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What Separates Great IT Consulting Companies From Bad Ones?

Interviews with IT consultants are a common occurrence for companies. Number one, every IT consultant will tell you that their solutions are the best. Number two, all IT consultants will tell you that the upfront cost is well worth the long-term benefits. Number three is that almost all IT consultants will appear to know their stuff, making it difficult to prove otherwise. 

Three criteria are used to distinguish great IT consulting firms from those that deliver poor results, according to IT experts who have experienced the best and worst of the IT industry.

Assessments

To determine the exact solutions that you need, consultants must first conduct a needs assessment. Among other areas, needs assessments to focus on: human resources, competition, and market share, positioning, customer feedback, management feedback and staffing, employee turnover, mission, goals, and objectives, as well as human resources. 

Probing questions

Every company is different and has different goals and objectives. An IT consultant must ask lots of questions to ensure that every aspect of the needs assessment is covered. 

A consultant who is honest will not know what solutions you have to offer, just as your company does not know what to expect when it begins an IT consulting process. 

Generic Solutions

You may meet a consultant during your company's IT consultations who offers only solutions you have heard about (i.e. Off-the-shelf hardware and software. Although off-the-shelf solutions can often give companies some success, they don't tailor to a company's needs.