Understaffed? 5 Ways Outsourcing IT Can Help
CIOs are challenged to balance the tactical ‘keep the lights on’ activity with more strategic opportunities for digital transformation that predict the future success of the company. For example, while migration to the cloud promises overall cost savings for IT departments, there is a substantial outlay of resources at the stages for planning and implementation – when budgets are tight, and expertise is lacking, this is hard to achieve.
Outsourcing IT infrastructure and routine administrative tasks can lead to a significant increase in innovation-focused IT activity. Many organizations are doing just that — outsourcing IT services to achieve their goals.
The top five reasons to outsource IT with managed services include:
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1. Improve the budget process and save money
Pay for what you need, when you need it. Hiring for a very specific skill is expensive, outsourcing allows you to pay for that expertise only when you need it, thus reducing the overhead costs associated with a full-time employee. The capital costs associated with office space, equipment, software, and maintenance are reduced, as well.
2. Put more focus on your organization’s core competencies
Routine task and maintenance to backup data, monitor systems, and optimize applications are important but not core to what you do. By outsourcing routine tasks to third-party experts who specialize in these services, you free up resources and concentrate on what you do best. By opting to outsource services, you gain efficiencies of scale and expertise that lower your overall burden and allow you to focus on innovation improvements that will positively impact the bottom line.
3. Keep systems up-to-date
As it is their core business, third-party IT service providers must stay up-to-date with technology changes or they won’t be around long. Implementing and updating technology upgrades and patches can be a costly, time-consuming process but by partnering with a third-party provider, the burden to upgrade is lifted. In the case of nonprofits, small-, and medium-sized businesses, outsourcing IT is advantageous as you gain access to new technology that would otherwise be out of reach.
4. Increase your compliance and cybersecurity posture
Cybersecurity is a high priority requiring you to have advanced protection by auditing your systems and monitoring traffic. Meeting compliance regulations like HIPAA, PCI-DSS or FERPA is time-consuming and costly if you don’t meet the mandates. IT and managed service providers (MSPs) provide advanced security protections and ensure you are compliant to reduce your overall risk. As a core function to an IT service provider, staying on top of the latest threat or regulations changes leaves your staff to focus on continuous improvement of your systems.
5. Scale your business more easily
When you need more bandwidth, to add a server, or meet end user demands, you want to be in a position that will easily allow you to scale your systems without significant cost. Whether your growth fluctuates or is more predictable, it is easier and more cost effective to have a partner to manage the process.
Fairdinkum Consulting is your Nonprofit and Small Business Information Technology Service Provider. Outsourcing IT services allows for more time to focus on your nonprofit’s mission and innovation improvements for your organization. Contact our experts today or download our Security Audit Checklist for Nonprofits below to audit your existing security posture.