In the past decade, we have seen huge transformations within the IT industry. It used to be the case that small and medium-sized businesses only called an outsourced provider when they had a technology problem they couldn’t solve; now, most are using contractors on a more proactive managed services arrangement. This has worked so well that fewer and fewer organizations are opting to hire permanent in-house tech employees at all.
The result has been a leaner business model and one that benefits both business leaders and IT professionals alike. Today, we want to focus on the advantages for businesses and nonprofit organizations. So, here are a few simple reasons why outsourcing IT makes your company more flexible…
You Can Scale a Managed Services Agreement Up or Down
When you hire permanent employees, you are making a long-term commitment. Even if something drastic affects your business or revenue stream for a short period of time, you’re still going to be expected to pay their salary and benefits. The more employees you have, the more rigid your IT costs become.
With an outsourced IT team, you can scale your managed services agreement up or down as needed. When business is great and you’re expanding, you can get more technology help; should things slow down, you can opt for fewer services. And of course, it’s a lot easier (and cheaper) to terminate your managed services contract than it is to let go a whole team of men and women whom you’ve hired and brought into your company.
An IT Team Will Include Lots of Different Specialties
One thing we have learned about technology in recent years is that it’s evolving even faster than industry insiders expected. New skills and certifications are required on an annual basis, including some that didn’t exist in the recent past.
If you have an in-house technology team, that means paying for lots of ongoing training for hiring additional personnel. With an outsourced vendor, however, you can get access to different skills and specialties. Because we do nothing but tech, we are able to keep up with trends and products in a way that individual employees in small teams can’t.
You Won’t Pay Your IT Vendor for Vacation, Training, or Benefits
Even beyond the salaries and benefits you pay to your in-house technology employees, there are a lot of additional “hidden” costs that can really weigh down your bottom line. For instance, you’ll have to keep your tech employees up-to-date with the latest software developments and security threats. That means budgeting for ongoing programs and certifications and also making sure someone is keeping an eye on your company’s hardware and software while they are away.
Your outsourced IT team can handle these expenses internally. They are factored into your managed services agreement. Additionally, we have lots of different employees so you don’t have to worry about coverage for vacations or personal emergencies. That’s a level of care and protection you can’t really match with an internal staff.
As the role of technology in business has changed, so too has the way business owners and executives get access to the skills and expertise they need. You certainly have the option of keeping and expanding a full or part-time internal IT staff, but why would you want to? By outsourcing technology assistance, you get access to a team that’s scalable, specialized, and a lot less expensive.
To learn more about outsourced IT help in the Los Angeles area, contact the Fantastic IT team today to arrange for a one-on-one consultation.