Outsourcing

Top 3 Things To Consider When Outsourcing IT Support

Outsourcing IT Support

Outsourcing IT support is becoming more common. In fact, 31% of all IT services were outsourced in 2017.

The problem is there are so many outsourcing options now, that it may be difficult to know what to consider when choosing services and provider. Outside of costs, there are three main areas to think about.

1. Regulatory Compliance And Security

Businesses have to think about regulatory compliance and security, which often go hand-in-hand. We even offer compliance auditing services to help businesses in this area. When outsourcing IT support, the support and services must maintain the same compliance as the business. If not, the business could face substantial fines.

This also means ensuring files and employee and customer data are kept secure. If a business chooses an outsourcing provider that opens vulnerabilities in their systems or isn’t vigilant about uncovering vulnerabilities, it could be mean a costly breach that could ruin the business. This is why it’s vital to choose carefully and work with providers who fully understand the needs of the business. For those uncertain about how serious breaches are, consider that over 14 billion records have been stolen since 2013.

2. Communication And Support

While outsourcing IT support means a business gets technical support, this doesn’t always translate into clear communications about what the provider is doing and why. Any outsourcing provider should offer regular communication to ensure business goals are being met. We’ve worked with businesses left with a mess because they honestly didn’t know what their previous provider had done.

For businesses with IT staff, it’s also important to communicate why some tasks are being outsourced to prevent hurting employee morale. Of course, another consideration is whether the provider works with the staff to help train them in best practices to optimize security and productivity.

3. ROI

Obviously, cost is always a consideration, but it shouldn’t be the top consideration. Why? We know budgets are important, but the cheapest options typically provide little to no real support and leave businesses in the dark until something horrible happens, such as a breach or major technical issues.

Instead of just looking at cost, we recommend looking at the ROI of outsourcing IT support. Paying a little more may mean a business actually saves more in the long term. Look at the largest ROI versus the initial cost to find the more effective and budget-friendly support.

Have questions about outsourcing IT support? Get those questions answered today by contacting us right away!