The scale up phase can be challenging and overwhelming, as you look to ensure your operations are scalable whilst controlling costs. This is why partnering with a scale-up consultant might help you succeed and thrive in the midst of cut-throat competition and changing goalposts. Atech has the team you need to help you get to the next level with complete personalised service and care.

If you’re unsure of whether or not you need a virtual CIO, here are four signs that you might.

4 Signs You Need to Work With a Virtual CIO

1. You’re Not Sure What You’re Paying For

There are plenty of costs affiliated with creating a scalable business, let alone a scalable platform, and often people have absolutely no idea what the bills are for or how they are helping their business. Consultants can demystify the process, allowing you to spend your valuable time on the things you need to be doing, such as growing your business and building a solid client base.

What Do IT Cost Optimisation Services Offer?

Right off the bat, we optimise your IT budget and let you know where you can cut corners if you need to. Many businesses find this to be tremendously helpful, because it allows them to trim the fat without sacrificing any vital business needs. Many times, companies are paying for redundant or unnecessary costs. IT Cost Optimisation eliminates these costs and streamlines your budget.

We can also strategise with you to better spend your company’s money in the future. We have years of experience working with companies just like you and offer actionable advice that will make a serious difference for you and your business. By putting together a roadmap for financial success, we can eliminate problems now and help you prepare for a brighter future.

2. You Don’t Have a Plan for Growth

Too many growing businesses think that they can just go with the flow and deal with problems as they come up. This laid-back approach is not conducive to growth and can cause significant problems. Having a plan for growth and a problem-solving structure in place before catastrophes strike are the best ways to shield yourself against problems down the line.

Customised technology roadmaps

At Atech, we pride ourselves in crafting customised IT roadmap and scalability programmes for each of our clients. Since every company is different, there are no cookie-cutter solutions. We work with vendors like Microsoft to help you understand how to make the most of different licensing models and ensure you are not paying over the odds to keep your team collaborating securely. Where there are programmes and incentives that you are eligible for, we can also help cut through the red tape and ensure you are making the most of the incentives available.

3. You’ve Neglected Your Security

If you’re not taking your security seriously, you’re opening up yourself up to a whole host of problems. Cybersecurity is one of the most critical elements of any healthy and functional business, and you need to make sure that yours is on point.

Showing your investors how you are protecting IP through effective security operations is going to be key for funding, so don’t think you can get by without.

Get a Health Check

Be honest with yourself about how seriously you’re taking cybersecurity. Have a skilled consultant do a comprehensive health check to identify any problem areas or vulnerable spots, and deliver a plan to address these issues in a swift and meaningful fashion.

Avoid Hackers

Hackers know that many small businesses don’t take their cybersecurity as seriously as they should, so they specifically target them. Making yourself a hard target is one of the best ways to encourage hackers to leave you alone. Just as with locking your car door and keeping valuables out of sight, make sure you’re too hard a target to bother with for no guaranteed reward, which encourages the bad guys to move on to something softer. The fact that SMB’s in the UK see a total of 65,000 hacking attempts daily is enough to keep anyone awake at night, along with all the other research compiled by CSO Online on the topic. The disruption to business-as-usual, the damage to your brand, the cost of a breach, but also the irreparable damage caused by losing your work. Make sure you have the right procedures in place.

Keep Employees on Track

At Atech, we know that security breaches can slip in through the cracks. Well-intentioned but distracted employees are often the weak link that allows phishing schemes to pass through, infecting your whole network. Our security checks include simulated phishing scams to test for weak spots and help you train your employees better.

4. You Have No Singular Point Person for Growth

We know that many founders like to think that they are a one-person show, capable of handling every aspect of the company. In truth, this kind of thinking very often leads to huge problems when the founders burn out. Scale up companies often find that they don’t have the money to hire a full-time CIO to handle day-to-day business, which is why Atech offers virtual CIO services.

A virtual CIO helps you adjust to all of the new technology that you’ll need to succeed as well as work with your team to ensure that they are following your strategic plan for growth. They will also be able to spot problems before they become significant catastrophes and implant exciting new strategies that expand your reach into new markets. They are imperative to success and take a lot of stress off your shoulders.

At Atech we are dedicated to your continued growth and success. The entire goal of our company is to make sure that you have the white-glove, personalised service that you need to navigate your business towards growth. When scaling your business, you need all of the support and help that you can get. Contact Atech below for a no-pressure consultation today.

We work with a range of STEM scale ups and know what will help you focus on growth and innovation, so don’t hesitate to get in touch.