How to Get the Most out of Your IT Consulting Relationship

Whether you are in the beginning stages of negotiating a contract with an IT consultant, or already engaged in a long relationship with a service provider, your best interest as a client should be paramount. This IT consulting overview highlights terms upon which you don’t want to compromise in your relationship with your service provider.

1. The MVP may not be your MVP
Your company wants to hire the best and seeks a firm that consistently earns high marks for performance. Your research may have led you to Top 10 lists for IT consulting firms in your area. Remember, though, that your company’s unique set of needs may not align with those that so-called top firms are regularly servicing. A proven track record of servicing organizations within your industry is definitely a point in favor for any firm you may be evaluating.

2. Training should be high priority/low stress
You know that your company’s IT needs fall in high-demand areas such as big data, analytics and cybersecurity. You also know what a 2016 survey by TEKsystems confirmed, that most companies believe staffing IT projects today is more challenging than it was five years ago. These high-demand technologies require well-trained professionals. By hiring an IT consulting firm, you can work the supply and demand curve in your favor. As a client, you should have the assurance that the IT firm you hired is providing consistent training for its consultants in these high-demand areas.

3. Know what’s in their bag
Your company may be well-served by a consultant’s recommendations for particular software and other products. If the firm is not being transparent about its relationships with various technology providers, chances are your company’s unique needs are not being fully satisfied. A firm’s recommendations should best align with your company’s applications, development goals, budget, and existing IT infrastructure. A quality IT firm will provide an assessment of needs and empower you to make the right choices, within your budget.

4. Your growth needs to be their growth
An IT consultant’s perspective offers this as his motto: “The client is the hero -- and the hero defines success.” Your company is the hero in this story, and as your success grows, so should your IT consultant’s ability to scale alongside you. Take an area like cloud computing which is projected to continue to grow and transform IT for companies worldwide. Is your IT consulting firm prepared to meet your evolving cloud computing needs, while planning strategically alongside you to ensure your growth and success?

As you consider your relationship with your IT service provider or one for hire, be circumspect about your needs, their offerings, and their history of delivery. Are you receiving support that is appropriate to your needs, within your budget, and with the potential for scalable growth? If you still have questions, contact us to receive a no-risk free assessment.