Outsourcing It Services Not Just For The Big Guys

By Author: ben austen
Total Articles: 21
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Whether you’re a small company just starting out with perhaps only four or five computers in your office and a small team, or a mid- to large-sized company with hundreds of employees and a rapidly changing IT infrastructure, at some point you’re going to likely need to re-evaluate re-establish the way way you handle your IT services needs.

As any company begins to move into growth mode, even if the company is operating from your home office and moving to an offsite location with no additional employees or equipment, your company’s IT requirements are going to become more intricate. Let’s face it: If you’re small, you don’t have a lot of time to step out of your role as founder and CEO to wear the IT manager’s hat. And, if you’re on a tight operating budget, you know the high-cost of hiring an in-house, full time IT services manager are going to take a bite out of your operating budget.

Your business, like many smaller firms, may want to consider outsourcing its IT services needs to a professional company that puts its focus squarely on your IT needs and nothing more, making it ...
... possible to reduce your IT costs by offering you service packages that are customized to fit your budget and demands.

A comprehensive IT outsourcing plan should include turning over the entire IT operation to an outside service provider. There is little advantage or real ROI for any company, large or small, in parceling out some of your IT service needs and trying to manage your outsourcing needs in house.

One of the biggest advantages you can expect to enjoy in hiring an outsourced IT service provider is that, along with relieving your staff (or yourself) of the responsibility of having to manage your IT needs, the services are bolstered by a long-term service agreement. A comprehensive IT service contract should cover everything from call center and customer to offshore data storage and management to helpdesk support and remote hardware server backup.

Historically, outsourcing IT services has traditionally been a part of large corporate business operations, more and more smaller companies are incorporating IT outsourcing in their operating budgets. Things like firewall management, network LAN and PC support and hardware system repairs. And the biggest reason is cost-saving advantages over salaries for in-house tech support staff.

The process for hiring an outside IT services provider is not that different from hiring an outside vendor to provide regular maintenance and repair support for your building’s heating and air systems, for example. You begin by evaluating your system, piece by piece, your needs and your in-house costs for IT support. Then, you collect bids from qualified IT service providers and select the company that has the best package of services available for your company’s immediate and long-term needs.

In many cases, not all of your in-house IT services require an outside provider. For example, you likely may want to keep someone on staff to provide e-mail and Internet access support for new users, as well as training and support for things like intranet operations and your company’s own Web site management and CMS processing.

Your selections for potential outsourced IT service providers should each provide you with a comprehensive list the risks and benefits of an outsourced partnership with their company or others. Once you and a service provider have made a decision to work together, they must provide you with a binding contract for services, which must include a detailed list of what will be covered, any related deadlines on deliveries and what their responsibilities are for keeping your IT needs in check.

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