Fractional CIO (vCIO) Services
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What are fractional cio services?
AKA What are vCIO Services
Businesses know what a CFO, COO and CEO are. They are leaders at the top of the corporation that specialize in the big picture planning and guide the business towards goals both short and long term. The CIO is a member of this key team, focused on big-picture planning in the realm of information technology. Most small businesses (even some fairly large ones) don’t have a requirement for a full-time CIO. They are not fundamentally a technology company. They just need the occasional guidance of a senior executive.
Meet the vCIO. Sabre Limited vCIO services entail senior leadership to guide the company through decision-making and planning. vCIO services are intended to keep businesses from making bad or ill-informed information technology decisions. Using this service properly can prevent a business from making an investment in obsolete technology. It provides the “reality check” when technology needs to be selected for the company.
What vCIO Services Do Sabre Provide?
Sabre provides manufacturing vCIO services for all of our customers. Common vCIO services that are provided for manufacturing companies include but are not limited to:
- Active asset inventory data collected automatically by the system.
- Regular communications regarding cyber security recommendations and warnings of new threats.
- Ticket based Q&A from our highly qualified helpdesk services team.
- For some clients, annual or bi-annual basic Technology Business Review meetings.
IT Excellence - a Premium vCIO Service
For some manufacturing companies, especially those who expect to invest heavily in IT, the basic vCIO services we provide are not enough. For that reason, we allow customers to upgrade to Sabre IT Excellence a Premium Sabre Limited vCIO Service. The IT Excellence service is intended to provide you with a true fractional CIO, on call for your business. A senior consultant level staff member is assigned to provide ongoing services and really dig into how your business works and what you do.
Under Sabre IT Excellence you are entitled to ongoing and regular access to your vCIO. You may book them for “coaching sessions” at a frequency described below and depending on the level of the service. You are also entitled to other elevated services, such as system performance dashboards, budget and strategic planning assets, and leadership meeting activities. The services of Sabre IT Excellence include:
- Access to the vCIO via email, teams or text messages for any management
questions. - Ability to schedule the vCIO for coaching sessions.
- Ability to schedule vCIO for longer leadership meetings.
- Support preparing and planning IT budgets for the organization.
- Detailed system performance dashboards documenting your system performance.
- [Optional] Support for Product Selection and other key projects.
- Strategic “Premium” Technology Business Review meetings.
- Access to the most senior consulting resources when needed.
- Leadership and expertise that stays “connected” to your own executive team and develops a deep understanding of your business.
Startup vCIO Services
Great for small businesses with minimal requirements
- Access to vCIO for Q&A via text, email or TEAMS for strategy questions (max 2 hrs per month)
- Monthly 1 Hour sessions
- IT Budget Planning (once per year)
- Dashboard access on demand
- Twice yearly Premium Strategic Business Reviews
- Twice yearly vCIO Leadership meetings (up to 2 hours each)
- Adhoc meetings at a reduced rate
Standard vCIO Services
Great for a highly progressive or larger business with growth expectations
- Access to vCIO for Q&A via text, email or TEAMS for strategy questions (max 2 hrs per month)
- Bi-weekly 1 Hour sessions
- IT Budget Planning (twice per year)
- Dashboard access on demand
- Quarterly Premium Strategic Business Reviews
- Quarterly vCIO Leadership meetings (up to 2 hours each)
- Adhoc meetings at a reduced rate
Premium vCIO Services
Ideal for the larger business with big plans or major growth
- Access to vCIO for Q&A via text, email or TEAMS for strategy questions (max 2 hrs per month)
- Weekly 1 Hour sessions
- IT Budget Planning (quarterly)
- Dashboard access on demand
- Monthly Premium Strategic Business Reviews
- Monthly vCIO Leadership meetings (up to 2 hours each)
- Adhoc meetings at a reduced rate
Like all Sabre service agreements, vCIO services may be cancelled at any time with 90 days notice.
On-Demand (Extra) vCIO Services
Every company is different, and vCIO services aren’t able to be fit into a one-size fits all model. There are a number of extra on-demand services that a business might need during the year that isn’t covered by the out-of-the-box vCIO services above. As a vCIO service subscriber, the hourly rates for vCIO services are greatly reduced when these extra services are required.
These are some of the examples of extra vCIO activities that are frequently requested by manufacturing customers like you:
- Software or hardware selection projects – where the vCIO assists the company in locating (and sometimes negotiating) the purchase of advanced technology.
- Interview or hiring support for new senior staff members who will be involved in technology.
- Digital marketing assessment and advice, including analysis of the business SEO and other digital data.
- Major technology integration projects, such as supporting or sourcing offshore or outsourced development services on behalf of the customer.
FAQ
Think we missed a common question? Contact us and ask us to add it here.
How do the 1 Hour Sessions work?
Your vCIO is available for 1 hour sessions at various frequencies. These are often used for “coaching” purposes. You may book a coaching session with your vCIO at the frequency shown include in the contract. For instance, if you have a Monthly Frequency – you can book the session for any time and then you must wait a month to book the next one.
Normally the vCIO leaves available coaching session slots in their calendar for “next week.” This means that on Monday the 1st – there should be coaching sessions available on Monday the 7th or later. You can book that session, and then when your session is over, immediately book another as long as the appropriate time is set between the sessions.
Coaching sessions are available for the customer when requested, but may not be booked more than one at a time. That means you can’t have a standing “every Tuesday” for coaching.
What's the difference between a 1 hour session and leadership meeting?
Leadership meetings are intended for the vCIO and the rest of the organization’s leadership (CEO, CFO, CMO etc.) to meet. The normal use of this is for monthly or quarterly C-Level planning sessions. The vCIO might just attend to listen and stay “in the loop” on what is happening at the business.
The Coaching sessions are meant to (normally) be 1:1 with a C-Level or senior manager at the customer. Maybe the vCIO and the CFO talk about general project planning regularly. These meetings are shorter and less formal.
As my vCIO, why are you not available 100% of the time?
vCIO or fractional CIO means you are getting a “part time” CIO service. A full time CIO will generally cost $150,000 to $200,000 per year. This service is meant to bridge your requirement before you have the budget or need for that level of service.
Is Project Management or Network Architecture included as a vCIO?
Tactical project work such as a project manager or Network Architect would do is not part of vCIO services. The vCIO is not a “working manager” service but rather a strategic leadership service.
Do I have to add vCIO services to my managed services?
vCIO services are for some businesses – not all. Sabre will provide twice yearly Technology Business Reviews (not the premium ones) and you can always submit tickets or requests to discuss strategy questions.
vCIO services can also be paid for on an as-needed basis even if you do not subscribe to one of these plans. The plans are simply for businesses that want committed and timely vCIO services.
Why would a manufacturing company need a vCIO?
A vCIO can significantly help a business in many ways. Risk reduction is a key one. Although a managed service provider is actively working with your business to make sure the technology you have is safe and working at 100%, we are not “plugged in” to what your plans are.
The vCIO service is designed so you and we strategically work together to make plans for your success. Without this service, we usually won’t have the background or knowledge to guide you and help avoid costly mistakes.
Overall the vCIO service helps your business make better decisions and plan the company’s future successes.
What's the advantage of buying a vCIO Pack?
The vCIO is normally [sabre-price cad-price=”250″ usa-price=”225″] per hour. The vCIO plans average out at about [sabre-price cad-price=”150″ usa-price=”180″] or a 33% discount.