5 Benefits of Outsourcing Your IT
Businesses are always looking to limit expenses, increase productivity, and ultimately become more profitable. The current pandemic is just one situation in which businesses have had to tighten their belts and adapt in order to survive and reach these goals.
Many companies are looking for creative ways to move forward and get out of the slump that COVID-19 has created for industries across the board.
One solution that can help move your business forward is outsourcing. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution; some departments and processes are more difficult to outsource than others, and different companies will find that different solutions work for their specific situation.
But when it comes to IT, outsourcing can be a cost-effective and smart solution.
Here are five ways outsourcing your IT can benefit your business:
1. Reduce Expenses
Small and medium businesses often incorrectly assume that outsourcing is a considerable expense, is unnecessary, and is out of their reach.
However, when you outsource your IT, you can actually reduce your technology expenses without reducing the quality of the IT care you receive.
When you outsource your IT, you cut the overhead costs of an in-house IT team; you don’t have to provide office space, health insurance, vacation days, or any of the other extra expenses that come with hiring in-house staff.
And the total cost of managed IT services is usually around the cost of one salaried employee, meaning you get access to a full team for just the price of one team member.
Additionally, you lose none of the benefits that you would if you chose to simply downsize your own IT staff instead. Paying less money doesn’t mean you get less attention; it just means that you get quality IT services at a much better price.
2. Gain Greater Resources
Many businesses that choose to outsource their IT do keep at least one in-house employee and partner with another company to receive “co-managed” IT services.
This means that instead of your IT company taking over your IT department, they work together with your existing employees to supplement your team and resources.
This can be a great solution for a company finding that it needs to expand its IT department.
When you combine your in-house team that can give immediate, in-person attention to your systems with the expansive knowledge, expertise, and software resources of a professional, your company gets the best of both worlds.
3. Receive Specialized Support
In conjunction with increasing your resources, when you work with a professional Managed Service Provider (MSP), you get the specialized support of an entire team of experts instead of only the support of one employee or a small in-house team.
A trusted MSP will have team members who have diverse experiences and specializations. One team member may have unique experience with hardware procurement, while another may have expertise in cybersecurity, etc.
Having access to IT specialists with both a breadth and depth of expertise can significantly help your business when you face unique IT problems.
4. Increase Your Security and Compliance Standards
In the age of technology, cybersecurity is essential for businesses. If your business were to suffer a data breach, you would be liable for legal and financial penalties, and your professional reputation would take a significant, sometimes irreparable loss.
When you outsource your IT, you can increase security and decrease the risk of falling prey to an attack. Following the most advanced cybersecurity and compliance guidelines keep you from being vulnerable to preventable disasters.
If you don’t know your PCI DSS, from your GDPR, or even your PDPA from your HIPAA, a managed service provider can help.
5. Get the Help of a Dedicated Business Partner
There are definite advantages of housing an IT team in your office, especially depending on the size of your business and the depth of your IT needs. For example, if you’re located in Dallas, an in-house IT expert will be able to solve immediate, on-location problems much faster than someone from an IT company in San Antonio could reach you. But there are also advantages of working with an outsourced team, too, or a mix of both.
An experienced MSP will have significant expertise in leveraging IT for business growth, something that your in-house staff may not be adept at. When you work with a Managed Service Provider, you get more than just someone to fix your computers. You get a dedicated business partner who will strategize with you to make your technology work for your business’s benefit and growth.
Outsourcing your IT can streamline your processes, reduce business costs, increase your security, and put you ahead of your competitors. That’s why many businesses are considering outsourcing their IT.
