1. Ability to align technology with long-term business goals.
Know upfront which contacts at your provider will be involved in vCIO engagements. It’s optimal when a “client-facing” engineer partners with an account manager that possesses a high business acumen.
2. Ability to convey best practices
Technology evolves fast and it’s important to partner with a provider capable of providing best practice advice. Best practice topics can include backup disaster recovery, IT security and workflow management.
3. Industry expertise
Each industry has its own compliance standards and commonly-used applications. Choosing a provider that’s familiar with your industry is very valuable.
4. Budget sensitivity
Providers that understand your total annual IT budget can help you prioritize the projects that need immediate attention versus the nice-to-haves.
5. Strong partnerships
No one is a master of all trades. It’s important to partner with a provider who’s built alliances with other consultants offering complimentary services.
The Walker Group is an IT Managed Services provider headquartered in Farmington, CT serving small and medium-sized organizations throughout Connecticut. Please contact us to learn more about our vCIO service and how it can help your business.
written by:
Brendan Kelly is a Business Alliance Manager focused on building partnerships with technology companies that can help The Walker Group’s clients increase efficiencies, reduce operating expenses and mitigate IT security risks. Prior to assuming the Business Alliance Manager role at Walker, Brendan spent 10+ years in new business sales and account management roles while working for both software and service providers.