Technology consulting is a booming sector today, as more and more companies are recognizing the need to introduce new technologies that help them improve and make all types of business processes, such as administration, operations, or marketing, more efficient.
In an increasingly digital, interconnected, and dynamic economic environment, it is necessary to have a digital transformation strategy to stay competitive, and more and more companies are proactively working on this.
In this sense, a company may decide to hire a person to perform the role of IT director (more commonly known in business jargon as CIO). This figure is responsible for designing and leading an information technology strategy that is aligned with the organization's business objectives, ultimately: ensuring that technology effectively supports the business.
Many companies, especially SMEs, however, cannot afford to hire such a profile, either because it represents a high expenditure, they cannot find such a profile in the market (there is a shortage of qualified technology professionals), or simply because they have specific needs on certain occasions, such as the implementation of an ERP.
An independent IT consultant is someone who, from an external perspective, helps a company develop in a specific technological area, such as: 1) developing a strategic plan; 2) selecting and evaluating technological solutions; or 3) assisting the company during the implementation process and the subsequent maintenance of a particular solution.
The aim of this article is to give you 7 compelling reasons why we believe your business might need and greatly benefit from having an independent technology consultant on board.
One of the most obvious advantages is that they have a lot of accumulated experience in the technology sector, so they can make the best recommendations based on what they have seen work in other companies or industries similar to yours. This gives a huge advantage when embarking on a particular project.
Although there is currently a lot of training available and it's true that you can train your employees to develop an IT project, the reality is that it's a complex sector that requires real accumulated experience to avoid making decisions that could burden the business.
We are talking about a profile that is not only technical (knowing a lot about the technological field), but also understands how technology supports the business towards business transformation. This is where the fundamental value of an IT consultant lies; they will understand your industry, your operations, and your problems to propose the implementation of technologies and solutions that make your business's day-to-day easier.
A good consultant is focused on transforming your organization, with the unyielding goal of improving your company in a particular aspect.
This has invaluable value in today’s economy; companies need to innovate and improve in a constantly changing environment. This means that true innovation only happens when people from different fields collaborate and different viewpoints come together, creating new synergies.
Having an external technology consultant will undoubtedly bring a fresh and renewed vision of your business. You can count on them whenever you need to make an important decision in your business and know firsthand how technology can help achieve those business objectives. New growth opportunities will knock on your door.
Contrary to what many managers or directors might think, hiring a technology consultant is neither unnecessary nor expensive. Of course, it costs money, but this should not be seen as an expense, but as a future investment. The advantage of an external consultant is that you can count on them flexibly depending on your needs.
Technology is one of the areas that can add the most value to an organization in terms of cost savings. Having the right tools optimized for your business processes will propel your company's productivity to new levels, which will have benefits not only in economic terms but also at an organizational level.
Your employees will be happier and more engaged in an organization that strives for business excellence.
It is a highly changing technological environment, and it is no longer sufficient to have a single ERP system to meet all business requirements; the role of the independent IT consultant is more necessary than ever.
Currently, any company can feel overwhelmed by the number of business systems (SCM, CRM, HCM, WMS, etc.) and available technologies (AI, IoT, Big Data, Blockchain, etc.), making an evaluation and selection process very difficult without external help.
In this sense, having a good specialized technology consultant is tackling a process of enormous complexity with guarantees.
Contrary to what is commonly thought, an IT consultant is not merely a person who advises a company on technology matters by only making recommendations or resolving doubts.
Instead, they are an integral part of your company, temporarily taking on the role of IT director or a specific technological area, and will have to work very hard to analyze the business, gather and analyze a lot of information, organize and lead meetings with the project's main stakeholders, talk and negotiate with various technology providers, etc.
The number of tasks an IT consultant will perform is innumerable and is far from that sugar-coated view.
Last but not least, a good technology consultant really stands out because they are not just interested in implementing a particular technology and forgetting about everything else. They are truly involved in how the implementation will affect the change in the organization and the people.
To this end, they will have to work a lot in areas such as change management, developing communication plans to get people involved and be part of the process. They will also conduct the necessary training so that people understand their new roles and make the most of the technology.
If you have read this far, you might be considering looking for and hiring a good IT consultant who has the vision and skills necessary to develop your business in the digital field.
At Ettnia, we specialize precisely in independent consulting and have a team of consultants specialized in various technological fields who can help you improve your business by providing you with an experienced, critical, and objective perspective so that you can make the best decisions in terms of digital strategy.
Contact us and advance with confidence towards your digital future!