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Computer Support Services began operations in 1973 as a subsidiary company to a fuel
oil distributor. At the time, PC's had not been invented and mini-computers (mostly IBM)
were just coming into the market. The fuel oil distributor needed a computer to automatically
compute scheduled fuel oil deliveries and in order to offset the costs, Computer Support
Services began to process work for other companies for a fee. Computer Support Services (CSSI)
essentially started as a service bureau providing shared computing resources to companies
that could not afford the high expense of owning a computer system.
Under new ownership in 1980 (current owners), mini-computers were becoming more affordable and,
due to the inconvenience of having all processing done off premise, companies began to purchase
mini-computers for their own use. Although companies could now afford minicomputers, programming
expertise and application software were very expensive and not readily available. CSSI developed
expertise in those areas to assist companies in the development and/or implementation of
accounting and business software.
In the mid to late 1980's PC's and PC Networks were making their début in the marketplace and began
to enhance or replace mini-computers. Another trend, mainly due to networking, was the introduction
of multi-vendor products in a typical computer installation. Until this time, it was common to have
a vendor such as IBM or one of the leading mini-computer vendors (DEC, Wang, NCR, Burroughs, Honeywell)
to manage all of the equipment in a company's computer department. Although computer equipment became
less expensive, companies could no longer count on one vendor to resolve their computer related issues.
Large companies simply increased their technical staff to keep operations running; whereas small and
medium size companies could not afford the luxury of maintaining in house expertise for all of their
data processing needs. Again, CSSI was able to provide the expertise in many of those areas and began
to play a key role in supporting IT departments.
Another change in the marketplace that began during the mid to late 1980's was the introduction of 'packaged'
software. At the time accounting packages were the most popular because of their universal applicability
to most companies. As the decade of the 1980's closed, 'packaged' application software was showing up in
all areas of business. Since CSSI had originally based its business strategy on writing custom applications,
it became apparent that custom programming was becoming too expensive and very inefficient for our customers,
and that 'packaged' applications were the future of software sales. CSSI viewed its function as finding the
best available software in a particular discipline (i.e. accounting) and market it to our customer base.
CSSI has always been on the cutting edge from a technology standpoint, but that does not necessarily translate
into CSSI selling and implementing the latest technology. CSSI believes that technology is only valuable to a
customer's business if it solves a problem. The technology used should be practical, proven, and as
inexpensive as possible.
Today, CSSI is a strong company celebrating more than 30 years in business. Now with multiple offices and a staff
of individuals that bring decades of experience to your business, CSSI has securely positioned itself for the next
30 years. As technology and solutions continue to evolve, so will CSSI. Today centralized computing is coming
back to the IT department, custom programming and development is as strong as it was in the 1980's if not stronger
and the concept of having a "Return-On-Investment" for Technology is part of every discussion.
It is our goal to learn your business, your needs and objectives. With this understanding, CSSI consultants and
technicians can continue to recommend the right products and solutions for your business. We want to be your
first call when you need help; whether it's a new project, a problem that needs immediate attention or simply
an opportunity to plan for the future.
Thank you for your continued business and ongoing confidence in the CSSI Team.
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