We all know how important IT is to running a business. We only have to look at the way the working world is changing to understand that having the right IT and technology in place can quite simply make or break your business. That’s why many businesses turn to outsourced IT services for the range of benefits they can provide.
IT Outsourcing
IT outsourcing is the business practice of using an external provider to manage your IT function. IT outsourcing can include a range of services including IT helpdesk, software development, infrastructure solutions and software support.
There are many reasons why a business may choose to outsource their IT. These include having access to advanced technical skills, reducing costs and ease of upscaling.
IT Outsourcing to the Cloud
With the wider introduction of Cloud services companies also often outsource other services such as data storage, back-up and disaster recovery. Outsourcing to the cloud is usually cheaper and provides a greater degree of both flexibility and security.
Why should you outsource your IT?
With each passing year the reliance on IT and tech continues to dictate business practise, but keeping up with this pace of change can be challenging, particularly without the resources, budget or know-how. Having someone in your team who is ‘a bit techy’ could help for minor problems, but what if you have a complete loss of connectivity, a glitch in your software system, or even a data breach?
With technology becoming a pivotal role in the running of most companies relying on a single person to provide your IT provision is dangerous.
There are a number of reasons why companies look to outsource their IT support, which include:
- Your IT department is too busy or needs additional resource from IT helpdesk outsourcing.
- You’re wasting valuable time, money and resources on an internal IT department
- You simply want to reduce the overall cost of your technology hardware & IT support.
- Your business needs access to advanced IT technical skills.
IT outsourcing companies don’t necessarily take all of the responsibility of your IT function and in fact, the appeal of outsourcing IT lies in its flexibility. Depending on what works best for a business, some may opt for fully outsourced IT services where all all of their IT needs are managed by a third-party, this is often referred to as Managed Services. Whilst for others, outsourcing key elements will add value to their existing IT setup.
Benefits of IT Outsourcing
There are any number of outsourced IT services that are popular, these include; IT helpdesk outsourcing, cyber security, cloud computing, network management and connectivity. Let’s explore some of the benefits of outsourced IT services:
IT costs:
Keeping your IT Support costs in-line or saving money will certainly be high on the agenda for most organisations, and can be achieved in a number of areas by engaging an outsourced IT support services provider. Fixed costs, where you only pay for what you need or use allows for effective budgeting, whilst the cost of updating and supporting IT software or hardware is greatly reduced. Additionally, the assurance that your IT is maintained and monitored safeguards against any costly surprises.
Qualified & Experienced:
It’s understandable that a majority of businesses simply don’t have the budget to employee an expert in every available field of IT. When a business chooses to outsource IT they are buying into a range of expertise, with technicians who are experienced, certified and trained to offer top level support and guidance that would otherwise be unattainable to smaller businesses.
The latest technology:
Just keeping up with the latest technology is a job in itself. IT outsourcing companies have direct access to the latest news and updates and can help you take advantage of new advances and trends in real-time. What’s more, IT projects that would ordinarily take weeks, or even months to prepare and implement, can be deployed quickly and seamlessly by a team of qualified experts.
Better productivity:
Employees only have a limited amount of time and attention that they can divide amongst all of their business’ IT demands. Whether you have an in-house IT person or you’re juggling multiple roles in the business, valuable time could be lost attending to menial IT tasks or trying to understand complicated IT projects. Outsourced IT services can transfer the responsibility of maintaining your IT systems, freeing up your time to spend on more meaningful business strategies.
Compliance & Security:
Every business carries risk. But nominating just one employee to look after your data and system security could prove to be a compliance risk. With the increasing variety of online threats, businesses need to be confident that they can keep pace with changing security risks, and the technology needed to counter this. Outsourcing IT, often means outsourcing to IT providers who themselves adhere to strict security regulation and practises. The services they provide will offer expert monitoring 24/7, responding to threats in real-time and storing your data in state-of-the-art facilities.
24-hour monitoring & support:
When you switch off at the end of a working day, it’s sometimes easy to forget that your systems are working around the clock to keep your data and services on-line and secure. Outsourced IT support companies utilise 24 hour monitoring software to regularly check your systems and proactively identify and fix issues often before you’re even aware. With IT issues occurring at any given time, out of hours support can be provided to get you back up and running outside of the traditional ‘9 til 5’.
These benefits however, are only attainable providing you are outsourcing IT services to a reliable provider. There are plenty of pitfalls to be mindful of when selecting your IT partner.
For more information on EBC Group’s IT solutions, contact hello@ebcgroup.co.uk or Get in Touch here
