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7 IT Services Budget-Conscious Companies Should Outsource—and 1 They Shouldn’t

Sooner or later, most small businesses face a disconnect between the IT resources available to them and their optimal workflow. This leads to the main decisions for many business owners: the choice between investing into their IT or growing their business. And yet, for most companies today, sustainable growth is not possible without the right IT ecosystem. From the servers to web hosting to data management to security to business automation, the very core of most small businesses today depends on IT and its performance. 

No matter how important, though, IT is expensive. The troubles begin when the IT that you need starts stealing from the essential business budgets you can’t cut. This is where IT outsourcing comes in. The right IT partner can ensure the strong IT backbone for any small business, without unpredictable bills or extra hiring. If your company could use the savings that come with the best outsourced IT, the seven IT services below are a great place to start.       

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)

It all starts with hardware, servers, and network systems. Building in-house IT infrastructure is not only expensive to start, but comes with the need to hire highly skilled IT managers capable of setting it up, as well as maintenance, troubleshooting, and scaling. All this and more is included when a small business joins a reputable IaaS provider. Essentially, getting a partner who owns and maintains the IT infrastructure means a low monthly usage fee and no sticker shock in case of crashes or unexpected growth. By outsourcing IT infrastructure, businesses can cut budgets and free up their engineers and customer service reps to focus on the core of the business.   

Cloud Hosting

Life is gaining speed, and customers’ expectations are rising exponentially. In today’s dynamic environment, access to the business information and workflow anytime, anywhere, and on any device becomes critical. Cloud hosting drastically improves small business’s responsiveness by enabling the employees to react quickly. Innovative cloud-based technologies like 3seat virtual office take that efficiency to the next level with improved accessibility, security, and compliance. However, running proprietary cloud infrastructure is cumbersome, expensive, and, more often than not, unnecessary. A cloud hosting provider removes the need to own and maintain servers, potentially saving small businesses tens of thousands of dollars monthly and reducing overhead. These savings translate into a direct competitive advantage—the lower price to the customers.      

Data Backup & Recovery

Today, data is any business’s real currency. A business owner has the responsibility for the security and stability of the business and customer data. Managing data internally can take up a lot of resources, while the risks of localized storage are still high. Outsourcing data management with a partner who has expertise in disaster recovery and a clear strategy for safeguarding your essential information gives you not only cost-saving benefits, but also peace of mind that a single server crash will not erase years of hard work. 

Security

Outsourcing cybersecurity is a controversial topic—you should only outsource it to a vetted IT partner you can trust. A clear benefit of working with one, however, is the expertise and the resources available to any small business owner they wouldn’t have access to otherwise. Protecting a business requires a combination of hardware, software, and deep IT experience deflecting multiple attacks and securing different infrastructures. Cybersecurity evolves daily, and IT experts will keep their hand on the pulse and prepare for any potential threats before they actualize. Outsourcing cybersecurity is a form of insurance for small businesses: a small investment upfront that can have a major impact if anything ever goes wrong. 

Business Automation

Every small business is prone to repetitive tasks that eat up the time, money, and resources. Most of these tasks can be automated, enabling the team to spend their efforts reaching out to customers, developing products, and generating revenue. However, for most businesses, hiring internally for business process automation doesn’t make financial sense. The right IT service provider can build the most efficient team to optimize business automation in the shortest time frame. For example, 3nom’s philosophy regarding business automation is “everything you need, nothing you don’t.” This means that you will get the most efficient problem-solving without wasting money on features you don’t need that often come with standardized solutions.  

Software Development

Unless software development is your core business (in which case, scroll down to read about the one IT service you should never outsource!), designing and coding applications for your business can get overwhelming and cost-prohibitive. If you don’t want to or can’t yet afford to hire engineers for your software needs (and it can get expensive!), outsourcing software development to a team of professionals is the most cost-effective solution. The best partner will not only stay in constant contact and respond to your specific needs but will also offer their expertise to make your application stand out. 

24/7 On-Call IT Support

IT crashes and mishaps tend to happen at odd hours when you least expect it. Relying on one internal person to solve any IT issue at any time of the day may lead to a disastrous stoppage, unfulfilled orders, data loss, and lost revenue. Instead, with a team of IT experts with complementary skill sets only a call away, any issue can be resolved swiftly, professionally, and with guaranteed results. If it is the same team that manages your IT infrastructure, most of these issues will be prevented pro-actively without disturbing the business or your sleep. 

There you have it, seven essential IT services any budget-conscious business should consider outsourcing. There is one, however, we highly recommend keeping in-house.  

Do Not Outsource Your Core Functions

Think about the very core of your business—what makes you money and the steps leading up to it. That is the answer to what NOT to outsource. It is perfectly okay to hire a contractor to optimize your online store—as long as you have the full picture and keep your hand on the pulse at all times. Essential support functions, such as business analytics or customer service, are best kept in-house or performed by a dedicated contractor who is familiar with and vested in your business. Outsourced IT can ensure that the internal and dedicated staff is well equipped to focus on their core competencies, driving revenue and moving the business forward. 

Three dozen cost-conscious businesses trust 3nom with their IT. Talk to your dedicated IT expert today to find out how you can work more efficiently and save money starting next week!