Blog Series: Should I Outsource my IT?

Small business owners by nature use many hats to manage their businesses. In many cases, these responsibilities, although crucial for the operation of the business, are not the main focus of the companies. One of these functions is to run the technological aspect of a small business or rely on internal staff to update, maintain and maintain your IT even though the technology is not your specific area of ​​expertise.

With the challenges facing business owners today and the importance that technology has in running a business, important data access has to meet customer needs, many small business owners are looking for ways to outsource their business. technology. However, concerns such as lack of time, if your data will be secure, who to trust with your information, unknown costs, often paralyze business owners in inaction. This is really worse as the existing IT infrastructure becomes obsolete and there is a growing demand to have access to a company’s data at any time, from any platform and from anywhere.

These concerns and the myth that IT outsourcing is a risk or is costly have been eliminated by the continued development of the cloud and the competitive advantage it can offer businesses in a more secure, efficient and profitable way as always. The cloud has truly leveled the playing field by giving Small Business the performance and security that once were only available to large companies, without having to make the significant capital investments of traditional IT. The value of a technology partner that can effectively help a small business maximize this technology increases the competitive advantage that an SME needs to differentiate itself from its competitors.

Here are some tips for small business owners looking to outsource their IT services or those who may be looking to switch to a more efficient and cost-effective provider:

Conduct an IT assessment with an accredited and impartial IT expert

The transition of external IT services can be a difficult decision for the leader of a small business that is used to managing this responsibility internally. Look for an expert who can assess the current state of your IT operation, not only from a technological perspective, but more important from a competitive advantage perspective. An IT audit should consider the needs of the company based on its mission, vision, objectives, market and assess whether existing IT infrastructure meets those needs or not, and recommend cost-effective solutions as part of the IT Assessment results report.

Understand that mobile and cloud technology can be used to improve the growth and development of your company at a lower cost.

Many SMEs believe that outsourcing their technology means the need to buy expensive hardware and services. This is not always the case since cloud services really eliminate the need for expensive hardware such as servers and routers, while providing all the security, data backup and access to the needs of a company. to compete and succeed.

Recognize that it may actually cost you more to manage your IT internally

Every hour that a business owner devotes to managing their own IT is a time not dedicated to customer service, to the development of new businesses, to product and service improvements, to personnel management and other vital business operations. The time of small business owners is more valuable and is better employed in their core business and serving customers than in execution, updating their IT or rectifying IT problems.

Perez Technology Group is a technology company that offers IT infrastructure and cloud-based projects. Specialized in the development of technological solutions for small and medium enterprises. With the experience of having implemented, he managed infrastructure and cloud-based solutions for many different companies, including several Fortune 100 companies. Perez Technology Group is part of Microsoft Partner Network and Dell Certified Partner.