IT Outsourcing Services are the “farming out” or hiring of third-party businesses or consultants to provide a variety of information technology roles needed for your business. And it’s becoming an outsourcing trend because outsourcing works.
Some of these services include website design, network configuration and management, security, technical and desktop support, application development, telecommunications, and infrastructure.
By outsourcing these specific services, your business can lower your day-to-day costs, including labor and benefits afforded to full-time employees, while leveraging experts for planning and support.
Related Article, Small Business IT Outsourcing: Is It Worth It?
When reviewing the pros and cons of outsourcing vendors, there are a few disadvantages to IT outsourcing services you should be familiar with, such as:
- Cultural and language barriers
- Synchronization of time zones
- Operating business hours
- Less control when compared with in-house staff
However, it’s simple to overcome these obstacles by choosing the best provider for outsourcing IT functions for your business.
Your business expects and relies on your network and office equipment to perform at their best each day. Monitoring your company’s network is challenging at times for in-house IT staff, especially as they try to tackle other critical issues your business is facing.
IT outsourcing services provide you with a lifeline that you can always depend on, not just for unsuspected problems when they arise, but for the planning, implementation, and success of your business.
Just like you might outsource some of the needs of your marketing department, outsourcing some (or all) of your technology needs is one of the best ways to ensure your networks are secured.
When problems do arise, you’ll also have a qualified designated professional, or a team of professionals, working and resolving those problems for you the second they surface through alerts and continual monitoring.
We’ve done the hard work for you when it comes to learning about IT outsourcing services. Follow us as we dive into the benefits of these services and how the most important services you should know when it comes to the growth of your business.
Forbes published an article you might find interesting relating to IT outsourcing and our world today, Outsourcing In The New Normal: Three Trends Reshaping The Global Industry.
The Benefits of IT Outsourcing Services
IT outsourcing services work as remote network monitoring using a process where a qualified team of experts controls and observes your local area network (LAN) from afar.
Remote monitoring teams handle network-related issues that you don't have time for or are not qualified to do, including hardware upgrades and security patch installation.
These professionals also identify network issues, such as a security breach or a server crash, before these issues have an impact on your company. IT outsourcing professionals regularly detect problems that pose a threat to your LAN security.
If your network or servers do go down, your outsourced remote monitoring team gets to work straight away to minimize any disruption to your business and employees.
The benefits of using IT outsourcing services are hard to resist. These benefits save your business time and money, detect network irregularities long before a virus wreaks havoc on your network, while also monitoring your servers around the clock.
If you aren’t sure if IT outsourcing services are right for your business, read our article, What is Managed IT Services? How to Tell If You Need Them.
You gain peace of mind as your servers, routers, applications, and security software are regularly monitored and updated.
Without complicating or confusing you too much, take a look at a list of the most common IT outsourcing services for your business:
- Remote monitoring: The hiring of third-party businesses or consultants to provide a variety of information technology roles needed for your business.
- Technical support: Technical support is a business, department, provider, or staff which offers help with managing computer technology. Technical support can be in many forms, including desktop, application, mobile, networking, hosting, website, and IT security. Many businesses build an in-house team of experts to handle IT support for their company in these areas. By identifying the right outsourcing vendors, you can off-load these duties to take advantage of the cost savings with minimal capital outlay. This is especially true for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that are managing growth. Also, outsourcing IT allows a business to tap into more substantial business technology resources and expertise while staying focused on core business objectives.
- Training: Not taking the time to train employees on the technical aspects of your business is a huge mistake many companies make. IT outsourcing professionals can train you and your employees on IT best practices because of their experience and expertise in the industry.
- Security, Virus Protection, Data Backup, and Recovery: Data loss, accidental or by theft, is one of the most significant concerns for businesses. IT outsourcing services offer complete protection with a secure firewall, servers, malware, and virus protection. Intensive data security service stops thieves, hackers, and criminals in their tracks. Proactive security and 24/7 monitoring of your network can eliminate attempted cyber-hacks from happening, as well as anti-virus patches and other software updates to be done quickly.
- Business continuity: Business continuity is the ability to continue to deliver services and products at a minimally predefined service level after a business disruption (natural or human-made disaster.)
- Disaster Recovery: Every business should have a disaster recovery plan so that in case there is a major system outage or issue. A little preparedness can go a long way. Each and every employee should know their support role to get back up and running as quickly as possible.
- Technology road mapping and planning: With the help of an IT outsourcing services team, you can create technology plans to future-proof your business. Make sure to keep a focus on your business goals with the technology you’re currently using and how you plan to grow with new technology as it emerges.
- Virtual CIO (vCIO): A vCIO, also known as a Virtual CIO (Chief Information Officer). The vCIO may be a consultant, third party, or business that offers a service (part-time person) to fulfill the role of a current CIO. This service helps businesses that can’t afford the salary and benefits of a full-time executive. A vCIO usually works remotely and provides support in developing a technology roadmap, reviewing and maintenance of IT infrastructure, vendor management, new technology, and recommendations.
- Helpdesk: An IT outsourcing helpdesk troubleshoots your IT issues as they occur and can help boost your business. A Helpdesk can simplify management, reduce costs, increase productivity, provide you with tracking and reporting, and the availability to communicate with you as needed.
- Application and database development: The more up-to-date your software and computer applications are, the easier your life is going to be. An IT outsourcing service can provide you with the right software applications to ensure your business is using the most updated technology. It can also develop new software specific to your business needs and job duties.
- Network management: As your business grows, your network grows. IT outsourcing services help manage the maintenance, security, downtime, productivity, and costs of the technology at your business.
To learn more about the benefits of IT outsourcing services, read our article, Top 5 Benefits of Managed IT Services.
Your Next Steps: Here's What To Further Consider about IT Outsourcing Services
As a business owner or even an employee, you might have some fears about IT outsourcing services, especially when outsourcing network management tasks to third parties.
However, 3rd-party managed IT services providers are experts in security because that’s what they do. They can spend the time and resources staying on top of ever-shifting security trends and threats to keep your business safe and secure at all times.
Now that you know a little more about IT outsourcing services, what is your next step? We have a great article for you that will help you better understand if these services are right for your business; Can a Managed IT Services Provider Support What I Already Have?
Outsourcing your network monitoring needs is one of the best things you can do for your business and employees, especially when it comes to your company's success. In some cases, it can even improve employee morale.
At AIS, we aren’t solely interested in selling you our products. Informing you of what these products and services can do to support your business goals is what we strive to do, not just for our current customers but potential ones as well. We believe one of the most important things you can do for the success of your business is to educate yourself on what’s going to make your business operations run smoothly every day. If you want to learn more about IT outsourcing services, reach out to one of our business technology consultants here. We’re here to give you peace of mind to help you win more business.
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