For companies who lack the technology expertise and resources to support their business, outsourcing IT operations can be a streamlined solution to facilitate growth.
An agile IT infrastructure is a cornerstone of success, and businesses are constantly seeking innovative strategies to fuel their technology expansion. However, dedicating IT resources and employees’ time, and even increasing your workforce to accommodate this, can be a time-intensive and costly endeavour.
Outsourcing is one strategy to maintain a competitive edge without depleting the time that valuable people resources can dedicate to the business. It allows businesses to delegate specific IT tasks to external providers to focus on core objectives and drive business growth.
“Digital transformation is complex, constantly changing, and fraught with potential pitfalls. In many cases, small and medium-sized businesses don’t have the spare resources to dedicate to IT while maintaining a smooth-running operation,” said Clinton Groome, CEO at Espria. “If businesses outsource their IT support, it can allow teams to focus on tasks that contribute to building a stronger organisation in the face of talent shortages and skills gaps.”
With an in-house team with finite skills and resources, scaling up can only be easy with the expertise necessary to facilitate progression.
“As transformative as modern technologies can be, the skills set needed to use them to their full potential is very complex. An unfortunate side effect of such rapid growth is that businesses quickly bloat their existing infrastructure and need help figuring out where to go. This is a great reason for IT leaders to outsource their tech support to access particular skills.
“Outsourcing provides access to a larger pool of talent that might not be found in the local market. It enhances scalability as external IT providers can quickly adjust their resources to accommodate the changing business needs.
“These providers are more up-to-date with the latest technological advancements, allowing businesses to benefit from best practices while having access to diverse and expert knowledge. As such, internal teams gain fresh problem-solving approaches to ensure quality outcomes, better decision-making through data analytics, and ultimately, business growth.”
Furthermore, delegating IT support to outsourcing partners opens up time for employees to focus on activities that directly contribute to their competitive advantage and long-term growth.
“IT services require research, development and implementation, which can be time-consuming. In the event of a system failure, businesses without the correct support can experience detrimental downtime that stunts growth and diverts the focus of internal teams.
“In 2023, UK businesses lost over 50 million hours due to internet downtime, which amounted to over £3.7 billion in losses. Strategic planning and expert support are vital to reduce the associated risks and financial fallout of downtime.
“Outsourcing IT support can improve productivity by allowing third-party experts to handle the IT framework and provide specialised experience to protect businesses from the negative impact of downtime. This can result in faster turnaround times, thus increasing competitiveness within the business landscape.”
Businesses investing in IT services are expected to grow by 8% in 2024, and many organisations are seeking ways to streamline operations while achieving notable cost savings. Outsourcing can avoid the fixed costs associated with maintaining in-house operations and significantly reduce budgets.
“Trimming costs can be a key benefit when considering outsourcing IT services. Seeking this external support can guarantee the presence of highly qualified professionals but at a lower cost, so businesses only bear the expenses while the task progresses. In other words, you only pay for what you use when you need it,” Groome said.
“IT leaders can have more control over the team size – expanding or shrinking as needed. This agility to adapt alongside varying workloads, reduced labour expenses, lower overhead costs, and savings on technology investments allows businesses to avoid any strain on their budget without compromising their IT services.”
Groome concluded, “The benefits of leveraging external expertise are threefold: it can optimise operations, mitigate risks associated with downtime, and boost competitive advantages. Having access to the appropriate technology support may be the difference between achieving business goals or falling short of them. Outsourcing can be the strategic decision that propels businesses toward success.
“By allowing businesses to focus on their core operations and providing the flexibility to adapt, IT leaders can have the peace of mind needed to grow the business without jeopardising their IT efficiency.”