With digital transformation on the mind of nearly every executive today, organizations now understand that success lies upon their ability to creatively apply and extend IT in ways that set them apart from competitors. IT outsourcing strategies are key enablers of sustainable competitiveness for your business. As a result of a successful outsourcing experience, your business can reap the benefits of enhanced dynamic capabilities, market-oriented innovation, strategic flexibility, agility, and increased efficiency. A managed IT services provider who takes time to understand and work with you to accomplish your business’s goals can be incredibly valuable. Here is why C-levels should invest in IT outsourcing.
Better Management of Internal Resources and Staffing Flexibility
Outsourced solutions not only influence operational costs but also the allocation of in-house team resources. Running your business with an in-house IT team means more office space, regular training, employee benefits, and other costs involved in maintaining a full-time IT staff. Finding reliable and well-informed team members can also be an exhausting and costly venture for both you and your hiring manager. Finding the right candidates consumes time and money, while outsourcing solves the problem immediately.
To reduce costs while still gaining the necessary skill set, you should outsource IT services. According to research, the cost of outsourcing is quite low when compared to the level of expertise you get with outsourced teams. This will allow you to increase your productivity by focusing on core business activities rather than having to deal with the technical difficulties faced by your employees or customers. Thus, outsourcing IT services gives you better management of internal resources and staffing flexibility.
Improved IT Security
The risk of hacking has increased twofold over the last decade due to the increase in cybersecurity breaches. This is a worrying trend considering the high reliance on technology. Research shows that nearly 80% of senior IT employees and security leaders believe their companies lack sufficient protection against cyberattacks. The best part about outsourcing is that your organization will enjoy an extra layer of security.
Most security breaches are due to errors by in-house employees. To avoid these risks, you should consider calling in experts to manage your IT infrastructure. IT support companies have a background in offering watertight security support for clients. They usually follow and implement Center for Internet Security Critical Security Controls for Effective Cyber Defense (CIS CSC) guidelines. IT professionals are also well updated with the current cyberthreats facing your business, and they know techniques to apply in order to stop cybercriminals.
Makes Your Business More Efficient and Competitive
Today’s business environments are more diverse and competitive than ever. Establishing a competitive advantage is one of the highest goals for any business. You need to find strategic ways to successfully compete with other businesses in your sector, who are after the same resources and customers as you are.
Outsourcing IT services enables you to be more competitive and efficient as your business utilizes state-of-the-art IT tools and technologies. Outsourced IT also allows you to compete with competitors who have bigger budgets.
The company you’re outsourcing specializes in providing IT services. They will often use the best technologies and keep up with the current IT best practices to make sure they remain on top and offer the best services. Your organization will get a modern IT infrastructure from outsourced services and use it to gain a competitive edge.
Scalability
The price tag associated with maintaining an in-house IT department is a big one, and that’s why you often see teams that are understaffed, overworked, and unable to get everything done due to a lack of time and resources. With this kind of setup, it can be very difficult for your business to expand and access new technologies. Training even one additional employee for your IT department costs a lot of money, and there is never a guarantee that they will stay with the company in the future. Outsourced IT services usually absorb the cost of training, and you will never have to worry about your IT experts jumping ship.
Scaling networks takes significant coordination, manpower, and new equipment. It is a huge cost for any company, and it often takes an IT team’s focus off other important functions like security. Outsourced IT services can help you expand or upgrade systems when you need to, without having to hire and train employees you won’t necessarily need later on. With outsourced IT, your business stays flexible when it comes to resources and can accommodate swift changes that an in-house team might not be able to respond to efficiently.
Stay Focused on Your Core Business
Businesses have limited resources, and every executive has limited time and attention. Back-office operations tend to expand during periods of rapid growth. This expansion can tie up your human and financial resources at the expense of the core activities that made your business successful in the first place. The IT staff is usually consumed with resolving user issues or fixing malfunctioning equipment, and these tasks take their focus off their core responsibilities.
Outsourcing can help your business stay focused on your core business and not get distracted by complex IT decisions. The ability to stay focused on your core business is probably the biggest benefit of outsourcing IT operations to a managed services provider. The company you partner with will work on your IT services, giving you more freedom to focus on your primary activities.
Reduced Downtime
In today’s business world, employees can’t be slowed down by downtime or any type of technical difficulty. An IT problem could trouble your in-house staff. They will spend a lot of time trying to solve it and their ineptitude may disturb your operations and result in financial losses. Outsourcing your IT department allows these challenges to be resolved more quickly. Especially during high-traffic times, having 24/7 support is necessary to ensure that your team can always be productive.
These specialists troubleshoot problems easily and find quick solutions to your company’s IT troubles. They will constantly monitor the availability, performance, and overall health of your infrastructure, 24/7. Thus, outsourced IT services reduce downtimes caused by IT issues.
At Umbrella Managed Systems, we believe that your technology should help you grow, not hold your business back. We combine the best reactive and proactive IT services with the latest technologies and standards to ensure that your IT security is top-notch. Contact us to learn more and get started.