Building a successful IT consulting business is a challenging task. The competition alone is ruthless. In order to cut through the noise, you will have to build your IT consulting business with the strongest possible foundation. And it can be hard when you don’t know where to start.
To start your journey properly and ensure the success of your IT consulting establishment, you have to know what defines a good business model, especially in this niche. To help you out, we have compiled a list of the things that define a successful IT consulting and services company.
The Client Defines Success
Among many common pitfalls, IT consulting companies tend to fall right into this one – trying to make the client change his or her mind and go with a solution they deem best. Managers at IT consulting companies are on top of the latest practices and cutting edge technologies in the industry. They often want to implement these solutions even if clients are not overly interested in them.
But best practices and latest tech are not the things that define success. Your client, on the other hand, is. Your role in every project is the role of a mentor. It is always important to respect the clients’ terms and guide them through the process. And to do this successfully, you have to put your client and the way they prefer to do their business first.
Satisfied Clients from Past Projects
Another thing that defines a successful IT consulting company is a good track record or the number of satisfied clients from past projects. Every IT consulting establishment has its own brand, and over time, its efforts on the market will build a specific brand image. To be noticeable in this niche, a company has to leverage experience and knowledge.
Happy clients are proof that you know what you are doing, and that you know the perfect way to do it.
Respecting the Client’s Ideas on Technicalities
IT consultants often enter a debate with their clients trying to disprove the clients’ ideas on technicalities. The problem, if you do this, is that you will stray the focus away from how the client wants to operate.
Let’s say your client wants to move all processes and databases to the cloud. While, as a whole, this idea may not be feasible, maybe the client can benefit from moving part of the processes and records to the cloud. Listen to your clients and wisely assess their ideas before judging and discarding them.
Practicality Before Adopting New Tech
Being part of the IT industry exposes IT consultants to brand new technological advancements and solutions. But a successful IT consulting business will not try to push new technologies when there are practical solutions for the given problem. Tech tools have many implications in the modern business model, and in the future, they will be entangled in even more business processes.
A brand new piece of tech will most likely require a client to invest in new hardware and employee training. If there is a solution that has significantly shorter onboarding times in terms of ease of use, a successful IT business will always choose it over a shiny new piece of tech.
Communication Matters
Good communication with a client is what differentiates successful IT companies from those less successful. It is important to understand that some clients are reluctant about using 3rd party consultants. Others can be intimidated by the size of the project, or the budget required.
This is why communication plays a vital role here. Instead of sitting back under the impression that there is nothing more to do, a good IT consulting company will always re-engage with a client after sending the initial proposal. This is a great way to verify how the client feels and what the client thinks about the project.
Present the Truth in a Neutral Way
Many IT consultants will shield the client from the truth because they think it will land them a deal. In the long run, clients will most likely find out that they weren’t presented the whole truth. The decisions they made then may prove invalid for the future, costing them more time and money to rectify the mistakes.
The truth can often be unpleasant but, no matter how unpleasant it is, a successful IT consultant will find a way to communicate this neutrally. Without answers provided by the consultant, clients may rush to harmful conclusions.
The IT consulting industry is rapidly growing. This is why IT consulting services may appear overwhelming. Fortunately, there are a few telltale signs to help you spot a successful IT consulting company.
Respecting the client’s wishes, opting for practical solutions over shiny new ones, and presenting the facts are a few characteristics of a well-established IT consulting business. Here at Fulton May Solutions, we nurture all of these qualities to help our clients get the best out of their IT solutions. Reach out to us today for a free IT assessment!
