Examples of IT Consulting Services

In the not so distant past, IT consulting was often relegated to the back office. The information technology department’s job was just to ensure the phones worked, the computers stayed on and the printers never ran out of ink. When something was broken, it then became a technician’s job to fix or replace it.

Those days are long gone. IT consulting firms and in-house departments now form the technological powerhouse that drive companies through proactive innovation. Professional IT consultants provide information on two main business processes to make this possible: operations and compliance.

IT consulting services for operations

Most companies rely on consulting services for business operations. Here are some of the business functions IT firms may assist with:

• Data collection
• Inventory management
• System updates and backups
• Chat bots for customer service
• Cybercrime and data protection
• Welcome emails to new customers

By automating these tasks and continuing to learn, grow and innovate, companies can stay one step ahead of the competition. Automation may also create a more cost-effective business that pays for technological innovations in savings alone.

Finally, companies that store personal data should make a solid effort to deter cybercrime by ensuring data is protected from security breaches. IT consulting companies can help to ensure the proper protection measures are in place and that employees receive proper training on data security.

IT consulting services for compliance

In May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation took effect in the European Union. The United Kingdom’s Data Protection Act 2018 also took effect shortly afterward. Just before both of these, China’s own privacy law went into action. By June of the same year, California had signed the California Privacy Act into law, which provides a compliance deadline of January 2020.

Now, many countries around the world are rushing to update their own data privacy laws to match the gold standard of the GDPR. However, how privacy laws will be interpreted, applied and policed still remain to be determined. As a result, many companies who collect, use, store or share consumer data now need to pay special attention to compliance across state and country lines.

Not all IT consulting firms handle compliance issues, so it is important to find one that does. This helps to ensure that as a company develops new systems, especially as it relates to AI, these will be compliant with current privacy law requirements. Forbes notes that failure to meet GDPR requirements alone can result in a fine of 4% of a company’s global annual revenue. China and the UK may have the authority to pursue criminal charges in some instances.

Some final recommendations

When it comes to hiring the right IT consulting firm, it is important to find the best intersection between cost and quality. Not all inexpensive firms provide subpar work. Some may have effective processes in place or have a small team to suit small business needs.

Similarly, not all expensive consulting firms are worth the price tag. Sometimes high-end pricing is just a marketing tool to imply better quality. Because of this, be sure to check reviews or ask for references so you can get a better idea of what it is like to work with the firm before hiring.

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