IT Consultancy

Principal doesn't exist just to sell technology. We're proud that our customers are with us because we provide solutions to their IT needs- and invariably that means answering your questions. We've established a holistic approach to technology; and depending on your size and needs, that can mean anything from complete outsourcing to being a friendly voice at the end of the phone line.

So before you buy, read on: the information you find here is based on our many years of experience, and should inform your IT strategy as your company grows.

IT Strategy Development

We never forget that IT exists to support the goals of your business- not the other way round! That's easy to state on the face of it, but keeping your business and it's supporting technology in line day-in, day-out can be a challenge.

Have you experienced an IT department complaining that purchases are made on a cost, rather than value basis? Or business owners complaining of spiralling technology costs without visible benefit? These are common battles, and are symptomatic of a piecemeal approach to technology.

If you want to avoid that "us and them" mentality, you need effective communication between the business and the IT functions. The reference point for that communication is some sort of IT strategy- a plan in which both business and IT stakeholders participate, and which can be referred to and amended as priorities change.

Here are just some of the questions along the way to establishing an IT strategy- and a discussion with Principal can help you get some answers:

• Where are we going as a business?
• How do we want to be organised to get there?
• What information/applications do we need?
• What infrastructure will help deliver our core functions to our users and clients?
• What sort of support will keep the whole thing going?
• How often does all this need to be reviewed?

Obviously, these questions must be tailored to your business; but for the majority of SME's, however they're dressed up, they're the same questions.

Principal is ideally placed to act as an independent facilitator to this discussion. Irrespective of the size of your organisation, we're technically knowledgeable enough to understand your IT needs, and focussed enough to understand your business requirements. And above all, we're impartial, so resourcing arguments need never boil over. It's all part of our commitment to giving you the right technology for your needs- and staying accountable to you throughout its life-cycle.

Implementation

If considering a holistic IT strategy made you ask yourself some hard questions, that's a good thing. But implementing that strategy can be even harder. We never forget that simplicity is desirable in itself- from finding the straightest-line purchasing solution, to remembering that whatever you buy, your staff and customers are the people who will have to use it. For us implementation means:

• Getting solutions which are workable rather than merely elegant
• Recommending solutions which work day-to-day for your staff and clients
• Offering solutions which also take into account your existing IT: very few IT projects exist in isolation from what was there before
• Operating to sound budgetary limits and demonstrating a clear return on investment
• Keeping your business running whilst work is progressing

As you can imagine, in the real world there are tradeoffs to be made. Different systems achieve the above aims to different degrees, and navigating those questions is what our consultancy expertise is all about. Whether we have developed your strategy or not, Principal can help develop a pragmatic, workable implementation plan. We can help you through the purchasing maze, ensure you make an informed choice for your money, install the resulting system and see you well into using it.

For an impartial assessment of your company's needs, call us on 0800 563 789.