Considering Outsourcing IT Services (Top Questions Answered)

Have faulty technology and short-term fixes got you thinking about finding better IT support?

Do You Find Yourself Thinking, “It’s Time To Outsource My IT Services”?

Have faulty technology and short-term fixes got you thinking about finding better IT support?

Do you find yourself wishing the technology you use at the office worked better?

Maybe it’s a daily, obvious problem you need to get fixed. Or maybe, it’s something you haven’t really realized until now. But now that you think about it, you realize that your IT is a constant source of frustration.

Technology is one of those things you use for work that you just need to work, right? Other frustrations and obstacles seemingly can’t be helped. Sometimes you have to deal with crabby people. Sometimes you lose a sale for reasons outside your control.

But technology? It’s made specifically to perform the function you bought it for, so why wouldn’t it work properly?

Maybe it’s not being supported properly…

What’s The Problem With Internal IT Support?

Often, the primary issue with small business IT support is that you can barely call it that. Let’s be honest – asking that guy on your staff that’s good with tech to take a look doesn’t really count as professional support, does it?

While this staff member may be able to find the right source on the conference room TV or pair the Bluetooth speakers to your phone, that doesn’t mean they’re qualified to configure security settings or lay data cable. Pretty soon they’ll be out of their depth, at which point you’ll have to find someone else.

Furthermore, unprofessional support can put you at risk of all these other problems. Downtime, system lag, etc. The bottom line is that you pay a professional to handle your plumbing, your HV/AC, and other service needs. Why not invest in IT services as well?

While it’s certainly possible to hire, train and manage a competent internal IT support team, the problem is that you have to do all that. And that costs money. Adding an entirely new division to your staff is often financially untenable, especially when compared to the alternative – Outsourced IT Support.

Instead of paying for everything involved with an IT staff, hiring Outsourced IT Services gives you access to everything for a simple monthly fee. That means you don’t have to add an internal IT staff, shell out for expensive training and education, and capital expenses like server farms and data centers. IT services provide an economy of scale that will not be beaten by any other model, simple as that.

What Type Of Outsourced IT Services Should You Choose?

One of the key differentiators to consider when finding a potential IT support provider is whether they offer hourly support or a flat-rate monthly contract. The former often appears more cost-effective than the latter – depending on the month, you may only need a few hours of support, right?

As compelling as this line of thinking may be, it’s not really founded in reality. Just consider how monthly, managed services have grown in popularity over the past decade when compared to conventional hourly support.

Call it whatever you like, but hourly support is identical in all but name to “Break/Fix services”. This is the traditional style of Outsourced IT Services, which works by fixing your computers once they’re broken.

In a nutshell, when something goes wrong — data loss, hardware failure, virus, etc. — you then get in touch with your Break/Fix support provider and have them fix it. The break-fix strategy no longer works for businesses today. If you still use this method of IT service, you risk downtime that can slow you down.

On the other hand, services arranged via a monthly contract are also known as “Managed Services”. This is the modern model for IT support, offering a range of vital solutions to your business all for one monthly rate. With fully managed support, you know that you are supported and protected 24/7.

From active monitoring and patch management to responsive on-site and Help Desk support services, fully managed support takes care of everything you need.

4 Reasons To Choose Managed Outsourced IT Services

1. Focus On Your Work
   You can finally focus on running your business and not on IT worries. Your third-party support provider will minimize or eliminate downtime that could hit your bottom line.
2. Effective Support
   Your tech support can be provided remotely without a technician visiting your office. There will be instances that require in-person care, such as hardware replacement. However, most of what affects your day-to-day operations can be worked on remotely.
3. Simple To Budget
   You’ll benefit from a flat-rate payment model, allowing you to budget your tech more effectively. You’ll be able to plan for growth far more easily and with greater peace of mind.
4. Cost-Effective Services
   Tech maintenance from a third party is more cost-effective than relying on break/fix solutions, especially when you consider the lost revenue from downtime.
   

Like this article? Check out How Do I Find the Right IT Managed Services Provider? Do You Know How to Add Email Signatures? Or How Can Workforce Management (WFM) Software Help Me? to learn more.