IT consulting and IT services are two different elements of IT outsourcing, each offering a specific set of services. As a business, you will find that IT consulting and IT services are both highly beneficial to various parts of the company at certain times. To know when best to apply each service, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the differences between IT consulting vs IT services.
The IT consulting industry is expected to reach a market value of $82.44 billion by 2027, up from $57.02 billion in 2021. The IT services market is following suit with a year-on-year (YoY) growth of 7.04%.
Clearly, these are two thriving components of the IT industry and open a plethora of growth avenues for all manners of business. However, before you make your jump into the array of consulting services options that populate the market, it is important to know exactly where you are going and why.
To help you fundamentally assess and compare the value that your business can derive from IT consulting vs IT services, we have mapped out the key differences to help your organization make an informed decision.
IT Consulting: A Primer
Operational sectors
- Management consulting
Management consulting examines how a business operates at the corporate level and delivers an IT strategy to fit the company’s business model.
It includes:
- Business process design and process management to help the company use IT as a tool for achieving its eventual goals
- Developing training and talent management programs to support a business’s existing IT workforce
- Technology consulting
- IT assessment and remediation
- IT infrastructure and strategic guidance
- IT advisory
IT Services: A Primer
Operational sectors
Infrastructure support covers the following elements of an organization’s hardware and network system, including:
- Hardware deployment
- Server and network management
- Remote work solutions
Business process outsourcing (BPO) includes a host of services that fit into either horizontal offerings that can be leveraged across specific industries or vertical offerings that demand specific industry process knowledge. These can then be further grouped under the following outsourcing categories:
- Local – based in your home country or state
- Offshore – based abroad or in another state
- Nearshore – based in a neighboring country or state
Software deployment and support covers all aspects of IT software and how it’s supplied to the business, including:
- Software development
- Cloud services
- Systems integration
- IT help desk support
IT Consulting vs. IT Services: What Are the Differences?
IT consulting
- Provides a detailed analysis of your existing IT operations and infrastructure
- Conducts gap analysis against key metrics
- Delivers tailored guidance on all IT improvements required
- Provides business process re-engineering
- Performs conceptualization and implementation of industry best practices
- Delivers post-implementation reports with ongoing reviews and expert advice
IT services
- Tangible deliverables
- Infrastructure provisioning and maintenance (hardware, network, and software)
- Software product delivery
- Intangible deliverables
- Customer relationship management with 24/7 customer service
- Disaster recovery planning pertaining to the envisioned business goals
- Knowledge management
Cost comparison
Here is a rundown of how IT consulting and IT services are broken down in terms of cost. Although the two sectors provide different services, it’s helpful to get an understanding of the various ways in which they are priced.
IT consulting
IT consultants typically charge between $80 and $150 per hour for their services, although this can vary a lot depending on region and quality. For enterprise-level IT consulting, rates can range between $300 and $800 per hour. The average cost of consulting on an IT project ranges from $50,000 to $1,000,000.
The hourly rate of an IT consultant may seem high compared to an employee’s hourly rate, but it’s usually more cost-effective. Unlike permanent employee pay that isn’t used efficiently, every cent spent on an IT consultant is fully utilized and accounted for. You not only get better service but often spend less in the long run than if you hire a permanent staff member.
To get a better idea of the cost of IT consulting in your area, contact Ubisec for a quote.
IT services
IT services usually operate on a base monthly rate, with additional hourly charges for certain services. For organizations that have an in-house IT support team, they may just use a break-fix service that charges between $50 to $150 per hour.
Smaller companies that have no permanent in-house IT support would usually hire the services of an MSP at a cost charged per device or user. This typically ranges between $50 to $400 per user or device, and $1,000 to $3,000 per server or $200 to $500 for cloud-based servers.
FAQs
Secure class-leading IT consulting services for your business
IT consulting is an outcome-driven business where the client buys time and expertise. In other words, it is an investment in the future. Go for top-tier IT consulting services and the investment will pay off in the long run.
Schedule an appointment to learn more or to receive a customized proposal.
Interested to know the average cost of co-managed or fully managed IT services? Try out our MSP price calculator and get an estimate.
