Why might you need an IT consultant?

Technology is ubiquitous.  Successful companies have to make the most out of their technology investments and some will use technology as a differentiator to propel themselves ahead of their competition.  Being aware of how to do that has never been more important than it is right now.

In some ways, technology is also more complicated than it has ever been.  With every system and every employee being impacted by your technology choices, utilizing a trained team of experts to help you makes sense – your expertise is your business, their expertise is your technology.  Just like hiring an accountant or a lawyer when the need arises, having an IT consulting firm as part of your “go-to” team is more than just practical, it’s essential.  PulseOne understands this and it’s the foundation of our relationships with clients.

Getting help when you need it is essential to maximizing your investments, minimizing your risks and ensuring your business continuity.

When to get some help

So, how do you know when it’s time to bring in an expert? And, why would someone even consider hiring someone outside your company?  Here are some reasons that companies might bring in and IT consultant.
 

• You lack the internal knowledge of a IT technology subject
• You lack the resources to implement/manage your technology
• You would rather outsource to a company instead of managing yourself, instead focusing your resources on your core business
• It is more cost effective to outsource
• You want to outsource portions of your environment, but not everything
• You need an outside perspective on what/how and when you should implement new technology
• All of the above

IT Consultant or Managed Service Provider?

Companies in the IT services space are not all the same.   Sometimes an IT consultant just needs to have a specific set of skills to help you through a planning or implementation process.  Sometimes, you may need a full end-to-end solution, including planning, design and ongoing support.

IT consultants may have some limitations when it comes to the breadth and depth of their expertise.  Any company with limited resources or narrow expertise, may not be able to fully understand all the complexities of your environment, or be prepared to provide you with ongoing day-to-day operational support.  The best scenario for companies is to find an organization, like a Managed Service Provider (MSP) such as PulseOne, that has the infrastructure to support your ongoing needs, as well as a bench of subject matter experts that can assist with specific solutions.

How do you pick a good MSP?

A good MSP will have proven over many years and many customers that they are able to support businesses like yours.  They will have nationwide resources, with competencies in the broad range of technologies needed to support a growing business.  They will offer value added services like remote monitoring and recovery, patching and updating, training and help desk and other ongoing services to help your end users stay productive.  They will have resources or access to resources with specialized technical ability to support disaster recovery planning, advanced security needs and other specialized technologies that your business needs to run effectively.

A good MSP will have tools and processes to help you best identify your needs and come up with a plan to align your infrastructure with best practices – designed to keep your network running and maximizing your return on IT investment.

Where to start

Start with knowing you need support in your IT environment by reviewing the list above.  Contact an organization, such as PulseOne, and engage with them in a discussion about your needs, current issues and business specific challenges.

Once you’ve started the conversation, ask about their capabilities, customers they’ve worked with and their ability to scale and grow with your needs.

Get an assessment and get started talking about your next steps.

PulseOne is an IT consulting company delivering operational support to small and mid-sized companies utilizing our team of technology and results-driven experts.   

In short, we’re your “get it done” people.

For more information about PulseOne contact us and speak with one of our representative.