No matter the size of your business, your information technology needs are essential to the successful work flow of your team. With the rise in security issues, infrastructure costs, and employee turnover, managing an in-house IT department may not be the most viable option for your team.
When you need to focus on the many aspects of running a successful business, outsourced IT management can be a beneficial service for you. It can ensure that you have a dedicated and experienced team handling your IT functions.
Outsourced IT support is when an independent IT company provides managed services for an organization’s information technology activities, software and infrastructure. In some instances, a business has a small IT team, and they outsource because there is a need for expertise in a specific IT function. In other instances, an organization might need an entire external outsourced IT department to manage all of their identified technology related needs. Business size and financial resources, along with the skill set of your IT team, if you have one, are important factors to consider when deciding on the level of outsourced IT management service that you and your systems require.
Benefits of Outsourcing IT Services
Effective IT management is a necessity for every business, regardless of size and function. Using an outsourced IT department or service can add great value to your team and provide the niche network support that will help you maintain and even increase productivity. You and your team can leave the IT intricacies to your outsourced IT department, and hone your focus on business growth and related activities with confidence. This is because your outsourced IT management provider will work behind the scenes to ensure the efficiency of your system. They can also be available in real time to provide support.
There are so many advantages to outsourcing this service. Among them are cost efficiency regarding human capital, cost efficiency regarding technology, technological expertise, renewed team cohesion and focus, and overall provision of effective solutions to technical challenges:
- Cost Efficiency (Human Capital) – Simply put, it costs much less to contract with an outsourced IT management service. This is because there is a set fee for service. Additionally, you will not incur tangible employee related costs like health insurance, professional development, employment taxes, and other incentives and required benefits that employees typically receive. You will also save on the intangible because of the increased productivity of employees.
- Cost Efficiency (Technology) – Another financial benefit of outsourced IT management is the amount that is saved on software costs. The MSP brings their supplies with them. This means that you do not have to purchase the expensive equipment, and you do not have to cover training costs for someone to learn how to use it. In addition, their equipment will include the most up to date products, including software which is an additional benefit because it not only ensures that your organization stays on the cutting edge, it also increases the effectiveness of your cyber security.
- Expertise – An outsourced IT company will bring a gamut of experts that are highly skilled in specific aspects of information technology. They hit the ground running and can provide so many different services based on your needs like help desk support, infrastructure. data storage, data management, cyber security, recovery, email, and more.
- Renewed Cohesion & Focus – Your team will no longer experience lapses in connectivity or cyber security and if they do, with an outsourced IT department, issues will be addressed and resolved quickly. Additionally team members that have more tech exposure and experience will not be distracted by requests for IT assistance.
- Effective Solutions – The bottom line is that IT challenges can be a headache for the entire team. They affect business continuity, and team cohesion and productivity, and they can create an environment of uncertainty. An outsourced IT department will bear the load of this work and provide viable solutions that will elevate the entire team’s ability to perform at their best.
When to Outsource IT Services
Determining when to outsource IT services is based on a number of factors, which vary based on the specific needs of your company. However, when handling your own IT needs starts to weigh on your team, it may be time to consider outsourcing.
Small businesses often forego an IT specialist and just ask an employee with tech skills to help when there is an issue. This is problematic because it impacts the individual’s focus and time that they could devote to their own workload. Some organizations hire one individual to address all of their IT management needs. This also presents a challenge because IT management is not monolithic. This person is probably highly skilled in their area of expertise, but might lack the ability to effectively respond to issues that they are not familiar with.
An outsourced IT department will most often include a group of individuals with recent certifications and specific areas of expertise. Additionally, if you only have one person that manages your IT needs and they have an emergency, that individual might not be available for a substantial amount of time and this can pose a major problem if a need arises. An outsourced IT department can provide 24 hour maintenance and support with back-up.
Another thing to consider is, if your team is small, the workload might not justify hiring a full time employee with benefits because of the great amount of down time that this individual would have when no IT issues exist. Outsourced IT management can save you the costs of employee benefits and more. On the other hand, if you already have a full IT Team that maybe lacks experience or training in a specific area of expertise that affects your ability to work efficiently, outsourcing can fill that void on a short or long term basis, or just provide additional support, depending on the need.
There are a number of IT services that can be outsourced to a reputable company. Some of the most commonly outsourced IT services include:
- IT Infrastructure
- Software Development
- Help Desk Support
- Web Hosting
- Data Management
- Cyber Security/Recovery
- Email Support
- Communications
How to Choose a Managed Service Provider
There are some important details to consider when choosing your outsourced managed IT provider. You must decide if you want to outsource all of your IT services or if you want to just focus on securing a provider for specific services. Determining your most pressing IT needs, including how they align with your current and future goals is the first step in creating a plan. This will help you to determine your level of need, and guide your vetting process. Review the challenges and the successes of your current internal IT support and consider your budget. These two steps will bring clarity about the rate that you can feasibly afford, and how you can stay within budget without sacrificing quality.
You will then have to decide if you want a dedicated full time team, or project based services. As you move on to the next step of choosing your provider, do your due diligence. Research the potential outsourced IT management provider and their company reviews. Secure references that can share their experience with the service. Ensure that the individuals that will potentially provide your IT support, actively stay informed and trained, with current certifications in the areas that your team needs the most support, and that they adhere to industry best practices. You also must make sure that they are accessible during both peak hours and in the wee hours of the morning, which is important with the rise in remote work.
Finally, consider the compatibility with your team. Having a condescending IT expert is detrimental to team success and cohesion. You want an outsourced IT management team that understands your company culture and fully understands and supports your team business goals.
Let ABI Serve as Your Outsourced IT Provider
ABI has provided superior managed IT services in Canoga Park and the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles for 20+ years. When it’s time to outsource your IT services, contact ABI. Our techs will work directly with your team to craft a custom service agreement for your exact IT needs. Whether you need to address specific areas that aren’t covered by your own tech team or if you need full IT department support we can manage projects big and small.
