Transforming your small business in Southern California into a global enterprise is your front-and-center goal for 2023. And that will require you to beef up your information technology, or IT, presence in Los Angeles. Perhaps you may choose partner with a Los Angeles IT services company.
The question is, should you hire an in-person chief information officer to do the job, or will a virtual chief information officer (vCIO) suffice?
If you’re thinking about going the virtual route, you’re in good company. Research shows that the market value for outsourced tech support is slated to increase by 5% between 2020 and 2024. That means it will reach more than $486 billion by the year 2024.
From helping you to make tough IT decisions to aiding in campaigns, hiring a virtual CIO offers numerous benefits.
Here are seven reasons to bring on a vCIO in 2023.
1. Generate Cost Savings
One of the top reasons to hire a virtual chief information officer is that this will produce cost savings for you.
If your IT budget is limited, you may have a hard time justifying the hiring of an in-person CIO. However, hiring a vCIO will cost you less. On top of this, outsourcing the CIO piece will provide you with fixed, predictable monthly costs.
When you bring a vCIO on board, you’ll also enjoy a more reliable and consistent IT environment. This will reduce your downtime and lead to greater efficiencies, which will save you even more in the long run.
2. Boost Your Security
Another reason to hire a virtual chief information officer is that they can help you to elevate your business’s security.
Unfortunately, research shows that when small businesses fall victim to cyberattacks, 60% of them end up closing their doors in six months or less.
Sadly, many hackers target small businesses since they are easier to hack. However, a virtual chief information officer may help you to uncover any gaps present in your existing security infrastructure and introduce you to professional cyber security companies in Los Angeles. Then, they can help you to create a cybersecurity and risk mitigation roadmap.
The virtual chief information officer can additionally conduct regular security audits and risk assessments. These assessments can help you to constantly uncover vulnerabilities in your business’s network.
Your vCIO can even visit your physical location routinely to provide your employees with cybersecurity education. This will help your employees to more easily pinpoint potential security risks in their day-to-day operations.
With a vCIO, you can also receive remote system monitoring, security patches, updates, and important firewalls. All of this can help you to guard your business against a future security breach.
A virtual chief information officer can additionally help you to apply cybersecurity frameworks to your business. An example of such a framework is the Center for Internet Security Framework.
3. Stay Up to Date on Technology
Yet another reason to choose a vCIO is that they’ll keep your business current from a technology standpoint.
Many businesses consider technology to be one of the most important drivers for reaching their business objectives. With the help of a vCIO, you can stay knowledgeable about the latest products available in the quickly evolving technology industry. This will increase your chances of achieving success.
A vCIO can especially keep you up to date in the areas of data storage and management — two areas that can be hard to keep up with. They can also guide you through the process of replacing your aging equipment and software.
4. Create an Information Technology Strategy
A vCIO can also help you to create a winning IT strategy for your firm. This means they’ll make sure that your software and computer needs are met. In addition, they’ll provide you with a customized technology roadmap that will give you the competitive edge you need in your industry.
5. Access a Full IT Support Los Angeles Based Team
Hiring a vCIO furthermore gives you the benefit of being able to access an entire technology team. That means you don’t have to hire your own IT staff. Also, if you have an existing IT staff, you can free these professionals up to concentrate on special projects, for example.
Your vCIO’s IT team can help you to troubleshoot computer problems and address security issues as needed. These experts can also help you to automatically update your business’s systems.
6. Simplify Your CIO Recruitment
Another reason to hire a vCIO is that the recruitment process is simple.
Hiring and then training full-time chief information officers requires considerable time. These steps also usually require an HR department’s support. However, if you decide to outsource the CIO role, you can quickly put a vCIO in place with the help of a managed IT support Los Angeles company.
7. Bring in an Outside Perspective
Finally, hiring a vCIO will bring a fresh perspective and approach to your business’s IT operations.
A virtual chief information officer might not have much familiarity with your business’s inner workings right away. However, they can provide you with unbiased guidance and advice. In addition, they can bring you fresh ideas based on the successes they have experienced at other companies.
How We Can Help You If You Need a Virtual Chief Information Officer
A virtual chief information officer can help you to grow your business by creating a winning IT strategy. They can also help you to stay ahead of the technology curve in your industry.
At Be Structured Technology Group, we are excited to offer top-tier local IT support to companies small and large in the greater Los Angeles area.
Get in touch with us to learn more about our services, and book a consultation today!
