Too often, IT consultants are seen as threats to in-house IT workers. Indeed, some kinds of IT outsourcing put in-house employees at risk of losing their jobs. However, the wise SMB company leader realizes that an IT consultant can also fill a crucial “coaching” role, providing expert advice on any number of IT questions on an as-needed basis. When IT consultant help is seen in this light, it’s easy to appreciate how IT consultants can help SMB IT staffers enjoy greater success.
Here are a few specific ways in which an IT consultant can help in-house IT staffers:
1. Establishing a Reliable, Stable IT Setup
Guidelines regarding best networking practices shift constantly. To gain trust and return business, an IT consultant must be an expert in creating dependable IT networks across many different industries. This “big picture” perspective empowers IT consultants to make any SMB setup more stable and dependable.
2. Cost/Benefit Analysis
An IT consultant can help IT workers understand how their actions impact the company’s bottom line. Again, ROI is naturally at the front of an IT consultant’s mind, simply because outsourcing vendors must prove their worth to stay in business.
Each IT consultant has his or her own way of systematically defining the value IT provides to the organization. For instance, some IT consultants prefer to use the ITIL approach, first by creating a catalog of services that IT provides, and second by analyzing the technology used to achieve each service. This kind of thorough approach quickly turns up areas of potential IT savings.
3. Prioritization 101
Once your IT consultant has helped your in-house IT workers establish a stable platform and a good idea of ROI, it’s time to set priorities for future growth. Since IT consultants are used to clients asking, What’s the most pressing IT investment I need to make right now?, they are experts in setting IT improvement priorities.