IT in the modern world is complex. With technology being such an important component in your search for maximum productivity and efficiency in your workplace, it is essential that it is always monitored and managed effectively. Many of us use in-house support, but this can lead to problems and a sheltered approach, when your team or individual in charge of your IT can get stagnant and oblivious to the modern capabilities of tech. There is another way – outsourcing your IT.
It is understandable why some are apprehensive about a conversion to outsourced IT. For those of us used to in-house support we have become accustomed to feeling like our IT is fully in our control – but most don’t realise that switching to outsourced IT brings in expertise, a wide span of technical abilities, up-to-date knowledge and experience. Working with an external business can revolutionize the way you and your team view IT.
Before we get properly into the many benefits of outsourced IT, first let’s explain what it is.
What is outsourced IT?
Every business in the world relies on IT for all the technical components that make them a success, from telephones to internet access to the storage of sensitive data – IT is the lifeblood of our organizations.
Outsourcing your IT support will give your team a professional, capable port of call regarding everything IT. It is great value for money and allows you and your team the time to do more important things with your day. However, for those unfamiliar with outsourced IT, it can be difficult to know what you should be looking for when searching for a good provider.
What Outsourced IT Should Look Like
Round the clock availability
With a lot of our organizations making a transition to an least partially remote working team, a failure in IT can be disastrous. With an in-house IT team you may struggle to respond, leaving your team useless – but the right outsourced IT provider can provide support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Their job is to do whatever is needed to allow you to continue working, regardless of the time.
The interpretation of ‘24/7 support’ no longer just means support – it also means that they guarantee as little downtime as possible. Availability around the clock means that any downtime can be remedied as soon as possible, rather than waiting potentially all night for someone to get to work.
Wide range of expertize
One of the most incorrect terms you can hear in IT is ‘all-rounder’ – there is no such thing. The person that sets up new user accounts and fixes the printer is highly unlikely to be the same individual that manages the cyber security elements of the business, for example. With outsourced IT teams working within a myriad of different industries and organizations – organizations that are already in your industry sector – they will be able to take knowledge from those other companies and widely apply it.
IT is their only job; the right outsourced IT provider will have a team of experts with a wide range of skills that can help you when your business needs specific help.
Cyber security knowledge
Cyber security is one of the leading business concerns in the modern age; whether you run a small local business or a multinational conglomerate this applies at the same level of importance. Remaining cyber secure can be a real problem if you don’t have the knowhow to solve problems. A Phishing attack or a Data Breach – without a capable team – will only get worse and cause more damage than necessary.
The right outsourced team has a huge array of resources available to help secure your system after a breach – they can usually identify problems faster than their in-house counterparts and can help you regain control quicker than was possible previously. (A pro-active team would, of course, also prevent many issues from arising in the first place.)
Scalability of IT
If you are required to scale quickly, an in-house IT team can struggle. When trying to match your in-house IT team to the level at which the organization is growing the jump in price can be huge, as you will need to pay another salary and all the other costs that come with employing someone new. Whereas with outsourced IT your growth will often just mean a small monthly increase to your subscription – allowing you to achieve greater value for money.
Outsourced IT can match your demands at all times. Regardless of your ambitions for growth, it will run parallel to your needs, and will provide as much or as little support as you require.
Advice from technical experts
Your IT system is constantly changing and evolving. The right outsourced team will provide you with knowledge and expertize that is completely unbiased, which can all be applied through their experiences, successes, and failures, with other companies.
Your in-house IT team, on the other hand, may see these constant changes and evolutions as a threat. What if there is now a way of doing things that makes them surplus to requirements?
An outsourced IT team doesn’t have this problem. They aren’t employed by you – you pay on a subscription, meaning that they have no problems in sharing all their expertize where necessary.
Outsourced IT is the future of IT. Bearing in mind how quickly our organizations – and the way we work within them – are changing, in-house IT teams simply can’t evolve or scale rapidly enough to meet demands. They also won’t have the expertize in the industry to continue the development and growth of the business – which, after all, is the whole point of having a business in the first place.
Managing Your IT So You Don’t Have To
We at Grapevine are the right outsourced IT provider for your team, because our team of dedicated engineers can meet and defeat any technical challenge you may come across. We take our time in getting to know you, your business, your employees, and your goals for the future so we can then find the best technological solution for you to guarantee constant security and progression. Our years of experience leave us primed and ready with all the tools needed to ensure a top-quality service, now and into the future. Contact our team and let us start our journey together today.
