What Does an IT Consulting Firm Do?

An IT consulting firm provides advice and assistance to businesses around their information technology and computer systems. A good IT consultant can help you identify your technology needs, improve operations and develop strategies to meet your goals. This may include designing and implementing IT architectures, planning and implementing security systems, and helping you select and implement the best software and hardware solutions for your business. 

Your IT consulting firm can also help with IT maintenance, troubleshooting, and training to make sure everyone in your company has access to the right tools and knows how to use them. An effective IT strategy will help fortify you against cyberattacks and make sure your systems operate at a capacity that meets your needs. 

The Right Technology for The Job

The most important service an IT firm can perform is to align your technology with your business goals. To grow your business and meet your goals, your teams need the right tools to do their jobs efficiently. However, aligning your technology is more than simply installing the right software or hardware. It means building a comprehensive understanding of what your business does and then suggesting the best ways that technology can improve your operations. 

Once you approve the IT strategy and budget, an IT team can implement the changes.  This step should include support and training for your employees to ensure they understand how to use the technology you’ve provided them along with any updated security protocols.

A good IT consulting firm can pinpoint opportunities for improved efficiency and productivity. They might suggest collaborative applications like Microsoft Teams to improve workflow or upgrade servers for faster response. If you need better storage options, they can help with cloud-based services.  Wondering how technology could improve your business? Read on!

Cybersecurity and Compliance

While the right technology can make your job easier, it can also leave you vulnerable if it isn’t properly protected. Keeping your networks secure is more than updating your software and changing your passwords. It involves keeping your ports closed, securing your firewall, and making sure all of your employees understand cybersecurity best practices. In the event that something does go wrong, it’s crucial that your IT strategy includes a recovery plan so that business can continue without interruption. 

Does your business have the basic protections it needs to avoid a catastrophic attack? If you work in a government, legal or healthcare capacity, do you require special security compliance? Your IT consultant can help you navigate all of this and more. Cybersecurity requires vigilance and attention to the latest trends. An IT firm is indispensable for keeping your systems ahead of hackers.

Your Acting CIO 

Thriveon is more than a consulting firm. We dedicate a fractional CIO to your company to oversee all your technology needs. Your Thriveon chief information officer is a C-level executive who will evaluate your business goals against your current technology strategy. Having this executive gives your business a higher caliber of support and makes it easier to align your technology needs with your business goals. They can also scale your technology spend to match your growth while maintaining a balanced budget.

Using a CIO vs an IT consultant saves you money by negating the need to hire a permanent technology executive. You get a secure, stable and productive IT environment at a fraction of the cost. 

Why IT Consulting?

Having an outside IT consultant, especially a CIO from Thriveon, gives a high-level view of the problems and challenges your business may face around technology. It helps identify where to improve and provides recommendations you may not have otherwise considered. When something does go wrong, your IT team can provide the right maintenance and updates to get you back on track again. 

With the accelerated rate of technology changes, having a dedicated specialist to keep up with trends can be a full-time job. An IT firm provides this knowledge without the in-house cost.  

What Thriveon Doesn’t Do

At Thriveon, we don’t wait for your service tickets. Our holistic approach anticipates potential IT issues and addresses them before they become a problem. Our CIOs implement a technology program that works for you without hiccups or disasters. Schedule with one of our business IT specialists today and learn how we can elevate your technology spend to move your company forward.