For small businesses, IT outsourcing offers a world of possibilities. It lets them access new technologies that would otherwise be far too expensive for them to afford, and it can also help to cut IT costs overall- a winning combination. To make the best use of outsourcing, though, companies need to understand which IT operations could best benefit from being managed by a third-party, and then making the choice between offshore and nearshore outsourcing.
There are numerous reasons why businesses outsource their IT operations, either in part or in full. From reducing overheads from IT equipment to cutting the number of essential staff, outsourcing can lead to huge savings. However, cost isn’t the only reason why outsourcing is a smart choice. Most small businesses’ focus isn’t on IT, so outsourcing can relieve some pressure, and allow business owners to focus on their core activity.
In addition, outsourcing can also help smaller business access the very latest industry techniques, without having to go through expensive training programs to do so. It can even improve companies’ speed to market for new products and services, allowing them to keep up with the competition in a rapidly changing marketplace. The benefits aren’t just for the companies, though- the quality of customer service can also be improved by outsourcing particular operations, including customer care and billing.
The primary reason why many small businesses choose IT outsourcing, though, is to save money. In most cases, it’s cheaper to hire a managed IT service provider than it is to build an entire in-house IT management team from the ground up. Even large companies often choose to outsource at least some of their IT services, and while small businesses likely won’t have anywhere near that sort of budget to spend, they can still definitely benefit from having, for instance, their web hosting taken care of by an external company. Other IT outsourcing services that may be useful to small businesses include data and server management, and programming. External data storage allows a business to save money when compared to purchasing and maintaining their own equipment.
Outsourcing IT services allows small businesses to make savings in two key areas: labour and equipment. By outsourcing staff as and when needed, businesses don’t have to worry about the additional costs of keeping IT staff on their payroll permanently. It also allows them to access advanced IT equipment, without the cost of buying and maintaining said equipment. Small businesses can also start new projects immediately, without having to worry about staff training or new equipment. All you need to do is tell your chosen outsourcing vendor what you need, and they will be able to get the new project up and running in no time at all.
Since different companies will all need individualised IT services, there’s a huge range of choice when it comes to managed IT service providers. For instance, one business might need on-site support, whereas others might be content with remote web hosting. Some might only need a managed IT service provider to tackle tech-related problems as they come up, and be fine with managing their own IT equipment most of the time. Usually, small businesses will be able to tackle their problems with local outsourcing providers, instead of working with large IT companies that generally perform off-site services.
Article by KosBIT