Outsourcing refers to the process of handing over certain responsibilities to another company and paying for the service they do in return.
Outsourcing is a popular method of conducting business in today’s time and it is one that has had huge success. Outsourcing IT is very beneficial for SMBs because it gives them access to certain benefits that only come through the act of outsourcing.
In this article, we are going to display both the pros and cons of outsourcing IT services, so that you can draw a conclusion of whether outsourcing IT is your cup of tea.
Pros
1. Focus on More Important Things
For small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), it’s crucial to prioritize and focus on the core aspects of their business and not get distracted with IT stuff. Chances are, you, as a business owner, have a business that is in need of IT but has no clue how to implement it. That’s why you can choose to outsource your IT to managed service providers (MSPs) and focus on more important things such as growth.
2. Huge Access to Skills and Resources
It’s very difficult for SMBs to manage an in-house IT department because chances are those employees will be overworked and will lack the necessary skills for certain technologies. MSPs, on the other hand, allow you access to a wide range of skilled professionals that can take care of all of your IT needs. Furthermore, MSPs have access to resources that can maintain and promote business growth without needing to pay for their salaries.
3. It Saves You a Ton of Money
Probably one of the biggest pros when it comes to outsourcing is the fact that it’s a very cost-effective business method. Most MSPs have flexible payment schedules and access to the latest technologies, which you don’t have to invest in or purchase. You will be paying the MSP a monthly or annual fee for their services, and everything that comes with it will be placed under that fixed fee. With MSPs, it’s all about transparency and you can bet there won’t be any hidden fees, according to experts at Centerpoint IT.
4. Lessen the Risks of Outages
Businesses are faced with a very real problem of frequent outages that damage their reputation. Outages can become a very problematic issue that can mess with your IT infrastructure. By outsourcing IT to MSPs, you can say goodbye to the problem caused by outages as they will do frequent backups of your data and have multiple disaster recovery strategies in place to prevent data loss.
Cons
1. Loss of Control
The biggest con when it comes to outsourcing IT to MSPs is the fact that you’re not in full control as you would be when it comes to managing an in-house IT department. If you pair up with the wrong MSP, they can rush in and invest in technologies or equipment software that you don’t really need or would benefit from. This usually occurs if the MSP in question has had previous experience with those particular technologies or software.
2. Longer Waiting Times
Usually, MSPs would offer their services to more than one business which can create work overflow as more and more clients pile up. This can be very frustrating, especially if the MSP doesn’t have the manpower to provide quality service to all of their clients which can lead towards longer waiting times.
