Information technology (IT) outsourcing is becoming more and more ubiquitous. In 2019, 34% of companies say they outsource some network operations, according to a study by Computer Economics. This percentage has been steadily climbing over the past five years.
IT outsourcing has many benefits, from cutting costs to enabling you to focus on core business functions. One important reason to outsource IT is to enable you to scale your operations. How can an outside partner help your business grow? Here are six ways.
1. You can expand operations without overspending
As we mentioned, cutting costs is one impetus for outsourcing. Offshore and nearshore outsourcing especially can be cost-effective for organizations, since the services in countries with developing economies tend to be cheaper than those in the United States. Even if you choose an onshore IT outsourcing company, you’ll save money you would otherwise spend on hiring, onboarding, training, and providing full-time salaries and benefits.
Growing your business is costly — you’ll need to invest in labor, equipment, and other resources. You may need to relocate to a bigger office. Saving money on IT initiatives will allow you to devote your funds to other operations. You also won’t need to accommodate on-site employees in an IT department.
2. You’ll be able to increase security
In 2018, the average cost of data breaches for companies around the world was $3.86 million. That figure is nearly double for U.S.-based companies.
With cybercrime on the rise, it’s essential that your operations are secure. As you scale up, you’ll have more data, meaning finding proper storage and maintenance tools is essential. IT outsourcing benefits include access to experienced providers who will be able to create solutions for preventing breaches from occurring and safeguarding your data in case they do. This mitigates risk for you and your clients.
3. You’ll have access to the latest technologies
IT outsourcing companies often have access to the best and newest technologies, allowing you to keep your enterprises up to date. Given that your company’s focus probably isn’t IT, your partner can offer you guidance on which technologies are most suitable for your business and industry and the ones that are best for scaling up.
In addition, your IT outsourcing services can help modify and adapt your platforms to accommodate you as you grow.
4. You’ll allow employees to focus on their area of expertise
Since IT is likely not you or your company’s area of focus, you may be spending time on these operations that could be dedicated to your actual area of expertise, such as marketing or fundraising efforts. Moreover, you may not need full-time IT staff to assist you.
When you outsource IT, you can deal with pressing issues that will help you improve and expand your company, all while your partner focuses on internal and external technology concerns. And if a technology-related concern arises, the IT outsourcing services will be there to fix it, without bringing your entire operations to a halt.
5. You can entrust your IT operations to experts
Expanding your business means you’re heading into uncharted territory. You’ll need robust IT services both for internal and external efforts. An IT partner can build you systems to protect your data and update your technology, for example, as well as help you develop new software for consumer use.
Outsourcing means you’re not limited to the talent at your company or even in your country. You’ll have access to a whole world of experts and can choose the partner best suited to your needs, who will be dedicated to scaling your enterprise.
6. You’ll be able to employ specialists on an as-needed basis
When you’re in the expansion phase, you’ll probably require a lot of assistance from an IT team. But as you grow your business, your needs will change. You won’t always need the full-time support of an IT staff.
IT outsourcing benefits include the ability to use these services when it becomes necessary. You may use them for a single project or retain them longer-term. Either way, you won’t have to continue to pay for a full-time staff when they’re not essential to your business’ efforts.
Business growth is an exciting step, but it can’t be done in a vacuum. It requires careful planning and strategic decision-making. Through cost-effective solutions, expert guidance, a focus on security, the latest tools, and more, an IT outsourcing company can help you expand your operations and scale your technology to meet your internal needs. They can also help you satisfy your customer base and may even enable you to attract new consumers along the way.
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