Blog

As a business owner, you know how much time and effort it takes to keep your operation on the right track. No matter the size, whether it’s a small, medium or large business, what matters most is focusing on what keeps your business running and - hopefully - profitable.

That’s why many companies view outsourcing certain functions of day-to-day business operations as a solution that simplifies how much their employees have to take. This is most helpful when those other tasks fall under categories that may be outside typical duties or just are not the best use of an employee’s time.

Take IT services, for example. There are many businesses that choose to outsource to managed IT service providers. By making that decision, businesses can free up employee work time for other matters that are more central to operations, productivity and growth. Another common reason is that a great managed IT service provider gives that company access to experts without having to hire their own. In some cases, this saves money.

However, those are just a few reasons why a business owner may want to explore outsourcing IT. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at those reasons and others. Our goal is to show you why you may want to consider outsourcing these tasks and duties.

Outsourcing is popular for a reason

Outsourcing is not a new concept in the business world. If anything, the idea of outsourcing certain parts of a business is only gaining in popularity. That’s because it allows businesses to save money and have access to experts who aren’t on their payrolls.

Outsourcing is not just a large corporation tactic, though. In fact, among small businesses, more than a third currently outsource at least one process of their business operations, according to a 2018 study. That study also reported that 52% of those businesses said they planned to outsource in 2019.

Those small businesses that reported they currently outsource parts of their operations commonly relied on outside businesses to provide support for one or more of the following: accounting, IT and digital marketing.

Outsourcing IT services saves money

So, why do businesses choose to outsource IT services? The most common reason is that the decision will likely save them money. That reason itself is often enough to compel companies to at least look at outsourcing as an option.

By choosing to outsource IT, companies take the fixed costs of employees and free up funds that can be spent in other areas. That’s because managed IT providers will work within a given budget - and that budget is much more flexible than, say, an employee’s salary.

Outsourcing also eliminates the continued costs of training and providing other employee benefits, too.

Plus, with a managed services provider, you can hire on a per-project basis to keep costs low. Some businesses may need to enter contracts, but that is not always necessary.

It’s a hard argument to beat: Why spend more money on IT when that capital could be spent elsewhere, such as in areas that help the business zero in on its core focuses.

Focus on what matters more

When a business is able to focus more attention and resources on its core operations, it’s more likely to be productive and have a better opportunity to increase profits. By outsourcing IT, businesses can maintain a laser-sharp focus on those core goals and objectives. This way, business managers are not torn between those core goals and other necessary but lower priority duties.

Staff are also allowed to focus on what they do best, which is likely what you hired them to do when IT duties are handled by an outside provider. Consider how much pressure additional IT duties may add to an employee’s job if that is not what they specialize in.

Bring in the experts

If you don’t have a large budget, then chances are your business does not have the ability to hire a full team of IT experts. But with outsourcing those duties, your problem is solved.

By outsourcing, you are able to access that entire team of IT experts without having to pay their salaries. Those experts are trained on the latest technology and support methods. They also may have access to technology resources that an in-house team may not, no matter how talented they are, due to budget constraints.

Now, those IT experts also want your business to succeed. So, you can be sure that they are going to provide you with the best possible equipment, but they will also understand any budgetary concerns. Select a reliable managed services provider, though, and you can rest assured that your business’s hardware and software needs will be taken care of without cutting corners.

Know your business is secure and compliant

Today’s businesses rely on data to thrive and grow. That data, whether it’s secured on-site or in the cloud, needs to be secured. Businesses can decrease the burden on themselves and reduce much of the risk they encounter when it comes to handling and securing data.

An outsource team of IT experts can come to your business, diagnose any vulnerabilities and close and gaps in security. In addition, they can help make sure all compliance issues are handled accordingly as far as privacy and data security are concerned.

How to find a trusted managed IT services provider

You know your business better than anyone else. However, when it comes to locating the proper technology needed to operate your business and keep it secure, it’s best not to leave anything to chance.

That’s why your business could benefit from a managed IT services provider. To begin your search for a qualified and trusted provider for your IT outsourcing needs, begin by taking stock of what IT needs your business currently has and what needs may arise in the future.

From there, consider researching potential providers by looking at what services each provider offers and asking for pricing. That process should give you more insight into how that provider interacts with customers - both potential and current.

Hopefully this has been an insightful guide to why a business might consider outsourcing its IT needs. For more topical information on hardware, software, security and more, go ahead and check out our blog.