Reliable IT operations are one of the most significant building blocks for successful small businesses.
It’s easy to see why more than 50% of business owners rely on an outsourced IT service provider. These companies serve as an efficient alternative to a traditional in-house IT staff while also proactively resolving network and workflow inefficiencies.
However, the benefits of IT outsourcing go beyond problem-solving. In this article, we will examine some of the advantages of IT outsourcing, and the long-term benefits it provides for your business.
Benefits of IT Outsourcing
1. Experienced Security Engineers
Cybersecurity specialists are a crucial part of any in-house IT team. They can easily address security issues your business may be experiencing and offer solutions.
Without access to properly trained and qualified security engineers, you could be putting your business and its sensitive data at risk.
Outsourcing your IT support helps you mitigate this risk with access to certified cyber security engineers and holistic IT security solutions. Further, most small businesses do not have the resources or budget to hire their own security experts so an outsourced model makes the most sense as it provides access to these critical professionals under the umbrella of your managed services coverage.
Most managed IT providers offer a full suite of cybersecurity services, including:
- Ongoing support from a Security Operations Center (SOC)
- Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
- 24/7 system monitoring and threat detection
- Comprehensive disaster recovery
- Vulnerability scans
- Penetration testing
- Endpoint protection
- And more
Before partnering with an MSP, you should ensure that company’s cybersecurity engineers have the proper certifications, which include:
- CompTIA Security+
- GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN)
- GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC)
- Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
- Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP)
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
| Interested in learning more? Check out these blogs: |
2. Broader Expertise
Outsourcing IT support gives you access to a larger team with varying backgrounds and areas of expertise. Additionally, an outsourced team may be more equipped to resolve your business’s most complex IT issues.
Working with an outsourced IT team connects your business with the necessary resources to handle any issues affecting your network performance, workflow, growth, compliance and more.
3. 24/7 Availability
Another one of the advantages of outsourcing IT services is availability. Most reputable outsourced IT firms provide 24/7/365 availability and responsive technical support whenever issues arise.
An in-house team can potentially leave your business with gaps in its IT management while taking breaks or holidays. IT outsourcing firms rectify this issue with continuous support that helps you minimize downtime and maximize your coverage.
4. Maintaining Compliance
Meeting and maintaining compliance with regulatory bodies like HIPAA, PCI, and NIST can be a difficult task. Failure to maintain compliance can cost your business a ton in fees and create a lot of downtime.
An outsourced IT team actively works to ensure that every facet of your business’s IT infrastructure adheres to the necessary compliance standards. With this support, your team will have more time to focus on core business functions.
Your Reliable Source for IT Outsourcing Services
Reap the benefits of outsourcing IT services with a trustworthy partner.
5. Aligning Your IT and Business Goals
Maintaining a competitive advantage requires a reliable managed IT infrastructure. Managing an internal IT staff takes away from growing your business.
When you work with a reputable IT outsourcing firm, you get a partner that can handle your entire IT infrastructure. That means you can let go of the responsibility of managing your own IT and concentrate on other business processes.
One of the less obvious IT outsourcing benefits is its ability to scale with your business as it grows. You don’t have to reconfigure your IT department or worry about hiring more employees. A responsive project management team handles everything for you.
6. Strategic Direction
Technology must be used effectively to help achieve the goals of the business. In order to properly position and align your business with the right technology a sound strategy must be in place.
The best outsourced IT providers will provide this strategic direction through a vCIO program that produces the level of strategy the firm requires to maximize their technology investment. A good vCIO will produce an annual roadmap, budget, reporting, and action items that are presented to management so that the provider and management are aligned.
7. Cost-Effectiveness
Cost-effectiveness is another of the most significant IT outsourcing advantages, and it brings many benefits.
While your standard in-house IT team can handle surface-level IT issues, they typically operate only during regular business hours.
Outsourcing gives you round-the-clock access to certified information technology experts with key certifications. Their knowledge helps you prevent the cost of security breaches and the potential reputational damage associated with them.
A 24/7 IT team also helps you avoid downtime in the event of network outages to ensure you maintain business continuity to keep your business productive.
Many MSPs also offer IT consulting and procurement services that align your business needs with the proper technology. They may also have connections or partnerships with prominent IT vendors, giving you access to necessary technology or upgrades that would typically be expensive to acquire or implement. In addition to propelling your business forward, these services help you avoid hidden costs.
Enjoy the Benefits of Outsourcing IT Services
When you outsource your business’s IT, you get the advantages of a highly reliable, diverse team of experts that will manage your infrastructure at a fraction of the cost of hiring an in-house IT staff.
If you are researching IT outsourcing pros and cons and require additional guidance, contact Power Consulting today to learn more about our specific offerings and how we can boost your business’s productivity while reducing downtime.
