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Fractional IT Consultancy for SaaS & PaaS Companies

February 1, 2024
By Synnovate

Fractional IT Consultancy for SaaS & PaaS Companies: A Growing Trend for Startups & Scale-ups

According to a recent survey by Gartner, IT executives see the talent shortage as the most significant adoption barrier to 64% of emerging technologies, compared with just 4% in 2020.

Accenture also quotes “93% of executives agree that with rapid technological advancements, it is more important than ever for organisations to innovate with purpose.”

These quotes highlight the need to be different in our approach to obtaining the skills required for growth, without burning unnecessarily cash or being forced to utilise a “top 4” or traditional IT Professional Services business.

In the fast-paced and competitive world of SaaS and PaaS, startups and scaleups need to leverage the best technical expertise to deliver innovative and scalable solutions. However, hiring a full-time CTO or CIO, and other high end technical expertise within Data, AI, Automation, Digital and Cloud skillsets can be costly and challenging, especially for early-stage or bootstrapped companies. That’s why more and more businesses are turning to Synnovate for fractional IT consultancy, a flexible and affordable way to access IT leadership and support.

IR35 reforms in April 2021 created initial challenges for businesses and the “traditional contractor”. One silver lining of this reform created a more rigorous approach to a contractor being considered outside, leading to more deliverable and outcome-based work. Over the past 9 months, Synnovate have seen 90% of contract assignments being outside IR35, deliverable based engagements.

Here are 3 key items of advice to support you in your decision making, getting the most of out this kind of service, and how to find one!

How to screen, and get the most out of fractional IT Consultant?

To ensure that you hire the right fractional IT consultant for your business, Synnovate suggest that you should follow these steps:

Define clear deliverables, deadlines, and requirements ahead of the engagement commencement.
Get organised and plan for their time! They can still be expensive, so ensuring that you are organised internally and planning to use the time wisely is important. Synnovate will be provide a deliverable report to assist with this process. Simple items such as getting their access setup in good time will assist this.
Utilise tools such as project management software, time tracking software, reporting software, etc., to keep track of their deliverables and outcomes.

What are the benefits of fractional IT consultancy?

Fractional IT consultancy offers many benefits for startups and scaleups in the SaaS and PaaS space, such as:

Cost savings: Hiring a fractional IT consultant can be much more cost-effective than hiring a full-time CTO or CIO, as the company only pays for the time and services they need. Employing them via a consultancy such as Synnovate will ask create a deliverable based contract therefore creating a stronger focus on output. One would also expect they will be can also help optimise the IT budget and reduce operational expenses by recommending the best tools, platforms, and vendors for the business.
Expertise: A fractional IT consultant can bring in a wealth of experience and knowledge from working with different clients and industries, whilst maximising their time and avoiding overspending on a full-time salary.
Innovation: A fractional IT consultant can help foster a culture of innovation and creativity in the company, by introducing new ideas, technologies, and best practice.
Flexibility: A fractional IT consultant can adapt to the changing needs and goals of the business, providing as much or as little support as required. A fractional IT consultant can also scale up or down their involvement depending on the stage and growth of the company.

How to find a fractional IT consultant?

One of the best ways to find a fractional IT consultant is to contact Synnovate (www.synnovate.co.uk), a leading provider of fractional IT consultancy services for SaaS and PaaS businesses.

Synnovate has a team of experienced and qualified fractional IT consultants who can help you achieve your business goals and vision. Synnovate also has a network of trusted partners who can offer specialist technical expertise for your projects.