Smart companies make use of expert consultants to assist them in various functions of the business, such as IT managed services. This provides them with access to experts in these fields and gives them a competitive edge. It allows them to conserve money and time.
IT is a field that is in constant evolution and keeping up with trends has a direct impact on sustainability. Without an IT managed service, it has become impossible to stay on top of changing legislation and the latest crimes affecting cybersecurity. We look at the benefits of hiring an IT consulting firm.
Core Competencies
Employees who can focus on their core competencies are more satisfied than employees who are expected to manage diverse fields. For example, the Finance manager is trained as an accountant and should not be given the simultaneous job of overseeing the IT function. It will cause dissatisfaction and both functions will be negatively affected.
Small companies are particularly inclined to lump employees with diverse tasks as opposed to full functions to get a job done as the need for it becomes apparent. This distracts the employee from doing a good job on the tasks they were employed to do. While some employees have multiple skills and can handle a one-off task, they do not have the IT-industry knowledge to carry it out strategically. This can result in a company paying more for a new system than necessary or finding afterward that it does not work as intended.
Each function needs a dedicated solution, either a comprehensive team of employees or the services of an IT consultancy.
Expert IT Skills and Knowledge
An IT managed service will provide your company with access to expert IT staff with skills, experience, and knowledge across the board. You will need to hire different individuals for each aspect of IT functionality if you decide to do this in-house. An IT consultancy already has the best staff on their payroll as they specialize in this one area and can afford to hire employees with the multiple skills that are required for the full range of IT functions companies might need. This means that you are getting top help when you hire in an IT managed service.
Experience gained on similar projects across different industries ensures that your IT managed service provider already knows how to streamline processes and cut costs. With the knowledge gleaned from other companies over time, IT consultancies can make a real, positive difference to your ROI. They will also ensure that your staff have the right training to work effectively on the company’s IT systems.
IT consultancies are aware of the need to implement efficient technologies for their clients that enable these companies to be more productive. Solutions are tailored to the company in question and not offered to every business. The reputation of an IT consultancy depends on its ability to make a difference to each of their its individually.
Economies of Scale
An IT consultancy can give a business access to the economies of scale of hiring experts to work with many different companies that outsource their IT functions. Instead of carrying the costs of employing these experts, you can use their expertise when you need it, for a monthly fee that can be scaled for your specific needs. This is preferable to having a few great IT staff on your team who are still only proficient in certain aspects of IT and cannot function adequately in others. You can also get access to certain IT specialists for once-off projects, such as designing your website, without having to pay for the service monthly.
A local firm ensures that you have access to remote and on-site technical assistance when needed. Get IT Services from a local expert who will redesign your network, handle legal compliance, encrypt your data, provide top data security and protection, be available at a help desk to answer all questions as they arise, and provide other IT managed services.
New Perspective
An external consultancy has broad experience in their dedicated field. This means that they can provide you with insights that you lack from working across a set of functions. It takes many years to gain experience as a management generalist and business CEO. You can benefit from cutting-edge advice from an IT managed service with IT-specific knowledge. New technology is being brought out constantly and it can be difficult to gauge what your best options are without an in-depth knowledge of the IT field and its developments. An IT expert will know when you need to upgrade your systems and when a new technology does not have sufficient use for your needs and will not make a difference to productivity and profitability. This can also save you from making unnecessary investments while remaining competitive when it is wise to move forward.
An IT Managed Service is Cost-Effective
In addition to helping your company to cut costs with the right IT solutions and improved efficiencies, hiring an IT managed service is cost-effective in comparison to staffing an IT department. You would need numerous specialists to handle different aspects of IT functions. Each employee would need to be paid a salary and get paid leave and other benefits. Every staff member would need to be managed by supervisors or managers and undergo annual performance management and ongoing training and development. You will need the space to house an IT department, and this can be expensive.
On the other hand, you pay a monthly fee for the services of an IT consultancy. You get to benefit from the varied expertise the consultancy has hired. Additionally, you are not required to pay salaries or deal with management issues.
Cybersecurity
Cyber attacks are on the increase. More than three-fifths of small businesses fall prey to a cyber-attack and 60% of these organisations will close their doors within six months of an attack. Most small companies do not expect to become targets, but cyber-criminals take every available opportunity that they find.
An IT managed service comes with the provision of an analysis of your risks and vulnerabilities and advice on the best internet security for your company. This service provider will set up security protocols to mitigate your risk and devise a disaster recovery plan to help you survive a cyber-attack, such as ransomware. You will have software installed to deal with computer malware and viruses and prevent your services from becoming corrupted.
Hiring an IT consulting firm makes business sense.
