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If your new ‘smart’ technology makes you feel anything but, then it might be time to call Neighborhood Tech Services. Launched earlier this fall by longtime Niwot resident Jim Dorvee, NTS provides a wide range of IT and computer support services for the home market, from audio/visual integration, to online and home security, to laptop tune-ups and repair.

“There’s smart doorbells, smart locks, smart thermostats, and all of those things often need to work together,” Dorvee said. “It’s no secret that home entertainment systems have gotten more complex with more capabilities, and not everyone knows how to figure all that out and make it all work seamlessly.”

That’s something the recently-retired Dorvee learned first-hand watching his relatives and friends struggle to install their new devices and gadgets. The former corporate IT manager got the idea for NTS after realizing that “frustration” with advancing technology is common, but fixable.

“It can be so frustrating when things don’t work, when you’ve made this big investment,” he said. “When things don’t work, then they lose value. What I’m trying to do is remove that frustration.”

He added that it’s not just the technology that has people frustrated, but often the entire technical support process. Drawing on a background that is “part technical, part business, and part customer service,” Dorvee said he and NTS can give clients a “flexible, personalized experience” that is hard to get from a big box or online retailer.

“Part of my role was going to the CEO and asking for millions of dollars,” he said. “I had to explain complex technical concepts in easy-to-understand language and what was really the business value with the investment.”

Another part of his role was to keep internal clients, otherwise known as employees, happy. This often required a different but related set of skills.

“Another big part of what I try to do is teach people how to solve these problems themselves,” he said. “I found that to be very beneficial, and people are very receptive to that. Most people want to learn.”

Neighborhood Tech’s client base is slowly growing, but Dorvee plans to keep his focus in the Niwot/south Longmont/Gunbarrel area. He said that safety concerns seem to be driving demand for his services currently. “The biggest issue right now is security, and that takes two forms; security on your computer—being hacked, having viruses, having malware—and then there’s the physical security of people’s homes—people wanting cameras connected or video doorbells.”

While many of his clients do struggle to keep up with technology, he said he also expects to see an uptick in clients who may be tech-savvy, but who don’t have hours to spend setting up their own home entertainment or security systems. “They probably want a more automated home, but they’re working or they have a family. They have the will, but they don’t have the time. There’s a segment of the market there that’s still untapped.”

For more information about Neighborhood Tech Services and the many services it provides, visit their website Neighborhood Tech Services or call 303-817-5755.