Arlington IT Consulting Services for Small Businesses

We are based near Arlington, Virginia and specialize in IT consulting services for small businesses reaching compliance such as non profits, design, manufacturing and engineering firms, and other small government contractors. You can take advantage of our expertise in these areas either as a standalone engagement or as part of our managed services. 

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Small business IT consulting services in Arlington

Compliance Consulting

We make sure you’re using the right technologies in the best way to achieve compliance for DFARS/CMMC, HIPAA, and more. We are a certified CMMC RPO.

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Business Improvement Review

Discover the opportunities you have to integrate technology into streamlined processes through a Business Improvement Review. 

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Project Consulting

Project work includes installation of a new workstation fleet, servers, network equipment, migrations, and major software upgrades. 

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In order to optimize your infrastructure you need…

One or more of the following solutions

IT Assessment & Strategy

This is a service that’s designed to provide an in-depth overview of your IT environment. Having this information available makes it easier to make informed decisions on how to best use your IT environment to support your business.

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IT Compliance Audit

At E-N Computers, our experienced staff has a thorough understanding of compliance regulations. We’ll help you ensure all your systems maintain compliance so you can avoid having to pay serious fines.

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Security Audit

Get to know your overall security posture with our security audit service. We’ll perform a battery of tests and analysis that will let you know the state of your security. Our team can then help fix any issues, allowing you to achieve your business security goals.

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Fractional Chief Technology Officer

One of our seasoned engineers will act as your fractional CTO to manage and maintain your IT infrastructure and provide advisory services as needed.

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Technology Consulting

Technology evolves at a rapid pace and staying on top of the latest developments can be difficult. As your partner, we’ll provide guidance so you can make informed IT decisions.

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We’re different because we’ve been there

Why ENC for your IT consulting?

As a Virginia-based business we specialize in helping small businesses harness the power of technology without the hassle. We are a small business ourselves. We started in our CEO’s garage and have grown to become a regional IT managed services provider. We understand your pains and opportunities.

We also have grown to specialize in “government” – that is, small businesses that must meet government-imposed compliance standards such as non profits, schools, and design, engineering and manufacturing firms. We are a Registered Practitioner Organization for providing consulting for CMMC implementation.

Whether you need to achieve compliance, improve operations, or complete a project, it needs to happen with minimal disruption, and you want to be part of the decision-making process. Our collaborative approach to IT consulting empowers you to make decisions while providing the technical knowledge and skills to bring your vision to life. 

Our corporate office is located in Waynesboro, Virginia, so we can easily serve clients in Arlington.

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  • Collaboration

    We want to collaborate with you. Rather than tell you what to do or be told what to do, we prefer to work alongside you to develop the best solutions for your business. 

  • Relationships

    We want to build a long-term relationship with you. Small businesses have unique constraints — like limited personnel, available time, and budget — that may cause a project to take longer. We’re here for the long haul. 

  • Experience

    Our consultants are or have been small business owners themselves. They know technology really well. But they also know the joys and pains of keeping a business running.

  • Try Before You Buy

    You want your IT consultant to be both knowledgeable and pleasant to work with. Try us out at no risk with a complimentary Business Improvement Review.

How our IT consulting works for small businesses in Arlington

We take a five-step approach to IT consulting, based on Flawless Consulting by Peter Block.

01

Contract. First, you’ll have a meeting with one of our main consultants to discuss the challenges you’re facing and whether we’re the right fit for you. We’ll also set expectations on both sides. If everything lines up, we’ll execute a contract. 

02

Assess. Next, we’ll begin a more in–depth assessment of the problem. We’ll collect information about your systems and processes and then deliver a recommendation on how to proceed. 

03

Decide When we provide a recommendation, we want to get your thoughts. Together, we’ll discuss any concerns you have and adjust so that the solution is the best fit for you. 

04

Implement. Once you agree that you’re ready to move forward, implementation will begin. Our team will create a detailed plan to roll out all improvements with minimal disruption. 

05

Evaluate. After implementation, we’ll have a discussion with you about how the project went, lessons learned, and what steps you may consider in the future to improve your business/IT strategy.

06

Handover You will be provided with all deliverables and training needed to maintain the project. 

Our process for communication and reporting

Throughout your consulting engagement, you will have a regularly scheduled meeting to review progress and make decisions. For CMMC compliance, this is usually a one-hour meeting every one to two weeks. At the end of the meeting, there is usually homework for each of us to do as we work toward achieving your goals. We also provide you with an online client portal to access communication and deliverables. 

Three professionals looking at paperwork together illustrating Arlington, Virginia IT consulting services for small businesses
Photo of handshake illustrating Arlington, Virginia IT consulting services for small businesses

We work with your existing team

We collaborate with your existing IT, whether it’s an internal team or an MSP. We want to build a respectful working relationship; our goal is not to replace or overshadow them. Instead, we aim to complement your existing team by contributing specialized knowledge, fresh perspectives, and tried-and-true best practices. 

We rely on your existing team for access, data, and insights. They may test and offer suggestions to refine the solution. And during handover, we make sure they are provided with training and documentation. We are also available for ongoing support on an hourly basis or as a co-managed services provider. 

We keep your data secure and confidential

We follow security best practices on our own network to protect your data. In addition to security controls like password policies and multi-factor authentication, we include a confidentiality clause in our contract as reassurance that we will only use your data to carry out the work you hire us for. 

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Our IT consultants and their qualifications

Headshot of Ian MacRae, Arlungton, Virginia IT consultant for small businesses

Ian MacRae

The best IT consultants have experience in both business and technology.

Ian MacRae, our founder, built the company from a small repair shop into a top-tier regional MSP serving Arlington and beyond. His passion for business and technology is instrumental in helping clients meet compliance regulations, improve security, and optimize systems and processes for continued growth.

Ian is a CMMC registered practitioner, which authorizes him to provide CMMC implementation consulting services. This means meeting cybersecurity standards required by the Department of Defense.

Headshot of Thomas Kinsinger, Arlington, Virginia IT consultant for small businesses

Thomas Kinsinger

Thomas Kinsinger, our director of technology, ran his own IT business in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley for 10 years before joining our team in 2013.

His enthusiasm for technology and understanding of a variety of industries make him an excellent resource, someone who will take the time to explain technology and help you make the decisions that are best for your business. He is a registered practitioner with The Cyber AB, which validates his expertise as a CMMC consultant. He holds several industry certifications including CompTIA A+ and Cisco CMNA.

Frequently asked questions about IT consulting services

What should I look for in an IT consultant based in Arlington?

Choosing the right IT consultant is crucial for the success of your business. Here are some factors to consider. 

Experience with Small Businesses: It’s essential to choose a consultant who understands the unique challenges and needs of small businesses. 

Relevant Industry Experience: Ensure the consultant has experience in your industry. This helps in addressing specific challenges you might face. Virginia businesses especially face the challenge of government regulation and compliance, so your consultant should be an expert on compliance requirements.

Strong Communication Skills: A good IT consultant should be able to explain technical terms in a way that’s easy for non-techies to understand. 

Positive Client Reviews: Look for testimonials or ask for references to gauge the consultant’s reliability and effectiveness. 

Flexibility: As your business grows, your needs might change. An ideal consultant can adapt and offer scalable solutions. 

What are the benefits of hiring an IT consultant? 

Engaging an IT consultant offers many advantages for your small business. 

Expertise on Demand: Instead of trying to figure out complex tech problems on your own, you have an expert at your fingertips. 

Cost-Efficiency: Hiring full-time IT staff can be expensive. With a consultant, you only pay for the services you need when you need them. 

Staying Updated: Technology is constantly evolving. An IT consultant ensures you’re using the latest and most efficient tools for your business. 

Focus on Core Business: Instead of getting bogged down by IT challenges, you can concentrate on what you do best – running your business. 

Risk Reduction: With a knowledgeable consultant by your side, you’re less likely to run into tech-related risks that could potentially harm your business.

How much do IT consulting services cost in Arlington? 

CMMC compliance consulting costs about $1000/month for smaller businesses and includes a weekly one-hour meeting with a CMMC registered practitioner. Projects will be dependent on cost of materials and whether the work must be done after hours to minimize disruptions (which is not common). 

Labor for projects is $175/hour. 

How long will the engagement last? 

Generally, an IT consulting engagement lasts six to twelve months, if not longer. The length depends on your goals, the size of your organization, and the time and resources you can dedicate to the effort. 

What kind of post-engagement support do you offer? 

We’re pleased to offer post-engagement support on an hourly basis. We can also discuss bundling it into the contract, if you prefer. 

Does the IT consultant work onsite in Arlington or remotely?

This depends on your technical and organizational needs. We’re more than happy to travel to you when necessary. Our corporate headquarters is in Waynesboro, Virginia, and we serve businesses in the Arlington area. 

What is the difference between IT consulting and tech consulting?

IT consulting includes guidance on technical infrastructure, information management, compliance, and security. Tech consulting is more specific and mainly refers to providing guidance on technical infrastructure.

Large businesses have several C-level executives responsible for providing guidance on all of these elements. Since smaller businesses can’t afford or make sufficient use of full-time, full-cost C-level technologists, IT consultants provide these services at a fraction of the time and cost. We like to call it fractional IT consulting. At ENC, the four fractional roles we provide are:

  • Chief Technology Officer (CTO): Responsible for your IT budget and the lifecycle of your hardware and software. They help you find out whether you’re using the right gear and optimize performance of systems and applications. They also help you develop your cloud strategy.
  • Chief Information Officer (CIO): Focuses on the collection, processing, and storage of data. They assist with process improvement and are instrumental in developing a business continuity plan for when things go south.
  • Chief Compliance Officer (CCO): A newer IT role that helps you achieve and maintain regulatory compliance in today’s complex technology landscape. Compliance is often seen as a heavy lift, but it’s really the bare minimum idea of not doing harm to others. We can help you surpass that and develop systems that actively help you.
  • Chief Security Officer (CSO): Pokes and prods at systems to make sure they’re secure and designs your security controls. They can do a basic security audit (like a phishing test or firewall test), make sure you have policies and procedures documented, and inform your compliance framework.

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