The growth and competition in this digital marketplace are intense with many jobs being virtualized. The high cost of hiring an in-house CIO has led to the Virtual CIO concept. Small and medium enterprises may not have the budget to hire and employ a CIO but with a Virtual CIO, they get senior-level experience and expertise at a fraction of the cost.
A Virtual CIO provides both strategic IT goals for your company and IT management. It’s like having an experienced IT executive working for you and helping identify and implement the latest IT and remove inefficiencies. As an SME, you won’t miss out on having a CIO working for you.
SME owners can now turn over the hat of the CIO and focus on their main competencies in business building. Running a business takes hard work and skills, it’s time to leave all the technical aspects to the professionals. Wearing multiple hats as a business owner and CIO can cause your business’ productivity to suffer in the long run.
Things to Look for in a Virtual CIO
Choosing the right Virtual CIO Services provider is essential to your overall IT success. Just like hiring a person, you may pick the wrong one and end up worse than your situation before. Here are a few things that you may consider when selecting your Virtual CIO:
Attitude
When work becomes fun, productivity rises all across the organization. Choose a Virtual CIO who is upbeat and has a positive attitude. Someone honest, transparent, and trustworthy will be a big asset to your company.
He should be excited to be a part of your team and work towards achieving your organizations’ IT goals. If people love working with one another, the sky is the limit to what they can achieve in collaboration.
Experience
Nothing speaks more than recent achievements with other companies in your niche. Not all industries are the same, having the experience in your specific industry is an essential aspect when choosing your Virtual CIO. Ask about their experience with business planning, managing people, and overseeing various aspects of your IT systems. Look for a good record of past performance, competency, and feedback from satisfied clients.
The perfect fit for your company would be able to create an IT strategy that leads to maximum and sustainable growth for your business. He should be updated with the latest tech used in your industry and helps implement these to give you a competitive edge. Be careful not to hire a junior executive that is knowledgeable with all the latest templates and processes but has no significant experience in IT Management for companies in your industry.
 Cost
The reason why you’re hiring a Virtual CIO is you can’t afford to hire an in-house CIO. CIOs with a proven track record are expensive which has led many small and medium business owners to make IT decisions or ask someone in the company who is “familiar” with IT to call the shots. Other companies may hire a consultant to act as CIO on a per-project basis which is not a long-term solution to your lack of IT expertise.
Pricing is important when hiring a Virtual CIO, you need to make a profit and not operate with a loss. A Virtual CIO is not just an IT investment but also a leadership investment that can propel your company into the future. It is not a band-aid solution to your IT problems nor should it be a one-time thing. At Pegas Technology Solutions, we work alongside your staff and provide ongoing guidance, support, and services because we know that IT continues to evolve and so do your company’s IT requirements.
Pegas Technology Solutions as Your Trusted IT Services Partner
If you want to save on salary, benefits, and expenses in hiring a CIO, our Virtual CIO services are your best option. To win the race to success, you need expertise in running your business. With technology increasing by leaps and bounds, IT service management has become more complex.
A Virtual CIO can give expert advice and lead your company in the right direction with IT as your foundation for moving forward. Some call a Virtual CIO a new tech secret weapon that SMEs can utilize to be able to compete with the big boys. Get n touch with our IT Services expert today, call or send us a message on our website.
