When you engage an IT consultant or solution architect, one of the first questions you should ask is how that person is being compensated. The same goes for the engineers who implement the solution. The answer may surprise you.
Who’s Paying Your IT Consultant?
Who’s Paying Your IT Consultant?
Most people recognize that a sales agent earns a commission to sell a particular product. It’s often less clear with consultants and solution architects. Although they charge you for their services, they may also be compensated by the hardware manufacturer, software provider, or cloud service provider they recommend.
The engineers who implement the solution may also receive compensation from the vendor in the form of a kickback. This is a common practice in the industry. Reputable solution providers will tell you upfront that they’re getting a kickback, or note it on your invoice in the form of a credit. However, some will go ahead and charge you full price for the implementation and keep the kickback for themselves.
DeSeMa operates on a different model. We work for you — our IT consultants and solution architects don’t represent any particular vendor. On top of that, if we receive compensation from the vendor for implementation, you will see it as a credit on your bill. Continue reading to learn more about IT consultant payments, and give us a call to request our services!
The Importance of Transparency
The problem with the commission scenario is clear: You can’t be sure the consultant or solution architect is going to recommend the best solution for your needs. It’s human nature — they are going to gravitate toward the vendors that compensate them.
They’re not necessarily going to recommend the best product for your needs if it doesn’t earn them a commission. They may not get you the most economical software licensing or the best deal on the cloud platform. They might, but you can’t be sure unless you ask them point blank how they’re compensated.
Objective consultants and solution architects are going to charge you for their time — that’s how they make a living. You’ll pay them an hourly rate to help you identify your needs and objectives, gather requirements, and assess your environment and IT skill sets. When they make their recommendation, it will be based upon their determination of the best solution, as they have no incentive to recommend a particular product.
Often, the best solution is already in your environment. Many organizations have IT products that aren’t being used to their fullest potential. Perhaps a product was purchased for one project but has features that will fill the current need. Maybe the product wasn’t implemented correctly and simply needs to be reconfigured.
The DeSeMa Approach
DeSeMa’s IT consultants will typically offer you “good, better, best” options and explain the benefits and potential downsides of each. In rare cases, there may be only one option for a niche product in a particular industry, but that’s the exception, not the rule. If you already have a product that could be used more effectively, we’ll tell you!
Our IT consultants like to recommend products that are capable of doing multiple jobs for the same price. We’ll size the solution properly to meet your foreseeable requirements and advise you of the most cost-effective licensing program. Yes, you pay us hourly for our work, but in the long run, you’re going to reduce your overall IT spend by not overpaying for resources you don’t need or that aren’t the best fit.
When it comes time to implement the solution, we will tell you if we’re getting a kickback from the vendor. We don’t pocket that money – it’s yours. You will see a line item on your invoice reflecting the credit amount.
Who’s paying your IT consultant? With DeSeMa, the answer is you and not a vendor. We answer to our clients and recommend solutions that are in their best interests. If this sounds like the right solution to you, get started by reaching out to our team of experts today!