6 Benefits of Outsourcing IT Services You Need to Know
84% of small and medium-sized businesses have neither the budget nor the technical skills to manage their technology in-house, a recent survey found. Add to that the skyrocketing IT salaries and the benefits of IT outsourcing start to look very compelling indeed.
Find out about the benefits of IT outsourcing and how businesses such as yours choose to outsource time-consuming IT tasks and unlock greater value as a result.
Think the Big Guys Don’t Outsource Their IT Services?
Enterprises rely on IT partners for everything from augmenting teams to completing long-term projects.
6 Advantages of IT Outsourcing
Payroll Savings Are One of the Biggest Benefits of Outsourcing IT Services
Businesses can save hundreds of thousands of dollars every year by outsourcing IT needs to managed IT services providers. Instead of having to hire a dedicated IT person (and paying close to a six-figure salary every year), you can receive all of the same services and benefits for a fraction of the cost. You also won’t have to worry about RRSPs, insurance plans, time off, and ongoing training.
Flat Monthly Fee and Predictable Budgeting
Continuing on the theme of costs, a big advantage of IT outsourcing is how it allows mid-sized and small companies to save time and money on IT. You can opt for the services you need a la carte (such as data backup, disaster recovery, and IT support) for a fixed monthly fee that allows you to keep your IT costs in check.
Start, Stop, and Scale, IT Services As You Need Them
Opening a new location? Eyeing new cloud-based software for your operations? Onboarding a lot of customers in a short time? Events such as these can force businesses managing IT themselves to choose between:
- Providing sub-par quality of service in the short term due to a lack of resources; or
- Making large upfront technology investments (and bearing the associated risks).
There’s no such catch-22 when you outsource your IT. For instance, at Cloud9 Solutions, we help clients scale IT services with the business’s needs, ensuring they receive maximum value.
Receive Services That May Be Infeasible In-House
Since the great migration to work from home, most businesses have faced challenges around providing technical support to employees remotely. Sure, a remote support solution and a 24/7 helpdesk would be nice to have, but they are simply out of reach for most small and mid-sized businesses.
Grow Your Talent Pool (Without Getting Distracted From Profit Centers)
Implement New Technologies in Your Organization
“Strategic and transformative”, that’s how IT outsourcing is seen today. Businesses of all sizes rely on third-party IT partners to identify and induct new technologies, a popular example of which, today, are cloud migrations.
Managed service providers help businesses with everything from lifting-and-shifting to cloud-based platforms, to enable a seamless experience between hybrid setups. Certified engineers at the MSP ensure you meet compliance standards, lowering risk ratings (and potentially your insurance premiums).
IT outsourcing makes services such as these far more affordable and brings them within reach for SMBs.
That’s a fancy way of saying you can spend more on expanding production and sales rather than on IT hires. But does that mean your business must be deprived of IT expertise?
By outsourcing your IT, you can gain access to experienced, qualified professionals at the managed services provider. Since they’ll likely be managing IT systems for several other businesses, you’ll be able to tap into their extensive experience too.
But What if I Need Technical Help Urgently?
Cloud9 can resolve critical issues in as little as 30 minutes, and we guarantee a 1-hour or less response time during business hours.
Making an Informed Decision: IT Outsourcing Pros and Cons
Any discussion would be incomplete without comparing IT outsourcing advantages and disadvantages. So what are some cons and considerations you should be aware of?
Less IT Oversight
When services are no longer maintained in-house, businesses can start to feel like they are struggling to maintain control over their hardware and software. This is typically a symptom of poor communication with the MSP, which is why it helps if you have a responsive IT partner.
Check for things like dedicated account managers, fast ticket response times, and vCIO services before you sign on the dotted line.
Security Risks
If you are handing over any amount of control over your systems (and, potentially, data), cybersecurity concerns are but natural. Some questions worth asking are:
- Where is my data being stored (onshore vs. offshore)?
- Who can access my files and systems?
- How do you meet data security and privacy requirements for my industry (eg. HIPAA)?
At Cloud9, for instance, we have a strict cybersecurity framework detailing why, when, and how we interact with clients’ systems and data.
- Things to Look for When Choosing a Managed IT Services Provider
- IT-Security as a Managed Service Offers Sizeable Benefits to SMEs
- How Managed IT Services Are Helping Businesses Stay Competitive
Impact on Team Morale
There is a common misconception that outsourcing means job losses–that’s simply not the case. Almost all of our clients rely on outsourcing to enhance capabilities, augment their teams, or get assistance for one-off projects.
It’s best you communicate effectively with your team to maintain morale and keep employees engaged.
Learn to maximize the advantages of outsourcing IT services:
Making the Most of the Benefits of Outsourcing IT Services
Let’s be honest–managed services providers tend to all look the same to business owners and leaders. But that’s simply not the case. Every MSP is different regarding its services, quality of service, cost-effectiveness, contractual guarantees, and more.
It’s why over 100 companies across the U.S from a wide range of industries rely on Cloud9 to support their IT needs and help them save money. Book a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your needs and how we help you focus on your core business.