10 Signs You Might Need IT Outsourcing

It is important for businesses to recognize when they should outsource the management of their IT system.  The following are the main signs that it is time for outsourcing:

1. IT Spending Too High

When businesses try to manage their IT in-house, they generally end up spending more money.  This is because businesses have to pay the members of their IT team a salary and benefits and depending on the size and expertise of their IT staff, they may not be as efficient as an outsourced professional.  If an in-house IT team does not have the resources or expertise to effectively manage the entire IT infrastructure, it can make mistakes and downtime of the system costly.  It is also necessary for businesses to buy their own equipment including an in-house server to manage their IT.  All of these costs add up.

Businesses that are spending too much money on their IT operations can save money with IT outsourcing.  These professionals come at a lower cost than full-time employees, they can maintain and operate your system in a much more cost-effective way, and they can resolve issues quickly to reduce downtime.

2. Difficulty Training IT Staff

Professionals that manage IT systems need to be up to date with the latest in the IT industry to ensure that the system is as efficient and secure as possible.  For a business with an in-house IT staff, this means training the staff to keep up with the changes in the industry.

The IT industry changes very quickly and keeping up with the changes can be difficult.  However, if in-house staffs are not trained, they will become less effective.  Professionals from an IT service provider will aways be up to date on the latest in the industry.

3. Need IT Update

With the constant changes within the IT industry, businesses will eventually need to update their systems, including hardware and software, to keep up.  This type of project might be too big of an undertaking for an in-house IT staff and as a result, your IT capabilities will be lagging behind.  IT professionals will know when you need to upgrade your system and they will take the necessary actions to keep your IT system up to date.

4. Security Vulnerabilities

Cybersecurity is a very important part of IT as your system needs to be protected from data breaches, malware, unauthorized access, and other threats.  These types of attacks can compromise sensitive data and disrupt your business.  To best keep your IT system protected, you need to consistently update the security measures in place.

An outsourced IT professional knows how to identify vulnerabilities in your IT system and implement cybersecurity solutions to keep your system protected.  Their consistent monitoring of your system will also help them keep your security measures up to date and thwart possible attacks before they happen.

5. Growing Business

If your business is growing or expanding, your IT system and capabilities need to grow with it as well.  The growth may require a more complex IT infrastructure and tighter security.  Businesses managing their own IT need to buy new hardware and software to expand the system and the in-house staff may not have the time or resources to do this effectively.

IT professionals can help ensure that your IT infrastructure is expanded to support the growth of your business.  They will work with you to understand your needs as your business expands and they will give you access to more software and hardware so that you don’t need to invest in new hardware.

6. Focus More on Core Business Operations

Businesses need to focus on what they do best in order to grow and succeed.  If a business is devoting too much time to tasks outside of their core focus, such as IT tasks, it can slow their growth and development.  Outsourcing your IT management to a professional frees up your staff to focus on your core business operations without distractions.  This will help speed up the growth of your business.

7. Undertaking a New Project

Sometimes businesses can effectively manage their IT operations until they take on a new project that requires expanding their IT.  If your business is taking on a large project, specifically IT related or otherwise, an IT professional can help ensure that your IT system is expanded and upgraded to help you through the project.

8. Need Fresh Ideas

In-house IT staffs will get into their routines when it comes to IT management and may stop incorporating new ideas.  If you want to change up your IT strategy, you can work with an IT professional for some new input and fresh ideas.  They will evaluate your IT with an outside perspective and implement new solutions to resolve issues and upgrade operations that the in-house staff may have missed.

9. Problems with In-House Staff

Keeping an in-house IT staff happy and productive can be difficult for a lot of businesses.  IT staffs tend to be too small to effectively manage IT operations which can result in employees doing multiple jobs ad the staff taking too long to complete routine IT tasks.  Being overloaded with task and having to take on multiple roles at once will cause a high turnover of your IT staff.

Outsourcing your IT management will take some pressure off of your in-house staff or eliminate the need for the staff entirely.  You will switch to paying a fixed fee for expert IT services as opposed to high salaries for an overworked staff.

10. Business Not Compliant

Businesses within certain industries such as healthcare and the financial industry need to comply with security requirements to protect data regarding patients and financial accounts.  If a business within one of these industries is not compliant, it leaves the business vulnerable to data breaches and attacks and they can even be fined for non-compliance.

An IT professional can help businesses in these industries stay compliant with required security measures.  They will audit your IT infrastructure and cybersecurity measures and implement new measures to secure your system and ensure compliance.