing with it. Better security is the solution to that problem.

I agree that someone convinced them that they have a non-existent problem and now they are trying to fix it. They likely DO have problems. As Stonecat stated you need to sit down and talk to them and ask about what the pain points of the business are. Don't make the talk about tech per se. Make it about what thing stall the workflow.

 

[trevm999]

I agree about taking a look at their workflow and finding out what the actual pain points are that are influencing their decisions.

I don't think there's anything wrong with what she's requesting, as long as she wants to put the money in to get a decent setup. I wouldn't go with an onsite DC here though. I would look into getting them on Office 365 and Azure AD, then either use your RMM or the basic Group Policy in Azure AD to redirect their Folders into OneDrive.

Or look at JumpCloud as an alternative to going the Azure AD route, but you will still have to make sure you have the ability to redirect their folders into OneDrive.

*Disclaimer, I have never done the above, so you would have to do some research on your own

 

[Krynn72]

If she is planning to do remote work and thats why she wants roaming profiles, maybe a simple RDP setup would be better? Certainly cheaper and easier to manage.

 

[trevm999]

If she is planning to do remote work and thats why she wants roaming profiles, maybe a simple RDP setup would be better? Certainly cheaper and easier to manage.

IMO, RDS is gross unless you're using thin clients. Sometimes it's still the best option, but I'd explore other possibilities first.

 

[HCHTech]

It's not clear from the OP that they even have an existing server. "3 or 4 person workforce"? I'd be surprised to find a server unless their contract required one. And if it did, you'll probably find it in the utility closet next to the laundry sink, haha.

 

[nlinecomputers]

The other thing that might be freaking out the owner is the Windows 10 forced update process. That could be the constant change she is seeing on the desktop.

 

[Mr. Ingram's Computer Repair & Shoppe]

It's not clear from the OP that they even have an existing server. "3 or 4 person workforce"? I'd be surprised to find a server unless their contract required one. And if it did, you'll probably find it in the utility closet next to the laundry sink, haha.

From the phone call it sounded like they had a couple desktops and a few laptops, some that were "desktop replacements" and some that that would be taken home for "work" +facebook flash games (of course).

She sounded "hundreds of dollars" serious, but not "$3K" serious, so I already have doubts on her wanting to buy a nice server + nice laptops to run everything. But I could be wrong!

 

[mraikes]

What would a car dealer need with a roaming profile? Each salesman has their own desk do they not? The question you need to ask is what is changing and why? Some dealerships are pretty cutthroat so I could see fellow salespeople sitting down at some one's desk and messing with it. Better security is the solution to that problem.

I agree that someone convinced them that they have a non-existent problem and now they are trying to fix it. They likely DO have problems. As Stonecat stated you need to sit down and talk to them and ask about what the pain points of the business are. Don't make the talk about tech per se. Make it about what thing stall the workflow.

My FTJ dealership is fairly large (just shy of 200 employees, and we're part of a larger organization of 10,000+), but some things scale down. Salesman, and worse - their managers, float around desks/computers even if they technically have "theirs". Everyone thinks they should just be able to plop down, login, and EVERYTHING will be exactly the same as it is on their own computer. They don't understand why the desktop shortcuts are different/missing, the default printer isn't the same, their favorites aren't there - or someone else is automatically logged in to xyz website instead of the current user.

Car dealership owners, managers and employees are some of the most technologically dependent and technologically ignorant groups you can gather together under one roof. To make it worse - they cross-talk with other dealerships, usually completely different and with differing corporate requirements and setups, and wonder/complain why the system they have to use isn't the same as their buddy's at some other place.

OP, do NOT overcomplicate this for such a tiny dealership. Lot's of people want to jump into domains, exchange servers, redirected-this-n-that, etc., etc. Workgroups exist for a reason, and 3-4 employees (and up to triple those numbers) are that exact reason.

As others have said, clarify what the owner thinks she means by ""just have everything where it should be" and find the simplest way to accomplish that for her. Really, it MAY be domains and big expansion plans that need to be allowed for - but if not, don't drag them that direction.

 

[DRPCNZ]

Car dealership owners, managers and employees are some of the most technologically dependent and technologically ignorant groups you can gather together under one roof. To make it worse - they cross-talk with other dealerships, usually completely different and with differing corporate requirements and setups, and wonder/complain why the system they have to use isn't the same as their buddy's at some other place.

.

I couldn't agree more, many years ago I sold installed a computer for Dealer Principal of a Motor Dealer, his first computer so WE made his password his wifes name so he would remember it, you guessed it next morning a phone call "Whats my password" I ask him whats your wifes name? He told me what her name was and then said whats that got to do with getting my password

 

[frase]

If they dont wanna spend the $$$ then maybe just a switch, Dropbox and shared folders/printers etc with an RDP as Krynn stated.

I think the client has just heard the word domain and now...

 

[Mick]

Have you thought about a kind of half-way house? Something like a Synology* NAS on-site, hosted Exchange for email and Cloud Station access to the NAS from their laptops etc? (* Other brands are available). Small bonus: If she gets a server, all those Windows Home editions are going to need converting to Pro...this solution would save you/her a few quid (sorry - bucks!), since you won't need to bother with that.

 

[Diggs]

Domain account? Network domain or Internet domain?

That's why I asked the question. You are discussing a domain server and domain network for 3-4 users? I'm scratching my head? (If all you have is a hammer everything is a nail?)

 

[nlinecomputers]

The prospect is asking for it. But I doubt that she understands what it is. She has been sold on a solution for a problem she likely does not have.

 

[johnrobert]

I set up a system like this with a NAS got it all working perfectly they could log in anywhere patted myself on the back
The problem was they could never understand how to use it despite all of them having letters after their name
most of them engineers, I recently checked and none of them logged in from home.
it turned out to be a training exercise, not a network deployment, it was just not sinking in.
Make it as simple as possible