This article by Mike Bohlmann at www.entrepreneur.com does a great job breaking down the many benefits of hiring an IT consultant.
One area we have found differs from their experience is paying more for services. We frequently find when we get involved with a new client that we can substantially lower their monthly IT cost by reviewing and renegotiating all their current IT related contracts. Many times old contracts are not challenged when it’s time for renewal and businesses end up overpaying for services like internet, cable TV, VOIP, printing, data storage, and more. It can be hard for businesses to navigate these contracts if they are not familiar with all the offerings available to them, sometimes you just need someone who know what questions to ask and knows when it’s time to find a different service provider if their current offering is unacceptable.