We all have heard of outsourced IT companies and possibly have had experiences with some, good or bad. When we hear “outsourced IT,” we all have our assumptions based on what we’ve heard or maybe read online, right or wrong. Today, I want to take some time to explain what an outsourced IT company really does or should be doing for you and your company, eliminating some of those assumptions about what IT people do.
When used properly, outsourced IT companies can add great value to a growing or even an established company. Most IT companies do a lot more than just ensure that your anti-virus or anti-malware are up to date or check that all of your Microsoft tools are current. Outsourced IT companies also do many of the following:
- IT Security: IT companies help protect your files, emails, and other information from potential hackers that will try and corrupt your company. This also includes ensuring all your updates are current for your operating system as well as any patches.
- Network Monitoring: They help with your firewall and switch configuration and also cloud configuration, sometimes moving your company to the cloud so you and your employees can work from home or even their local coffee shop. This also allows you to work on the same project with others seamlessly.
- Vendor Help: Most IT companies will go to bat for you when it comes to all the tools and support from other vendors. Your outsourced IT company will contact them on behalf of your company to resolve any vendor issues so you do not have to waste your time worrying about it or spending all that valuable time on the phone.
- Help Desk Support: Every IT company has a help or support desk, sometimes available 24/7. If something should go wrong, you are able to call in to have your issue resolved as quickly as possible.
- Equipment Management: IT companies can help with acquiring new equipment as well as setting it up so you don’t have to spend time researching and setting it up yourself.
- Software Help: Most IT companies will be able to help you navigate all the tools you are currently using to ensure that you have exactly what you need for your business and advise you on which ones you may not need.
- Backup and Recovery: They will be able to help set your company up for a backup plan in case your data were to be compromised. Were a disaster to wipe everything out, you and your business will already have this plan in place to ensure that you do not lose any of your business’s information.
Now that you know some of the main functions, let’s explore when you as a business owner or partner are ready to have an outsourced IT company.
Most small to medium sized companies have an employee that is working regular, non-IT duties as well as handling their IT. This is a great start for a company, however there is a point where this is no longer efficient for the employee or the company. The employee is already working 40 hours a week on their assignments but they also have to help with all the IT.
As your business grows, it is smart to look into an outsourced IT company for a few reasons. The first is that it will keep you and your employees focused on your current and future clients while the IT company worries about your business’s technology. The second is that it will keep those employees less stressed and provide them a better quality of life, knowing that they have an IT company that already has their back and they no longer have to put in additional work to resolve IT issues on top of their current job titles. Finally, IT outsourcing is cost effective, plain and simple. Paying one full time tech guy could cost you anywhere from 65k to 100k a year where an outsourced IT company costs a fraction of that.
Here at Tsquared, we help small to medium sized businesses grow using the technology of today and tomorrow. We partner with our clients to make sure they are getting the best customer service and IT experience possible. As your affordable IT department, we can give you everything mentioned in this article and so much more.