While many employees aren’t super-thrilled about it, it looks like the work/life pendulum is swinging back toward a return to the office.
However, there’s one space where remote work remains not only the norm, but preferred. EDI/B2B consulting and staffing.
Clients benefit from a broader talent pool, unbound by location, while consultants can take on more opportunities without the constraints of travel. This model not only saves clients significant costs but also allows consultants to maintain work-life balance. The result? More flexibility and efficiency for both sides.
Why Remote Work Works for EDI Consulting
As an EDI staffing and software solutions provider, Remedi was ahead of the remote working curve before the pandemic and resulting lockdown. Post-pandemic, new clients have discovered we can effectively support them remotely. This gives organizations far more choice when it comes to available talent than in the old days of on-site consulting.
Clients also avoid an average of $1,200-2,300 in T&E expenses per consultant per week, savings that drop straight to the bottom line. Meanwhile, consultants get to sleep in their own beds every night.
A classic win/win scenario.
The lesson here? In the face of a labor market that continues to be tight for IT professionals in general, and EDI specialists in particular, the remote model can work for any organization without an on-site mandate.
The Benefits of Remote EDI Consultants
At Remedi, remote EDI consultants come from a curated, nationwide network of proven talent. This expands the available options for clients in need of EDI and other B2B integration skills for project engagements, as well as consulting opportunities for those with in-demand EDI skills.
No longer are clients limited to local talent resources or forced to justify the expense of flying in and the hassle of finding machines and desk space for the outside consultants.
Also, freed of travel delays, working with remote EDI consultants often means our customers can kick off projects sooner. And they can do so with the confidence that comes from engaging proven EDI specialists.
In-House EDI Professional v. Remote EDI Consultants
Many of our best EDI consultants came from the ranks of corporate America, either from the enterprise software side or from companies who deploy EDI platforms such as IBM, Cleo and Boomi to name just a few.
Before the pandemic upended society and the economy, many in-house EDI employees who may have been curious about the idea were deterred by certain realities of consulting.
Among them were the travel requirements and the prospect of having to spend big chunks of their work week out of town.
Technological advances in video conferencing, security, and activity monitoring that facilitate remote working are changing the work/life calculus of many in-house integration staff. As is the increasing openness of customers to remote engagements.
And, as you can see in the infographic, other societal factors have emerged post-pandemic to accelerate the transition from in-house to consulting. This is especially true for millennial EDI and B2B integration staff.
Are You Ready to Make the Leap to EDI Consulting?
We get that EDI consulting isn’t for every EDI professional nor are EDI consultants the solution for every company.
At the same time, working with an EDI consulting partner can pay dividends for companies with EDI skills gaps to fill—and for the EDI consultants who can fill them.
Want to explore EDI consulting as a career? Drop us a line at staffing@remedi.com.
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