When you need to have your sink fixed, you call a plumber. When your car needs a tune up, you visit a mechanic. When your technology needs an upgrade, you invest in information technology consulting.
Just as you would trust the expertise of a plumber or mechanic, you can trust your technology with companies that offer information technology consulting services.
What Is Information Technology Consulting?
Information technology consulting is the act of giving advice to companies on how to maximize their technology infrastructure to achieve their business goals efficiently and successfully. Advice can be given about any issue or service that involves information technology, such as business continuity, risk assessment, disaster recovery, cyber security, and compliance.
If your business is in need of a digital transformation, it may be time to recruit the technical skills of an information technology consultant.
What Do Information Technology Consultants Do?
An information technology consultant can provide answers to all your questions—big and small. Would a mobile app work best for your employees? Should you use cloud-based technology or should you buy servers? Should you outsource your technology support? When should you use information technology consultants to perform tasks vs. hiring in-house employees?
From initial design to ongoing management, information technology consultants can help you make decisions that have your business’s best interest in mind. They are the bridge between you and technology, proposing options, outlining costs, planning implementation, and creating documentation that shows progress. Whether you’re looking to make your processes more efficient, create entirely new systems for your operations, leverage your existing technology infrastructure, secure your data, migrate to the cloud, or more, the advisory services of a technology consultancy may be the best place to start. They offer IT strategy and technology consulting services in many areas, including the following:
Business Continuity
Did you know less than 40% of businesses in the United States stay open for more than 10 years? Creating an efficient, successful business strategy is challenging. When developing new software or modifying your current technology solutions, it’s important to consider what will work best for your business in the long run.
Custom software provides a great opportunity to scrutinize current business processes and technology (or lack thereof) that might be hindering your ultimate business goals.
Will your business benefit from the flexibility and cost effectiveness of storing your data on the cloud, or do you need the security and speed of an in-house server? Similarly, what’s the best approach for your document management? How can you ensure the information you need is always accessible for you and your employees? Is your team often on the move and needs the option to work remotely, or does your business stay firmly located in one location?
An information technology consultant can help you answer these questions. They will work with your business to implement the proper technical architecture, technical environment, information infrastructure, systems security, and core technologies for a solution that best benefits you.
Risk Assessment and Disaster Recovery
Not only are these questions important for the longevity of your business, but they are imperative for when disaster strikes. We never know when the unknown may occur, whether it’s a natural disaster, cyber attack, or threat to the workforce, such as the recent pandemic. How can you be sure that your business can keep running in the midst of unforeseen challenges?
With an information technology consultant, you can ensure your data is always backed up and accessible, your employees have the flexibility to recover quickly, and your information stays as safe as possible. You’re busy running your company, so recruit the help of technology consultants to make sure it continues as it should.
Cybersecurity
Speaking of disasters, how are you keeping your information safe? Not only are you storing data pertaining to your company, but you may also be responsible for customers’ information as well. A cyber attack could lead to downtime, loss of revenue, lawsuits, a hurt reputation, and more.
Information technology consultants use their expertise to ensure your data is protected. They help clients assess their risks and find solutions to defend against them. Whether you need to make sure your software or technology infrastructure is secure or you realize that your existing technology needs stronger defenses, it’s always a good time to invest in stronger cyber security.
Compliance
Does your company’s industry require strict compliance? Do you deal with healthcare information and need to comply with HIPAA requirements? Do you do work for the government and need to meet specific cybersecurity regulations?
Not staying compliant can lead to lost business, fines, and more. The right information technology consultant can make sure your company is meeting every requirement. You don’t have to risk missing out on the next business opportunity or failing an audit because of compliance when you take advantage of technology consulting to meet your business needs.
How Can Information Technology Consultants Help Your Business?
You may still be wondering why an information technology consultant is the best choice for your company. Why not hire in-house technology consultants? Why not train someone on your current team? There are many reasons for outsourcing, but these are the main three:
- Save time and money
- Gain a fresh perspective
- Take advantage of technical skills, expertise, and industry experience
By outsourcing your information technology consultants, you save money by paying for only the time that you need. You can take advantage of consulting for less than the price of hiring one or multiple employees to do the job full-time. Plus, your technology consultants will be dedicated to your project and will use their own resources, saving time and money and making the process more efficient.
A fresh set of eyes never hurts either. Your technology consultants may be able to view your project from a different angle or bring new and innovative ideas of which your team was unaware. Even better, a partner that provides technology consulting services with experience in your industry can deliver specific insight into technology options for meeting your particular business needs.
When you hire information technology consultants, you’re hiring experts. They bring unmatched knowledge of information technology systems and can usually lend experience from a variety of industries. They can integrate best practices into your already existing business processes, making your business operations more efficient and successful.
Geneca’s Approach to Information Technology Consulting
At Geneca, we’ve been offering technology consulting services since our start more than 20 years ago. We know that you need more than just technology to meet your business needs – you need a trusted partner that can guide you to the right solution, especially if you haven’t had a lot of experience designing and building software.
We understand what it takes to implement helpful, successful software solutions for your business. Our team has developed a process that focuses on customer success because we believe that when you succeed, so do we.
Understand Your Needs
We’ll start every partnership by asking the right questions, so we can identify your pain points and address your business needs. You can trust us to listen, so we have a holistic understanding of your company and vision. With our experience and expertise in a variety of industries, we can help you discover the right solutions for your challenges.
Plus, you’ll be assigned an Experience Analyst (EA), who will be the bridge between your business and your digital transformation. They will walk with you every step of the way, answering your questions, planning the project, and communicating with the rest of the team.
Define the Scope
Once we’ve listened to you describe your software needs, we’ll create an inventory. An inventory is a list of items that will be included within your software build. It acts as a starting point for discussions and is continually updated as we progress. With our inventory, we can offer full transparency, allowing you to see exactly what is included in your project and how your money is being spent.
We’ll also create high-definition designs and detailed requirements for your technology, so you know exactly what you’re getting at all times.
Develop the Project
Once the scope is defined and goals are identified, we start developing the project. We use Agile methods to drive all f0ur main aspects of the project: software, marketing, sales, and operations. Our team stays updated and on track with daily meetings and project management software, so we can keep your project running smoothly and on-time. We’ll keep you in the loop with regular meetings, demonstrations of core features, and our own software applications that allow you to watch the project progress.
Launch Your Software
Finally, we deliver your completed software project, so you can launch it for your users. However, our partnership isn’t over. Whether you need constant ongoing support or decide you want to add new features in the future, we’re always here to support your software and help you achieve your business goals.
Take Advantage of Information Technology Consulting
Information technology consultants offer the expertise and experience you’ve been looking for. With outsourced consulting services, you can skip the hefty price tag that comes with hiring a full-time employee and only pay for what you need.
If you’re ready to take your business and technology to the next level, reach out to Geneca today to get started.