How IT Consulting Makes You Look Like a Rockstar
A good technology solutions consultant helps organizations determine what technical tools and technologies are best to help them sustain and grow a profitable business. These consultants advise business owners on how to get the most out of their networking and computer systems and assist in digital transformation.
With the help of a skilled outside consultant, planning for various technological changes, upgrades, and other choices that affect daily operations can become easy, and the successful results will make you look like a rockstar at your company.
Many company leaders discover that outsourcing to technology solutions consultants allows them to concentrate on their core role instead of wasting energy, time, and resources on infrastructure issues better suited to specialists. Still, choosing a technology solutions consulting firm to help with your IT and network issues can be a daunting task.
Here’s how to ensure you end up with a trusted technology solutions consultant who fits your project requirements and budget and will make you the office hero.
Look for Proven Experience
Relevant use-case experience does matter when it comes to finding the right technology consulting firm. Even though it is possible to DIY just about anything, there is always the risk of time delays, wasted money, and the possibility of making matters worse. The cheapest solution might not always be the best solution, which is why experience is a key differentiator in your technology solutions consultant search.
Consider asking the firm about how it handles situations similar to yours, if they have samples of their work or case studies and if they have a documented process and a roadmap to digital transformation—confidently and successfully. These are all valid areas to examine to validate their experience level.
Check with the Consultant’s Client Base
When a business outsources components of its IT to another firm, its own business’s credibility depends heavily upon the hired company. Therefore, it is important to be familiar with their technical expertise and solution set, and background of any consulting company you’re considering.
Start by researching what their current marketplace and the technology providers they represent, what clients have to say about them, what their specialties are, and (generally speaking) the company they keep. A business actively putting out thought-leadership content and programming shows a commitment to being well-informed about the latest in next-gen technologies. This commitment also shows an IT technology solutions consulting company is fully invested in providing its clients with the most up-to-date options the market has to offer.
Check the Company’s Reviews and Testimonials
It’s critical to have a technology consultant who understands multiple platforms and can ensure the solutions your company adopts will work across the enterprise and be secure. The IT strategy and consulting services offered should take into account existing assets and contractual commitments. The right technology solutions consultant needs to be informed, paying attention to even the most minute, business-critical details others might miss. The devil is in the details.
As mentioned earlier, experience matters, but its current operational status can only be assessed by checking the present record of the company. An easy way to do so is via a quick Google search and reading their most recent reviews online.
It is crucial to know whether the technology solutions consultant in mind is capable of fulfilling your requirements and whether they are keeping pace with modern technological trends.
For example, you want your consultant to recommend next-gen solutions and new technical frameworks that can better serve your stakeholders, customers and users. You expect your technology solutions consultant to learn on the bleeding edge and implement on the leading edge by being well-versed in specific use cases, best practices, and success stories. You also expect your consultant to leverage existing assets and understand budget constraints, and not simply forklift and replace.
Consider Versatility
The business should be flexible when and where it’s required to provide the best results for clients. Your consultant should be your partner, an extension of your team and a trusted advisor that is willing to go the extra mile to fulfill your organization’s goals and objectives.
In a consultant-client relationship, there must be a “give and take” pattern; otherwise, issues can crop up in the longer run. As you vet consultants, ask about instances where they have adjusted to client needs while also providing expert recommendations.
Are They Future-Minded?
A good technology solutions consultant should not only keep pace with the current technology but also should keep in mind the vision of future requirements. The technology consulting services offered, therefore, should take into account what will be needed in both the short- and long-term to make a business successful.
Adaptability
It’s critical to have a technology consultant who understands multiple platforms and can ensure the solutions your company adopts will work across the enterprise, and be secure. The IT strategy and consulting services offered should take into account existing assets and contractual commitments. The right technology solutions consultant needs to be informed, paying attention to even the most minute, business-critical details others might miss. The devil is in the details.
Super Support
There’s no better peace of mind gained than the feeling of knowing your consultant will service and support the solutions that have been implemented. Oftentimes, consultants walk away after implementation. Having support availability is a must-have for any technology solutions consultant partnership.
Even though the priority is to avoid any possible technological crisis, during unavoidable circumstances, your chosen technology solutions consultants should be ready to address issues. They should not only have the required resources and infrastructure prepared for it, like a dedicated support department and a formalized ticketing system, but they should also be able to actively tackle issues as soon as they arise and one-call resolve. This aspect of an IT partnership is like having health insurance: better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Determining if your potential consultants’ firm can perform active support services is as simple as asking them to tell you about their support team and how they operate. It’s a great sign when they are already prepared and have immediate answers to your questions.
Cost-Minded
Although it’s easy to write “FIXED” on the board, compromises have to be made regarding the cost of doing business. Business owners are cautioned not to choose the cheapest option, but to weigh every aspect in the context of what’s right for their business.
Some technology solutions consultants may attract clients with a “cost-savings” play, but they provide no productivity gains and no market differentiation. When considering costs, closely examine the offerings: Will you get equivalent results by solely choosing the “cost-savings” route? The answer is no. If you are viewing IT as purely a cost center, you will quickly get left behind.
Who Should I Choose to Make Me Look Like a Rockstar?
Choosing the right business technology solutions consulting firm will help you cover staffing gaps by adding bench strength and expertise. These benefits will set you apart from your competition, freeing up valuable time and energy to help grow your business. So, if you’re looking for a technology solutions consultant, you’re in the right place.
