6 Considerations When Outsourcing IT Services

by Andrew Bischof, Guest Contributor

In today’s competitive world, every business strives to achieve maximum efficiency and cost-cutting. Outsourcing IT solutions is one way for companies to acquire the technical skills and IT resources they require without spending too much on setting up or hiring an in-house IT department.   
  
Outsourcing your company’s IT services allows you to focus on your core competencies instead of worrying about data management and IT infrastructure. As it also reduces business overheads, IT outsourcing services are becoming increasingly common, especially among small businesses.   

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There are many other benefits of using IT outsourcing services other than higher efficiency and productivity. These services ensure regular monitoring and maintenance of your IT infrastructure, upgrading of your IT environment as needed and access to the latest technologies, according to your business needs.   

However, business leaders need to be mindful of how and whom they engage. There are important considerations to make before investing in IT outsourcing services. Here’s what you need to keep in mind to ensure seamless integration of an external IT service provider into your organisation and workflow.   
  
1. Do They Have the Right Resources and Technology?  
Outsourcing your IT services requires considerable investment. Therefore, you need to make sure that the service provider is equipped with the necessary resources and technology so that your investment is worthwhile.   

Ask the service provider about what tools, technologies and resources they can deploy for your company and whether they’re capable of handling your specific business needs. Their systems and software should be up-to-date and high quality for smooth handling of your business processes and workflow.   

2. Are They Quick with Their Response and Support?  
There’s nothing more frustrating than facing trouble with your IT, especially when you’re in the middle of a high-priority project that has a tight deadline. What’s more, delayed response and lack of swift action can be damaging for any business.   

When choosing an IT outsourcing service provider, time management, fast response and quick problem-resolution should be seen as crucial factors. The best service providers are pro-active with their approach and continuously monitor your IT environment to spot and fix any issue before it even arises and causes you trouble.   

3. Is It Going to Improve Your Bottom-line?  
Whenever businesses think of outsourcing services, one of the main reasons that motivates them is cost-saving which ultimately shows in the form of improved bottom-line.     

By outsourcing IT services, you should be able to significantly reduce your operational costs and result in better cost-saving, as opposed to hiring IT employees and equipment to set up your own IT environment. The overall savings that come with outsourcing should be greater than your spending, so your bottom-line looks better.   

4. What is the Pricing Like?  
As mentioned above, it’s essential to maintain a balance between quality and the price of services. Accepting a low price sometimes means compromising on service quality, which can prove to be costly for your business in the long term.   

Instead of comparing service providers on their prices and going for the cheapest option available, find out what value they have to offer you as well. But try not to get drawn in by all the bells and whistles, first and foremost, make sure the IT services provider can provide what you need precisely.  

5. How Do They Ensure Data Security?  
With the ever-increasing data security concerns and cyber threats, you must be cautious when outsourcing your IT services as it involves sharing your company’s digital assets with an external party.  

For IT services providers to deliver the best IT support, they require full access to your business information and client data.  
You must dedicate time to evaluate your options carefully. Although it may be time-consuming, it’ll pay off in the long run. 
What’s more important is to know what data security policies they can implement and what measures they take to ensure data confidentiality of your company’s information systems and data. The last thing you need is a data breach which can lead to severe consequences for your company.   

6. Do You Have Your Staff’s Buy-In?  
The number one rule for employee satisfaction is to keep them involved in decision-making. It will not only keep morale high but can ensure the organisational change has little resistance.   

Therefore, when you’re considering outsourcing your IT services to a third-party, you need to make sure your staff is on board with the decision. When your workforce understands why and how you made your decision, the better the chances they will cooperate and comply. Your employees should also know what the company aims to achieve in the short-term and long-term, and how it will benefit the employees.  
 
To Sum Up  
IT outsourcing can be a cost-effective option for both small and large companies. But before you hop on the IT outsourcing bandwagon, keep in mind the considerations mentioned above so your business benefits from the decision. 

About the author:

Andrew Bischof is the Owner/Director of Future Computers, a IT support in townsville in North Queensland. His dream of working in IT became a reality when he moved to Cairns and took over Future Computers in 2003. Since then, he has been providing IT and consulting services to SMEs in Cairns, Townsville and North Queensland. His goal is to provide clients with IT solutions in townsville that surprise, inspire and delight.