Today, technology is entwined in every aspect of the modern business. It brings many benefits in terms of efficiency, communication and business insights, but there is a downside to our reliance on IT systems.
When your organization reaches a certain size, you can find that the IT infrastructure becomes so complex that you are devoting more time and resources to it than you are on core business activities.
There is also the very real risk that IT downtime or problems can bring everything to a grinding halt – and in a modern facility, that can mean that staff cannot even access the office, let alone do their duties.
This is the reason why we thought it wise to share some intelligent advice on the top best reasons to outsource your company’s IT support needs.
10 Reasons to Outsource IT Support
Outsourcing the IT function to a specialist will solve a number of problems and bring added benefits. Also when you outsource your company’s IT support needs to a proven expert, it gives your company an edge over its competitors as you’d be enjoying the very latest IT technologies that could be lacking at your competitor’s end.
Here are ten other reasons you need to seriously consider outsourcing your company’s technical support needs.
Knowledgeable expertise
When you use an external provider, you have access to their whole wealth of knowledge and resources. These are people who are as focused and knowledgeable about providing IT support as you are about your own specialist business niche.
The provider you choose is working on IT solutions day in and day out, constantly learning new best practices through the other clients that it works with, and that’s a level of knowledge and experience that you just don’t get when you try to craft an in-house team.
Better security
Cybercrime is on the increase and every advance we make in improving online security only keeps us a step ahead for so long. Advances in security in any area, such as our homes or cars, do not eliminate crime – they just require the criminals to be smarter. This is particularly the case in cybercrime, and hackers and criminals are constantly working to catch up.
The implications of a data breach just don’t bear thinking about, both in terms of cost and potential reputational damage. When you’ve got a professional IT service provider taking care of your IT, you know that they will be working to the very latest security standards.
Even better, they usually put their money where their mouth is and indemnify you against any data loss or problems that take place on their watch. So that’s one less thing to worry about.
Freeing up your internal resources
In a smaller business, in particular, the role of IT support is typically a “hat” that someone puts on because they know a little about IT. Usually, it is not the reason you hired them initially, but you can bet that as your business grows, they spend more time on IT and less on their original role.
By outsourcing your IT support, your best people can do what they are supposed to be doing. That means your business strategy remains focused and you have happier and more motivated staff who are spending time doing what they are best at.
Better flexibility
A company that provides IT support to a number of businesses will know better than anyone what works and what doesn’t, depending on your business type and the size of your organization. There is every chance that when they take a look at your existing IT infrastructure they will be able to suggest a better and more efficient solution.
An expert pair of eyes looking from the outside can often see things and have ideas that we would never have thought of when we are too close to something.
Fewer problems
Of course, when you start using the services of an outsourced IT service provider, you’ll almost certainly see a major reduction in IT problems anyway. It’s sad but true that those businesses that keep support in-house tend towards a break/fix model. In other words, it is largely reactive rather than proactive.
With expert external support, your systems will be monitored 24/7, and most of the time, any problem will have been spotted, diagnosed, and fixed before any of the system users even knew that it existed. The result? Far less downtime and a business that is running at maximum efficiency.
Staying at the cutting edge
On a similar topic, when you keep the support in-house, there is a tendency to put off major changes or upgrades. This can ultimately act like weeds around a ship’s rudder, making you gradually less competitive and efficient.
An outsourcing partner will have access to all the latest software, and rolling out updates will literally be something they do every day. If you opt for a serviced cloud-based software solution, it is easier still. Problem solved, and no more obsolete software groaning away!
Reduced costs
IT infrastructure doesn’t come cheap, but even if that is already in place, you have the added expense of staffing your IT department. That also means additional costs in terms of benefits, training courses, HR admin, and all the rest.
In a clearer term, engaging the services of an IT support company to handle your company’s IT support needs at when needed is cheaper than employing an in-house IT support staff to work as a full-time employee. This is because when you use an IT staff, you’ll have to put the necessary hardware in place and pay for the maintenance of these types of equipment from time to time. Also, you may need more hands in the IT support department of your company which means more expenses.
Meanwhile, you can outsource the function, and all those costs disappear to be replaced by a known monthly fee. Businesses almost always make significant financial savings when they outsource IT support.
Faster response
There is a tendency to think that having your own IT support person sitting there in the corner means you get a quicker resolution to your problems. But that fails to take into account the 24/7 nature of so many businesses.
What happens when you have an IT problem while you are traveling in another time zone, or perhaps working late from home?
Your in-house IT support guy is more than likely tucked up in bed, but with an outsourced provider, that helpdesk assistance will be there whenever you need it.
Access to additional products or services
Do you have a business continuity plan in place? What are your disaster recovery processes like? Does your telephone network need to be updated?
If those questions have left you with a slight feeling of nausea in the pit of your stomach, these are the kinds of value-added areas in which an external service provider can help. They have the resources and expertise to offer advice on a range of topics that go beyond basic IT support.
Unlimited Possibilities
With IT support outsourcing, there are unlimited possibilities as long as your business niche is concerned. Also, your team becomes more effective as technology changes rapidly and in-house staff may not have the needed skills to advance with it.
Multi-departmental companies can benefit greatly from IT support outsourcing as it gives them more time to focus on other important needs of the company and on achieving the business goals of the company.
Wrap Up
Outsourcing your company’s tech support needs or pattering with a proven IT support company is a good business for large organizations. It helps in reducing serious business risks such as data breaches, security leakages, and damaging of company’s reputation.
Cost reduction and increased productivity are some of the other top reasons to outsource your company’s IT support needs.
