The advantages of outsourcing are plentiful with outsourced IT support a hot topic for businesses today. Each company however is unique and what may suit one organisation may not work for another.
Here we explore the business case for outsourcing and analyse how IT and finance directors can make the most from external provision.
The challenge
Constantly evolving technology and ever changing business requirements mean that organisations must continually invest to stay ahead of their competitors. For many companies, this can become expensive and time consuming, requiring ongoing training and the procurement of new technologies and staff.
The pressure on I.T. departments to keep networks running is immense. In fact, simply keeping them running is no longer enough. I.T. departments need to ensure that systems are consistently performing at optimum levels and are always secure. This in itself is a big challenge, however to make matters worse, I.T. systems are constantly changing and developing, becoming more and more diverse; more complex to run and more difficult to manage.
This increasing complexity means that I.T. departments ideally need more staff, with more specialist skills, simply to maintain systems. However, retaining these skills in-house is expensive and I.T. departments are equally under pressure to reduce costs, not increase them, and ensure that I.T. operations are run as cost effectively as possible. Challenging economic times add to these pressures and delivering a solid return on investment is more important than ever.
Standing still is simply not an option for most organisations. Without the skills and resources to achieve this, organisations become less flexible, less able to respond to market changes and less able to compete. To address the challenge, many organisations are considering outsourced I.T. support.
What is outsourcing?
Technical support outsourcing is where an external provider takes responsibility for a company’s I.T. services. Typically these can include I.T. maintenance, hosting, help desk provision and application management. Working in partnership with your business, all services are SLA led and you can choose the level of cover that best suits your needs.
Why outsource?
Outsourcing is successful as it enables businesses of all sizes to benefit from the knowledge, expertise and resources of a service specialist. As this area is the core focus of their business, service providers are able to make much higher levels of investment and attract the most experienced staff. This ensures you receive the best for your business without the costs and worry of the initial layout, upgrades and ongoing training.
Getting the best return
To make the most of the advantages of outsourcing and get the best return from your I.T. provider, it is important that you know what you want to achieve. The biggest cost savings in technical support outsourcing come from data recovery and help desk services such as remote monitoring. This remote management means that any potential problems are seen and addressed before they even occur. This ensures that systems remain running, users stay connected and your customers receive consistent levels of service. The advantages of outsourcing can be plentiful but it is important to choose a partner who you can trust to manage your interests effectively. The best relationships are between companies who regularly meet to review services and processes and offer strong reporting procedures to speed problem resolution.
The business benefits
One of the key benefits businesses experience with outsourced I.T. support is the ability to implement changes and deploy new systems quickly. Working in this way allows your organisation to stay agile and ahead of the competition by removing the burden of routine system management from your in-house team and allowing them to focus on the strategic I.T. developments that your business really needs.
Critically, one of the key advantages of outsourcing is that it helps to reduce the cost of your I.T. operations by eliminating the need to invest in expensive technical training and system management software. Alongside reduced costs, moving to an outsourced I.T. support solution diminishes the risks associated with running a complex I.T. infrastructure, providing assurance that someone else is sharing accountability for your service delivery.
What are the disadvantages of outsourcing?
When it comes to the disadvantages of outsourcing, many companies find their biggest concerns to be the potential loss of quality control and cost. While both of these factors warrant important consideration, most problems can be resolved by establishing a good, transparent relationship with your supplier before entering into any contract.
To ensure quality standards are met, ensure you communicate your needs clearly to your technical support provider. Look at the most critical areas of your business and agree satisfactory SLAs you are both happy with. While cost is a subject that can never be avoided, fortunately it can be controlled. Any outsourced I.T. support should come at a fixed cost and remain for the duration of your contract.
acs office solutions is experienced in all areas of business relocation and is proud to deliver a comprehensive and thorough service comprising everything you need to make your office move both simple and stress-free. Call 01604 704014 for help and advise on your guide to outsourcing.
