Recessions can be challenging times for businesses of all sizes. Due to recent events, many businesses are fearful of what lies ahead economically. Thankfully, there is wisdom abound from the financial crisis of 2008, and a plethora of strategies to help you prepare your business for a recession so that you can maintain growth!
During a recession, customers may be more cautious with their spending. As a result, businesses that rely on a single product or service may struggle to generate enough revenue.
That's why diversifying your offerings and opening new streams of revenue is a great way to get ahead. By expanding your product or service offerings, you can appeal to a wider range of customers and reduce your reliance on any single product or service.
To do this, consider areas of value your business has the capabilities of providing that you aren’t currently making any revenue off of, or additional products that you can invest in creating that may provide a great profit for you.
For example, a restaurant might consider offering catering services or selling branded merchandise. Alternatively, you could expand your menu to include more options, such as vegetarian or gluten-free dishes.
If, like us, you’re a tech company, this concept can still apply to you! Perhaps you have an abundance of expertise in your field that you can use to create and sell courses through sites like Udemy.
You might also consider challenging your expertise and adding more value to existing clients. For example, if you are a software provider with content writing talent, you can potentially use that to create a content writing service for existing clients.
During a recession, customers may be more selective about where they spend their money. That's why it's essential to focus on providing exceptional customer service. Providing consistent, quality customer service will help you build customer loyalty while also attracting new customers through word of mouth.
To do this, consider the areas that may affect the quality of service your staff provides. If there is opportunity to boost your teams’ internal engagement and morale, be sure to tune into that. Creating a healthy and engaged working environment sets the stage for your teams servicing to improve.
It’s also wise to consider investing in additional training for your staff. Ensure that your employees understand your business's values and are equipped to handle customer inquiries and complaints. You may also want to consider offering incentives to customers who refer new business to you.
History has taught us that businesses who lean into advertising and marketing during recessions tend to perform better. It can be tempting to cut back on marketing expenses to save money. However, investing in marketing can actually help your business grow during tough economic times.
For one, increasing your marketing efforts in general allows you to reach new customers and increase brand awareness. However, and most importantly, marketing during a recession means there will be less competition.
Many businesses will try to get ahead by giving into cost-cutting temptation or will sadly not have the means to advertise, giving a small amount of other businesses more opportunity to shine. That being said, you want to be sure you budget your advertising and marketing efforts appropriately.
To make the most of your marketing budget, consider investing in online advertising, social media marketing, and email marketing campaigns. These forms of marketing can be highly effective and cost-efficient.
Leaning into free marketing tactics can also make a large impact on lead generation. For this we recommend rolling up your sleeves and putting in the effort to boost your SEO and social presence as much as possible.
Another great and cost-effective strategy is collaboration. Consider partnering with other businesses or organizations to co-promote each other's products or services.
This part probably goes without saying but it's essential to focus on improving operational efficiency to reduce costs and increase profitability. To better help you prepare your business for recession, look for ways to streamline processes and eliminate waste.
You may also consider outsourcing certain tasks to reduce overhead costs, but we’ll discuss that more later.
To improve operational efficiency, consider using technology to automate manual tasks. For example, you could use a customer relationship management (CRM) system to manage customer interactions, or a project management tool to streamline your team's workflow.
If this sounds a bit overwhelming, you can also look into freelancing or booking a consultant to help you identify inefficiencies and implement solutions.
Cash flow is critical during a recession. Make sure that you are closely monitoring your cash flow and again, taking steps to reduce expenses where possible.
If possible, try negotiating with suppliers for discounts or better payment terms, and be on the lookout for opportunities to reduce inventory levels.
To manage your cash flow effectively, consider creating a cash flow forecast. This will help you anticipate your cash needs and plan accordingly.
You may also want to think about working with a financial advisor to help you develop a cash flow management strategy.
As the economy slows, it may prove challenging to fund new projects or initiatives. However, by forming partnerships and collaborations with other businesses, you can pool resources and achieve common goals.
To form partnerships and collaborate with other businesses, start by identifying businesses that share your values and target market. Reach out to these businesses and propose a mutually beneficial partnership or collaboration.
Using social media platforms or attending industry events are also great ways to network with other business owners and find potential partners.
During a recession, it may be difficult to justify hiring new employees to handle non-core functions. That's where outsourcing can be a valuable tool. By outsourcing non-core functions, you can reduce overhead costs and free up resources to focus on your core business.
To determine which functions to outsource, start by identifying the tasks that are not critical to your business's success. This may include tasks such as accounting, human resources, or IT support. Then, research outsourcing providers and compare their costs and services to find the best provider that fits your budget.
Keep in mind that when outsourcing, it's critical to choose a provider that aligns with your business's values and goals. Look for a provider with a proven track record of success and good customer reviews.
It's also essential to establish clear expectations and communication channels to ensure that the outsourcing relationship is successful.
Diving a little deeper here into our area of expertise, outsourcing some or all of your IT services can greatly benefit your business during a recession and in general.
Read our full article on that here. But to keep it short and sweet, outsourcing your information systems can help you reduce costs, improve efficiency, and access specialized expertise.
To outsource your information systems, start by identifying the specific functions of IT that you want to outsource. This may include software development, data management, cybersecurity, or Helpdesk support. Then research outsourcing providers that specialize in these areas.
Like all outsourcing goes, you want to be sure to choose a provider with experience in your industry and a proven track record of success. Look for a provider that offers a range of services and can provide customized solutions to meet your business's specific needs.
As unpleasant as economic crisis are, there are so many creative strategies and opportunities to help your business thrive. By expanding your offerings, boosting your marketing, collaborating with other businesses, outsourcing, or doing combination of these things – you can prepare your business for a recession and whatever else life throws at you!
If you’d like to learn more about IT outsourcing, let us help walk you through the process to give you a better idea of what it looks like and how much you can save!
In today's blog, we break down the various IT roles that make up a businesses IT department and compare the functions of these roles in-house with outsourced IT structures -- including hybrid options and capabilities.
Since technology is advancing at an accelerated speed and changing the digital ecosystem in the business realm, it is both an exciting and challenging time for global industries. Businesses’ technology needs are growing, but so is their capability of supporting those needs.
The truth is, we have become so dependent on technology that any disruption can lead to catastrophic consequences. Every business needs a reliable and effective information systems support department to reduce IT costs, stay competitive, and tackle systems issues that arise.
Furthermore, enterprises attain higher agility and flexibility thanks to outsourced IT support, which allows them to optimize their operations and consequently maximize their profits.
Let’s take a look at how information technology specialists who can provide guidance and help ensure that the systems the IT department manages run smoothly.
Outsourcing IT support may be the most viable option for startups and small businesses as they tend to lack trained IT personnel . Larger companies may need to employ both mobile and desk-based staff, so their decision may be less clear.
With an in-house IT support team, you will have dedicated personnel that can immediately address hardware and software issues as they appear. There is also the apparent benefit of consistent costs as team members’ salaries remain the same each month.
The disadvantages include possible hidden costs (e.g., hiring a full-time professional) and providing them with an office, desk, computer, payroll account, and other benefits that may drive the cost even higher.
On the other hand, outsourcing IT support tends to be less expensive as much of the costs are spread over multiple clients due to the managed IT services model. Not to mention, you don’t have to worry about expenses related to training or certifying IT staff.
Furthermore, with companies like Managed Solution, you get 24/7/365 service and monitoring, as we offer around-the-clock access to IT support specialists.
As for the cons, some business leaders may not feel that their outsourced tech specialists are part of the team. When computer issues arise or when you need advice on the future of technology within your company, some feel that they need to spend time bringing them up to speed.
A way this matter is countered is through finding a provider that puts the people of your company first and cultivates a team of experts with a history of seamless integrations with in-house teams and IT infrastructures of all shapes and sizes.
At Managed Solution, for example, we pride ourselves in these very facets of support, so that you get expert specialists who transition into your organization with ease.
The changes new technologies bring to the business environment are disruptive, and the way economy functions is changing fast. The traditional business hierarchical systems are dissolving. The lines between CEO, CIO, CTO, and CFO roles are blurring as a consequence.
Let’s dive into these IT roles, which are so crucial in today’s digital age.
A Chief Information Officer is a C-level executive that oversees the IT needs of a company. They don’t deal with operational responsibilities (IT directors do that) since their responsibilities and skills are much different than they were 10-20 years ago (and they continue to evolve and adapt).
CIOs are responsible for strategic planning of business growth objectives and creating business value through technology. They oversee the development of customer service platforms, ensure tech procedures and systems lead to desired business outcomes, and manage development and IT team personnel.
They also establish IT standards, strategies, and policies while dealing with IRM (information risk management). CIOs are an important part of a company’s digital transformation.
The position of a Chief Technology Officer is thought to be one of the vaguest roles because it depends on many factors, such as business area, the number of outsourced/in-house workers, business processing style, etc. The CTO is there to solve tech challenges, work with IT personnel, and keep the organization running.
Their daily duties vary from company to company, but they are usually focused on external clients who purchase the company’s products. CTOs should be informed on the latest innovations, staying on the cutting edge of technology to allow the organization to offer the best products.
The responsibilities of an IT director may include managing a team of employees, overseeing the infrastructure of technical operations, increasing user satisfaction, eliminating security risks, maintaining systems and operations, and tracking technology to achieve business goals.
An IT director is the person who oversees the people dealing with these tasks, and he or she is responsible for answering questions such as,
VP of IT is responsible for planning the IT future for the company, as well as for the implementation of systems and their maintenance. Also, he or she must ensure maximum stability and uptime in the organization’s computer networks and systems.
The VP of IT is a technology leader who must be able to plan for the company and rally the troops around the plan, especially when new training is required for system changes and upgrades. In most companies, the VP of IT reports to the CIO.
An IT support engineer is responsible for resolving any IT tasks at hand. They assist the project manager in managing projects, database administration, information security, installing new software, hardware installations, and other tasks to help the department perform their duties.
They need to have deep technical knowledge to be able to address problems efficiently and quickly. They are there to provide tech support for any IT-related issue, dealing with tasks such as:
If you’ve ever come across the term Managed Service Provider (MSP), it is a concept in which organizations and companies outsource specific services to companies specialized in providing them.
If you run a small or medium-sized company, you probably don’t need or cannot afford to hire a CIO, CTO, and IT director. What you can do is outsource a company specialized in providing IT support services that hires professionals who can perform those functions.
MSPs regularly perform areas of business activity such as:
They can provide Software-as-a-Service and offer remote storage or servers. Some managed service providers are specialized in providing hard-to-find IT expertise to assist users with usage difficulties or prevent issues on a client’s system.
Large enterprises usually need to segment their IT support department and hire IT specialists (such as a CIO, CTO, IT director, VP of IT, etc.) to drive their tech development, implement the latest tech solutions, and oversee maintenance.
As for startups and SMBs, these organizations are focused on growth but don’t have enough resources to create an in-house IT support team. In that case, outsourcing help from MSPs is often the only viable and cost-effective option to get access to IT experts to support their business growth.
After looking at this breakdown of Outsourced IT, it's easy to see that companies of all shapes and sizes have multitudes of benefits to access including reduced costs, optimized operations, and a breadth of knowledge to access 24/7/365 days a year.
If you're considering Outsourcing IT, contact us today to learn more about what this can look like for your business and understand how we can support your IT goals to achieve greater success.
The advancements in business technology and the IT industry as a whole have increased the demand for outsourced IT support teams and managed services.
If you are growing your business, your core competencies should be your primary concern. This can sometimes be hard to do with in-house IT teams since they demand constant management of their everyday tasks and training. Both are costly and time-consuming; however, they aren't the only issues you will encounter when maintaining a full-time IT staff.
In this comprehensive guide on outsourcing IT, we will be looking at the advantages of outsourcing and also comparing the pros and cons of outsourced business operations. Here's a quick look at the chapters we'll cover and links to jump to the different sections:
When you want to grow your team and add new members to your business operations, things can become a bit complicated. Your hiring manager will probably have a hard time finding candidates with the right level of expertise, and when they do, usually it comes with increased operational costs.
Compromising quality may become an issue if you can't find the right people to fill the roles. You want your IT project manager to be well-educated and tech-savvy with great management skills. Unfortunately, staff members like that are as rare as unicorns due to a limited talent pool. Having one person in such an important position also comes with a risk in the long run. One sick day can have a significant impact on your overall performance, while outsourced teams can't put you in such a position.
New members require training and equipment, along with additional office space. There's also an onboarding process and learning curve to consider. Current technology is continuously moving forward, so additional hardware and software updates are frequently needed. All of this requires additional management of internal resources and further investments in tech and training.
Partnering with a remote team from a business process outsourcing company increases productivity by removing most of the negative aspects of maintaining an in-house team mentioned above. Outsourcing allows better communication within the company, 24/7 support for employees, and a streamlined ticketing system that aims to provide maximum customer satisfaction. The outsourcing partner covers operational costs on their end, and you only pay for the services provided, thus ensuring efficient fund management and cost savings.
The benefits of outsourcing vary depending on your business model and planning. Companies that are looking to scale in the future are more likely to succeed if they use the services of an outsourcing company.
Response times of an in-house team vary depending on their other responsibilities. This always leads to longer downtimes and communication issues that can slow down the complete business process within the company.
Your core activities can be completely slowed down if your backroom staff doesn't meet the required level of expertise. The location of your office usually determines what kind of talent you can attract - a problem that is easily solved with outsourced IT support teams.
When you partner with a managed services company, constant access to a talent pool that can be adjusted to fit your exact needs helps with better fund management and resource allocation. However, scaling isn't the only reason you would want to partner with an outsourced team. If your employees or customers need constant attention and assistance, utilizing a full-service help desk leads to enhanced customer experience.
The bottom line - if your customers and staff require timely professional assistance, you should consider looking into outsourced solutions since your local staff may struggle with providing such high-quality aid most of the time.
The term outsourcing may be universal for both business models, but there is a significant difference between offshore support teams and local solutions.
Offshore outsourcing does have one advantage, and that is access to global talent. The global outsourcing market is where many companies go to find a mobile app developer, virtual assistant, web developer, social media content creator, and full software development teams. Some organizations even outsource their marketing manager, market research, and lead generation. And for some, they turn to the global talent pool to hire freelancers that provide IT services.
However, there are far too many drawbacks when it comes to offshore outsourcing, particularly when it comes to information technology. The problem with global outsourcing to offshore teams is that they usually have a language barrier and may be working different hours of your operation. This means that communication issues are likely to happen, which in turn leads to decreased productivity and longer downtime. On-site assistance is impossible due to their physical location.
Locally outsourcing your IT is slightly different. The fact that both your and your service provider are located in the same state/country, there is a high chance their staff members will fully understand the needs and goals of your company. If you hire a local help desk, your employees can provide professional and timely support whenever needed. In case of technical difficulties, on-site support is available and easy to provide. Lower downtimes allow uninterrupted business continuity for your company.
The exact cost of outsourcing depends on the type of services you are trying to get. Usually, managed services offer the following:
Depending on your current staff size and market growth, you can add or remove staff members on your remote team, depending on the outsourcing tasks you require. This type of financial freedom simplifies management and lets you calculate the exact costs of your operations. In the long run, you will be allocating more funds toward business plans rather than additional equipment and office space.
As we already mentioned, a streamlined ticketing process enables quick and easy problem resolution with both your customers and employees. This type of data can become extremely useful for future incidents since it can indicate what issues keep coming back and how you can solve them permanently.
Your outsourced IT partner should have your best interests in mind, so if they aren't looking to solve your problems even before they occur, you might want to look elsewhere.
As with everything, asking questions is always a good start. However, if you don't ask the right ones, you might end up signing a contract with the wrong company. The quick expansion of the IT industry opened up more room for MSP companies, but not all of them are as good as they may want you to think. Their level of expertise and reputation are only a few aspects you should be looking into. Here are some questions you should ask:
Having a support team in your area can make a big difference when you need immediate assistance on-site.
Once you encounter a problem, you want it to be resolved as soon as possible. Waiting on hold can become a constant issue if your service provider doesn't guarantee timely responses and support.
They should know and understand your business from the bottom up. If they don't understand your goals and vision, they can't provide adequate support to the people who depend on your business.
Reputable companies tend to stay in business longer, so your MSP should have a good history and a clean track record.
Some managed solutions won't offer 24/7/365, and those shouldn't be on your shortlist. Constant monitoring leads to shorter response times and problem prevention. Overnight issues can't be resolved if your service provider doesn't work during night hours.
Pro-active service providers solve issues before they even become a problem. They look for vulnerabilities and monitor your environment to spot possible threats and protect you from them. Reactive teams don't act in such a preventive manner.
Communication skills are crucial. Again, proactive service providers will serve as better partners since they will communicate with your team members and try to adapt to your working environment rather than doing it the other way around. You should continuously be aware of how technology impacts your business, and your outsourced partner should be making sure you have easy access to such information.
Often, your employees will be the weakest link in your company. A good MSP should always educate your employees on possible security threats and offer training when necessary. Every company you speak with should have a comprehensive plan on how they want to address this issue.
Your data backups are as good as your ability to restore them. If your MSP isn't handing it in the right way, compromising quality to save costs, or isn't testing it on a regular basis, you should consider talking to them about this issue. Sensitive data must be handled professionally, so you should always request professionalism from your MSP.
Outsourcing trends are on the rise. But while all service providers may look the same on the surface, the level of their service can be drastically different. You can always expect to run into some dishonest providers, so keeping your eyes open for red flags is highly advised. Here are some things to look out for when comparing providers in the outsourcing market:
Contract length and terms. Before signing any documents, get familiar with the terms and requirements of the contract. Reputable service providers like Managed Solution offer a 60-day, no-fee opt-out clause that guarantees high-quality service. If you are unsatisfied with the services provided, you should be able to terminate the contract or ask for a refund. Any other offer should be considered unacceptable.
Additional costs and fees. The number of users you have should be the main factor in your monthly pricing. Adding new users should increase the price while removing users should bring the costs down. If your MSP is offering something different, then be sure that you understand their pricing system entirely. If you get tied in a contract you can't terminate, there will be no way to avoid additional spending and high fees.
Search the web for reviews and impressions. Customer testimonials have become a benchmark of quality. If you can't find any positive reviews or you run into some negative ones, maybe that service provider isn't worth your time and money. Previous customers should have enough information on your potential service provider, so consider looking into their opinions as well.
Average wait times and overall efficiency. If one issue took 10 minutes to resolve, but another one lasted an hour, the average response time would be 35 minutes. The average wait time is probably the most important metric of all. Even if an MSP meets all of the requirements we mentioned so far, a bad response time can indicate all sorts of possible complications in the future. Average response times should be transparent, and they are calculated based on team performance.
Understand that not every information technology-related problem is easily resolved. Depending on the complexity of the issue, it may need to be escalated to higher ranks, and the nature of the issue will determine how long the resolution will take. However, a quick response doesn't always guarantee a solution. You will want skilled IT technicians with low response times if you are looking to find an outsourced solution with a perfect balance.
The best service providers serve an extra layer of protection for you and your company. Although it may seem that an MSP only provides support for your business, it also has to act as your personal firewall. 24/7 monitoring and scheduled reporting give you clear insight into your business management and growth.
In most cases, your outsourced partner will handle a lot of your sensitive data, so you want to make sure that they are competent enough to handle it in the right way. One security breach can have devastating consequences for your business, so picking a secure service provider is mandatory for most companies. Security threats within your network should be detected before they become an issue, so always be on the lookout for companies with a highly skilled talent pool.
Constant advancements in information technology gave customers the right to expect a stress-free user experience with your services and products. If you find it hard to keep up with your customer inquiries and requests, maybe it is time you reorganized your in-house resources. Outsourcing provides more time to focus on core competencies and less time spent on problem resolution.
Small and medium-sized businesses may find it hard to scale after a certain period of time. Usually, the most important growth factor is technological readiness, and if you reached a plateau stage in your business development, maybe it's because of the tech. Outdated internal systems make it hard to keep a steady pace, and turning to technology outsourcing and adding a few experts on your team can make a big difference.
Steady business continuity relies on productivity, but your technological infrastructure may be bottlenecking your team's productivity. Sometimes, outdated software and hardware solutions will do more harm than good, resulting in broken deadlines and depleting productivity. When this becomes the case, outsourced solutions can help you understand the problem but also how to solve it.
It is often the case that companies rely on old applications that aren't supported by their developers. These can cause a long-term security issue that needs to be addressed professionally and securely. Security risks lead to data breaches that can bring down your whole operation in a matter of minutes.
Isolated siloed systems should be your last indicator that you need outsourcing services. Technological advancements are hard tof keep up with, and a large number of companies are still relying on legacy computer systems. Upgrading the whole infrastructure can take forever and is also considered counterproductive. Rather than completely overhauling your current tech, you can consider letting an MSP do that for you.
Let's recap and recognize how much of an impact an outsourced team can have on your business.
Your scalability will always depend on your ability to accept and adapt to new technologies. In-house staffing requires a lot of work and resources, something a modern business environment can't afford right now. Additional spending on training and equipment leaves fewer funds for business growth and scaling. With outsourcing providers like Managed Solution, you can always count on discounted equipment prices and maximum security. CSP licensing is also an option since Managed Solution is a Certified Gold Partner of Microsoft. At the end of the day, outsourcing can be defined as an all-in-one solution for businesses that are struggling to capitalize on new opportunities and face scaling issues.
We all know that things are changing fast in today's day and age. And nowhere else is this truer than in the IT world. To keep up with progress, companies have to upgrade or replace their systems continually if they wish to remain competitive and thrive in the 21-st century market. This could mean outsourcing your IT and getting an assessment.
Knowing exactly when it's time to outsource your IT infrastructure and get an assessment can prove the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful business year. That said, here are several telltale signs letting you know your IT system is outdated.
With today's technological advancements, customers expect their needs to be anticipated to provide a headache-free experience. Old legacy infrastructure rarely can provide this level of customer satisfaction. What's more, maintaining these outdated systems will cause businesses to be more at risk of outside forces and will often cost more over the mid to long-term.
Business growth is usually a reliable indicator of technology readiness. When companies experience faster-rising costs than the top line, the culprit is almost always a technology gap. Businesses that properly use and implement technology will see top-line growth and lower operational costs at the same time.
It's a pretty well-known fact that regularly failing to meet deadlines is usually tied to a larger productivity problem. When it comes to outdated IT technology, the signs are pretty subtle and quite easy to ignore. But if your staff is starting to devise workarounds for your software, or are using supplemental software to make up for your current system's shortcomings, you know your current technology is doing more harm than good, and it's probably time to outsource your infrastructure.
Today's technology is evolving at an unprecedented rate. With the trend of the past decade being towards openness and more integration, many legacy IT systems are being left behind. As such, today's synergy created between data-producing and data-consuming systems cannot be understated in terms of their beneficial effect on productivity.
The problem, however, arises when many organizations are still using legacy IT, meaning that their teams are working in isolated silos. Trying to upgrade too many systems at once can also be counterproductive as it can slow down the overall pace and obscure important proof points. Outsourcing can be a more efficient alternative in this regard.
Core applications such as a company's ERP and CRM are often taken for granted and will go untouched for many years. This oversight often happens because replacing them will usually result in a partial or complete business shut down for the duration of the transition. But many of the other applications will be changing more quickly, making your core systems lag in terms of features, functionality, and integration.
Companies can also find themselves over-relying on old applications that are no longer supported by their developers. This reliance can tie the entire organization to an old IT system, which also increases security risks. These, so-called orphan applications need to be addressed before any serious issues arise. Outsourcing your IT infrastructure will help bypass the situation.
There are many issues to consider when choosing between in-house and outsourced IT support. It is important to mention that the overwhelming majority of companies today have some sort of IT support requirement, and these requirements are integral from the smooth and seamless running of day-to-day operations.
It's not enough to think about the overall IT requirements of the company but also the individual needs of every department within the organization. It is fairly evident that most businesses require some dedicated IT support, but the main issue is in regards to whether to build an in-house team or go for an outsourced option.
Below, we'll provide a short rundown of pros and cons of each option, be it an in-house or an outsourced IT support department.
In-house IT support refers to your IT department located inside your business. It also implies that you will have to hire the people necessary to run this department and that you will have full control over them and their actions.
There are several benefits to building your IT support team. For starters, an in-house IT support can provide you with quick backing when it's most needed. Likewise, such a group will also have a more intimate knowledge of your IT infrastructure, giving the opportunity to fix problems quicker. Finally, you can pick and choose the members of this team to best fit within your company culture.
On the downside, however, it can take a lot of time before you put together the right team. The costs of forming and maintaining such a group should also not be underestimated, taking into account the cost of hiring, employment, benefits, downtime, ineffectiveness, or turnover. There is also the issue of working hours and how off-hours IT problems will be handled when nobody is there, etc.
An outsourced IT support implies that any IT problems will get fixed externally. In other words, a partner company will look after all of your systems and will mostly fix any emerging issues remotely.
One benefit that immediately becomes apparent with outsourcing your IT support is the cost. In most cases, you will be charged monthly and provided with a breakdown of what services you are getting. You will not have to worry about hiring or managing this team, as well as all the costs that come with it.
It's also important to mention that these outsourcing companies specialize in IT support, meaning that they usually have more tools, resources, talent, and experience in dealing with these sorts of issues. In most cases, you will also have access to 24/7 support, so that any problems that may arise during your off-hours will be handled. And in addition to around-the-clock support, you will also have similar monitoring that decreases the chance of outages happening in the first place.
The disadvantages of an outsourced IT support team mostly depend on the company you partner up with. These include issues such as the terms and conditions of the contract as well as any unexpected costs located in the fine print. Another downside is that they are not on-site, meaning that if there's a hardware problem, the issue will not be resolved immediately. However, many MSPs such as Managed Solution offer on-site support and can proactively visit to ensure there are no issues or be readily available if and when one arises.
The decision of whether you should go for an in-house or an outsourced IT support team ultimately boils down the individual needs of your company. An in-house team will be more intimate with your system, but they will cost you much more and could limit the skill sets equired.
An outsourced IT support team, on the other hand, will be far less expensive, have more expertise and flexibility and will provide you with 24/7 support. If you do decide on the latter, we strongly suggest that you carefully read the entire contract, the services you will receive, and make sure that they align with your needs.
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