In recent years, businesses depend more and more on IT solutions for higher operational efficiency and effectiveness. Different business solutions running both on-site and in the cloud are allowing businesses to operate at a higher capacity than before. Mission-critical information and files have become more accessible and existing business solutions help optimise workflows within businesses.
This growing reliance on IT solutions comes with a growing challenge, particularly when it comes to maintaining a robust IT infrastructure. Bad internet connections, incorrectly set up on-site networking, and bottlenecks along the way can seriously reduce the effectiveness of business solutions. There is now a growing demand for better IT support.
Creating an in-house IT support team is no longer the primary solution that businesses turn to in this situation. The rapid pace of today’s IT landscape means outsourcing IT support to capable (often local) companies is the more efficient way to go. But is outsourcing really the solution going forward?
Beyond Cost-Effectiveness
The main benefit of using an IT service provider is cost-effectiveness. Rather than hiring IT specialists to handle different tasks, companies can enjoy the highest quality of IT services for a fraction of the cost. Hiring a cybersecurity company is a lot more affordable than establishing an in-house cybersecurity team.
However, the benefits of outsourcing IT support go beyond saving money. Yes, you can save a lot by outsourcing support- and security-related tasks, but there are added benefits to enjoy as well, starting with the higher quality of services in general.
IT support companies have experienced specialists capable of maintaining solutions like Office 365 and AWS. Specialists do a better job at keeping the business solutions you use running smoothly and optimally. With the solutions supporting business operations, you can focus on more important things such as optimising the internal workflows.
The same can be said for hardware maintenance. A data cabling company has the expertise needed to build and maintain efficient internal networking. Take the Edinburgh based company Texaport as an example. They have a team of expert designers who will design a cable network to your business’s exact needs. The support team can also recommend new technologies to implement for better intranet, including Wi-Fi Mesh and gigabit networking depending on specific business needs.
Collaboration Is Key
IT support companies and service providers should not be seen as third-party service providers only. They are a part of business operations in many cases, which is why it is beneficial to see them as part of your business. Collaboration acts as the foundation for outsourcing IT support and getting the most out of the services available.
A stronger collaboration can be built and maintained by being on the same page when it comes to business needs and requirements. This is why the most reliable IT support companies always begin their cooperation with clients – businesses of different scales – with a thorough IT assessment. By getting to know the existing solutions used by the businesses they service, service providers can recommend the right solutions.
At the same time, businesses can convey their specific requirements, expectations, and objectives they want to achieve with their IT infrastructure during this early assessment process. The goal is to reach a common understanding of what the business needs and how to best achieve the IT objectives in the future.
A Growing Trend
The demand for IT-related services, particularly for support and maintenance, is undeniably on the rise. It is now one of the main digital transformation trends in 2019 alongside cloud computing and business operations in the cloud. There is also the fact that outsourcing IT services allow businesses to eliminate the majority of its IT investments completely.
This is thanks to Solution as a Service or Software as a Service (SaaS), a business model that many IT companies now adopt. Instead of running business solutions on-site or in enterprise servers, businesses can now rent the solutions they need for a small monthly fee. No big initial investment in servers and infrastructure is required at all.
The shift to SaaS also makes outsourcing IT support and maintenance easier. Since solutions now run in the cloud, support officers and IT administrators can access the cloud environment remotely without having to jump through hoops. In fact, IT specialists can assist businesses from the very start of the implementation process.
For dealing with things like cyberthreats and data integrity, this is the approach you want to take. With specialists being involved from the start, you no longer have to worry about continuity and reliability with the business solutions implemented across your operations. Switching from the implementation phase to the maintenance phase is also easier to do.
So, is outsourcing IT support the way to go in 2019? The answer is a definite YES. Not only will you save on IT expenses and infrastructure-related investments, but you will also end up with a more reliable set of business solutions, supported by a team of specialists whose sole purpose is keeping those business solutions effective for the needs of your business.