Have you ever considered going virtual for your CIO services? Today, we’re going to tell you three significant benefits of taking this route and why it’s time to consider it.
Not all small businesses can afford to carry a dedicated Chief Information Officer on payroll. While many small businesses realize IT is vital to their day-to-day operations, the IT department is often one person wearing many hats, including the role of a CIO.
Wearing many hats can make the life of an internal IT person very hectic.
First, it’s an issue with the server. Then it’s trying to resolve a problem with an employee’s workstation. Then it’s tracking down a license to add a necessary software component to another employee’s workstation.
At the end of the day, this model isn’t efficient.
Your employee wears down. There is no long-term planning. Sure, there is a to-do list. But it’s long! And long-term processes like technology assessments, strategic planning, and drawing up a refresh schedule are so far down the list you have no idea when or if they will get completed. The role of a CIO is just that. A singular role. You can’t expect one or two people to carry an IT department outside of day-to-day duties.
This is where virtual CIO services come in. They can serve as a majorly effective IT strategy for a small business.
(Speaking of IT strategy, did you see our recent post about the importance of IT maintenance? Find it here)
Don’t blame your employee; blame your system. Virtual CIO services make sense for small businesses because they allow your internal team to focus on the day-to-day issues that arise while someone else assumes the role of a CIO and creates a roadmap for future success.
What are Virtual CIO Services?
The role of a CIO is to develop strategic planning and incorporate technology into your company. A good CIO knows your business processes inside and out and continuously works to find ways to improve them. A CIO heads most company’s IT departments, driving the success of products and optimizing your technology and processes to improve return on investment.
This role is an ongoing process because technology is ever-evolving. Today’s solution will not address tomorrow’s problem. Having a knowledgeable, skilled CIO is vital to the success of businesses, small or large. But a good CIO is costly.
A virtual CIO is simply an outside consultant a company trusts to assume these vital roles, working remotely with their internal team at a much lower rate than hiring a dedicated individual who could turn out to be a bad fit.
Benefits of Virtual CIO Services
Implementing virtual IT solutions like virtual CIO services may be the right move for your business. Consider these three benefits of a virtual CIO before streamlining your IT department with virtual CIO services.
Outside Evaluation from an Expert
Getting an opinion on your technology from an outsider gives a refreshing take on how your department does business.
The first steps in a virtual CIO engagement include:
- A network assessment
- Taking inventory of your current IT systems
- Pinpointing any potential risks (including security lapses, evaluations of your data backup system, and what happens to your business when power outages or system downtime occur)
These insights allow the virtual CIO to draw up a comprehensive line of defense. Then, they can create a list of recommendations to keep your systems running at peak performance. Virtual CIO services can also expose issues your internal team wouldn’t have had the time to uncover otherwise, and that alone could be a huge cost-saver.
Technological Foresight and Experience
Just like a good CIO looks to the future to define the ongoing success of your business, a virtual CIO assesses your company’s technological needs. This could mean replacing machines six months down the line. Or it could involve developing a long-term strategy that’s still relevant six years from now.
Virtual CIO services can help your company make impactful, critical technical decisions, whether complex or straightforward. It could be something as simple as implementing an instant messaging platform into your operations. Or it could be something more daunting, like shifting your entire server to the cloud.
Everything your virtual CIO uncovers and plans for will be reported on and presented to your company, along with approximate costs. Virtual IT Solutions are actionable and within reach.
In-House Benefits without the Price Tag or Hurdles
Having a virtual CIO is just like having an in-house CIO that understands your vision for success. A virtual CIO can do everything an in-house CIO can do without taking on extra responsibilities to supplement an overworked IT department. A virtual CIO has one job and one job only: the job of a CIO.
Opting for virtual CIO services is much cheaper than hiring a top-level employee. Ultimately, virtual CIO services can also save company money. Often, they’re responsible for uncovering and resolving issues that could escalate into costlier problems down the road.
Virtual CIO Services from CloudNexus
One of the IT managed services we are pleased to offer our CIO Trusted Advisory. CIO Trusted Advisory services include high-level consulting regarding the use of technology within your industry. This service looks at the future of technology and how it can be best leveraged to give you a strategic advantage.
Specific services include:
- Leading strategic IT initiatives and projects
- Turning around broken IT departments
- IT budget advice and planning
- Project office creation
Want to learn more? Click here to book an introductory call.
Did you learn a lot about virtual CIO services in this post?
Here are three posts to read next:
How Common are Cyberattacks on Business in the United States?
Why IT Managed Services? Six Key Benefits
5 Top Cybersecurity Trends of 2021