When hiring a systems integration consulting firm and/or implementation partner to help with your IT projects, ongoing operations and infrastructure, there are a few things to keep in mind. 

The following three factors are critical when hiring a security systems firm and/or implementation partner for your IT projects and operations:

1. Up to Date Knowledge

Problems, challenges, issues and failures are not typically due to a lack of knowledge about software. Understanding software is a basic criterion for hiring any IT professional so that is not a differentiator for any implementation project. However, understanding the specific system, and its most recent version, potential pitfalls and additional third-party apps, is a good differentiator for the firm you consider hiring.  

2. Established Processes

Experienced IT integrator firms typically have a business process in place to implement a project. This kind of process ensures consistency in results achieved according to milestones, objectives and activities. 

Given it’s likely their IT experts have a wide variety of experience, having this type of process in place means efficiency in meeting customer expectations. And, since this framework gets results, it means it is proven and there should be reference customers and case studies to demonstrate its efficacy. 

3. Business Acumen

IT integrator firms need to understand the greater business environment, including performance goals and targets, that contribute to project success.

This includes non-technical factors, like protocols, project governance, business process management, organizational change, training, post-implementation planning, staff adoption and buy-in from leadership. If the emphasis is on checklists, configurations, big data flow charts on strictly technical activities, the bigger picture is not being considered. The non-technical factors can derail a project just as quickly, if not even more so, than technical challenges. 

A good systems integration consulting firm knows technology. A great systems integration consulting firm understands relationships and business as well as technology. By working with a systems integration consulting that meets your organization where it is in terms of staff, expectations and desired business outcomes will increase overall efficiency and deliver measurable results on multiple levels.