The rise of remote work has forced companies to adapt their normal business functions. In particular, businesses must now have a strong information technology (IT) framework.
Use this article to learn the top considerations businesses should have when hiring an IT firm.
1. Location
Hiring a consultant with convenient, local locations is important, even if they are producing mostly digital or remote work.
IT firms may help manage technology that allows for virtual and remote communication, but they should be physically available to manage a business’s networking, internet, and hardware infrastructures.
Imagine that your company’s hardware is malfunctioning. Isn’t it essential that your IT consultant is able to come to evaluate the issues in-person if necessary?
Fortunately, Argentina has a host of IT firms. Argentine companies in Buenos Aires and across the country can work with local IT firms to deliver their companies’ technological needs.
2. Cost
When companies consider an investment, they have to evaluate the cost.
Hiring an IT firm is no different. Companies can find IT firms in Argentina that will do the job for the right price.
Hiring an IT firm is a substantial and important investment. IT firms provide the technology infrastructure for companies, and companies allocate a significant portion of their budget to having solid IT.
In fact, companies with less than $50 million in revenue per year typically spend roughly to 7% of their budget on IT services.
Argentina is a good place for small companies and a cost-efficient place to do business. Companies should consider hiring Argentinian IT firms.
3. Past Work
Generally, businesses hire consultants because of their past work.
When hiring IT firms, especially, businesses should consider the previous work the firm has done.
Companies with 20 employees have different IT needs than large, multinational corporations.
Businesses should ask for examples of past work when hiring an IT firm. For example, smaller companies can ask what specific experiences the IT firm has had in introducing IT infrastructure to their clients.
Bigger companies, meanwhile, may want to ask for specific examples of how IT firms have helped large companies alter their IT needs.
Also, businesses are well-served by asking for recommendations from an IT firm’s past clients. These recommendations can provide companies necessary context when making IT decisions.
Overall, companies should evaluate whether an IT firm is right for them based on their past work and experience.
4. Security
With large numbers of employees working remotely, digital security is a profound concern for businesses.
Information technology represents the foundation of any company’s digital security, so businesses must ensure that any IT firm they hire has a digital safety plan.
For example, companies should expect potential IT firms to ask them specific companies about their current practices regarding passwords, virtual private networks (VPNs), and phishing scams.
Companies should ask IT firms about their experience with crafting digital safety plans for businesses.
Companies should also ask IT firms what specific advice and direction they are providing businesses now that employees are frequently working remotely.
5. Relationships
For companies, hiring a consultant is almost like hiring a new employee or group of teammates. It is essential that the consultant have strong relationships with the company’s staff and leadership.
When soliciting referrals and recommendations, companies should ask specific information about the IT firm behaves as a business partner, including:
- Did the IT firm provide on-call service?
- Did the IT firm develop a strong sense of the company’s specific business needs?
- Did the IT firm familiarize themselves with the company’s leadership team?
Argentina is known for its friendly, personable business style, so companies looking for an IT firm should expect positive results from Argentinian IT consultants.
6. Communication
Companies should assess whether a potential IT consultant has strong communication skills.
Working with another company always requires good communication, and IT is no different. Companies should ask IT firms and their former clients whether they:
- Respond to emails quickly
- Clearly, concisely, and effectively explain the causes and solutions of IT issues
- Periodically check in to make sure that all IT systems are running smoothly
Businesses should consider communication ability when hiring an IT firm.
Hiring an IT Firm Requires Thoughtful Consideration
Businesses must critically consider the pros and cons of different firms when hiring an IT consultant.
As employees continue to work remotely, having an effective IT consultant will be more important for business than ever before.