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By Jeff Wuorio
Microsoft Small Business |
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Some IT consultants may focus on fulfilling
your basic needs. They provide you technology advice and supply whatever
tangible products and service are necessary to facilitate your needs.
But what you should reasonably expect from an IT "partner" goes
well beyond that. They should take a vested interest in your business,
providing the benefits and guidance that are central to your company's
growth and success. |
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the 7 expectations... |
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Your information-technology partner business should
be just that — a partner in every sense of the word.
On the surface,
that may sound a little warm and fuzzy, and possibly a bit optimistic.
Some
IT consultants may focus on fulfilling your basic needs. They provide
you technology advice and supply whatever tangible products and service
are necessary to facilitate your needs.
But what you should reasonably
expect from an IT "partner" goes
well beyond that. They should take a vested interest in your business,
providing the benefits and guidance that are central to your company's
growth and success.
Here are seven things to expect from your IT partner:
1. Technical
expertise — and strong communication skills
Of course, an IT partner should be well-versed in the ins and outs
of technology. But that sort of knowledge can be of little more than
academic value if your partner doesn't have first-hand knowledge
of how it applies to your business. "He should be first and
foremost a businessperson who utilizes technology in a cost-effective
manner to solve business problems," says Michael Crowe, director
of the technology consulting and solutions group at Chicago-based
Plante & Moran. "He can bridge the technology and communications
gap that often exists between IT and a CEO's office."
2. An awareness of your budget — and
resources
IT partners are proving increasingly essential to a broad
range of small to medium-sized businesses. But that sort of critical
function shouldn't necessarily come at a crippling expense. When
looking for an IT partner, ask how fees are structured. A responsive
IT partner certainly won't be free, but should be sympathetic to
those sorts of services that can bleed business coffers dry. "For instance,
they can provide access to high-level skills when needed, while paying
a reduced rate for services such as a help-desk and repair services," says
Dan Blumenthal, executive vice president of Miller Systems, a Boston-based
technology concern. "Those are the costs that can consume the
majority of an IT budget outside of project work."
3. An advocate
who cuts through product hype
No IT partner stays afloat long if
a business doesn't go along with his or her recommendations, be it
a new software package or a plan to implement it. But truly effective
partners go to bat for their client companies, identifying genuinely
effective technical options. "An
effective IT partner can bridge the gap between a vendor's product
hype and what is truly an effective business solution," Crowe
says. "He should also help determine if a company is using its
current technology to its fullest capacity and show how to maximize
the products it already owns."
4. A long-term planner, implementer,
and strategist
Even the most carefully thought out technology plan
is of little use if it grows old on the drawing board. An involved
IT partnership also means a handle on implementation, whether it's
suggesting a gradual introduction over time or a veritable technology
lost weekend where everything is shut down and changed over. Be sure
your IT partner knows the best way to put technology recommendations
into place. "An
IT partner should also help an organization implement an IT plan," Crowe
says. "A partner can help prioritize needs and plan an effective
implementation strategy."
5. An industry watcher who maps technology
advances and developments to your needs
A proactive IT partner stands
ready to pinpoint new technology needs and to suggest updates and
changes accordingly. That means keeping close tabs on your business's
growth and development — as well
as on developments in the world of technology might apply to your
needs. "They should continually develop an understanding of
the business at hand," Blumenthal says. "Then, they can
offer strategic insight into how new solutions and technologies can
reduce cost and streamline the operation."
6. A keen ability
to troubleshoot and solve problems
It's unrealistic to think that
any element of technology, no matter how expensive or sophisticated,
is totally immune to breakdowns. Rather than wallowing in that tech
Never-Never Land, an effective IT partner should always be ready
to address technical problems quickly. Even better, your IT partner
should go a step further and be proactive about overseeing regular
maintenance and other steps that can head off snafus. "They
should provide fast, cost-effective emergency response when problems
can't be avoided," Blumenthal says. "But
they should also provide scheduled upkeep of networked systems, security
policies, backup and virus protection systems so that problems can
be prevented as well."
7. An interest in handling all of your
technology needs
Nothing can prove more annoying — not to
mention wasteful — than
you having to hop from consultant to consultant or business to
business to address individual elements of your technology needs.
One final element when shopping for an IT partner is knowing that
all your technology needs will be met under one roof, no matter
if it's as involved as a completely new technology infrastructure
or as elementary as a basic user's question. Says Blumenthal: "They
should act as a single point of accountability and contact for
all technology issues." |
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