5 reasons why you should leave system selection and implementation to an IT consultant (and 3 reasons why you should NOT)

You know the dilemma all too well. You have run into it many times in your company. The eternal question:

“Should we handle it in-house or should we hire an external consultant?”

It is a difficult decision. Especially when it comes to IT systems that develop so fast that even Usain Bolt could have trouble keeping up. And at the same time, system selection and implementation is super essential for your company to succeed in a very digital age.

But you already know all that. What you are missing are the arguments for and against, so you can better make the right decision for you and your company.

Enter this article!

We have collected the 5 most important reasons why you should leave all that business of choosing and implementing IT systems to an external consultant – and just as important: 3 reasons why you should NOT do it.

In keyword form, the 5 reasons FOR hiring an external IT consultant are:

1. 1. 1. Extensive and specialised experience and expertise
   2. 1. An objective third party who can challenge the way things have always been done
   3. 1. Greater efficiency, so you save time
   4. 1. In tune with the technological beat

   5. Minimises the risk of mistakes

And the 3 reasons AGAINST hiring an external IT consultant:

1. 1. 1. Risk of becoming dependent on the consultant
   2. 1. A larger financial investment up front

   3. Potential for misunderstandings

But of course you need a few more details than that.

So let us now dive a little deeper into the 5 reasons why you should rush out and hire an IT consultant.

This is why you should hire an IT consultant to choose and implement your IT systems

What tastes best? Food at a good restaurant or your home-cooked food?

The answer of course is that it depends on the chef. You can get fantastic food at a restaurant, but it probably costs a little more than if you swing the pots and pans at home yourself. You can also be an eminent home cook, but if you have to make Beef Wellington with red wine glaze, you might come up short.

The same applies when you have to hire an external IT consultant. They are experts within their specific professional fields.

But what are the advantages of hiring an IT consultant?

1. Extensive specialised experience and expertise

You do not only get expert knowledge, but also expert experience.

An IT consultant has typically worked across many projects and industries. That gives them a broad range of experiences and a deep understanding of different technological solutions. And which solutions best suit your particular situation.

Among other things, that means the consultant comes with insights and recommendations based on best practice and good results in companies similar to yours.

And precisely that expertise is crucial when you have to navigate an ever-evolving IT landscape where a small mistake can be both time-consuming and expensive to put right.

2. An objective sparring partner who can look at your company with fresh eyes

If you find it difficult to decide which IT systems are the right ones for your company, an IT consultant can be a helpful sparring partner.

As a business owner you cannot know all the new options, solutions and types of integrations that keep appearing. That is why you can easily end up choosing something “you know”, because it feels safer. But that is not necessarily the best choice for your company.

And here an IT consultant can act as a sparring partner from the outside who can provide an objective assessment of what the company actually needs when it comes to choosing and implementing IT systems.

3. Greater efficiency = time saved

It can take quite a long time if you have to do in-depth research and develop your own or your employees’ IT skills so they are on a par with an external IT consultant. A very long time.

So if you instead get hold of an IT consultant, you gain access to all the knowledge and experience you need. Immediately. That way you save a lot of time, which you can instead spend on what you are good at:

Running your company.

4. In tune with the technological beat

When you have to choose the right digital solution for your company, you need to answer 2 questions:

1. What do we need right now?
2. What might we need in the future?

The first question can be relatively easy to answer. You can easily describe what needs your company has right now. And in that way research your way to the best choice. Right now.

But what about in 6 months, when you have 5 extra employees?
Or in 2 years, when you have 5 times as many customers?
Or in 5 years, when you are heading into Scandinavia and considering the English market?

Here an IT consultant can help with their enormous knowledge of systems that suit your particular company’s growth journey.

5. Minimises the risk of mistakes

If you have ever tried walking through a minefield, you know that it is very good to know where the mines are buried.

Of course it is not quite that dramatic when it comes to system selection and implementation strategies. But still. If you make a mistake, it can end up costing you and your company dearly. Both financially and in terms of time.

That is why it can be an advantage to hire one IT consultant who has a map of the minefield, so he can tell you where not to step. So you can reach your goals quickly and safely.But of course not everyone should just rush out and find an IT consultant. In fact there are at least 3 reasons why you should NOT hire an IT consultant.

3 reasons why you should NOT hire an IT consultant

Now that we have gone through all the advantages of hiring an IT consultant, it is perhaps also appropriate to look a little at the disadvantages. Because of course there are a couple of those too. At least 3.

1. Risk of becoming dependent on the consultant

When the IT consultant comes with a lot of knowledge you do not have in-house, you can easily end up in a situation where your company depends on the consultant in order to function. And that is a far too fragile situation for your company to be in.

That is why it is important that you build up knowledge inside the company in parallel. For example by training key employees in how to operate the IT systems and possibly update them when that inevitably becomes necessary.

That way you get the best of both worlds.

2. It costs more from the start with a consultant

IT consultants of course have to be paid a fee.

So when you hire an IT consultant, it can require a large financial investment in the short term. That is why you need to consider whether the immediate costs for your company are worth it compared with the long-term benefits the company will reap from an IT consultant.

And then make the decision that is most sustainable for your company.

3. Greater potential for misunderstandings

Communication barriers and misunderstandings can arise when you work with an external IT consultant.

Since he is not fully integrated into daily operations and does not have the same deep understanding of the company as you do. It requires clear and thorough communication from both parties, so you are sure you understand each other.

You could say that the advantage of the IT consultant not being biased in relation to your company can also be a disadvantage.

Summary

So there are both advantages and disadvantages to hiring an IT consultant to handle system selection and implementation in your company.

The advantages are that you get help from an expert who knows everything about exactly the area you need help with. So you avoid mistakes, have access to the latest knowledge and get more time for all the other important tasks in your company.

The disadvantages are that it costs more from the start, that your company can be more fragile if you become too dependent on the IT consultant, and that misunderstandings can arise if the communication is not thorough and clear.

Of course it is even more nuanced than what we have had time to cover in this article. But at least you now have a better basis for making the right decision for you and your company.