In a world where effective technology can create a business differentiator or, when mismanaged, can cost your organization customers, having access to outsourced IT services can be a huge advantage.
Imagine having a virtual IT department staffed with friendly and knowledgeable technicians working to ensure your business is operating seamlessly, delivering value to your customers alongside an exceptional user experience for your employees. Bonus: Getting all that without the risk or cost of hiring full-time IT personnel.
Outsourced IT services, often called managed IT services, deliver all that in a cost-effective package while also enabling you to concentrate on your core business competencies.
When companies outsource their IT services, the focus is often on reducing costs, but the value of support services extends well beyond the bottom line.
In addition to evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of IT outsourcing, organizations should consider what type of outsourcing partner they select.
In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of IT outsourcing, and discuss some of the many IT outsourcing pros and cons.
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Outsourced IT can help businesses to collaborate in a reliable, secure environment, which drives productivity regardless of the type or size of your organization.
It also offers access to broader and deeper technical expertise, such as private cloud services, data center support, and resiliency technologies, while helping with day-to-day issues such as IT product procurement and vendor management.
Among the IT outsourcing pros and cons is one clear advantage: Outsourced IT typically costs much less than hiring in-house technical support personnel, with the average cost of managed or outsourced IT support running about $40,000 a year.
Comparatively, the average junior engineer salary ranges from $40,000 to $60,000, while salaries for an experienced engineer can go as high as $150,000 a year, depending on location.
Keep in mind, investing in one or two internal assets limits the organization’s access to broader knowledge, which is another benefit of outsourcing IT. For example, your hire may have all the skills to manage daily technical tasks, but no background in compliance or only limited experience with advanced cybersecurity measures.
To be fair, there are some disadvantages to outsourced IT services, including the fact that technicians are usually remote and there may be delays in certain types of non-priority services.
Managed IT services companies also have multiple clients, so access to support can be impacted by an urgent issue in another client’s environment. Turnover at the outsourced IT provider can also slow response time as each new hire has to acclimate to your organization’s unique technology environment.
When it comes to weighing IT outsourcing advantages and disadvantages, here are some gains that businesses enjoy regardless of their size or type.
Outsourced IT services can:
Take time-consuming tasks off the shoulders of the internal IT team
To fully enjoy the benefits of outsourcing IT services, be sure to thoroughly evaluate the industry expertise and background of the outsourcing partner you are hiring.
Saving time and money with outsourced IT only happens if your IT partner has a clearly defined offering, which should include knowledgeable technicians, well-documented service-level agreements, and proven processes for all aspects of outsourcing IT, including help desk services, remote and on-site support, and proactive monitoring and maintenance.
You should review a potential partner’s documentation to understand:
Remember, to get the full advantages of outsourcing IT, you will need to take the time to uncover the right partner, clearly define your needs and priorities, and explore the right outsourced IT plan for your budget, risk tolerance, and employee expectations.
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At Exigent Technologies, clients can select from three tiers of outsourced IT services, as well as a co-managed IT services option that aligns managed IT services with existing technical resources provided by your internal team.
With nearly three decades of experience working as the virtual IT department for businesses ranging in size from small to large, the Exigent team can help your business navigate the many IT outsourcing pros and cons to create the perfect solution for your organization while increasing efficiency.
Daniel Haurey Jr. is the president and founder of managed IT services provider Exigent Technologies, which he founded in 1997. Under his leadership, the MSP has earned accolades ranging from Channel Futures MSP 501 to being named SonicWall’s 2024 MSP Growth Partner of the Year. Dan is a true entrepreneur, dedicated to growing, investing in, and mentoring small businesses. You can find him on LinkedIn, where he regularly posts about technology, business, leadership, and community.