Many businesses are turning to outside IT professionals to help them optimize their operations. A vCIO, or virtual Chief Information Officer, can be the key to streamlining IT functionality for your business. A vCIO is a contracted IT specialist who works with a company to ensure that all their IT needs are met. This is done through strategic planning and IT road mapping for technology alignment with standards and business goals.
There are many reasons to consider adding a vCIO to your business team. Not the least of which is their professional expertise. A great vCIO is worth their weight in gold—they offer personalized service, have the skills to handle both immediate needs and long-term strategic IT planning, and can positively impact your company’s bottom line. That’s a winning scenario all around.
When you work with a vCIO, one of the first things they will do is analyze your technology systems. This is done so they can assess your IT needs and assets and identify any gaps that can cause inefficiency. This is a crucial step, especially for small to midsize businesses (SMBs). As small companies grow, they may need to quickly add technology without fully integrating it into one smoothly running system. Often, there are underlying IT issues that only a dedicated IT professional will recognize. Only by assessing the systems in part and as a whole and speaking to the employees who use the technology every day, can they see the big picture.
They can see the proverbial forest through the trees because they are looking at your systems with fresh eyes. They offer an unbiased opinion on how a company’s technology works and meshes together (or doesn’t) because that’s their focus.
Additionally, a vCIO has the expertise to work on both ends of the IT spectrum. They help create and execute short- and long-term strategies, ensuring that a business is always ahead of the technology curve. Their job is strategic planning to help your business meet its goals.
When you bring in a vCIO, you benefit from the expertise:
The value of a vCIO increases even more when they’re accompanied by a Technology Alignment Manager (TAM). TAMs are trained specifically in deep diving your tech stack and recognizing gaps in standards, security, vulnerabilities, and more. The vCIO and TAM work together to close those gaps and get you to your goals.
Another significant benefit of bringing in a vCIO is the level of service you receive. You have the freedom when choosing a vCIO to select someone whose ethics and values meet yours This puts everyone on the same page before even beginning the professional relationship. For SMBs who thrive on reputation over sheer size or name recognition, this is especially important. Having someone who instantly aligns with your company values means not having to worry about outside contractor doing anything, purposely or inadvertently, to damage your reputation.
A vCIO is a tremendous asset to SMBs because they have one dedicated role—to know the company’s IT operations from top to bottom. With a vCIO to handle these tasks, small business operators can get back to business with those duties off their plates. In SMBs, where people tend to wear many hats, not having to worry about technology and systems can improve productivity almost immediately. That means that while you’re working hard to meet your business’s goals, your vCIO is working equally as hard for you to have the right technology.
Clear communication is another benefit worth noting when you have a vCIO. They are your partner. They serve as a liaison between all company parties and the technology vendors. And since a vCIO isn’t there to be a salesperson, but is dedicated to the business’s best interest, that also benefits the bottom line. A vCIO isn’t there to try to sell you on whatever the latest, greatest pitch is from the vendors. Instead, they help you choose the technology that best fits your business model. After all, your success is their success. A vCIO can talk to executives, employees, their IT team, and vendors alike to clearly communicate and ensure that the tech you need is the tech you get.
Having a vCIO is, in many ways, a great investment in your business’s stability and growth. Not only will you save money on overhead from an in-house salary, training, and benefits, but a dedicated vCIO will increase your productivity through strategic planning and seek out financially-sound solutions to ensure total IT health.
A vCIO’s specific skills can help your company grow and thrive. When operations run smoothly, little time is lost to IT, and a plan is in place to keep on top of ever-evolving systems and software, everyone else is left to simply do their jobs—all of which shows up in the bottom line.
If your business is looking for an all-in-one solution to your growing IT needs, a vCIO might be the right answer for you. These dedicated IT professionals provide the skills and insight your company needs to run like a well-oiled machine, while also creating and implementing a long-term strategic technology plan, offering truly personalized service, AND improving productivity and profitability. If you’d love to learn more about the value a vCIO can add to your business, get in touch! Our team of IT professionals is excited to discuss your needs and help you find the perfect vCIO.