Almost every business today uses the cloud for at least some of its computing workloads, with 81% of enterprises operating a multi-cloud environment comprising a variety of public and private cloud resources. And while there are still certain cases for keeping IT in-house, in the new age of distributed computing, it makes more sense for businesses to outsource their IT.
Outsourcing enables organizations to reduce their expenses while enhancing their technology capabilities as demand requires. In-house data centers are almost a thing of the past in all but the largest enterprises. Even on-site server rooms are disappearing, with a few exceptions for workloads with specialized needs. In most cases, the business benefits of outsourcing IT services and support win every time, and here’s why:
1. Greater cost control
Most outsourcing agreements are contract-based, which means you pay a set monthly fee for services rendered. These services should be detailed in an important document known as a service level agreement (SLA), an agreement that provides complete visibility into costs throughout the duration of the contract.
Having a fixed monthly fee also means more control over costs. For example, if you’re outsourcing IT support, any issues should be addressed under the contract’s terms, unlike in the break/fix model, where costs are unexpected and unknowable.
2. Increased adaptability
In today’s fast-paced technology-driven environment, businesses need to be able to adapt quickly and expand their IT capabilities on demand, and often with very little notice. There simply isn’t time to spend months building a new data center or other key resources. Outsourcing gives you access to a much larger pool of resources, one which you’re unlikely to outgrow. This means saving money on staffing and hardware resources, and tapping into them on demand instead.
3. Enhanced productivity
Few small businesses have a dedicated IT department. With CIOs and other executive-level IT leaders commanding six-figure salaries, maintaining a fully staffed and equipped internal IT department is prohibitively expensive.
This leads to having unsuitably skilled and equipped employees manage your IT instead. If non-IT people are spending time trying to find complicated workarounds to common problems rather than focusing on their core roles, then productivity is going to take a substantial hit. Outsourcing lets you focus on what you do best.
4. Simplified compliance
The cyberthreat landscape is constantly evolving and becoming more aggressive, making small businesses without cybersecurity highly vulnerable to attacks. Protecting digital assets isn’t just an imperative from a business and reputation standpoint, but it’s also a matter of compliance with laws and industry standards. Unfortunately, ensuring security and compliance throughout the organization requires full-time attention and cutting-edge technology that’s likely far beyond your budget if you’re planning to take care of it in-house.
5. Reduced risk
Every investment carries a certain degree of risk, especially when it comes to technology. For example, vulnerable systems pose serious security risks, while questionable vendors attempt to push planned obsolescence. In some cases, technology can end up leaving you in a worse place than when you started. After all, most of us have heard of the disastrous and extremely expensive tech failures afflicting large companies over the years. A reliable managed services provider (MSP) on the other hand, should know what they’re doing and how to avoid the risks.
When internal IT services still make sense
Managed services and cloud computing make sense for most everyday computing workloads, but there are still some unique benefits of internal IT services. Internal IT gives you greater control over your data — at least, in theory — and potentially more flexibility over the computing resources you choose and implement. But in most situations, these benefits can be enjoyed by partnering with a dependable MSP as well.
Complete Technology lets business shift the burden of IT management and maintenance to free up resources and reduce operational risk. Call us today to find out how.