Companies face a complex spectrum of options when they go to the market for IT consulting. There are more than half a million IT consulting firms in the U.S. alone. Firms have different specializations, different partnerships with major technology providers, and different engagement models. One thing that is common across most IT firms though is their staffing model – nearly all firms hire their consultants on a permanent basis, and then assign them to client projects as those arise. Consultants who aren’t assigned to an active project are kept on a “bench” – to be the next assigned when the next project ramps up.
This model maximizes the firm’s profitability (as long as they can keep their consultants busy) because billed project rates are significantly higher than the firm’s consultant salary and benefits costs. There is just one problem: this business model almost ensures that clients get a poorly matched consultant assigned to their project. Those consultants are often really intelligent and qualified, but they may not have direct experience with the kind of initiative envisioned by the client, are they’re even more rarely experienced in the client’s industry. Especially in C-level consulting, dealing with high-level tech strategy and/or leadership, that experience (or lack thereof) makes all the difference.
In today’s economy, technology leaders who are succeeding in bringing innovation to their organizations are as much business leaders, if not more so, than technical leaders. Assigning consultants with no experience in a client’s industry to strategic IT projects, while it may be extremely common, is equivalent to theft in two different forms.
That consultant will have to spend the first several months coming up to speed on the business model, so those billed hours are wasted. Not only that, but in order to come up to speed, the consultant is undoubtedly taking time from busy stakeholders in the organization in order to climb that learning curve. At the strategic C-level of engagements, this is the Consulting industry’s dirty little secret.
Avoiding the Square Peg in the Round Hole
Innovation Vista stands out by completely avoiding the “bench” staffing model. Instead we have curated a network of nearly 400 expert C-level consultants, from which we match the very best consultant for each client’s unique situation and vision.
We recognize that each business has a unique strategy, culture, market positioning, and therefore technology opportunity. These are best addressed by a consultant who not only understands the specific industry, but has also had experience with similar technological environments. This tailored approach ensures that the consultant is not only familiar with the industry’s challenges and opportunities but also possesses hands-on experience with relevant technology tools. This alignment results in a more effective, efficient consulting engagement. Our consultants hit the ground running from day one.
Industry-Specific Expertise
The most apparent advantage of a hand-picked IT consultant is their industry-specific expertise. Unlike a generic consultant whose experience might be spread thin across various domains, a hand-picked professional comes with a wealth of knowledge and insights directly relevant to the client’s industry. This expertise is not just theoretical but often includes hands-on experience in tackling industry-specific challenges. Such a background enables the consultant to navigate the unique landscape of the client’s business environment, making them significantly more effective from day one.
Tailored Technology Tool Proficiency
Another critical factor is the consultant’s familiarity with specific technology tools used within the client’s organization. A hand-picked consultant is chosen based on their proficiency with these tools, ensuring they can seamlessly integrate into the existing technological framework. This alignment avoids the learning curve often associated with understanding new systems and software, allowing the consultant to provide immediate value.
Strategic Alignment with Organizational Goals
A significant benefit of the hand-picked approach is the strategic alignment between the consultant and the organization’s long-term goals. Innovation Vista carefully selects consultants who not only have the requisite technical skills but also possess the strategic insight and leadership qualities to drive key initiatives. This ensures that the consultant’s contributions are not just technically competent but also align with the company’s broader strategic objectives, providing a more cohesive and forward-looking consulting experience.
Cultural Synergy and Enhanced Collaboration
Innovation Vista places a high emphasis on matching consultants with companies where there’s a strong cultural fit. They understand that for a consultant to be truly effective, they must be able to integrate seamlessly into the existing corporate culture and collaborate effectively with internal teams. This cultural synergy fosters a more productive and harmonious working environment and maximizes the consultant’s impact. A consultant who thrives in an environment with overlapping governance committees may not be as successful in a more informal entrepreneurial environment, and vice-versa.
Long-Term Relationships and Ongoing Support
Hand-picking consultants allows for the development of deeper, more meaningful professional relationships between the consultant and the client. These relationships are beneficial for ongoing support and future projects, as the consultant becomes increasingly familiar with the company’s operations, challenges, and strategic direction. This contrasts sharply with the transactional nature of the next-off-the-bench approach, where the emphasis is on short-term engagements, even when that greatly reduces the likelihood of long-term partnerships.
Proactive Problem-Solving and Innovation
With its approach, Innovation Vista ensures that its consultants are not just problem solvers but proactive innovators. Given their deep understanding of the client’s industry and technological landscape, these consultants can anticipate potential challenges and opportunities, allowing for strategic, innovative solutions that are tailor-made for the client’s specific context.
Cost-Effectiveness and ROI
Most importantly, Innovation Vista’s hand-picked approach maximizes the ROI for the client over the long term. The immediate alignment of the consultant with the client’s business model reduces the ramp-up time and resources spent on acclimation. Furthermore, the targeted, strategic contributions of the consultant often result in a more significant return on investment, as their efforts directly address the client’s specific challenges and goals.
The choice is clear. Innovation Vista’s approach of hand-picking consultants offers a tailored, effective, and cohesive consulting experience. The benefits of this approach – from industry-specific expertise, strategic alignment, and cultural fit to long-term partnerships and proactive innovation – provide businesses with a C-level IT consulting engagement that is not just a service but a strategic partnership, propelling them towards their strategic vision. For Innovation Vista, everything we do is aimed to drive those business results.
