5 Reasons why contractors are critical to End-User project success

In the Microsoft Dynamics space, there is sometimes a misconception of contractors as mercenaries due to some people’s views that they are expensive and a necessary evil who try to milk end customers. In fact, the top contractors rely on their reputation and place more importance on integrity than they are typically given credit for. They cannot afford to have a bad reputation due to the small market in which they operate, so this stereotype needs to be overturned. Here are 5 reasons why contractors can be seen as critical to the success of an end-user’s Microsoft Dynamics project:

1) They’re experts in their field

When it comes to Microsoft Dynamics, contractors can provide the end user with a solution expert in-house. In case of any problems, contractors are the right people to find the solution that is best for the long-term business. The team usually understands the need for such expertise and respects the fact that contractors have not only been there but have done the job before.  Having such foresight translates into value throughout all phases of a Microsoft Dynamics implementation plan.

2) They ease any knowledge gaps between End Users and Partners

Using contractors means that partners’ decisions are questioned which leads to a more effective relationship; contractors usually have experience of the partner channel, hence, they give valuable advice concerning working practices and commercial pressures. If a contractor is good and has strong experience, he can independently recommend the best action path to save time and money. Their service to the end client is likened to that of an advisor and arbiter – questioning why decisions are being made without undermining the partner.

3) Permanent colleagues can learn from them

Greenfield projects suffer from lack of technical know-how in-house and awareness of the process of implementation. Using the experience of good contractors can be useful in creating a particular course for the project, referring to the way things were done to achieve success on past programmes. This knowledge becomes a part of permanent staff that work with them such as Dynamics Functional BAs or .Net Developers. – broadening the knowledge of the workforce as a whole.

4) They can help you advertise your business

In a closed network, reputation is important so it’s in contractors best interests to show high performance and effectiveness. Your project gains a huge kudos if you have top-performing contractors working on it who have a history of success, and make the project more appealing to new recruits.  Where market competition becomes higher, you brand could use this as an advantage to compete for the top people in the recruitment space.

5) They usually have better availability

The best permanent Microsoft Dynamics consultants are usually employed by the most renowned partners/consultancies and they tend to be loyal employees. The length of Dynamics implementation means that a specialist brought in on a permanent basis has a similar shelf-life to what a consultant in a contract job would have.

Partners are different from end users in that are able to provide project variety as well as career growth in Microsoft Dynamics that will outlast a 2-3 year project. Working at a partner, a Junior Consultant can join a business as a contractor in a technical capacity and know that once they have built up a reputation across different projects, they can look at advancing to a more Senior or Architect level role. This makes it more difficult for end users to contend with the career growth on offer as an end user programme will always have a shelf life.

In conclusion, it’s not a “hardship” to use contractors’ skills and experience and potential marketability, but something that is critical to successful solution delivery.

We hope this shows how the contractor market within Microsoft Dynamics is misunderstood. Contractors who work for end users further enhance the understanding of the Microsoft Dynamics product on offer as they work with in-house teams increasing both their product knowledge and awareness of best practice. This actually helps the rest of the Microsoft Dynamics job market - as those with no previous experience can learn and begin to consider working across the partner channel or becoming specialists.

Cognitive Group are experts in Microsoft Dynamics jobs and recruitment, specialising in Dynamics AX jobs, Dynamics CRM jobs, and other roles in the Microsoft stack. If you would like to discuss contract or permanent jobs with us, please get in touch:

UK Tel: 020 3587 7772

EU Freephone: +800 4433 2929
Email: info@cognitive-group.com

Web : http://www.cognitive-group.com