4 Reasons to Outsource IT

Business owners, CEOs, and CIOs are often tasked with overseeing the technology that supports their business, increases user productivity, and protects the business from cyber threats.  But, how much time and effort can a business leader reasonably devote to these challenges?  When is the responsibility too much to ask?  When is outsourcing a good option?  In this article, we’ll explore the reasons to outsource IT and some of the benefits for doing it sooner than later.

Focus on Your Business

Most CEOs cite their number one goal as the desire to spend more time focusing on the business, rather than in the business.  It’s not cliché, it’s a fact that business leaders often get drawn into problems that are not the best use of their time, expertise, or core competency.  Many business leaders now place information technology issues near the top of the list of things they would rather avoid, but find necessary, to keep the business running.  Whether your business process is simple or complex, the productivity and profitability of your organization has a direct correlation to technology, and ultimately, the bottom line. For this reason, and many others, it may make sense to outsource technology so you can spend more time focused on your business strategy, revenue, and operations.

4 Benefits of Outsourcing IT

Getting back time and allowing you to focus on your business is a big plus, but the economics must also make sense when you outsource technology to a managed IT services organization.  Consider the cost-implications of the following benefits:

1. Fewer full-time employees – outsourcing is always a good option if you’re looking to reduce the overhead an internal IT department.  After you consider the costs of hiring, training, salary, and benefits – the costs to outsource may be clear.  In addition, the internal resources required to stay up-to-date on technology and aware of threats and alerts is a real factor. In some cases, an organization may still require onsite IT personnel, and some hybrid options allow your existing staff to transfer employment to the outsourced technology provider.
2. Scalability – outsourced IT can be quickly scaled based on your needs and may provide a competitive advantage that can really impact revenue. This is not only true for staffing, but also for services like your help desk, IaaS, DaaS, and other services that an outsourced IT or MSP can provide.
3. Expertise – outsourced technology firms have specialists to assist with a variety of technology initiatives. Instead of delegating multiple responsibilities to the ‘IT guy’ and hoping he’ll figure it out, you are able to tap into a broad array of skill sets and experts.  In addition, technology companies typically provide ongoing training to their team to keep them up to speed on best practices, the latest threats, and new technologies.  How often does your internal team receive that level of continuing education and how much time and expense are you spending on it?
4. Redundancy – instead of relying on a few employees to support your entire organization, you can tap into the vast resources provided by a technology company. This creates the redundancy and response your users require, while lowering your overhead.

Outsource IT Sooner Than Later

Most businesses debate the decision to outsource for a long time before they make the move.  They wait for ‘better timing’ or ‘when things slow down.’  The reality is that technology is the most fluid part of your business – it is constantly changing and it can be tough for your in-house staff to keep up.  The delay in deciding can literally cost you a ton of money and place your company and data at risk. This is especially true if you don’t have a high level of confidence in your technology or if you have an immediate crisis and need to make a immediate buying or hiring decisions.

Start the process by scheduling a consultation with Conscious Networks to discuss your current technology, challenges, and growth initiatives.  We will provide common-sense solutions, a holistic approach to technology, and identify the best way to proceed, based on your circumstances.