April 19, 2022 Procano Expected reading time: about 3 minutes

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

1. IT is constantly evolving

When the pandemic hit in 2020, more than ever before, people had to use digital solutions to get the job done. This resulted in rapid development, and Microsoft has therefore updated and launched new applications like never before. There has been a significant change in work habits, and we now work from anywhere, not just in the office. This development and the new way of working have also led to more cyber attacks from hackers who have seized the opportunity to exploit vulnerable work situations where the focus is often divided. IT has had to be continuously adapted by people with specialist knowledge, deep understanding, and experience. It can be difficult and resource-intensive for an internal IT department to keep pace with this adaptation. If you outsource parts or all of the IT department to a service provider, you will have access to expertise based on experience from similar companies and operating environments.

2. Seamless onboarding of new hires

A professional service provider generates profit through scaling and automation. This allows the IT department to take advantage of routines that have already been created for other customers. Among other things, it can be used for automatic creation of users in Microsoft 365, PC installation, and maintenance of software packages. This way, you can continue your work without having to get involved in the transfer process.

3. Up-to-date software at all times

By choosing an external service provider, you will become part of a larger operating environment that tests, verifies, and updates software packages across thousands of clients. Providers like Microsoft and Apple are known for publishing 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 operating environment. This way, your IT department can focus on supporting business functions and developing applications, while the operations provider takes care of the foundation. This is just as important for companies that are cloud-based as it is for those with data centers or internal servers.

4. 24/7 support

Few companies have the resources to maintain internal IT support 24/7. With an external service desk, you can get assistance around the clock and avoid having to worry about things like holiday staffing.

5. Reduce costs

Running an internal IT department is expensive. This is especially true for small and medium-sized companies that may not necessarily have enough demand to cover a specialist function, such as IT security or client management. Growing companies often want to increase staffing to assist with business functions and improve specialized software, and instead let a service provider handle general operations. The provider usually has agreements with major suppliers, which can give you as a customer good prices when purchasing equipment and licenses.

Outsource for more support for your IT staff

There are many good reasons to outsource parts of or the 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 when there is an internal stakeholder. This applies to all outsourcing processes, whether it is IT, sales, marketing, or accounting. It can be wise to have someone who understands the company to work on internal IT development and management, challenges, and opportunities. In several cases, we have seen that this has a positive effect. We also do not recommend outsourcing the specialists who support business-specific systems, as these also have a unique belonging in internal business functions. And finally, it is important to remember that when you outsource the IT department, you still have a responsibility for internal IT.

Read more about full and partial responsibility.