When it comes to outsourcing your company’s IT services, there can be a lot to consider. But, unfortunately, IT isn’t an area most executives are an expert in. Luckily, the CEO doesn’t need to do more than some due diligence to get quality results from outsourcing a firm’s IT services. And outsourcing can have myriad benefits for a business, the least of which may be a cushier bottom line.
Some benefits of outsourcing IT work can include economizing an IT department, having access to more services as the company grows, and staying secure, all while retaining local control. Still, for those not sure how to outsource IT, knowing the company’s needs and finding a local IT partner can be a tremendous help.
Let’s face it: Most CEOs are no good at tech help. And with the pace of technological change being what it is, outsourcing can often be the soundest solution. (After all, who wants to try to unload a bunch of used data servers on Facebook Marketplace when it comes time to replace them?) So, if you’re looking for more of the how and why of outsourcing tech services, read on as we will detail every piece of data you need to know.
How to Outsource Your Company’s IT Services:
There are many reasons a company may choose to outsource, but first, let’s look at how to do so in practice. The first step is identifying what services you want to outsource and why. Next, working with a local IT firm can be a sound strategy. It is always a good idea to look for a partner who will be responsive and is also knowledgeable of your local business conditions.
Know Why You Want to Outsource
Besides noticing a general need for better tech help, there can be several tech areas that a company may choose to outsource for a variety of reasons. Knowing what areas specifically need the most resources can be invaluable when looking for an IT partner. For example, not all providers will be able to give good advice on both cloud computing and HIPAA data security. If both are essential to your business, prioritize finding these attributes in a provider.
Find a Partner with Local Expertise
When finding a partner for outsourcing your IT services, a handful of more prominent players get most of the attention. But, while larger tech firms might have a bigger market share, that doesn’t mean they necessarily have the best products and services or know the most about a particular market. So, in most cases, the best solution isn’t to off-shore IT services entirely but instead to outsource to a more local provider. Doing this can offer the best of both worlds in terms of affordability and quality of outsourced tech help.
For example, working with an off-shore partner can lead to working around very different schedules. (Did you know that India has approximately 30 restricted holidays each year?) Different holiday schedules are one reason it always makes sense to partner with a local IT services provider, wherever possible. For example, those in south-central Texas will find it easiest to work with someone in the same time zone who also has the same local holidays. These criteria would naturally give providers of IT services in San Antonio a leg up on the competition. And such a local provider can be helpful in other ways by lessening the stress of communication while also speeding up the possible timeline of projects.
Why Outsource Your Company’s IT Services?
Now that we know how to switch to outsourced IT services, let’s look at a few reasons why any company might benefit from doing so.
Help to Economize an IT Department
The number one reason why most will choose to go with an outsourced IT department is due to potential savings. Especially when considering the increase in quality of service that can be had when looking outside an organization for tech help, the savings can be hard to ignore.
Access to IT Services that Can Grow with a Company
Scaling up and down technological solutions requires a fair amount of know-how and capital. This can be a problem when most enterprises prize growth above all else. This is because it isn’t as easy as flipping a switch to increase a website’s bandwidth. However, when IT goes out of house, such services are much easier to tailor to a company’s needs. In this way, outsourcing IT can be a great way to “right-size” any tech department.
Expert Advice to Aid your Technology Security Plan
If you’ve ever woken up in the middle of the night in a puddle of sweat after being wracked by nightmares of DNS and ransomware attacks, outsourcing your company’s IT department may be just the ticket to lessening such night terrors. This is because the best IT service providers can provide top-notch security solutions 24/7. This means no more worrying if a bug has cropped up in the middle of the night or what to do about novel security threats. True peace of mind at last!
Retain Full Control
Finally, there is a bit of a misnomer to dispel when it comes to outsourcing a firm’s IT work. Many are under the mistaken belief that once IT has left the building, it is largely out of the company’s control. And while this may be the case with some partnerships, such a relationship absolutely need not be the case.
In reality, the provider of IT services works for the company. While you may not personally employ technicians and network analysts, the company that has been contracted to do so should still be extremely responsive. If they aren’t, it may be time to find an IT provider to meet your needs better.
Also Read: Six Benefits of Managed IT Services for your Small Business
