Due to growing operational pressures, more companies are transitioning from in-house to outsourced IT staffing models. Technical innovation has created greater demand for skilled professionals with wide-ranging expertise. By utilizing external providers, your business has access to solutions including, but not limited to: infrastructure management, threat monitoring, and crisis resolution. Some organizations outsource their entire IT department, while others leverage consultants to complement their internal resources. Either way, IT outsourcing provides unique benefits when compared to traditional in-house staffing models.
Here Are the Top Five Pros and Cons of IT Outsourcing:
The Advantages of IT Outsourcing
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Focus - Your company's attention remains on core initiatives. Whether you're outsourcing day-to-day tasks or your full IT infrastructure, both mean less time and money spent on training staff and addressing reactive fixes.
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Competitiveness - If you’re lacking proactive IT leadership, a strategic partner can help your business become more efficient, competitive, and agile by leveraging cutting-edge technological resources. This will put your business at a competitive advantage, and fortify you against a changing cyber threat landscape. Programs such as iCorps' Encompass can do just that.
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Flexibility - IT outsourcing allows you to divide projects across a group of skilled experts for faster turnaround. With greater staffing flexibility, your business can scale IT resources depending on seasonal needs or project workflow. Add on cloud solutions, and it's no wonder that 92% of businesses are leveraging strategic outsourced IT solutions.
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Efficient Experts - Giving your IT staff access to a team of well-trained experts can help resolve problems quickly and effectively, and also train them in the future with best practices and knowledge of the most up to date technology. Established IT outsourcing firms will have a deep bench of consultants with experts best suited for each job at hand. This means that less time is needed to complete and finalize projects, regardless of size.
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Reduced Expenses - While this is dependent on the MSP, a proactive one will ensure your budget is spent on negating, not responding to, cyber threats. Outsourcing to a technical consulting company gives you access to a range of highly skilled professionals who undergo constant training to ensure they are at the forefront of their industry. Shifting your IT spend to a predictable month-to-month model provides peace of mind, access to expert resources, and reduced long-term cost.
Disadvantages of Outsourcing IT
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Lack of Coordination - Some organizations will attempt to patchwork outsourced consultants with their internal team. While hybrid IT models can be highly effective, they require some form of IT leadership - either in-house or external. Without an IT leader, redundancies are more likely, and responsibilities are obscured.
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Lack of Internal Familiarity - There is a misconception that outsourced IT consultants lack the necessary familiarity with your IT infrastructure compared to an internal team. Make sure your consultants are well versed in your business and its infrastructure prior to onboarding for a smooth transition.
A partnership with an experienced and trustworthy IT outsourcing provider can help launch your business forward. For decades, iCorps has been providing our clients the cost-effective IT outsourcing they need for day-to-day IT tasks and long-term strategic goals. Whether you're looking for complete IT outsourcing or the benefits of outsourcing IT infrastructure and help desk, we can point you in the right direction. Reach out today for a free IT consultation.
Editor's Note: This post was originally published in November 2017 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.