Many companies question the value of IT consulting firms, often due to a lack of understanding about their services and the diverse expertise they offer. However, IT consulting can provide significant benefits, especially when a business has ambitious technology goals but lacks the internal resources or specialized knowledge to achieve them.1
What Are IT Consulting Companies?
An IT consulting company partners with clients to resolve IT-related problems.2 Their services range from fundamental network analytics assistance to comprehensive managed IT solutions.3 Most consulting firms tend to specialize in a specific, narrow field of IT.4 Common specializations include:
- Cloud Services: Helping businesses migrate to and optimize cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud).5
- Disaster Management: Developing plans and strategies for business continuity and data recovery in the event of unforeseen disruptions.6
- Network Operations: Designing, implementing, and managing robust and efficient network infrastructures.7
- Cybersecurity and Compliance: Identifying security vulnerabilities, implementing protective measures, and ensuring adherence to industry regulations and standards.8
- Managed IT Solutions: Providing ongoing IT support, maintenance, and management, often serving as an outsourced IT department.9
Consultants from these firms typically begin by reviewing a business’s current operations and needs.10 Based on this assessment, they make recommendations and suggest new equipment, software, or strategic approaches.11
What Do IT Consultants Do?
At their core, IT consultants are highly specialized experts who can analyze an organization’s high-level problems and offer actionable recommendations.12
- Advisory Role: Many consultants are primarily brought in for their expert advice. They study business workflows, identify areas for improvement within the IT landscape, and recommend specific software, systems, or strategies to optimize operations.13 Some software companies even offer consulting as part of a sale to help customize new software to a company’s unique needs.14
- Implementation and Management: Beyond just advice, some IT consultants specialize in the day-to-day maintenance and implementation of a company’s systems.15 This can involve managed IT services, where the consulting firm effectively replaces or supplements an in-house IT department with external contractors who handle ongoing operations.16
The work of an IT consultant often follows a three-step process:
- Identifying and analyzing problems: This involves deeply understanding the client’s business challenges and current IT landscape to pinpoint underlying issues.17
- Proposing solutions: Based on the analysis, consultants present findings and suggest IT tools or systems that align with the client’s existing infrastructure and goals.18
- Managing the project: After a proposal is accepted, consultants often oversee the project, assembling teams, monitoring progress, and acting as a liaison between the client and the technical team.
Benefits of Using an IT Consulting Company
Hiring IT consultants offers several significant advantages for businesses:
- Specialized Knowledge and Experience: IT consultants possess deep, specialized knowledge in their niche.19 They have extensive experience implementing and working with relevant software and systems.20 A good consultant will likely have encountered and resolved situations very similar to your company’s challenges with other clients, offering real-world, firsthand expertise.
- Cost Savings Over Permanent Employees: While consulting firms might have seemingly high hourly rates, they often lead to significant overall savings compared to hiring full-time employees. Consultants are engaged on an as-needed basis, meaning you only pay for their expertise when a project requires it, avoiding ongoing costs like salaries, benefits, training, and overhead associated with permanent staff.
- Objective, Fresh Perspective: An external consultant brings a valuable outsider’s perspective.21 When internal teams face a major issue, tunnel vision can develop. A new set of eyes can reinvigorate a project by identifying overlooked opportunities or challenges, leading to more innovative and effective solutions.
- Keeping Abreast of Industry Changes: The IT field evolves constantly.22 IT consulting companies are dedicated to staying current with the latest technologies, trends, and best practices.23 They provide organizations with an efficient way to keep their systems updated and adopt new technologies most effectively, ensuring competitiveness and efficiency.24
By understanding these aspects, decision-makers can better evaluate whether engaging an IT consulting firm is the right strategic move to achieve their technology and business objectives.