AKIBIA'S PRACTICAL GUIDE TO ENTERPRISE TECHNOLOGY
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Choosing the Right Consultant
Some organizations may be afraid to get consulting guidance for their compliance issues. Companies realize that they need assistance with compliance and security, either due to the fact that they just do not have the resources, or they lack the in house knowledge, but the actual cost of the help may not be the issue. The cost of changes in policy, process and technology recommended by a consultant could be causing the fear.
Consultant help has a reputation for coming in and spending as much time as possible to make recommendations that are to the extreme in order to justify their value. Clients are overwhelmed by the potential cost of implementing these extreme recommendations and feel like the consultants are steering how to run their business. They also feel that once a recommendation is made, since it is documented, then anything short of that will not be sufficient.
Companies need a consulting partner who can first understand their business and goals then make sensible recommendations that are in line with the company’s goals while accomplishing compliance and security. A consultant should not direct a company’s policy and procedures in order to achieve compliance, but help make the company’s policies and procedures achieve compliance and security.
