February 13, 2014
Technological advances and innovations necessitate planning for replacement, upgrades and repair of technology within your company. This duty is typically assigned to a Chief Information Officer in large companies; often times, the cost of a full-time CIO is not justifiable or cost-effective for small and mid-size businesses. However, the role and responsibilities of a CIO is still important and vital for many businesses.
To fill this CIO void in your business, you can turn to a managed services provider that offers virtual CIO, or vCIO, services on a per project or part-time basis. When staffing your company, you know how important it is to find someone you can trust and will stand behind their work. This is still important, but more challenging, when outsourcing.
It's essential to find a well-trained and experienced vCIO who will be able to work within your company budget and business plan. They must be able to understand both the short-term and long-term goals of your technology strategy and provide the best value for your business. The vCIO must be able to work effectively with your staff and coordinate services, procurement, deployment and integration of the technology your business needs to remain competitive.
Duties of a vCIO
Outsourcing a CIO from a managed services company can help save your business time and money. Duties of a vCIO are similar to that of an in-house CIO, and may include part or all of the following depending on the needs of your company.
- Provide guidance and develop a long-term IT strategy
- Develop a technology plan within the company budget
- Act as a leader and go-to person for the IT department
- Help with the integration of new technology
- Provide security status reports
- Develop a business continuity program for the company
- Contribute to your professional development of your IT staff
Benefits of a vCIO with Managed Services
Most small and medium-sized businesses operate within a set budget and would like and only need a CIO on a part-time basis to save money. Coordinating your company technology strategy through a managed service provider offers the opportunity to create and implement a cost-effective technology plan. A vCIO is the perfect solution for a company who needs to have a trusted professional to call on an as needed or part-time basis.
It's important to hire an experienced CIO who you can count on to be up to date with the most recent innovations in this quickly evolving field. Choosing a trusted vCIO who has the ability to develop an overall technology plan, replacement strategy and budget that meets your company objectives is crucial. It is imperative that they also understand the user needs and how the new technology will be integrated with your business plans. A managed services provider has access to talented employees with these capabilities and experience performing these tasks.
In some situations, a vCIO may oversee a single project for the company, as the project coordinator during the transition. They will provide a single point of contact and coordinate the deployment of the technology plan.
Managed services providers have the expertise and vCIO talent resources available to suit your company needs. Additionally, they can provide the technicians and engineers necessary to implement your plan and provide ongoing support as required. Hiring a vCIO adds a trusted expert to your team to fill the current CIO void in your business. Request an assessment of your business technology and strategy to determine if a vCIO could solve your IT challenges.
