Most IT Companies Sell You Things. Your vCIO Saves You Money.
A virtual CIO who knows the business well enough to argue with a quote. Included in the monthly fee — not a separate add-on. Quarterly reviews, a rolling 4-quarter budget, and someone who tells you when not to buy. Cancel anytime.
What a vCIO actually does
Most IT companies send a quote. Your vCIO reads it, asks what the business is actually trying to do this year, and will argue with the line items. That is the job — not filling a cart.
They sit in your corner: quarterly strategy, an inventory of what you already own, and a clear no when something is not worth buying. Think fractional CIO, not a salesperson on commission. Helpdesk, ACE, and monitoring are part of managed IT services.
What's included
- Quarterly strategy meetings
- IT asset inventory review
- Network administration scorecard
- Rolling 4-quarter IT budget planning
- Business impact analysis
Included in the flat fee
Not a separate add-on and not a separate line item. vCIO sits in the same monthly number as ACE, helpdesk, and monitoring.
One flat monthly fee. No contract. Cancel anytime. If we stop earning it, you stop paying.
What you won't get billed for
- A separate vCIO line item
- A “strategy hour” that shows up after the meeting
- A person whose job is to sell you the next thing
Quarterly review + rolling 4-quarter budget
Four meetings a year. Each one updates a budget that looks four quarters out — so a server refresh does not land in your worst week, and a vendor quote has something to be measured against.
The review is not a slide deck of products. It is inventory, what broke, what can wait, and what you should not buy. Then the rolling plan moves forward one quarter.
What a quarter looks like
- 1Walk the inventory and the scorecard
- 2Update the next four quarters of spend
- 3Say no to the quote that does not earn its keep
- 4Leave you with a plan you can show your bookkeeper
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a vCIO included in STR's flat monthly fee?
Yes. vCIO is included in the monthly fee — not a separate add-on and not a strategy hour that shows up after the meeting. Same flat monthly fee as helpdesk, ACE, and monitoring. Cancel anytime.
What does a vCIO actually do?
A virtual CIO who knows the business well enough to argue with a quote. Quarterly reviews, an IT inventory, a rolling 4-quarter budget, and a clear no when a purchase is not worth it.
How often do we meet?
Quarterly. Each review updates the rolling 4-quarter IT budget so next quarter is not a surprise invoice.
Do I still need a full-time CIO?
If you already have one, you probably do not need this. If IT strategy is whoever spoke last in a vendor meeting, you do.
Someone in your corner. Not on commission.
Included in the flat monthly fee. Cancel anytime.
No sales pitch, no pressure — just a conversation.