Small businesses face a unique set of opportunities and challenges when it comes to maintaining a robust IT landscape.
Typically, small businesses are lean and flexible, making it easy to adapt to new technology and change course quickly. This is a definite advantage. At the same time, though, most small businesses lack a dedicated, in-house IT department, which means they may not be making the most of their existing technology. They may also be missing out on new software developments. That’s why IT process consulting is an increasingly important service for most small and medium companies.
What exactly is IT consulting for small businesses? This article will explain how IT consulting works and how it differs from related services like managed IT support. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know.
The difference between IT consulting and IT services
What are the benefits of IT consulting?
Signs it’s time to consider IT consulting services
Finding the right IT consultant
The difference between IT consulting and IT services
Many business leaders confuse IT consulting and IT services. The two fields are closely related, but they are not the same.
IT services can take many different forms, but they usually involve a partnership between your business and IT service providers. IT services can address various IT needs, including help desk services, computer training, network security, cloud services, and backup recovery.
IT consulting is different. Instead of technical support, IT consultants provide assessments and strategic planning skills. IT consultants tend to be laser-focused on what can make your business successful. They excel in areas like management and communications. For an IT consultant, technology is not an end goal. It’s a pathway to success.
A good IT consultant will walk you through the steps your organization can take to gain a competitive advantage in your field. They can also map out a detailed plan for getting your business the technology it needs to succeed.
In other words: IT services ensure your technology operates correctly, and they provide the hands-on services your company needs to stay up and running and protected from cyber threats. On the other hand, IT consultants give you the expert insights to make technology decisions yourself. However, it’s important to note that a qualified managed service provider (MSP) can provide both: managed IT support, and the strategic guidance of an IT consulting partner.
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What do IT consultants do?
IT consultants can assess your whole technological infrastructure and advise on the changes you need to make. For example, your IT consultant may let you know that your network security is not up to scratch. Perhaps you’ve been the victim of a cyberattack, or maybe your consultant has discovered your protections are out of date. They can recommend the right security measures for your business.
Your IT consultant may also advise you about your cloud computing options. They can tell you whether it’s a good idea for your company to transition to the cloud or whether you should keep your data on-premise. An IT consultant can assess your existing storage systems and tell you how and when to upgrade. A good IT consultant won’t try to upsell or push you to invest in technology solutions you don’t need. Their value lies in advising rather than selling you products and services.
In some cases, your IT consultants can help you find a suitable IT service provider to implement new solutions for your business. When you partner with an MSP as your service provider and consultant, they'll have the expertise and familiarity with your systems to implement these solutions immediately. An IT consultant should also be able to evaluate your budget and tell you what other businesses in your sector are doing for their security measures.
What are the benefits of IT consulting?
IT consulting offers a fresh view of your IT architecture. It can provide a clearer picture of your network system and highlight areas for improvement. IT consulting offers many other benefits to your business, as well. Here are just a few of them:
Remote Access Functionality
Remote access allows authorized members to access your computing network no matter where they are. It allows your business to stay up and running even when most of your team isn’t physically in the office. In today’s business environment, more and more companies are operating remotely, and many teams work from home instead of from the office.
Even if teams are not working remotely, they may need to take frequent trips out of the office, which means they will value the ability to check in regularly. The right IT consultant can assess your need for remote access and weigh that against your security concerns, coming up with a plan that meets all of your requirements. Needs differ between businesses, and good IT consultants provide solutions tailored to each client.
Layered Security Protection
Cybersecurity is one of the biggest concerns facing businesses today. In the past, some small business owners assumed that the relatively small size of their operations made them immune from hackers. Today, more business owners and IT decision-makers are recognizing that small companies are a favorite target of hackers and bad actors.
That’s why smart business leaders are taking steps to protect themselves from hackers, ransom attacks, and other forms of cyber threats. But it’s not as simple as applying a one-size-fits-all security system. A good IT consultant will help you build a security system that fits your unique needs.
Are your employees working with their own devices? Are some or all of them working remotely? Are you storing large amounts of customer data? All these considerations will help your IT consultant create a plan for you.
Connectivity
When your business loses connectivity, everything slows to a crawl. Your staff can’t get any work done. Customers can’t get in touch. Your website and social media become useless. Downtime is expensive and can result in lost business and customers. It’s vital to take steps to ensure you have a great connectivity strategy, and an IT consultant can accomplish this for your business.
Data Capacity
Every business today stores private data, whether it’s customer data, business data, or a combination of the two. It’s crucial to find a way to store that data safely and mitigate the risk of theft. You’ll also need a data strategy that protects your network from overload.
Your IT consultant can help you map out an effective data strategy that will maintain your security, privacy, and efficiency.
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Signs it’s time to consider IT consulting services
How can you tell it’s time to consider an IT consultant? There are many signs that IT consulting can be a tremendous help to your business or organization.
- Your current network is out of date, and you don’t have a plan to update it
- You want to protect your business in the face of skyrocketing cyber attacks
- You don’t feel like you have a firm grip on the administration of your IT systems
- You’re having frequent connectivity issues and are struggling to identify an underlying cause
- You have team members working remotely
- You have questions about your IT network, hardware, software, etc.
- You’ve had trouble developing a detailed IT budgeting strategy that maximizes your resources
An IT consultant can take stock of your current systems, evaluate problem areas, and help you take control of your IT.
Finding the right IT consultant
It’s essential to choose the right IT consultant for your business. Not every IT consultant will have the combination of skills, experience, and vision that you need. Don’t rush into hiring the first consultant you meet. It’s important to invest some time in this decision.
How will you know when you find the right IT consultant? Look for an IT consultant with a proven track record of success. You’ll want to ensure that any organization you partner with has expertise working with companies in your sector. You’ll also want to make sure they have a business culture and approach that meshes well with your own. Seek out a company you feel confident doing business with. After all, this will need to be a relationship built on trust.
Alternatively, when you outsource your IT support to a qualified managed service provider or vCIO, IT consulting services are part and parcel of the comprehensive support they will provide for your business or organization.