New technologies such as data analytics, cloud, and automation can help propel a business to the next level. However, not all businesses have the bandwidth or experience to reach this level of success on their own.
Developing an effective IT strategy requires in-depth knowledge of industry trends and extensive experience in IT leadership and transformation. Today, many businesses hire a CIO consultant to develop an IT strategy that better aligns their IT investments to their business strategies.
What Is IT Strategy Consulting?
IT strategy consulting aims to help businesses develop a roadmap outlining their existing IT environment and the steps they should take to minimize risks and reach their goals. The process generally begins with a review of the company’s vision, mission and current strategy.
This information can help an IT strategy consultant determine what changes must be made to support the business goals. An IT strategy consultant will also assess the health of current IT applications using feedback from in-person interviews, online surveys and other sources.
The data gathered about the company’s existing IT state is then used to develop a vision for a future IT state that fully aligns with the business strategy. A holistic IT strategy covers important areas such as IT applications portfolio, IT service management, IT infrastructure, IT organizational design and IT management best practices.
IT strategy consultants work in virtually every industry and provide businesses with a unique third-party perspective. Through an unbiased lens, they can evaluate problems a company may be struggling with and offer advice on how to resolve them.
How IT Strategy Consulting Transforms Your Business
Today, many mid-size organizations struggle to find, retain and afford the right IT talent to staff the IT department. Those that do may not have adequate staff or resources at the executive leadership level to devote to the development of IT strategies.
Working with an IT strategy consulting firm can help a business achieve expedited growth by accomplishing critical IT-based work in less time and at a lower cost. The right IT strategies can impact all business areas, saving companies time, money and resources.
Here are some key ways that IT strategy consulting transforms a business:
The Ability to Focus More on Core Business Functions
When technology does not work as intended, the end-users are usually the ones that suffer. In a business environment, this is often the employees. When staff has to figure out technical problems, they often become more frustrated and less productive.
With help from an experienced IT strategy consulting team, employees can focus on their core business functions. Information technology is left in the hands of professionals, increasing the company’s bottom line, which also aids in business growth.
Retaining Key Employees
IT strategy consulting can help attract and retain talent in the workplace. Job candidates want to know that they will be working in an environment where they can access the right equipment and systems. In addition to having devices that aid in the completion of job duties, these systems and devices must operate without major disruptions or periods of downtime.
Experiencing frequent IT problems can cause frustration among staff members, especially when timely solutions are not provided. IT strategy consulting firms can help businesses retain their key employees by ensuring that all IT business operations continue to operate smoothly.
Minimized Downtime
Downtime can ultimately ruin a business, especially when periods of downtime are frequent or lengthy. The average cost of IT downtime is approximately $5,600 per minute, according to Gartner.
For larger businesses, downtime can cost upwards of $140,000 to $300,000 per hour. Small businesses often cannot afford even a few minutes of downtime associated with system failures, internet connectivity issues, corrupt data and similar problems.
Working with a reputable IT strategy consulting firm can help minimize downtime through a planned approach to managing such events. An IT strategy consultant offers services like disaster recovery, backup and systems maintenance to help keep downtime to a minimum and get systems back up and running as quickly as possible.
Speak with the IT Strategy Consultants at Hartman
IT strategic planning is a critical component of growth for most businesses. Working with a reliable IT strategy consultant can help companies evaluate their current status and discover growth opportunities. They provide a clear and unbiased perspective and can contribute new, fresh ideas to a business.
IT strategy consultants are also results-oriented and understand how to set up milestones and goals and track progress.
