The term virtual CIO (vCIO) has been around for a few years, but the way a vCIO serves an SMB is often misunderstood. How can a vCIO help your SMB? What should you expect if you enlist the services of a vCIO? Can your SMB really afford to hire one?

What Is a vCIO

Before deciding whether or not a vCIO is a worthwhile investment for your SMB, it’s important to understand the designation. In its simplest form:

A vCIO is a specialized IT advisor that performs a variety of tasks that are usually handled by CIOs, CTOs, and outside technology consultants as they advise and orchestrate IT infrastructure and solutions, based on a company’s strategic goals.

To clarify, the chart below shows what a vCIO is and is not.

A chart that shows SMBs what a vCIO is and is not.

The Role of a vCIO

The confusion around the exact functions of a vCIO is because not all vCIOs have the same responsibilities. Two factors that determine the role a vCIO may play for your SMB include:

  1. The company which employs the vCIO. Not all MSPs offer the same services, so those that offer vCIO services won’t all offer the same capabilities. For example, some vCIOs contribute to the professional development of your IT staff through training and workshops while other may not.
  2. The needs of the SMB. Not every SMB has the same IT needs. You will determine, based on the available vCIO capabilities, what skills you do and do not need. IT budgeting is one example. Some SMBs may know their IT budget and how it breaks down. Other may have a general idea of overall budget allocation but need someone to guide them on specifics.

What to Expect from a vCIO

If the services of a vCIO are fluid, how do you know what to expect when you contract one? It seems like that’s a moving target, but there are core services that nearly all vCIOs perform. They include:

  • IT Planning: Your vCIO will look at your existing technology and strategic business goals and help you develop a long-term IT plan to meet or exceed those goals.
  • IT Infrastructure Design Guidance: Working with a network design engineer, your vCIO will use data collected from an IT assessment and planning conversations around strategic business goals to help design a scalable IT infrastructure designed to help achieve business objectives within the available budget.
  • IT Roadmapping: Your vCIO will remain immersed in IT developments so they can see what’s coming and make recommendations for how to adjust your IT strategy to best leverage those advances in the future.

Bottom line: your vCIO should be a partner in your IT journey. They’ll help guide your IT decisions to ensure that you’re getting the most value from your IT spend. Consider vCIOs your secret weapon in the IT battle. They’ve got you covered for all your IT needs.

To learn more about how vCIOs can improve your IT investments and increase your organization’s bottom line, contact Advanced Network Solutions. One of our skilled professionals will be happy to answer all of your questions.