As a business grows past a certain size, IT stops being one job and splits into two: keeping today running smoothly, and deciding where the technology needs to be in two years' time. Most growing businesses assume they have to pick one specialism over the other. You don't, you just need to know which one you're currently missing.
There are two distinct roles built to cover this. It's worth being clear on what each one actually does before deciding which gap you're trying to close.
An IT Account Manager
In an outsourced IT model, the Managed IT Support model EPX IT runs, an IT Account Manager is your single point of contact between your business and your IT team. Their job is managing the relationship, keeping IT services aligned with what your business actually needs and making sure communication doesn't get lost in a ticket queue. In practice, that means:
- Managing contracts and service agreements.
- Monitoring service delivery and performance.
- Addressing and resolving issues promptly.
- Providing regular updates and reports on IT activity.
- Acting as your point of escalation when something needs pushing.
- Representing you, the customer, inside the provider, not the other way round.
A Virtual Chief Information Officer (vCIO)
A Virtual Chief Information Officer (vCIO) takes on a more strategic role. Think high-level IT executive, part of your leadership team, a voice at the board table, without the full-time salary. In practice, that means:
- Developing and implementing IT strategy aligned with business goals.
- Conducting IT assessments and identifying areas for improvement.
- Overseeing IT budgets and financial planning.
- Guiding technology investment and innovation.
- Liaising with hardware and software vendors on your behalf for complex projects.
The key difference
- Scope: Account Managers focus on service and operational efficiency. vCIOs focus on strategy and long-term planning.
- Engagement: Account Managers are in the day-to-day. vCIOs engage at board level, shaping decisions rather than running them.
- Cost: An Account Manager is typically bundled into a support contract. A vCIO commands a higher fee for a different kind of expertise, strategic, not operational.
One isn't a lesser version of the other. An Account Manager doesn't do a vCIO's job, and a vCIO looking after day-to-day tickets would be a waste of exactly the expertise you're paying for.
Which one does your business actually need?
The honest answer is: it can change as you grow, so it's worth revisiting rather than deciding once and forgetting about it. Three things to weigh up:
- Size and complexity: Straightforward IT needs point towards an Account Manager. Larger, more complex environments benefit from a vCIO's strategic view.
- Strategic vs. operational: If the goal is smooth-running IT, an Account Manager covers it. If the goal is using technology for competitive advantage, that's a vCIO conversation.
- Budget: A vCIO delivers real strategic value, but the cost can be prohibitive for a smaller business before it's needed. An Account Manager is often the right-sized answer for now.
Not sure which gap you're actually trying to close? Have a no-pressure conversation with us and we'll help you work out whether the answer is a stronger day-to-day relationship, a vCIO retainer or both at once.
