April 19, 2022 Procana Expected reading time: approx 3min

5 good reasons to outsource parts of your IT operations

Technology is constantly evolving. This can make it difficult for a small, internal IT department to ensure a proper, updated, and well-functioning IT environment. With support from an external IT provider, you can reduce costs and increase knowledge level and efficiency. In this post, we will give you 5 good reasons to outsource parts or all of your IT department.

1. IT is continuously evolving

When the pandemic hit in 2020, more than ever had to adopt digital solutions to get the job done. This led to rapid development, and Microsoft has therefore updated and launched new applications like never before. As a result, there has been a significant change in work habits, and we now work from anywhere, not just from the office. This evolution and new ways of working have also led to more cyberattacks from hackers who have seen an opportunity to exploit vulnerable work situations where focus is often scattered. IT has had to be continuously adapted by specialists with expertise, deep understanding, and experience. It can be difficult and resource-intensive for an internal IT department to keep up with this adaptation. If you outsource parts or your entire IT department to a service provider, you will gain access to expertise based on experience from similar companies and operating environments.

2. Seamless onboarding of new employees

A professional service provider generates profit through scaling and automation. This allows the IT department to benefit from routines that have already been created for other customers. For instance, automatic creation of users in Microsoft 365, installation of PCs, and maintenance of software packages can be utilized. This way, you can continue your work without having to familiarize yourself with the transition process.

3. Updated software at all times

By choosing an external service provider, you will be part of a larger operational environment that tests, verifies, and updates software packages across several thousand clients. Suppliers like Microsoft and Apple are known for releasing updates that can cause problems in various operating environments. A service provider will ensure that updates are checked and tested before being published in your operational environment. This way, your IT department can focus on supporting business functions and developing applications while the operational provider takes care of the foundational infrastructure. This is equally important for companies that are cloud-based as it is for those with data centers or internal servers.

4. Support 24/7

Few companies have the resources to maintain internal IT support 24/7. With an external service desk, you can get help around the clock, and you won’t have to worry about staffing during holidays, for example.

5. Reduce costs

Running your own internal IT department is expensive. This is especially true for small and medium-sized companies that may not have enough demand to support a specialist role such as IT security or client management. Companies that are growing often want to increase staffing for assistance with business functions and improvements to specialized software, and prefer to let a service provider handle general operations. Service providers typically have agreements with larger suppliers, which can provide you as a customer with favorable prices when purchasing equipment and licenses.

Outsource for more support for your IT staff

There are many good reasons to outsource parts of or your entire IT department when it comes to costs, knowledge, and efficiency. However, you cannot outsource the responsibility for your company’s data, and we often see that outsourcing works best where there is an internal stakeholder. This applies to all outsourcing processes, whether it is IT, sales, marketing, or accounting. It may be wise to have someone who understands the company to work with internal IT development and management, challenges, and opportunities. We have seen multiple times that this has a positive effect. We also do not recommend outsourcing specialists who support company-specific systems, as these also have a unique attachment to internal business functions. And finally, it's important to remember that when you outsource the IT department, you still have a responsibility for IT internally.

Read more about full and shared responsibility.