How to Choose the Right IT Consultant in Andover MA

Running a business while managing all of the technology in that business is no small task. Even when it comes to businesses in Andover, which we consider a little tech hub of New England, the IT that drives businesses forward is complex and needs plenty of attention.

That’s why businesses seek out IT consultants. It’s far cheaper than hiring in-house IT staff, and unless you get extremely lucky (we’re talking winning lottery numbers lucky), in-house IT teams usually don’t have the same qualifications as an actual IT service provider. 

This guide will help you understand the importance of IT services, tech support, and cybersecurity, and how they can help drive your business forward without breaking the bank. It will also help you make informed decisions when choosing an IT consultant for your organization.

Hiring Internal IT Staff Versus Outsourced IT

Let’s get this out of the way first. A growing business does have the option to hire in-house IT staff. For larger organizations, this makes a lot of sense; larger companies often have a constant wish list of important projects, a large staff to support, and often they might need employees who can wear the “IT department” hat while also leading projects that meet critical business objectives. 

If the payroll is there and the business is also able to provide a good growth path for these types of employees, this can work well. However, it’s extremely expensive. Internal staff might need budgets for training, certifications, and R&D to continuously build on their skills. If you hire someone, and for 5 years they do the same thing day-in and day-out, they probably aren’t going to have a lot of time to stay up to speed on the latest emerging technologies. That means suddenly dropping a novel tech project on their lap might actually set them up for failure.

For smaller businesses, this is even harder to do. It’s much more effective to lean on IT professionals who have a broad range of experiences and have the combined brainpower of other team members to lean on. The complexities of modern IT have led it to become very collaborative, and having just one or two internal technicians doesn’t lead to the same end result as having a team all cooperating together under the guidance of an account manager or lead IT consultant.

Understanding the Role of an IT Consultant

An IT consultant plays a crucial role in optimizing your business operations. They help you strategize and implement technology solutions tailored to your specific needs.

At Datalyst, we provide the role of an IT consultant at the beginning of the relationship. Most of the time, business owners and decision-makers come to us, express their issues, and we evaluate everything and lay out a base plan. Our goal is to make your technology as quiet as possible. Not “quiet” as in how loud the fans run in your laptop, but quiet as in how it feels like it’s hardly there. It’s a part of your business, and it just runs. There are no complaints, everyone can do their job, and everything just works.

After that, it’s all about maintenance. That constant, ongoing maintenance and monitoring keeps things running smoothly. Most of the time, after a few months of this, our clients sort of forget who we are and why they were so frustrated with their last IT person—everything normalizes and things just work as they should.

The engagement doesn’t stop there, however. IT isn’t about just finding a status quo and sticking to it. Technology exists to help your business become more efficient and more effective. It can help you make more money, do more with less, and perform complex tasks in less time. You can see us as IT consultants, but really at that level we are taking over the role of a CIO for your business, and at a tiny fraction of the cost that an in-house CIO would actually cost.

Of course, with Datalyst, your consultant/account manager would have an entire team of talented professionals to back them up and do the heavy lifting, but the point is you get someone who is intimately familiar with your business AND your technology. That alignment can drive a lot of success.

Key Benefits of Hiring an IT Consultant

Hiring an IT consultant in Andover, MA, brings several benefits to your business.

They not only provide expert tech support but also help you leverage technology for business growth.

Here are some key benefits:

• Cost savings - It’s cheaper to work with an outsourced IT provider than hiring in-house staff, and a good IT consultant will look for ways you can streamline and make better use of your technology.
• Enhanced cybersecurity - This is a huge factor with Andover businesses. Being a fairly high-tech area, many businesses are targeted by cybercriminals, even small businesses outside of the tech and education sectors.
• Access to specialized tech support - We’ve got an entire team to back you up, with a wide range of experience working with businesses of all shapes and sizes.
• Scalability - We’re able to ramp up services as you need them. If you are opening a new facility or launching a new department, we can provide you with the resources (and help you budget for it ahead of time).
• Peace of mind - A lot can go wrong very quickly when it comes to IT. Cyberthreats, user error, data loss, and other problems escalate in the blink of an eye. With Datalyst managing your network 24/7, you can rest assured that your IT is in good hands.

Choosing the Right IT Consultant in Andover

Choosing the right IT consultant in Andover, MA is crucial. You need to consider their experience, certifications, and track record with businesses like yours.

Local IT Providers Verses Nationwide IT Providers

It also makes a big difference to select a local company as opposed to a nationwide firm. While no two IT providers are the same, there is a very common trend where these massive nationwide IT companies go around and gobble up smaller IT firms in acquisitions and mergers. Much of the time, these acquisitions result in a loss of that personal touch that makes smaller IT firms really beneficial. 

I’ve referred to it as the McDonalds Problem. You can go to McDonalds and have a very consistent experience no matter where you go, which is good. However, if you are expecting a burger that is going to blow your mind, you probably aren’t going to choose the golden arches. That’s the case with these nationwide IT firms. You get decent service based off of their highly-repeatable playbook of best practices, but they can’t really help you beyond that. You don’t get the personal touch, the intimate CIO services, or the relationship.

Questions to Ask When Choosing a Local IT Consultant

You’ll want to take your time when vetting IT professionals. The organization you choose will have a lot of access to your business. It’s also standard for IT companies to offer yearly (or even longer) contracts. This isn’t a bad thing if they handle your network professionally and deliver on everything they promise, but the point is that choosing the right IT service provider to take over your IT is no small choice.

Here are some good questions to ask:

• How will you help my organization avoid issues and downtime?
• Is day-to-day technical support covered under the agreement?
• What does it look like if I bring on more staff?
• What will this budget look like in one year?
• Is there more I need to do to limit cybersecurity risks?
• What kind of response times can I expect?
• Is there emergency/after-hours support if I need it?
• What happens if I want to end my contract prematurely?

Looking for a Local IT Consultant? Try Datalyst!

We’ve been providing managed IT services throughout New England since 2010, and we’d love to get in touch with you to discuss how we can help your business. To get started, sign up for a free IT consultation or call (774) 213-9701.