Why Outsource IT? Start Saving Money Today

UPDATED: April 8, 2023

Outsourcing IT projects helps businesses to minimize stress and disruption during IT transformation. Organizations can get the most for their IT investment with increased operational efficiency and reduced wasteful spending. 

It’s no secret that technology is the beating heart of almost every modern organization. Adopting and supporting new technologies is no walk in the park. There are dozens of decisions to be made, and when one question is answered, a new one comes to the surface: When is the right time? Which solutions? What brand? And of course: with what time and budget? 

Bulky, disorganized, and excessive IT infrastructure is the leading culprit of high total cost of ownership (TCO) for modern businesses. Every business tries to find the sweet spot between saving money while still operating at maximum capacity to serve its growing customer base. 

When taking on a new IT project, a business has essentially three options: complete the project independently, outsource the IT project to a consulting service, or a combination of both. So, how do you decide?

First, calculate TCO for your business’s IT infrastructure and determine whether it would be more cost-effective to own your IT infrastructure in-house, or to outsource it to an IT solutions provider.

• Converged infrastructure can reduce TCO for in-house IT infrastructure by streamlining storage, operations, and management.
• Hosted Services can reduce TCO for businesses who want to shift the hardware costs to a trusted IT provider.
  
  

Each method has different costs and benefits, but generally, the most efficient option often includes some degree of outsourcing. So what are the benefits of outsourcing IT?

Why OutSource IT?

We often get asked, "Don't consultants just...give advice?" Well, they can "just" give advice, but they should do a lot more. IT consultants can provide and map out a specific project plan, implement the necessary hardware and software, and sometimes provide training and support to upkeep the new technology. 

For organizations looking to adopt new technologies, IT consulting services can be beneficial in 3 major ways:

Outsourcing IT Allows Organizations to Focus on Their Business 

Dedicated technical consultants and project managers handle projects from the first IT Assessment to the last wire. While organization leadership is often included and involved in the process, they don’t have to be consumed or constantly distracted by it. They can focus on the needs and operations of their business instead of urgently tending to project-related questions and even fires.

Additionally, highly experienced consultants who prioritize efficiency and communication can mean minimized day-to-day disruption for all employees. Consultants, due to their direct experience, often know how to avoid the frustrating delays, downtimes, and technical issues that IT projects often pass on to employees.

FAQ: What if my business already has an IT department? For businesses that already have an in-house IT team, consulting services still help to keep operations flowing smoothly. Without the full burden of designing and executing an IT project, IT employees and managers can keep their focus on tending to the day-to-day technical needs of employees and evolving the organization’s technology strategy (beyond the current project).

IT Consultants Offer Expertise That is Hard to Come By 

IT consultants are generally highly certified and constantly up-to-date on new technologies and industry best practices. Most consultants have had experience with dozens of projects identical to the one at hand, and know the secrets to a successful and cost-effective execution as well as the pitfalls to avoid.

FAQ: What about that organization with the IT department? Yep, a consulting team can help here too. If an organization chooses to take on a project in-house, IT employees often need to engage in extra training and certification to be best equipped. Consultants can help IT teams hit the ground running with valuable insight, training, and on-site help for the specific needs and goals of the project.

IT Consultants Maximize Businesses' Bottom Line 

Consulting services offer businesses help and expertise when they need it, and don’t cost a thing when they don’t. Hiring and training IT experts relevant to the specific needs of a project can be a huge financial burden -- upwards of $50,000 a year, not including benefits and training. In contrast, consulting allows organizations to tap into experienced and highly-skilled IT talent at the fraction of the cost.

The most powerful, yet often most overlooked, savings that IT consultants provide come from the improved operational efficiency they deliver. New technology is bound to change the way things are done in an organization, so it is crucial that a loss of productivity is kept to a minimum. If organizations can focus on tending to customers and operations, their profits can thrive even in the face of internal technological change. Additionally, the sooner new technology is implemented, the sooner it can become a cost-saver rather than a cost-driver.

How to Save Money By Outsourcing IT

Converged Infrastructure

Converged infrastructure packages servers, virtualization software, networking, and storage into a single point of orchestration while still optimizing all areas of your business. When you simplify your in-house IT with converged infrastructure, you use fewer resources to achieve more output.

• Consolidated hardware means less physical storage space is needed to house hardware.
• Central management of your IT saves money on staffing.
• Optimized network and storage allow your IT to operate more efficiently with fewer network resources.

Cloud/Hosted Services

Simplify your IT infrastructure and reduce your TCO by renting someone else’s. Hosted Services, also known as cloud services, can reduce TCO by moving ownership of essential hardware to an IT solutions provider. For a fixed, monthly cost, hosted services allow your business to reduce TCO.

• Hardware and upgrade costs belong to your provider, not to you.
• Reduce downtime in the event of a disaster, saving you thousands of dollars in downtime losses.
• Avoid under or over-utilization by using as little or as much cloud resources as you need based on your package.
• Your IT solutions provider monitors, secures, and updates all required software and security.

How to find an it consultant

Deciding to outsource IT is a relatively straightforward decision once you calculate your cost savings. However, deciding who to go to is a different beast. We recommend consultants that have the following characteristics in order to ensure a successful project execution:

Invested in an Organization’s Business Goals

A successful IT company is not only concerned with the technology and task at hand but also the operations and long-term needs of the organization. In fact, consultants that are both technically trained and business-savvy can ensure that the design and implementation of solutions complement the operation and direction of the business. Consultants should provide detailed project scoping and a personalized proactive blueprint for solution deployment and support.

Ensures Self-Sufficiency

The best consultants engage in detailed knowledge-sharing and training to business leadership, IT staff, and/or employees. The point of consultants is that they are not there all the time, so it is crucial that consultants give organizations the expertise and skills needed to adapt to new technology.

Never Loses Sight of Security

The importance of security can sometimes get lost in the weeds, especially for small to mid-sized businesses. Great consultants always keep the priority of protecting businesses and their customers no matter the technology being implemented. Comprehensive cybersecurity measures, through secure-by-default configurations and proactive security awareness training and knowledge-sharing, are crucial to minimizing vulnerability.

Leverages Direct Partner-Collaboration 

The fact of the matter is, no consulting team is going to have every nuanced piece of expertise available. Questions and needs may arise that even a consultant cannot best respond to. However, the most equipped IT companies utilize relationships with strategic partners to ensure businesses get the most accurate help, pricing, and resources.

How to elevate your It 

Thinking of leveling up your IT? You have options. Centre’s certified consultants are ready to deliver customized, cost-saving solutions for your IT, from cloud migrations to security assessments and beyond.

If you’re ready to reduce TCO for your business while simultaneously optimizing IT, contact a certified consultant at Centre Technologies for premium consulting and managed services so your business can start saving today!