Why Outsourcing Is More Important Than Ever
Even as the effects of COVID-19 have started to wear off, the fragility and problems of centralized supply chains and corporate operations are evident. In fact, even as recently as 1st April 2022, 14% experienced serious business challenges, and 21% started facing massive issues.
To effectively deal with the scenario, companies continue to explore methods to flourish through the crisis. One such solution is outsourcing business tasks.
Many small business owners question whether IT outsourcing is a smart idea for their firm or if it’s simply an additional expenditure they can do without. Managed IT services could be a more suitable option for small and medium-sized organizations than having an in-house IT staff, but this is not always the case.
The Benefits of Outsourcing
Many of us aren't aware of the advantages of outsourcing, but it's now more critical than ever to outsourceIT services.
1. Better Cyber Security
A lot of work is implicated in holding up with the latest technological developments for those of us who don't own an IT firm.
Since more people prefer to work from home these days, cybercrimes are at an all-time high. As a result, securing your company's information, employees, and clients should be a top concern.
The problem is that if cybersecurity plus continuous monitoring are not your company's core skills, you may find yourself circling the wagons. In such a scenario, you already have a lot on your schedule and don't want to waste time dealing with IT issues at work.
A reliable outsourced IT service company is one way to go about this. MSPs who have been in the industry for a long time are well-versed in industry trends and best practices, particularly in cybersecurity.
Based on the characteristics of your company or organization, your managed IT team may provide a comprehensive cybersecurity architecture for you. You'll be able to tell whether an MSP is good if they constantly scan your network for vulnerabilities that may be exploited and then fix them.
Almost all reputable outsourced IT companies include the following key components of cybersecurity and monitoring:
- Automatic checks for vulnerabilities in your network that an attacker may exploit.
- Security testing, in which a technology specialist searches for flaws that an internet hacker may readily take advantage of.
- IT experts mimic an attack on your system and evaluate your response skills in a "red teaming" exercise.
To protect your business, you should use this and many other security measures, as well.
2. Ensures Flexibility and Speed
According to Salesforce CEO and founder Marc Benioff, speed is the new money in today's business world, which is why outsourcing is more critical than ever.
As corporate activities have ceased due to the present coronavirus outbreak, this has become even more critical.
There's a downside to speed, though: if you don't have any room for improvisation. Whatever the quality of your new accounting software, it will be of little use to your business if it cannot be easily integrated with other CRMs or e-commerce platforms like Shopify.
There's no escaping the fact that supply chains have been severely disrupted at every step along the way. As a result of China's economic woes, there is nothing you can do about it. Even when the pandemic is entirely over, you should keep looking for other sources of supplies to prevent becoming too reliant on a single one.
Talk to your vendors about outsourcing the production process if you buy locally. The same logic applies to the delivery of products to final consumers. Keeping oneself involved in supply chain constraints is a waste of time when third parties can take care of it just as easily.
Nevertheless, how can you tell whether an external agency is swift and flexible enough to do your tasks for you effectively? Most companies offer a trial period or a trial project, particularly those that provide digital services, to allow you to evaluate the quality of their products and services.
Before making any long-term commitments or large-scale expenditures, you may begin with a one-time assignment and see how it goes if you are still unsure after the trial project.
As a result of their expertise, the firms you choose to outsource company operations may be able to manage them more effectively than you can and provide goods or services that are in line with market trends and help you remain on top of the game.
3. Cost-effective Solutions
Even though cost savings aren’t the most important consideration when looking at managed IT choices, it's likely to be at the top of the list. According to a poll, 45% of companies agreed that saving money was the primary objective of outsourcing.
Although IT spending may not be directly responsible for decreasing IT outsourcing expenses, it is possible. It's possible that switching to an outsourced IT approach may result in higher direct expenses.
When it comes to network problems, you won't be worried about paying an inside staff. A full-time IT crew has several expenditures associated with it, such as health insurance, paid time off, plus their yearly pay.
As a bonus, you won't have to spend as much time & expense if anything terrible happens, such as a server failure.
4. Access To The Most Cutting-Edge Technology With Specialized Resources
During the coronavirus pandemic, firms were scrambling to invest in cutting-edge software to keep operations running smoothly even as remote workers became prominent.
Because of this, few firms are willing to spend money on new, untested ideas that may or may not work. The most advanced technology in that business may be yours for the taking without you having to spend a dime on it when you outsource your work.
Companies that specialize in business operations with continual access to specialty technologies and critical development resources and subscribe to the newest frameworks are known for their reliable outsourcing services.
Your company should be able to benefit from the newest technology without having to pay for it, and you'll be able to stop using it as soon as it is no longer necessary. You wouldn't have to stress about updating or maintaining your technology when you outsource.
The same can be said about outsourcing companies, which have access to cutting-edge technology and extensive resources. In current difficult economic circumstances, you might not have been able to afford to recruit specialized personnel, like web designers, engineers, etc.
As a result of outsourcing, you might benefit from specialized human and non-human resources. It's also a great way to save money on recruiting and training expenses and office space needed to house the various teams.
5. Increased Resilience of the Company
The pace of change may be brutal. However, in today's corporate environment, it is a constant reality. A valuable employee may quit your organization for another job, even if certain sectors have a greater turnover rate.
If that person happens to be your IT specialist, you'll need to find a replacement quickly. It's possible that the firm will have to go through a transition period before the new employee gets up to speed on the organization's rules and processes.
On the other hand, if your company expands, you may discover that you need to increase your IT infrastructure. A lot of times, this means employing extra IT staff to manage the additional demand.
Both of these concerns may be avoided by IT outsourcing. No matter which workers leave the third-party IT firm, they may smoothly switch from one account executive to another; without interrupting your company's operations.
Working with a managed IT services department enables your IT services to be easily scaled up or down as your company requirements change.
6. You Can Maximize the Use of Added-Value Services
Additional services provided by the majority of outsourcing businesses today may enhance your company's value by increasing productivity and efficiency while lowering expenses or risk on a daily basis or in times of crisis.
Proactive remote monitoring of your IT network 24 hours a day, seven days a week enables faults and problems to be solved before they impact the user, therefore decreasing downtime.
To avoid these issues from occurring in the first place, regular maintenance services such as monitoring all software upgrades and preserving the integrity of your network are necessary.
7. There Are No Bottlenecks
Thousands of companies are striving to remain open in the face of coronavirus lockdowns, supply shortages, and other obstacles that have arisen during these trying times. Businesses that deal with external parties have been affected the most.
When faced with such challenges, the worst thing a company can do is handle everything on its own. In the case of small firms, this holds especially true. With scarce resources, this becomes even more critical to use the resources effectively and outsource any work that they don't necessarily need to do themselves.
Some tasks, such as customer support, accounting, shipping, or IT, may be outsourced in order to lessen the strain and prevent bottlenecks that may arise. Because of this, you would be able to maintain concentration on the most important aspects of your company's operations even when times are tough.
Retaining suppliers and customers during these difficult times require you to maintain effective communication and assistance to them; this is especially vital now. Coronavirus-related troubles will prevent you from completing that essential task; therefore, you should avoid them.
Apart from that, by outsourcing your shipping and customer care, you free up time to work on growing your online company and marketing efforts. You may also wish to outsource the technical aspects of your internet business, such as building an e-commerce site.
Web designing, along with digital marketing services, such as SEO, PPC, social media marketing, and content marketing, are offered by a wide range of enterprises throughout the globe. This would be the perfect time to give them a go.
This time of year is not a good time to compromise on your company's fundamental tasks. You could have a few people on your team that are tech-savvy. In the end, the time spent addressing IT difficulties for the team stops them from focusing on other important responsibilities.
It's time to focus on operations that will keep your firm afloat and help it develop while delegating less important jobs.
It’s Time To Make The Most of Outsourcing With Awesome CX
As you can see, outsourcing has a lot of potential benefits — from flexibility to professional representation — and businesses small and large are wise to consider scaling their outsourcing needs throughout the year. Business process outsourcing and its benefits also have helped many distinct sorts of businesses as they move increasingly towards a more digital existence with less dependence on physical places.
In order to maintain steady growth and productivity, you should find a happy balance of in-house employees and outsourced resources. At Awesome CX, we offer comprehensive solutions that can help you with all your outsourcing needs. For more information, contact our team now!
Sources:
COVID-19 Impact: Key Takeaways From Our Articles | S&P Global Ratings
Cyber crime – the risks of working from home | COVID-19 | Deloitte Swizterland
CEO Marc Benioff: Salesforce 'The Fastest Growing Enterprise Software Company Ever'
15 Crucial Outsourcing Statistics to Know in 2022 | Fortunly