How Your Business Could Benefit from a vCIO

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Businesses often hire a managed service provider (MSP) for tech support. But if that’s all you’re getting from your MSP, you could be missing out. You might gain by adding a Virtual CIO.

The typical MSP engagement involves coming in and surveying your IT infrastructure. You can expect the MSP to:

  • make sure your antivirus software is up to date (or that you have it in the first place);
  • install firewalls and other security protections;
  • patch or update any tech that needs it;
  • establish a data backup process.

Some MSPs will stop there. If that’s all they offer, you might consider expanding your view of what an IT provider can offer your business. Your tech support can also drive strategy to save money and ensure safe, smooth operations, and you may need a virtual CIO.

What is a vCIO?

Members of your C-suite are experts in their focus areas. A virtual chief information officer (vCIO) specializes in the latest technology and cybersecurity. More than “tech support,” the vCIO is a strategist invested in your business’s success, but they do this as a third party, virtually, instead of as an in-house employee.

A vCIO analyzes your IT infrastructure for weaknesses to suggest process or security reworks. They can formulate long-term technology goals based on your business objectives. Then, they’ll provide a road map for your technology strategy.

An MSP is more focused on service delivery, whereas the vCIO takes a forward-looking approach. Working with more decision-making authority, the VCIO can create an IT budget. They can also work to reduce your business expenses. One way they’ll do this is by building relationships with vendors to ensure the best rates and services. Note: you should already be saving money by working with a vCIO rather than hiring a traditional CIO.

What to look for in a vCIO?

The IT expert or experts taking on your vCIO role should bring a wide range of skills to the table. These include:

  • ability to align your IT strategy to your business goals;
  • robust knowledge of technology trends to understand what will best serve your organization;
  • project planning and management skills to ensure completion on time and within scope;
  • experience in cost optimization and measuring key performance indicator metrics;
  • ability and willingness to collaborate effectively with teams throughout the business;
  • communication skills to report to business stakeholders, and liaise with clients and vendors.

Our MSP your vCIO

Some MSPs steer clear of planning and assisting with decision-making. They hone in on today’s operational tasks and fix current problems, but our IT experts are here to add immense value to your business. Partner with us in the vCIO role. We’ll be supportive and provide a technology direction to help you grow your business.

Contact us today at (515)422-1995.

Pivoting to the Practice of Virtual Law

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The law profession has been slow to embrace virtual work. It’s a people-oriented business, and there is great reliance on sensitive files and court documents, yet the pandemic pushed lawyers – and the rest of us – to embrace more digital technology.

Sure, lawyers were using mobile devices before. They worked in satellite offices, on-site with clients, or from home. Still, the profession’s traditionalists were loathing putting paperwork online or meeting virtually. Now they have to do so.

In the United States, 70–90% of firms surveyed by the American Bar Association still used traditional offices in 2019. By early April 2020, 48% were working online, and a further 40% were doing a hybrid of on-site and remote.

While many are eager to get back to the office, digital transformation has still taken hold. Let’s discuss the digital technology available to law firms today.

Digital Technology in the Law Firm

Digitizing documents and uploading them to case and practice management software has many benefits. The law firm gains:

  • collaborative access;
  • streamlined process;
  • improved productivity;
  • storage space previously wasted on boxes of file folders;
  • greater flexibility of interactions with clients familiar with digital upload of documentation;
  • peace of mind data backup is available;
  • centralized systems.

The software also adds a layer of accountability, as firm leaders or administrators can see who is accessing what and when. This enables better measurement of productivity and billable hours.

Clients also enjoy not having to leave home and find parking to drop off documents. Paperless transactions can speed the process on both sides, especially with virtual forms collecting data. This also avoids the inaccuracies that can come from manual data entry.

Another significant development for the virtual law firm? Relying on cloud-based collaboration tools such as Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365). Paralegals and lawyers can work on documents and spreadsheets simultaneously in real-time. With Outlook email and calendar sharing, everyone stays current on any device.

SharePoint and OneDrive also offer secure document sharing. SharePoint is an internal file management tool, whereas OneDrive is a bit simpler.

Communicating Face-to-Virtual-Face

Lawyers now need to meet with clients and opposing counsel, and to appear in virtual courts. Online communication requires a good internet connection, plus a quality camera and microphone to take part in a Zoom or other type of virtual meeting.

Other firms are moving to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Those who have used Skype are already calling via data packets transmitted online. And there are other options available: B2B VoIP vendors offer options integrating call forwarding, call queues, and more. With VoIP, the client calls a local number and connects to an employee anywhere without noticing a difference.

All these digital technologies can have a positive impact on the day-to-day running of the law practice, yet it needs correct installation, as security is critical. You don’t want confidential documents shared publicly or phone conversations carried out on insecure lines.

Enjoy digital transformation efficiency with a managed service provider (MSP) installing the right tools. The technology saves space and frees up resources for other practice priorities. Meanwhile, an MSP will offer its IT expertise at a consistent set fee you can budget around. Plus, you’ll know you have IT help on speed dial if something goes wrong.

We’ll make sure your digital transformation – whether short- or long-term – is done right. Contact us today at (515)422-1995!

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