
The owner and/or CEO of your average small to mid-sized business is often spread too thin. When starting a business from the ground up, it is their vision that drives recruitment, sales, operations, and everything beyond.
The execution of that vision is what grows a business, but eventually, that weight becomes too much for one person to bear. The day-to-day will require adding an expert that can ensure company operations are mature.
It is impossible to take a modern business into the future with outdated technology, so someone will have to take on the role of tech guru. Hiring a Chief Information Officer (CIO) is the smartest path forward, but not all SMBs can afford a full-time hire, especially at the director level. Not all SMBs have the work necessary for a full-timer either, but still need help with IT.
Staying competitive while not destabilizing the books is key for any business. If there is not enough work for a full-timer, then you cannot justify paying full price.
In this post, we will explore the role of virtual CIO (vCIO), a creative position that companies can use to accomplish that goal.
If you are interested in Ategra’ vCIOs and how they can help direct your organisation in the future, schedule a call with us today.
The CIO’s job is to diagnose the company’s IT environment and design comprehensive solutions to help solve the challenges of the business. Their solutions will not only rectify current issues but be proactive in warding off future issues. Ultimately, the measures instituted by the CIO should move the business into the future.
Other roles of the CIO include:
- Relaying complex technical concepts to team members in clear, concise and simple ways
- Addressing internal tickets promptly, or delegating effectively
- Establishing best practices to keep IT secure and scalable
- Creating policies and a culture surrounding IT best practices
- Managing relationships with key IT vendors
- Analyzing company needs and suggesting upgrades or additional features to meet their requirements
- Assuring internal IT has the correct resources and staff to succeed
- Much more
More generally, a CIO stays at the forefront of technology and leverages their experience to stabilize and mature IT operations. The CIO should challenge commonly held beliefs in the sector to breathe innovation into their roles.
The CIO should guide leadership toward initiatives that enhance business performance while coaching the entire team to become more technically savvy.
With all these responsibilities, it’s no wonder that a CEO cannot take them all on themselves. A CIO should be able to do all these things but finding the right IT director can be difficult.
If only there was a better way.
What is a Virtual CIO?
Hiring a dedicated CIO can stretch a company’s resources thin. With the importance of tech in today’s business world, you need the best of the best. Naturally, the best of the best will demand a salary commensurate with their skill level.
The virtual CIO’s duties are broken up, or fractured, among multiple companies that they work for.
Instead of spending unlimited time with your business, or being available at a moment’s notice, they spend a limited time with you specifically. Turnaround times on responses and deliverables can be agreed upon.
For less than a “fraction” of the time commitment, salary, and benefits, the virtual CIO still provides all the necessary insight and decision-making that you need.