10 Ways Outsourcing IT Service Can Help a Business Save Money
Are you thinking of outsourcing your IT service?
Outsourcing your IT is a great way for small and medium-sized businesses to compete with the big
guys. You get the same access to experts in the field and the latest tech, much like your larger
competitors. But, the even better news is it doesn’t cost the earth. In fact, it can actually help your business save money.
Don’t believe us? Read on for these 10 ways outsourcing IT service can save your business money in the long run.
1. Better Company Focus
Even if you have an IT service background, you can’t do everything alone. By outsourcing your IT service management, you can focus more on your business as a whole.
This can only be a good thing compared to the alternative. Late nights, a lack of sleep, fixing user
issues, and hardware/software problems. This is a huge amount of work that’s removed from your shoulders.
You’ll be free to concentrate on what actually matters, growing your business further. For smaller businesses and startups, this is vital. Having that competitive edge will either make or break your business.
You need time and focus to set your business apart, find your unique selling point (USP), and
innovate. You can’t do that if you’re bogged down with the mundane troubles of general IT support.
2. Cost Management is More Efficient
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to lower your business expenditure. Even large corporations are looking to save money. For small and medium businesses, every dime saved is a dime earned.
Take the average annual salary for an in-house IT manager for example which is $88,921. That’s not including any recruitment training costs, company benefits, and extra skills training.
Then you need to realize that it’s not likely you’ll have one person managing IT and IT solutions.
Even if you try to stick to one employee, what if they have an emergency, or when they take their vacation time? There won’t be anyone there to come to your IT management rescue, will there?
In a pinch, you can’t ask your other employees to fill in for the IT role. It’s likely that they won’t have the expertise you need, and could even make it worse. And if you try to take care of it yourself, you’re taking time away from running your business.
If you choose an outsourced IT support team, they can take care of any issues you have right away.
After all, that’s the level of support you’re paying for. It might sound harsh, but you’re not paying for leave, health insurance, etc.
But, you’ll get 24/7 IT support whenever you need it. You won’t be in the dark with an IT emergency you can’t solve while your IT manager is away. This leaves you more control over your expenses and puts you in the driving seat.
3. 24/7 Help
Outsourced IT services don’t run on the usual 9-5, Monday-Friday schedule. Most providers will offer their services 24/7, around the clock whenever you need them.
If something breaks on the weekend or a public holiday, it’s no problem. You won’t have to wait until Monday morning to get someone to help you. The moment disaster strikes, they’re only a phone call away.
This 24/7 coverage is possible because IT service providers have the resources to offer it. If you’re using satellite offices around the world, this service is especially useful. It provides cover for your offshore employees in different time zones, hassle-free.
4. Get the Latest Tech
When considering outsourced IT providers as these questions. What would benefit you more: the
knowledge of one specialist or the knowledge of a whole team of pros?
IT isn’t static, it’s always changing and evolving and at a rapid pace too. When you hire an IT service provider, you’re getting a team that specializes in most areas of IT support.
It’s their business to provide the best support, so they’re always up to date with the latest tech and trends. Your businesses won’t get left behind when it comes to new software, apps, and products.
IT support providers usually need industry qualifications and training for their staff. When hiring them, you can expect the very best experience and knowledge in a wide range of IT issues.
The best part, they’re staying competitive and you’re not having to foot the bill. Your IT team handles the research, new certifications, and qualifications themselves.
5. Better Employee Relationship
You might be wondering how a good relationship with your staff can help save and make you money.
Let’s look at the example of if you have an IT problem that needs immediate attention.
You don’t have any IT experience, but you know Richard in accounting has some. Nothing is stopping you from asking him to help fix the problem. In fact, Richard might be the only hope that you have, but should you actually ask?
This isn’t a good idea. You hired Richard to handle the accounting department, not to help with your IT woes. If you have Richard manning the IT desks, who are looking after accounting?
Is Richard happy you asked for his help? Or is he resenting you taking his time from the job you hired him to do? What happens to the work in accounting he’s not doing while helping with IT? Will he now have to work more to catch up?
When you outsource IT, your employees are free to do the jobs you hired them for. You’re not wasting their time (time they have to make up) on issues that they’re not trained for. It makes more sense to hire professionals and experts, rather than muddling through.
6. System Stability
If you’re considering hiring a third-party IT provider, how do you know you picked the right one? A good sign is when they’re fixing issues and taking care of problems before they happen.
You might wonder how, but any good IT professional can see weaknesses in your network. They can see what might cause you issues down the line and come up with solutions to prevent it.
It’s their job to look after your systems, and that includes preventative measures. Especially when it comes to issues that could affect productivity and revenue streams.
7. Disaster Recovery
Disaster can happen at any time, it’s impossible to predict. Some potential disasters to watch for include:
- fire
- flood
- earthquake
- cyber-attack
Due to their unpredictable nature, it’s important to have a disaster recovery plan (DR) in place. One part of your DR could be using an outsourced IT provider who can help with data protection and recovery. After all, your data is your most valuable asset.
Without a DR, it’s going to be harder to get back on your feet. Even more so if your in-house IT team doesn’t specialize in data backup and recovery. A major disaster could force you to shut your doors for good.
Outsourced IT professionals will specialize in DRs and data recovery. They can help you put together a plan tailored for your needs, and then execute should you need them to.
8. Reduce Risks
You can’t avoid risk, everything your business does has some element of it. But, when you outsource your IT services, they can manage some of that risk for you.
Once you share some of the risk load, you can free up resources in your company. These resources can then use time and energy to further better your company. This includes any in-house IT team you have. They can now work on other projects that will take your business forward.
9. Helps With Customer Retention
There’s more to success than having a great product or service. If your tech support isn’t up to scratch, your customers will notice. And they’ll head straight into the arms of your competitors for their needs.
An advantage of outsourcing is the provider has access to many different resources. Your IT staff,
even if they’re passionate and willing, can’t do much if they don’t have the resources to match.
By choosing an IT service provider, you’re getting an expert team and a stack of resources to boot.
This is one less thing on your mind, letting you focus on your business. Your customers are vital for
success, so give them the attention and service they deserve.
10. General Peace of Mind
There is no better feeling than peace of mind that you’ve got something covered. You might enjoy controlling everything about your business but do you have peace of mind? If not, then that control might not be worth it.
Choosing the right IT support provider isn’t a piece of cake, there are lots to consider. But once you
fight the right one and have that rock-solid contract in place, you won’t believe how it feels.
After that, you’ll see the benefits come rolling in and you can let out that breath you’ve been holding.
You can rest easy knowing that your IT needs are in safe hands.
Outsourcing IT Service Made Easy
So, there you have it! Now you know these 10 reasons for outsourcing IT service, what are you
waiting for?
Hiring an IT service provider could be the best thing you do this year for your bottom line. How they
can save money vary and can surprise you. But the best way is the peace of mind they bring. You
know your IT needs are in the right hands, so you can relax and focus on growing and nurturing your business.
If you found this article useful, check out our other blog posts today!
