Azmat Zuberi knew he had a knowledge gap that only a tech consultant could fill. He needed a short-term contract worker to coordinate the company’s database with AI, making it more efficient while also averting a major bottleneck that could end his business.
The founder of Toronto-based Docical took a chance on two newly-minted University of Toronto computer science graduates who he found on LinkedIn. He described the experience as “game-changing,” stating that the hires were “laser sharp in their recommendations” and provided the best option for database architecture.
Why a tech consultant?
Zuberi isn’t the only one taking notice of the benefits. One recent article noted that hiring outsourced tech consultants can help complete projects that would otherwise burden your employees, and be more cost-effective than bringing someone in full-time.
Consultants, it said, bring fresh perspectives on how to address your challenges and “they have certifications and expertise that will help them guide you to the right solution for your business.”
When choosing a consultant, Ohio-based Itay Simchi, co-founder of Proven House Buyers, said he looked for several key factors, including a proven track record, their portfolio, testimonials, and case studies with relevant experience.
“Finally, we assessed their communication style, ensuring that they could effectively communicate with our team and understand our needs,” said Simchi.
One of his most notable experiences was partnering with a consultant to develop a custom CRM system. They brought in a team of experts who worked closely with his team to understand their specific needs and developed a tailored solution that integrated their existing systems.
“The experience was overwhelmingly positive,” he said. “The result was a seamless and efficient workflow that allowed us to manage our properties, tenants, and transactions more effectively.” Simchi noted a significant benefit in tracking and analyzing data in real-time, and saving money on automating manual tasks.
Seeing real returns
Indeed, in addition to getting ahead of the competition and keeping up with the digital pace, many companies are using a consultant’s skilful changes to increase profit.
Skyrocketing costs prompted Ohio-based Sean Spittle to seek a consultant to optimize cloud infrastructure. “What the consultant suggested caught me off guard,” said the lead software developer and Managing Partner at InspectNTrack, a SaaS solution for safety device management and inspection.
He noticed they were running numerous data processing jobs during peak hours, increasing costs and throttling user performance.
“At first glance, this didn’t seem like a ground-breaking observation,” he said. “We’d acknowledged that these jobs were essential and timing was non-negotiable due to daily business operations.”
What he hadn’t considered was the possibility of breaking these jobs into smaller tasks and distributing them more effectively throughout the day. The company restructured workflow, implementing a system to run smaller batches more frequently, but ran them during off-peak hours.
The result? Spittle said it “smoothed out” the load on their servers and allowed them to take advantage of lower prices during those times.
“The results were phenomenal — efficiency improved, costs dropped, and the user experience became noticeably smoother. It was a win on multiple fronts, and it stemmed from a suggestion that seemed almost mundane on the surface but required an outsider’s perspective to help us implement it creatively and effectively,” he continued.
“It’s humbling but also incredibly rewarding when you see complex problems through someone else’s eyes and realize there’s always room for improvement.”
The “people factor”
Simon Elliott noted an unexpected benefit: a cultural shift within the company.
“The consultant not only introduced new technologies, but also fostered a more innovative mindset among our staff,” he said. “This culture shift encouraged continuous improvement and greater openness to adopting new technologies.”
Elliott is the founder and operations director of Clifton, manufacturing custom clothing, and said his consultant kept them ahead of the competition and resulted in “substantial” cost savings.
The journey wasn’t without its challenges.
Integrating new technologies required significant training and adjustment periods for staff.
“This learning curve initially slowed down some of our operations, as employees needed time to become proficient with the new technology,” he said. “There was some initial resistance to change. Some team members were hesitant about altering their workflows and adopting new methods. This resistance was mitigated over time through continuous support and training from the tech consultant, who played a crucial role in easing the transition.”
This “people factor” was also the case with Chris Sorensen. The CEO of California-based marketing company PhoneBurner, needed help with a predictive analytics model that could better understand and anticipate user behaviours. An unexpected treat was that the consultant helped the team learn more advanced technologies. “They didn’t just follow orders,” he said of the consultant. “They challenged our assumptions and introduced innovative solutions that we hadn’t considered.”
But sometimes an office culture shift is needed even before a tech consultant can be brought in.
Many businesses are looking for tech solutions, when what they really need first are “team solutions,” according to Yuri Kruman, CEO and principal of HR Talent and Systems. He’s been hired to build tech stacks integrating HR SaaS products, performance and project management, rewards and recognition platforms, employee engagement and experience platforms.
When he comes in to help as a consultant, he’s noticed half the time managers are not “listening to people proactively, and understanding employees’ needs and aspirations.”
In a recent Forbes article, almost half of the American workers surveyed said they left a job because they felt under-appreciated.
When people feel under-appreciated, Kruman believes things spiral into gossip and backstabbing. “Nobody cares to ask people for what they would do better in a broken process,” he said. “Technology will not solve this issue by itself, only with a willingness to listen and actually change things.”
What to watch for
As the odds would have it, not everyone ends up with a happy story.
Yuriy Zaletskyy, of AcuPower in England, met a consultant at a conference who made promises that wound up being too good to be true. “I didn’t do good homework, and regretted that later on the road,” he said.
He paid retainers up front with two different hired hands — both of whom flaked on him.
Ideally, though, a consultant’s knowledge and expertise, as explained in the recent article Why Tech Consulting Is Important for Startups, “can help startups identify and implement the right technology stack, which can accelerate growth and improve overall business performance.”
“Tech consultants have an up-to-date understanding of emerging trends and technology, ensuring that business owners have access to the most cutting-edge solutions.”
It’s clear that companies are increasingly turning to tech consultants for expert guidance on navigating complex digital transformations. They are essentially a hidden trump card as much as an indispensable partner, helping businesses stay ahead in a technology-driven world.
