Today I run into a lot of companies that are paying a low price for their technical help. Are they really getting value? That depends. A good engineer should work fast, know what they are doing, and recommend solutions, not band aids. Having owned an IT firm for 5 years I can tell you that its hard to find engineers who understand the value proposition of creating solutions versus putting out fires. I don't' mean any offence to any IT network engineer out there. I know how tough the job is. I worked as an engineer for 2 years and I was not that good at it. Most of the training engineers are exposed to is technical. The personality strengths that make a great engineer are not necessarily the same strength's that make a great business advisor.
I'm convinced that the best IT firms find a way to combine practical business advice along with their solutions. It usually requires more than one person. An engineer can be highly skilled and effective when they have enough time to focus on their craft. Their is something magic about an engineer who executes with precision and speed. These engineers have studied and certified on the products. They have a passion for learning the new capabilities as soon as they come out. They are organized in their approach.
Practical business technology advice comes as a result of an ongoing discussion between the account manager the engineers and the practice leader. There are usually many solutions to a technology problem. There is usually one or two solutions that will yield the best result. This is where having multiple minds working on the problem can provide more consistent higher quality solutions.
When you are paying a higher price for IT consulting the additional dollars are going for training and certification, but more than that, the team that stands behind them. So when looking for an IT support provider consider the team as well as the tech.
Good Luck!
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