Make no mistake: outsourcing has become more prevalent than ever with businesses. Whether it’s large corporations or small outlets, it has been reported that outsourcing generated worldwide revenue of $507 billion in 2014.
As for what outsourcing is, it allows a company to hire employees virtually rather than staff members being present within the confines of an office. While sectors that make way for in-house staff are virtually endless, one popular area of outsourcing relates to information technology.
Specialist IT consulting firms provide a wealth of benefits for those that opt to favor them against an in-house team, and the following article will touch upon the biggest advantages provided.
Keeps costs lower
Small or large, every business is looking to save a buck when possible. At the end of the day, turning over a profit is the main objective for any company that wants to grow and prosper. Therefore, one of the main draws for IT outsourcing – and essentially any other type of subcontracting – is the reduced outlay it provides.
So how does it keep those expenses to a minimum? First of all, there’s no need to purchase certain computer hardware that is necessary to complete whatever IT tasks your business requires. On top of that, you don’t need to dedicate a spot of your office towards such a department. Plus if you currently operate from a rented office, you will know how much of a premium just a small portion of it can cost!
Furthermore, there is also no need to hire additional employees that will cover your technological needs. Along with general employee costs, this also means you don’t have to cover any benefits or training fees.
As well as all of this, and assuming fixed charges are agreed upon from the start, outsourcing also results in making outgoings more predictable. Fees for the likes of support and network access might also be reduced when compared to going to a provider directly, as an outsourcing firm might purchase such things in bulk and pass on the savings to customers.
Benefit from greater expertise
Take a minute to think about it: if you are limited to only your local area for hiring an employee, does that really provide the best chance of uncovering an expert in the world of IT? Chances are is that, although you will most likely acquire someone capable of the job, they won’t be sitting in that top tier rwith regards to expertise.
However, if you select a reputable IT outsourcing consulting firm in USA (or any other country), you are more likely to be exposed to the best workers in the field of information technology. After all, IT is the consulting firm’s bread and butter, so you are sure to know they will have highly trained and certified experts.
Not only that, but they will also typically be a specialist in a select area of technology – they don’t have to be a jack of all trades in that sense. From developing databases to crafting an iPhone app, they should have a professional that is dedicated to a specific sector.
Access to the latest technology
Obviously, an IT outsourcing firm worth its salt will use the newest and best technology on the market. So alongside having the help of experts, you also have access to the latest technology available – an ideal double package when needing IT-related work done.
In addition, you will also be comforted by the fact that your provider will be constantly upgrading, patching and replacing systems when necessary.
Less risk involved
While this has been briefly touched upon in the aforementioned section relating to costs, there’s no getting away from it: purchasing technology is a pricey expenditure. Not to mention that this point is exemplified if you make the wrong decision with your tech acquisitions. With a specialist IT provider, they will already have the experience and know-how to ensure you don’t fall down any costly pitfalls.
Another way that risk is minimized is with regards to the potential of data loss. With research indicating that close to one million pieces of new malware threats are launched each day, possible breaches that could compromise your data are always lurking. Although you can put in place your own defense strategy, IT outsourcers will dedicate a healthy chunk of their resources towards the best and most up-to-date firewalls, monitoring software and other security-related procedures.
Moreover, the danger of downtime disruption is better averted by using an outsourcing company. The market leaders in the field build the most robust facilities possible in an attempt to avoid such downtime.
An extra level of flexibility
Flexibility is another main draw towards going down the IT outsourcing route.
This is due to the fact that you can scale up/down in a quick fashion when changes are needed. So if your company experiences a period of rapid growth, an IT outsourcing firm will have the resources at their disposal to accommodate such developments. Also keep in mind that they are able to take on temporary projects when needed, which saves you from having to purchase your own tech for just the one purpose.
The core business benefits from increased focus
For the large majority of companies, IT is not a central focus for basic operations – it is just a supporting act towards the overall big picture. Yet, although technology is not the main focus for your core business operations, it will still be a major disruption for your company if kept in-house. As a result, it might leave employees stretched and doing multiple tasks, and they might not necessarily have the adequate skills to complete certain chores.
Of course, outsourcing your IT work helps to alleviate this possible problem. This then leaves you and your employees the potential to stay streamlined towards the core business. IT outsourcing firms will also supply 24/7 support and go beyond what any internal team could deliver. Plus, it should boost the general morale of your in-house employees!