In recent years it has become more common for organizations of all sizes to outsource certain aspects of their IT needs. The availability of having the on demand resources outsourcing IT provides makes it a strategic approach worth considering. The growing trend of outsourcing IT has significantly closed the gap in capabilities between enterprise companies and small to mid-market organizations.
The technology model being deployed by modern organizations is shifting substantially. Business executives are opting for a strategy of procurement. Where businesses once owned and operated large portions of their technology, the outsourcing technology trend has given rise to something else, something equally as advantageous to their development and growth.
Many organizations have now turned to the measured solution of outsourcing their CIO in conjunction with outsourcing many of their IT needs. The specialized and highly critical role of the outsourced CIO brings tremendous insight, perspective, and experience to an organization. The experience and industry knowledge they provide often proves to be the missing piece for an organization’s technology strategy.
For countless organizations the ability to find and retain an individual capable of filling the role of CIO is extremely difficult. Technology-based positions remain among the most difficult roles to hire for. The demand for executive level IT professionals is at an all-time high, and the obstacle of hiring the right individual is something organizations are strategically sidestepping by outsourcing the CIO.
A leading area in which an outsourced CIO impacts an organization is their ability to provide a measured analysis of the return on investment with technology. The ROI of technology is an aspect many organizations are not actively quantifying. Much of the effort of an organization’s IT department is spent operating the day-to-day functions. The outsourced CIO creates a major opportunity for organizations to spend dedicated time on measuring their ROI with technology and making informed business and technology decisions based on the analysis.
Having a deeper understanding of the ROI with technology unlocks profound logistic benefits for both the IT department and the organization as a whole. With quantifiable information in hand, the outsourced CIO works as an executive level consultant with the entire C-Suite to construct and implement strategic technology plans that meet both the short and long-term needs of the organization. Their expertise is able to bring parity to the objectives of the IT department and align them with the goals of the organization as a whole. Measuring more than just the financial benefits of technology, the outsourced CIO quantifies the value of investments when it comes to physical technology, but also the people and processes in place.
The meaningful oversight of an outsourced CIO also supplies an organization with the expertise and knowledge to bring in the right technology and modernize existing processes. With years of invaluable experience under their belt, the outsourced CIO understands very well the emerging trends and technology that are coming down the pipe in the near future. They understand the market and know the key industry players to make informed and effective initiatives on behalf of the organization. This expertise allows the outsourced CIO to optimize technology costs and spending to free up crucial resources better suited elsewhere.
The outsourced CIO acts as an executive level consultant to educate the C-suite of an organization on the complexities of technology at work at all levels of the business. Partnering with an outsourced CIO is an invaluable asset to organizations looking to grow efficiently and effectively, and a variety of organizations in a multitude of industries are beginning to employ the integral help they provide.
Learn more about SC&H Group’s Outsourced CIO Services here or contact us to understand how organizations are benefiting from outsourced CIOs.