The Pros and Cons of Outsourcing IT

Outsourcing is a dilemma for many companies, and some might be wary of giving up some of their control to a third party. There are times, however, when outsourcing becomes not only advantageous, but safer. One of these areas is IT.

You may not have the staff or resources on hand to take care of IT properly and may have started looking at managed options. This can be a great choice for a certain type of enterprise, but not for all. This is why you need to understand what you can expect from these services and whether they would be a good choice for you. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of outsourcing IT.

Pro – You Benefit from their Resources

If you’re going to be working with a managed IT service, you’ll most likely have access to better tools. Their software will be up to date and they’ll have the resources on hand to use them the way they should be. They might be better able to protect your data with these tools. They will help you generate automatic backups and give you additional storage if you need scaling. Having a good team with the right resources will make sure that you won’t have to expand yours.

Con – Less Control

Less control means that cooperation is a bit tougher when you’re working with an outsourced IT service. There might be some delay from time to time, and you may have to wait on them when it’s time to put out fires. Also, you have organisations that try to take a hybrid approach and have some of their in-house employees work with an IT service.  

While this can sometimes work, there will need to be clear leadership. Either the outsourced team will be in charge of calling the final shots or it’ll be your in-house team. You also have to know who was in charge of what to make sure that the right party is held accountable.

Pro – More Flexibility

While you may have some resources in-house, working with an IT team will allow you to be more flexible. For instance, you can’t expect your help desk specialist to work on network security and vice versa.

You can choose to work with an IT service on a contract basis and only when you need them. You could hire them to upgrade your system or look for potential sticking points in your network. They could also help you review your processes to reduce the chances of incidents. Just having someone with the expertise in your corner will help you keep all bases covered without going overboard on expenses.

Con – Access to Information

At the end of the day, outsourcing IT means that you’ll be giving third party access to some very valuable information. Not to mention that some will decide to go with companies that are located outside of the country, so this adds a layer of risk.

This means that you should not only make sure that you properly vet the outsourced IT provider, but consider working with people closer to home. Going with a London IT support team will also make logistics and follow up that much easier.

IT support London teams like Totality services IT company, for instance, will be able to help with everything from building and solidifying your networks to cloud solutions. They’re one of the most established IT companies in London and have a strong track record to prove it. This IT support company London can also help you with things such as GDPR compliance, which could be more difficult to grasp for companies located outside the UK or the European Union.

Pro – Lower Costs

Outsourcing also means that you can save on hiring costs and only pay for what you need. Everything will be done faster and more efficiently when you’re working with the exact type of expert that you need, which you can always get with a good managed IT service.

You also end up saving on potential legal costs that could occur from a security breach. You can ensure compliance as well. You get to save money on hiring, training, and onboarding costs, you’ll have fewer benefits payments to make, and you could end up spending less on everything from office days to leave benefits by working with a third party.

Con – Hidden Costs

However, you have to make sure that you work with a reputable team if you want to get these benefits. This is something that you’ll need to pay special attention to if you’re working with a team from overseas. 

Some might attempt to double bill you and charge you for time not spent on your operations. Some might charge you per incident after a certain hour limit on phone consultations. These are all things you’ll need to be aware of before you sign contracts. This is also where it’s important to thoroughly vet who you’re going to be working with.

Outsourcing IT can be a tough decision, but it usually pays off when used properly. You have to make sure that it’s the right choice for your organisation, but also that you work with the right team and that your own team is on board as well.