An Information Technology Consulting Company That Is Perfect for a Biotech Firm - 7 Signs
Small and midsize Biotech companies do not have the financial resources that their larger pharmaceutical counterparts have. This means that they must be even smarter in how they spend. Larger firms have deeper pockets for their projects while Biotech startups and medium sized firms must find investors if they do not have enough in the R&D budget. Thus, due to budget limitations, the small to midsize Biotech companies must find creative methods to use their limited resources while growing their business. The most effective way for them to do this is to make sure that the company they are hiring is a great long term match. When looking for an Information Technology firm to hire, Biotech companies should look for seven major signs.

An Information Technology consulting company that truly understands and embraces their Biotech clients' needs should be experienced and knowledgeable in serving the Biotech industry. We believe there are seven traits that a successful IT partner should have:

1. They should have an understanding of the biotechnology industry and specific needs that may come up such as regulatory requirements, clinical trial needs, GMP standards, HIPAA (in some cases), FDA compliance, ISO certifications, trade secret protections, vendor relations with proprietary lab equipment manufacturers etc.

2. They should have a leadership background and many years of experience in the industry (over 10 is a good number). They should be able to work with C-level executives as well as line workers so they know the needs at the front line as well as the needs of a growth business at a high level.

3. They must be responsive and agile. In the biotechnology industry, innovation is key and getting to the market faster means reaching profitability sooner and thus, having less need to get additional rounds of funding. In other words, an agile response is equal to time and money saved.

4. They must work closely and strategically with the company. They should not just be on-call technicians who come and fix things without seeing the big picture. There are two distinct needs within every biotechnology company: administrative and research. Therefore, technicians must be able to keep computers working for admin purposes but must also be technologically strategic enough to leverage their knowledge of technology into profits; thus allowing their clients to increase productivity, decrease costs, and get to the market quicker.

5. An Information Technology firm that has their clients' best interests in mind will consistently be thinking about cost savings. Based on their years of experience, a veteran IT firm will have several methods as to how to cut or even eliminate extra costs dealing with equipment, labor or time, for their client. Thus, by choosing an IT money saving expert, the client will be able to save on expenditures.

6. An efficient IT firm knows how to find creative solutions to a current network issue a client may have and may even be able to foresee related issues in the future and prevent them from happening.

7. An Information Technology firm that is familiar with the nuance associated with proprietary lab equipment is able to understand that they are manufactured differently and that they are unique in their operation. For example, some are standalone units, some work in an active directory domain environment, some operate in a quasi-domain environment, and some come with very lax security protection that should be corrected. The IT firm will also understand that they all require careful security reviews and possibly security changes in order to integrate it to the company network.

As the owner of an Information Technology consulting company in San Diego, I have had the opportunity to work with a number of San Diego based biotechnology companies. Often times, the pains and needs that they share with me are very similar. After all, they are all racing to bring their products to market sooner, they want it done right the first time, and done cost effectively. Some say, with this economy we have to do more with less. I say, you should do more with less - always!

Being well-versed with the biotechnology sector does not give the IT consulting company license to overcharge their Biotech clients. A good Information Technology partner will have a good handle of human resources on their team to appropriately assign the needed resource when that expertise is required on a project.

An IT firm that is dedicated to their client establishes a relationship with them that is more of a partnership. Instead of labeling the client as just another account, an Information Technology consulting company that truly cares for their client's best interests goes the extra mile for them. Here in San Diego, we once got a call from a client that had a problem with his laptop computer. He could not get it to work and had an important presentation at an executive meeting to do. We took his laptop, fixed it for him and delivered it to his meeting just in time. Our client was very pleased and so were we.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6306709

How to Quickly Find a Top Consulting Company

Hiring a top consulting company has the potential to take your business from mediocrity to millions.

A good consultant can realistically increase your bottom line by 1000% percent or more, in a relatively short amount of time. A poor consultant could waste more than just your money, they could waste your precious time, energy, and patience - doing things that are ineffective and impractical.

Consulting, unlike most every other profession, doesn't require a new consultant to get any certification or pass a test. Anyone can claim to be a consultant.

The problem is, most consultants are incredibly expensive - that is, they charge astronomical fees before they make you a cent. They can't guarantee their work because they don't use proven approaches to grow your business. And, they typically work harder convincing you to write them a retainer check than to make you business more profitable.

I've been duped by a smooth talking salesperson before, and my job now is to protect you against these predators.

Here are three things that I wish I started doing years ago when I was hiring a consultant:
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    Negotiate (or at least ask) if they will accept payment based on performance instead of upfront. You will immediately weed out the consultants that are only after getting their retainer check, and abandoning your business with a PowerPoint and a handshake - instead of tangible profits in your bank account. Most are taught great closing sales techniques, but nothing about how to make your business more money.
    Do a trial run. Get on the phone with the consultant and see what they're made of. If they don't impress you now and give you at least one tangible solution to your problem, it's unlikely they'll be able to help your business after you hire them.
    Make them guarantee their work. If you do decide to fork over a big check before you see tangible results, ask if they'll guarantee their work. Set realistic goals for them to strive for. Put in your contract this caveat: if they don't accomplish the goal(s) you laid out, have them refund all or part of their fee. If they won't agree to this, they're not a top consulting company.

Do these three things during your next search for a top consulting company and you'll find the most capable individual for the job in the least amount of time.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4596380

What Can You Expect From an HR Consulting Company?
Human Resources consulting can be explained as a way of making sure that workers are used effectively in order to achieve the goals set out by the organisation. HR consultants aim to structure the company in a way that is most organised and meets the needs of the business.

Most HR companies tend to focus on some of the following things. Close attention is paid to employment law and following strict human relations policies and guidelines. A fair amount of HR companies will do Employee surveys in order to find out more information about them and their career.
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Some HR consultants choose to provide career support to their workers and assist people through career change. They might also be called in to help a company that is restructuring or expanding quickly.
They will oversee the recruitment process and make sure that talented people are brought into the company.

Human resources consultants can help a whole variety of different companies from start ups to multinationals. They can be called in to focus on a specific short term issue on behalf of the client as well as working with companies over a long period of time to establish structured procedures.

When it comes to human resources most companies will have a choice between two options, although it does depend on the size of the company. They can choose to outsource the work to human relations specialists or they can employ someone as a HR consultant within their company.

A human resources employee would give advice on hiring strategies and suggest optimum ways to utilise the people within their company. Talented HR professionals play close attention to make sure that there is a range of skilled workers employed within the company and that their skill are being used appropriately.
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Some of the things that a HR consultant might get involved with on a daily basis include things like checking application forms, promoting equality within an organisation, assisting line managers through the hiring process, directly recruiting staff and putting employment policies and recommendations into place.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4116729

10 Things to Consider When Choosing an IT Consulting Company If you own or run a small-to-medium size business, outsourcing your IT needs to an IT consulting firm is most likely the most cost-effective method of maintaining your company's IT services. An outside IT consulting and management team can save you the personnel costs associated with hiring your own full-service IT staff, such as health-care costs, payroll, and space requirements.

However, choosing the correct IT consulting company for your business can be a difficult process. Below is a list of 10 things you can do to select and evaluate a prospective IT consulting company.

Assess Your Business Needs-The first step in selecting an IT services consultant is to assess the specific needs of your individual business. Make a list of the current technology challenges facing your business, and how you'd like to overcome them. In addition, project the direction you would like to steer your business in over the next 5 years.

Let Them Respond-Once you've assessed your needs, you can present an outline to various companies and allow them to provide you with their prospective IT solutions. This information will help you narrow down your search for an IT consultant even further.

Check Their Processes-Next meet with the firms you've selected and ask them to explain their established processes and procedures. A good IT consultant should have a documented and detailed process plan in place describing procedures for maintenance, repair, service and support.
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Check References and Certifications-Get at least three references from the IT services firm you're selecting, and contact them. In addition, get a list of certifications, such as Microsoft's Gold Certified program from them. You want to make sure they've had the training necessary to handle your IT needs.

Evaluate their Personalities-Schedule a meeting with the people in the company you'll be working most closely with. See if their personalities are a match for your company and if working with them will be a pleasurable experience.

Assess Network Monitoring Capabilities-A good IT services company should be able to monitor every critical component of your business network, from anti-virus updates to website status to system event log errors.

Remote Computer Support Availability-Your IT consultant should have the ability to log into your system (server and desktops) remotely to address problems in real-time.

Regular Reviews-Select a consulting firm that will regularly assess how well your current business technology is working, and ask them to put this service in writing.

Location-Every IT problem can't be addressed remotely. Make sure you pick an IT services firm that is relatively near to your business geographically.

Fees-It's in your company's best interest to select an IT services firm offering a flat-fee rate. This will allow your business to budget your expenses accurately, and doesn't increase your consultant's income when your system performs poorly.

Keep these tips in mind when selecting an IT consulting service and you'll be much more likely to find the perfect match for your business IT needs.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3499456

How an HR Consulting Company Could Benefit You
If you want your company to run as effectively as possible then an HR consulting company could be just what you need.

All companies know that their HR department is one of the most important departments that they have. Helping to ensure that everything is running properly, the HR team have an extremely tough job on their hands. By getting the help of a consulting company, they can advise you on a number of different things including employment law and they may also be able to provide you with software. Various types of software can help to make your job a whole lot easier. Generally the consulting company will tell you how you can make changes to improve the running of the human resources department and hence improve the running of the company.

How the HR Consulting Process Works

When you hire a consulting service, they will look at the way in which the HR department is currently run. They will then tell you how you can make changes to save you money, time and to make the most of your HR management. They will show you exactly how various systems can help you to have a more productive department and they can also inform you of the latest employment laws. Keeping on top of such laws is important and it can save you a lot of hassle too.

One particular way in which an HR consultant can help you is by creating staff employment contracts. They can also provide your business with company handbooks which explain everything clearly to your employees. As an employer you have a duty to inform your employees of their rights and of the different employment laws. They also need to know the grievance policy as well as holiday entitlement and sick pay. An HR consultant can take the strain off the HR department by creating this booklet for you.

Many employers are caught out by employment law because they do not keep on top of it. The different employment laws are changing all of the time and if you don't keep track of them you could end up being taken to an employment tribunal. HR consultants will be able to keep you informed of any changes that you need to be aware of. This will include things such as minimum wage, maternity leave, anti-discrimination laws and equal opportunities. So with an HR consultant there is no need to be caught out by such changes and faced with a large compensation payout.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1094003