You Might Need a Consultant If...

If a product does not currently exist that fills all of your company's needs, you might need a consultant. Every company is unique, or they probably don't stay in business. Off-the-shelf software can often meet basic needs, but custom-built software can be tuned to those things that give your company an edge.

If you have a short-term or temporary project, you might need a consultant. Hiring an employee can be a costly endeavor, and an unnecessary one if the need for that position is temporary. Consultants can be beneficial for such tasks as one-time equipment or software setup, writing productivity-enhancing applets, or fixing problems like the Year 2000.

If you don't have the expertise to determine or implement a solution, you might need a consultant. It is difficult to keep up with the pace technology is changing, and impossible when you are also trying to keep up with your business and industry. For consultants, technology is their business.

If you have a computer system that requires periodic but not full-time supervision, you might need a consultant. Occasionally the need may come up for new software or hardware to be installed in the office, or new users added to the network. Tasks like this may not require someone on a full-time basis, but having a consultant available can assure that these tasks get done quickly and professionally.

If you have not yet implemented computers in your business, you might need a consultant. Many businesses today cannot survive without utilizing computer technology, and a good computer system may be at least part of a company's competitive advantage.

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