Technology cannot exist within a silo.
Okay, let me rephrase: effective, strategic technology cannot exist within a silo.
Too often IT is seen as a tool, as little more than a means to an end in the grand scheme of things. This mindset is costing organizations more than you might realize; if you take the time to actually align your IT with your business mission, you can transform your technology into a potent catalyst that maximizes efficiency, productivity, competitive edge, and revenue.
How do you get there? That’s where strategic IT consulting comes into play. Strategic IT consulting is an umbrella term for a number of services including software selection, project management, and CIO-level consulting. The cornerstone of a strategic IT engagement—and the defining factor of a solid consulting firm—is an IT assessment, otherwise known as a “strategic technology assessment,” or even simply a “network assessment.”
It works like this: organizations will engage a consultant to analyze—at a business level—how they’re currently leveraging their IT systems, how they should be leveraging their IT systems, and how to logically proceed from Point A to Point B.
It’s a tremendously valuable service, and one we at Optimal hear questions about over and over again. And, after spending over two decades in the strategic consulting industry, we’ve really gotten to know the key players in the DC Metro area, what kind of assessments they perform, and how well they’ve guided local companies over the years.
Whether you end up engaging Optimal or another firm for your IT consulting, it’s important that you’re in good hands. So, to help you get there, we’ve decided to put together a list of a few firms in the area that deliver solid results.
A Review of the Best Strategic IT Consulting Firms in DC, MD, and VA
- DelCor Technology Solutions (Silver Spring)
DelCor—who you may have also seen on our list of MSPs in the area—has two areas of focus: network systems and support, and a separate consulting practice. They provide assessments to the association/nonprofit market exclusively, and have made a good name for themselves.
- Potomac Consulting Group (Arlington)
Potomac Consulting Group has been in the strategic consulting business for a very long time. They cater their assessments to law firms, and also do their own application development.
- eSentio Technologies (DC Northwest)
Like Potomac, eSentio serves the law firm market specifically, performing high-level, top-to-bottom analyses of information systems. Their sweet spot is law firms that are very large.
- Effective Database Management (Hamilton)
Effective Database Management is a little different in that they specialize specifically in AMS selection for associations/nonprofits rather than full-blown assessments. Still, we feel that they are worth mentioning given the quality of their work.
If you’re on the hunt for a strategic IT consulting firm, then, these are four firms that we’re comfortable referring prospective clients to if we aren’t a match.
Please keep in mind: Before making any final decisions regarding your provider, be sure to talk through your specific needs and vet the firms yourself until you’re confident you’ve found a company that is the best fit to serve you.
After all, if you’re going to use this firm’s product to guide your technology strategy for the next few years, you better trust their judgment.