Overview
What is an IT service provider?
IT service providers, also known as ESNs or SSIIs (IT services and consulting companies), offer a range of IT services to other organisations requiring external resources for their IT projects. Depending on their areas of specialisation, these companies possess a wide range of technical expertise, as detailed below, as well as consulting and training services.
The missions of an IT service provider in Switzerland
Risk management and compliance
The skyrocketing number of cyberattacks means that it is more crucial than ever to keep IT infrastructures secure. According to PwC’s study, “Global Digital Trust Insights 2024”, 65% of Swiss executives now consider cybersecurity to be their top strategic priority. This concern is also fueled by the alarming forecasts of Cybersecurity Ventures: by 2031, we may be faced with a situation where a ransomware attack occurs every two seconds worldwide, resulting in losses estimated at 265 billion USD per year.
Faced with these global challenges, IT service providers in Bern are responding to the specific needs of local businesses while also adopting international best practices. To counter these threats, they offer some essential services:
- Security audits that analyse infrastructures, identify vulnerabilities and reduce the risk of cyberattacks.
- Compliance with current regulatory standards, guaranteeing secure, optimal management of sensitive data.
- Proactive system monitoring, to detect threats in real time and prevent incidents before they affect operations.
Find out more about Qim info’s cybersecurity solutions.
Modern Workplace & Workstation
With increasing demands being imposed on performance and security, neither your location nor the device you are using should be a constraint. Your IT service provider can develop a collaborative, flexible environment, to boost your employees’ productivity and well-being.
Cloud & DevOps Solutions
Migration to the Cloud, integration with your existing solutions, questions about data security: these are just some of the issues that our Cloud & DevOps Solutions department can address. From consulting to implementation, your IT service provider is with you every step of the way.
Data & Innovation
Like Qim info, your IT service provider collects and transforms your data, creates governance for it, controls its quality, secures it and adds value to it. Compliance with the current regulations, such as the Data Protection Act, can also fall within the scope of a service provider’s expertise.
Custom Software Development
At Qim info, our team of experts analyses your needs so that we can develop a software or web application that is 100% adapted to your company’s unique requirements.
Performance & Observability
Your IT service provider can also safeguard the stability and performance of your applications.
How do IT service providers operate in Switzerland?
In Switzerland, IT service providers play a crucial role for companies, especially those that do not have in-house IT departments. The way they operate can vary depending on the customer’s needs:
- Maintenance contract: companies take out a service contract covering regular or on-demand interventions. This contract can include recurring services (monitoring, updates) or one-off interventions.
- On-demand services: Companies or individuals contact the service provider for a specific need, such as a system repair or migration. This model is often used by smaller organisations.
- Outsourcing: Some companies outsource their entire IT department to a service provider, thereby reducing their internal costs. This includes systems management, IT staff and sometimes even infrastructure.
How can I find a good IT service provider in Switzerland?
There are several ways to find an IT service provider in Switzerland.
Via specialised platforms
A number of platforms enable you to compare service providers in Switzerland, such as Clutch.co or GoodFirms, which list IT service providers and specialist companies by area of expertise (such as development, infrastructure, cybersecurity, etc.). These sites offer evaluations based on customer feedback and completed projects, and these can help you find a reliable service provider.
By checking company directories
Business directories such as the Swiss IT Companies Directory or ICT Switzerland can be useful resources when it comes to identifying local service providers. They list companies by sector, size and specialisation.
By attending trade fairs and IT events
Switzerland regularly organises events such as the Swiss Innovation Forum and trade fairs specialising in technology and digital transformation. These events are an excellent opportunity to meet service providers, exchange ideas and discover companies at the cutting edge of digital innovation.
By asking for recommendations from your professional network
Word-of-mouth remains a powerful way to find out about service providers. If you have contacts in the IT sector or with companies of a similar size to yours, don’t hesitate to ask them for references.
By assessing sector rankings
ICT Journal, for instance, publishes an annual ranking of the most important IT service providers in French-speaking Switzerland. This type of ranking can give you an idea about which companies in the digital services sector are the most renowned and experienced.
How can you determine which IT service provider in Switzerland is the best?
There’s no such thing as the best IT service provider – each organisation will have its own view, and it depends entirely on your specific needs. Nevertheless, here are a few general criteria that should help you make the right decision:
The area of specialisation of the IT services and consulting company
Which services are top priorities for your company? Do you feel that the providers you’re considering have sufficient expertise in those services?
Take Qim info, for instance. The company stands out for its ability to offer a complete range of services, from business analysis and application architecture to development, testing, integration and data management. Whether your project requires an IT maintenance expert or a DevOps specialist, we have the skills and staff profiles required to meet your specific needs and ensure that your initiatives succeed.
What experience does the IT services and consulting company possess?
The degree of experience that an IT service provider has is a complex criterion to evaluate. It’s not just a question of how long the company has been in business, but also of the expertise of its staff and its specific achievements. A recently-formed provider may well meet your expectations if it employs experienced professionals and has already proven its know-how through significant projects. It’s also essential to examine the provider’s relationships with its partners: preference should go to providers that have established long-term collaborations rather than just one-off commitments.
At Qim info, we work with 120 customers from a wide range of sectors, including healthcare, luxury goods, watchmaking, banking, aeronautics, insurance, trading and international organisations. This diversity attests to our ability to adapt and our commitment to providing tailor-made solutions. Our core values – trust, professionalism and transparency – are at the heart of every collaboration we undertake.
The values and reputation of an IT service provider
A provider’s values can also play an important role in your choice. If your company adopts a responsible approach, it makes sense to favour providers that share this commitment. Reputation is also a key criterion, and you can assess it by word-of-mouth, but also through labels, certifications and rankings, as mentioned above.
At Qim info, our commitment goes beyond simply providing IT services. We make a point of promoting the well-being of our employees and respecting the environment. This effort received recognition when we were awarded a silver medal by EcoVadis, whose ratings set the standard for assessing social responsibility worldwide. This reflects our ongoing commitment to sustainable development and CSR.
What alternatives are there to using an IT service provider?
If you don’t want to call upon an IT service provider, there are several solutions available to you, all of which come with their own advantages and disadvantages!
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2. Software and SaaS (Software as a Service) solutions
Your organisation uses online tools to manage some of its IT tasks without the burden of complex infrastructure.
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3. Freelancer or IT consultant
Your organisation calls on independent experts for specific projects or tasks.
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4. Partial outsourcing
Outsource some of your IT services to specialist partners, while keeping the rest in-house.
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Services offered by IT service providers in Switzerland
An IT service provider’s field of expertise is extremely vast and varied. However, it is possible to group these skills into four key categories:
- Development and outsourcing of IT tools:
One of the main missions of an IT services provider is to meet the IT needs of its customers by guaranteeing that their IT tools are optimised and secure. This includes infrastructure maintenance, cybersecurity, and application and system management, whether conducted remotely or on-site. - Systems integration:
This covers application development, interconnections between heterogeneous systems, software licence management and technical support. The aim is to make existing systems more efficient and interoperable. - Consulting and strategic support:
IT service providers help their customers to structure their processes, organise their digital transformation or adopt an appropriate strategy. Whether needs are clearly defined or more vague, IT service providers offer essential expertise when it comes to identifying and implementing effective solutions. - Training and user support:
Beyond technical solutions, IT service providers can stand out through their ability to train teams and provide personalised support. Communication and collaboration are essential values, and at Qim info, this approach plays a central role.
Qim info’s expertise
Since its creation in 2004, Qim info has been offering a consultancy service, sending out employees who match customers’ needs perfectly. With over 600 consultants at its sites in Geneva, Lausanne, Annecy, Zurich and Basel, Qim info offers a range of skills covering more than 15 professions, including Business Analyst, DevOps Engineer, Designer and Integrator.
Operating in more than ten business sectors, including watchmaking, aeronautics and insurance, Qim info combines efficiency with human expertise. Our consultants are fully committed to each project, guaranteeing a high-quality collaboration and results that live up to your expectations.
How much do IT service providers cost in Switzerland?
The cost of services varies depending on many factors, such as the type of services desired, the location and duration of the assignment, the number of experts required and their level of qualification, the complexity of the assignment, and the technologies needed to see it through. All these parameters must be taken into account when determining how much the team of experts will cost.
Don’t hesitate to contact several providers, to meet your contacts in person and to study the different proposals that you will doubtless receive.
Which service providers are recruiting the most in Switzerland?
In Switzerland, a number of IT service providers are actively recruiting due to the high demand in the IT sector. Here are some of the major players:
Major international technology companies
such as Google, Microsoft and IBM, which have offices in Zurich and other Swiss cities. Google is best known for its Zurich R&D office, which is one of the largest outside the USA.
Local companies specialising in IT and consulting
like Qim info, ELCA, Swisscom…
Recruitment firms specialising in IT
such as Michael Page, Robert Walters, and Hays, who work for companies requiring talent in specific areas such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.
List and ranking of the best IT service providers in Switzerland
In recent years, French-speaking Switzerland has established itself as a key player in digital transformation. In 2021, it was ranked first in the Global Innovation Index, and it came sixth in the World Digital Competitiveness Ranking in 2020, confirming its position as a world leader in the digital field.
IT service providers are playing a central role in this evolution. In one of our previous articles, we introduced you to Qim info and other IT service providers in French-speaking Switzerland. From their areas of expertise to their ranking in ICT Journal 2022, you’ll get an overview of the region’s digital leaders. You’ll also find practical advice on how to choose the right IT service provider for your needs, and how to embark on a career with one of these companies.
Why might I want to work with an IT service provider in Switzerland?
There are several situations in which your organisation may call on the services of an IT services company:
- Your in-house teams don’t have enough time to carry out a specific project.
- You’ve made changes to your information system and want to train your staff in the new practices.
- Due to a lack of in-house resources, you want to delegate the management and maintenance of your IT assets to someone else.
- For a given project and a given period of time, you need experts with specific skills.
- You’ve identified a problem in your information system, but don’t know how to solve it or what solution to adopt.
- You want to optimise your recruitment and training costs by calling on the experts at an IT services company.
If you have identified a weakness in your information system or business processes, don’t hesitate to consult an IT services company, to find out if it can help you evolve.
FAQs
Is there a ranking of Switzerland's best IT service providers?
Switzerland is home to a large number of IT service providers, with each one showcasing its expertise and innovation so as to stand out in the IT sector.
For almost 10 years, the ICT Journal has compiled a ranking of the 100 largest ESNs (IT services and consulting companies) in French-speaking Switzerland, based on their workforce. In 2022, Qim info distinguished itself by occupying the 3rd spot in this ranking, while taking up a position as the leader in Geneva and coming 3rd in Lausanne. Founded in 2004, Qim info is present in Geneva, Lausanne, Basel, Zurich and Annecy. Its expertise is based on a consultancy service that offers transparent, customised solutions, capable of intervening at every level of information systems in order to meet the specific needs of its customers.
