What’s included when outsourcing your IT

Outsourcing IT means delegating part or all corporate IT support and management services to third-party contractors. Outsourced IT or managed IT services help businesses handle recurrent and one-off enterprise IT functions such as:

  • Technical support and helpdesk services
  • Hardware and software upkeep and repair
  • Data management
  • Telecommunications
  • Web and app hosting
  • Data storage and backup
  • Software and web development
  • IT and data security
  • Infrastructure monitoring and error detection
  • Cloud adoption and management
  • Data analytics
  • Professional IT consultancy

Keep in mind that some managed IT providers offer a variety of services in bundled packages, while others specialize in only one task. Most MSPs charge a flat monthly or annual subscription fee whose amount depends on the scope and complexity of outsourced services. A legally binding service level agreement (SLA) contract describes the MSP’s terms of service, role, and responsibilities.

The growing need for outsourced IT

Digital business processes are increasingly becoming more sophisticated and essential. Unfortunately, highly skilled and experienced in-house IT support is hard to come by. This scarcity of IT expertise sometimes hinders the utilization of advanced enterprise technologies, which is why many businesses are now turning to outsourced IT.

Analysts predict that the managed IT market will expand by an 11.27 percent CAGR between 2020 and 2025. This anticipated growth owes to the rapidly increasing adoption of cutting-edge digital innovations such as big data, cloud computing, AI analytics, Internet of Things, advanced cybersecurity, smart technologies, and unified communications.

Outsourced IT is now a popular solution for organizations looking to take advantage of emerging technologies in a progressively dynamic digital space. Plus, since IT is now a vital business asset, the break-fix IT support model no longer cuts it. This makes managed IT a more dependable and efficient way of guaranteeing optimal technical performance.

Benefits of outsourcing IT services

Businesses can benefit in many different ways from outsourcing their IT support. Here are five upsides to using outsourced IT services.

Low, predictable IT costs

Outsourcing IT costs a lot less than hiring in-house IT support staff. It also makes the IT upkeep budget predictable and easier to manage since you only pay a fixed monthly fee. On top of that, working with MSPs minimizes the risk of outages, saving the business all the potential losses associated with unexpected downtime.

Future-proof services and technology

Leading MSPs use the latest technologies to deliver services that are continuously upgraded to keep up with emerging trends. Unlike an internal IT department, an MSP can remain relevant to your business at no extra cost, even when the technology landscape changes.

Round-the-clock support

24/7 IT support is one of the main reasons why most organizations opt to outsource IT services. An MSP can guarantee full-time IT monitoring and maintenance to ensure your systems stay healthy at all times. Also, an MSP will have a rapid response team and a customer care helpdesk on standby to handle any emergencies.

High-level tech expertise

Outsourced IT lets your business leverage highly skilled and experienced IT professionals. This not only gives you an upper hand in IT management but also frees your staff from mundane IT maintenance to focus on more important tasks. In many ways, outsourcing IT support streamlines your HR and helps the business make better use of its talent pool.

Guaranteed security and compliance

Cybersecurity is undoubtedly a priority for many businesses. Managed security is a cost-efficient and practical way to secure your business’s data and network. With outsourced IT, you get access to robust cybersecurity tools and the expertise to go with it. Crucially, managed IT security can be customized to satisfy various compliance standards and regulations.

According to Clutch, IT services are the most outsourced business processes after accounting. A majority of businesses outsource IT support to broaden their HR’s skill set, reduce operational cost, and enhance work efficiency. You could also enjoy these and many more benefits by partnering with a reputable MSP.