Outsourcing IT support is a common practice among companies from different industries. Instead of hiring their own IT department, these businesses choose to work with an expert company to deal with issues surrounding Information Technology. This can be an option for businesses with their own IT departments or those that don’t have a dedicated team looking into these problems.
The outsourced company will have its own IT team and systems to provide the necessary services, which can include support to the technological infrastructure of your business, hardware assistance and even performance checks.
If you want to learn more about outsourcing IT support, this article is for you.
What is IT outsourcing?
Outsourcing IT services is nothing new. In fact, it is a strategy that’s becoming increasingly common among companies that understand the necessity of having experts looking into their technological issues but are not necessarily IT experts themselves.
Contrary to what many might think, hiring an IT company or consulting is not exclusively available to large companies or businesses focused on one specific subject. Every company can benefit from outsourcing their IT services, increasingly focusing on their core businesses and leaving technology issues to the experts.
The type of service you can delegate to another company varies. Usually, outsourced IT companies will take care of the entire technological infrastructure of the company. This means they will deal with all sorts of issues, including WiFi problems, slow computers or crashing databases.
If, in the past, people would argue that outsourcing these services would mean they would be slower and more challenging to deal with, it is now proven that this is not the case. With the right supplier, outsourced IT teams can be just as efficient as a company’s in-house IT department.
Service Level Agreements (SLAs) can help you define what should be the hired company’s priorities and the time in which they should deliver the service you need. Still, before deciding on an IT company, assess your needs, what they offer and how the services will be delivered.
Types of IT support
One of the most important aspects to consider when hiring an IT Support company is how they will deliver their services. There are three types of services:
In-Person
Having a technician at the office capable of looking into more pressing issues is what your company needs. In-person services will have an employee – or a team of people – available in your offices. This is the ideal service for large companies that have a high volume of IT demands.
With an in-person service, IT employees will be more familiar with the company’s IT ecosystem, dealing with issues faster and more efficiently. It also allows these professionals to make more strategic decisions as they deal with the woes of a company on a daily basis.
Remote
Remote IT support is an intelligent way of dealing with software and infrastructure problems. It is the ideal format for smaller companies, as it tends to be cheaper than in-person services and just as efficient.
Since remote work has become more accepted in every sector, remote IT support can be highly beneficial for companies working with employees in different locations. In this service model, IT experts will connect to hardware through an internet connection and perform the necessary tasks to fix issues such as printer problems or slower emails.
Field
When remote IT support can’t solve an issue, or in-person teams need a bit more help, field support takes place.
In this case, in-person visits occur only when necessary and on specific dates. Usually, what field IT support does is look after hardware problems, such as replacing cables, computers or other equipment. For this reason, this model of IT support can be used for preventive maintenance.
What is the difference between Help Desk, Service Desk and Field Service?
Now that you understand what kind of support IT companies can provide, we can look into the available services.
Due to the name similarity, it is sometimes unclear what the difference is between Help Desk, Service Desk and Field Service. Still, each concept has been created at different times and has different applications.
Help Desk
Help Desk is “the original” IT department. The concept was created in the late 1980s when companies understood the importance of having people dedicated to solving technical problems.
Nowadays, Help Desk services offer a more immediate solution to technical issues. They will deal with more simple tasks, such as installing software, getting new employees set up with a corporate email or helping with more pressing issues during the day.
It is a service usually offered remotely.
In order to improve customer service and responsiveness, most IT companies will have a Help Desk operation, optimizing solutions.
Service Desk
A step further from Help Desk is Service Desk. With a more strategic role, Service Desk follows ITIL practices and manages requests from clients, being at the centre of communication.
Service Desk will usually include a Help Desk component, aiming to improve IT processes in the entire organization. The main focus of the Service Desk, however, is to look strategically at a company’s IT needs and plan ahead. Short-term solutions will be the responsibility of the Help Desk, while Service Desk will work to manage the overall IT infrastructure.
Field Service
Field Service is performed by a qualified professional in person. They will receive a ticket from Help Desk or Service Desk and go to the client company to work on issues such as server maintenance, printer problems or data protection.
Outsourced IT services should provide Field Service Management tools to manage workers visiting clients.
Service levels in IT
In order to optimize IT services, every demand is divided into levels.
Level 1
This is the first level of service, in which IT professionals will gather information about a problem to understand what needs to be done.
During this assessment, the IT support needs to clarify what action a user is trying to perform so that they can quickly identify possible solutions.
At this level, fixing minor issues, such as password problems, installation or software configuration, is possible.
Level 2
At the second level of service, IT professionals will have more experience and will be able to work on more complicated problems.
Since a ticket will already be assessed at level 1, professionals at level 2 must understand what has been done.
Some tools often used at this point are remote access to people’s computers and software repair. If a solution isn’t met, the problem moves on to level 3.
Level 3
Level 3 is the highest level of support. At this point, users will require more specialized help, with professionals dealing with more complex or even newer problems.
At level 3, a support company might try a solution in a test environment and then roll it out to every employee.
The benefits of outsourcing IT support
Now that you understand what kind of service IT support companies can offer, you have the tools to decide if hiring a company is the right move for your business.
Outsourcing IT support is a strategic move. By handing these responsibilities to an expert company, your business can gain a competitive advantage, gaining access to new technology or state-of-the-art equipment that otherwise wouldn’t have been a priority.
The strategy also allows you to invest and direct resources to departments that are crucial to the development of your company while the IT support is covered.
Other benefits include:
Cost reduction
Hiring and training your own IT team can be challenging and costly. It requires expertise that only some companies have. By outsourcing this work, you save time and money. IT companies will be responsible for recruiting and hiring professionals to meet your business needs.
Outsourcing IT support also allows you to only pay for what you need or when you use it. Not having a dedicated IT department in-house means you don’t necessarily have to pay for services you won’t need.
Improved performance
As we discussed, having a dedicated IT department outside of your company means you can focus on what matters to your business. As a result, you can improve your performance and the services you provide to your customers.
Scalability
As your company grows, your IT needs grow as well. With an outsourced IT company, you can quickly increase the services you need and the team necessary to help your business. It is much easier to scale up when you don’t have to recruit new professionals and train them according to your needs. All of this will be the responsibility of your partner company.
Emergency support
IT problems can lead to inactivity and loss of productivity. And issues can happen at any time. With outsourced IT support, you can have access to a team of experts at any time, capable of dealing with serious emergencies.
Up-to-date equipment and software
Having your own IT department means managing software updates and hardware needs. An outsourced IT team will handle all of these necessities for you, performing updates as soon as possible and protecting your company and your data.
Constant backup
How many times have you lost important files or pieces of information because you forgot to back up your data? Even a power cut can lead to similar problems. A dedicated IT team will be able to back up files more regularly, preventing data loss. It is one less thing for you to worry about.
Consulting
This is probably one of the most significant benefits of having an IT company working with you. Since you are not an expert, sometimes you might be unable to identify opportunities or risks in IT. Outsourced IT support can provide relevant information and suggestions for growing your business. They are more immersed in IT and understand what can be improved and how. You will have a partner prepared to go beyond solutions, offering you valuable suggestions.
How to outsource your IT support successfully
Before hiring an IT support company, you must have clear priorities and goals. With a clear understanding of your company’s needs, you can choose your IT provider wisely.
Here are some tips to successfully outsource your IT support.
Define the scope of work
Before hiring any service, you need to understand what you need and what can be provided.
Regarding IT, identify what your employees might need in their day-to-day activities and what problems you currently face. With a detailed scope of work, an IT support company can identify potential risks and opportunities, offering a more specialized service.
Assess the company you want to hire
Partnering with another company is a lot like hiring a new employee. Before deciding on an IT support provider, assess their offer, what they can help you with and the size of the team that will be available to your business.
Asking for feedback from previous customers is always a good idea, as they will let you know if there have been problems in the past.
Look for specific services
Knowing what your business requires is extremely important because you will be able to assess what services are crucial for your company. If you know your primary necessities, you can then look for this specific need amount your potential suppliers.
Security
Ask about security procedures and data protection services. Your information and the data of your clients need to be protected. Your IT support provider needs to assure you it can handle these issues.
Final thoughts
Outsourcing your IT support can be an invaluable tool for the growth and development of your business.
IT solutions are at the core of every successful company. However, managing a team of experts, making sure every IT need is met and ensuring updates and the highest levels of security is challenging. By hiring an IT company dedicated to performing these activities, you can focus on your main activities while also having access to solutions to your technology problems.
There are many things to consider when outsourcing this service, but we hope this article has helped you understand what an IT company can provide and what you should look for when making this move.
