IT consultants are currently in high demand – this applies to companies as clients, and in the labor market. But is it really worth hiring an IT consultant? And if so, where, how, and for what?
IT consultants in the company – not only useful, but necessary
Regardless of a company’s industry, size, or orientation, using an (external) IT consultant always makes sense. On the one hand, because that’s the nature of things, bosses, department heads and the like are primarily familiar with their tasks and less with infrastructure and the like. On the other hand, because not only are companies missing out on opportunities by not providing IT consulting services, but also because the risks are increasing.
For midsize companies, small businesses and the self-employed, an IT consultant is ideally an outside consultant because it’s much cheaper than hiring someone yourself. In addition, vacation and sick pay are paid if the IT consulting firm is not a lone wolf. But above all: the aspect of dangerous operational blindness does not play a role.
IT consultants keep an eye on the big picture
A good IT consultant knows what’s important to companies. He uncovers opportunities to optimize the overall infrastructure so that processes can run faster and more efficiently. At the same time he takes into account all aspects related to security (keyword “IT security consulting”), and ensures the best protection for the entire IT system of the company. This can be effective prevention of cyber-attacks or viruses or teaching employees about the dangers in daily office life (e.g. through fake emails or CEO scams).
Last but not least, an IT consulting company also supports all tasks related to digitization and digital change. For example, an IT consultant explains in clear words the benefits of moving to the cloud or using modern collaboration software .
There is one more advantage of using an external IT-consultant: the company itself decides when and what the external expert will work for. Of course, a company’s IT service should usually receive at least ongoing basic support (solely in terms of security and system stability), but it is not always necessary to work continuously. An IT consultant can also be hired solely on a project basis – for example, when implementing complex software.
The process may look like this:
- The IT consultant analyzes the problem , researches possible solutions and presents them.
- He assesses the technical and economic aspects, opportunities and risks.
- As a consultant he accompanies the whole realization of the project – implementation, configuration, testing and training.
- Then the assignment can be broadened accordingly, e.g. for detailed documentation or initial evaluations.