Rethinking Outsourced IT Services: A Natural Solution for Your Business

Every business exists to fulfill a select market niche, yet few companies have in-house computing skills and capacity to stay ahead of today’s technical demands. For a growing number of businesses, outsourced IT is the natural solution.

What Are Outsourced IT Services?

Outsourced IT services refer to the practice of hiring an outside company to handle your IT needs. A third-party managed service provider (MSP) can handle everything from network security and operating system implementation to software installation and file backup.

Outsourced IT services are not simply services for break/fix issues; when something is broken, a technician charges an hourly fee to diagnose and fix the problem. A break/fix service might seem less expensive, since you only pay when you have a problem, but it’s likely to cost a business more in the long run. As they are paid hourly, they have little to no incentive to work quickly or make a stable fix, since they get paid more if it takes them a long time or multiple trips to repair something.

Unlike break/fix services, a managed IT service provider builds a partnership with your company and constantly monitors your network for a monthly fee. MSPs are there to keep your network running smoothly, not just to fix problems, so they have more incentive to find a fast, reliable solution if something goes wrong.

This arrangement is better for you and the service provider if they neutralize threats and fix issues as they happen. Solving a problem the first time means less work for them and encourages you to continue your partnership. While companies of all sizes can benefit from outsourcing IT, small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) might benefit the most. For these companies, the time and money required to build an in-house IT department is probably better spent growing the business.

What IT Solutions Can You Outsource?

With an outsourced IT service, you can trim down your in-house computer arsenal and let the third party do the heavy lifting. Outsourced IT solutions cover two broad categories:

Computing Infrastructure

Until recently, SMBs needed to build computer arsenals that were in proportion to their growth as companies. As the business spread and its brand grew, companies would need large in-house departments full of expensive, complicated, high-tech hardware. Today, you can outsource infrastructural tasks to an MSP staffed with the most skilled computing experts. The MSP handles all the complex hardware, while your staff signs on with laptops and smartphones.

Computing Software

Some of the most troubling aspects of computing for SMBs involve software, which is confusing to upgrade and difficult to synchronize across a company’s system network, especially if everyone has a different computer model. Worst of all, hardware could sometimes fail to read on specific machines or require costly hardware upgrades. With outsourced IT, none of these problems occur because MSPs always equip the most high-tech computer arsenals. The MSP tests and updates software, then your team logs on and benefits from the improved performance.

An MSP can handle numerous solutions within these two categories. Here are four of the most common:

Four Commonly Outsourced IT Solutions

Network Security

Security protections are among the most significant benefits of outsourced IT services. When you hire an MSP, you have ensured network security against cyberattacks. In computing and e-commerce, nothing is more damaging than a breach of your system’s security. Offsite IT companies specialize in this area and are always up to date on the latest security measures, always staying ahead of the parties that wish to attack. With an MSP, you get the following security benefits:

• Perpetual monitoring and system reports
• Maintenance notifications and security alerts
• Proactive breach prevention

Network Implementation and Maintenance

For most SMBs, the tasks involved with implementing and updating system programs are time-consuming and confusing. With an MSP at your service, you can avoid these distractions and focus on business as usual. Offsite IT services specialize in the implementation of computing and mobile networks and the integration of software programs. Managed service providers handle these tasks daily and can implement programs in just a fraction of the time it would take to achieve in-house.

Troubleshooting Support

When issues arise on-site, an outsourced IT service will walk your staff through the trouble. Whether the issue involves confusion over a system update or problems with network synchronization, your team will have access to support from IT experts who know how to solve every computing issue that could arise.

System and File Backup

Most of today’s larger companies have moved their files to cloud storage for guaranteed backup regardless of local hard drive or server failure. Due to the convenience of cloud storage, many SMBs are following suit. With everything backed up on the cloud, your digital files will exist for as long as needed.

Ready to Outsource Your Company’s IT? Contact New Era Technology

Outsourcing your IT department can help relieve tech-related stress for your business while potentially boosting your bottom line. If you’re ready to set your company up for success, contact New Era Technology today to learn more about our IT Services.