Managing IT operations in-house doesn’t always make sense for organizations. Instead, outsourcing some (or all) of your IT workflows to expert providers, like managed print services, is a more advantageous model. Delegating IT functions to third-party teams has become more popular over recent years, making it easier for companies to embrace innovation and maximize cost-efficiency while having more time and resources to spend on core business activities.
The Rise of Outsourced IT Support (Key Stats)
Ongoing tech advancements, a tightening regulatory landscape, a skilled labor shortage, and rising competition have made it difficult for modern businesses to stay ahead of the curve using internal resources alone. Together, these trends have enabled the steady growth of outsourced IT services across all industries and company sizes.
These IT outsourcing stats illustrate its growing importance in the global business environment:
- 76% of executives surveyed say their IT services are outsourced.
- An estimated $541.1 billion will be spent on IT outsourcing in 2024.
- By 2027, companies will spend 50% more on IT contractors than internal IT staff.
- The global IT services outsourcing market is set to reach $1.18 trillion by 2030.
Two Ways to Outsource IT Support
IT outsourcing offers two typical paths — fully managed or co-managed service. As the names might suggest, a fully managed service means the provider delivers all information technology processes on a business’s behalf.
In a co-managed service, a specialized outsourced provider handles one or more distinct IT functions while the in-house team manages the rest. Both models have pros and cons, so let’s take a closer look at both to help you determine which is right for your organization.
A Fully Outsourced IT Department
A fully outsourced department involves a third-party provider delivering to an organization all IT services, ranging from basic IT support and helpdesk functions to vendor management, network management, printer fleet management, security and compliance support, and high-level IT strategy consulting.
Fully outsourced IT services are the best option for smaller organizations that lack in-house IT expertise and prefer having an external provider handle all services related to their tech stack and infrastructure. However, this hands-off approach means the organization won’t have as much control as it would by managing some of IT workflows in-house.
Co-Managed IT Support Services
Conversely, co-managed IT support services rely on both in-house and third-party IT professionals. This outsourcing model might appeal to organizations with internal IT teams specializing in certain areas but would like external support on certain projects or IT functions.
A co-managed outsourcing model allows the company’s IT professionals to focus on their core areas of expertise while ensuring that industry experts effectively manage other aspects of their tech infrastructure.
IT Services That Organizations Are Outsourcing
Depending on the company’s internal IT resources and the areas where they require support, organizations may decide to outsource any of the following IT services to dedicated providers:
Help Desk Services
IT help desk services involve troubleshooting problems, addressing inquiries, and resolving technical issues so users can access the necessary tools and resources to perform their duties.
This service can be highly repetitive and time-consuming, dragging on the in-house team’s productivity. Thus, it’s a standard service that companies outsource. In fact, one report from earlier this year indicates that 50% of organizations outsource IT help desk functions.
When to Outsource Help Desk Services
An organization might consider outsourcing help desk services when:
- Users experience slow response times to inquiries due to high ticket volumes
- The organization is expanding quickly and needs to scale IT support operations in tandem
- Moving to a remote/hybrid model, requiring an easier way to deliver IT support to employees across locations
Print Management
Print management is a comprehensive strategy companies use to monitor print jobs, optimize printer usage, ensure device security, and control print-related expenses. Efficient print operations can significantly affect employee productivity, IT costs, and organizational security.
Companies often outsource this function to gain the benefits of managed print services (MPS). These include proactive maintenance for less downtime, easier compliance with data security regulations, and enhanced efficiency through automated print job monitoring.
When to Outsource Print Management
Integrating a managed print partner into your IT strategy might make sense when:
- You need specialized support for a large fleet of printers, copiers, and other devices
- Your in-house IT team is overloaded
- Your current MPS partner is falling short
- You need to improve organizational productivity with less device downtime
- You need sophisticated print security support to ensure regulatory compliance
Network Management and Data Security
Ensuring network and data security is a high priority among modern businesses. Results from a study conducted earlier this year indicate that 62% of respondents say data security and connectivity are their top technology priorities for the year.
As cyber threats continue to grow more sophisticated, however, companies may lack the in-house tools or expertise to monitor network traffic effectively and detect unauthorized or fraudulent activity.
When to Outsource Network and Data Security
Outsourcing network and data security functions might make sense when:
- Your IT team has limited expertise on cybersecurity threats and best practices
- The business is scaling quickly, requiring data/network security to follow suit
- New data security regulations have been enacted, and you need extra support adapting operations to ensure compliance
Employee IT Administration
Growing organizations frequently need to onboard new hires onto company tools and software and seamlessly remove access when employees leave the company. Effective onboarding ensures a smooth transition for the employee, contributing to their job satisfaction.
An effective onboarding program can increase new hire productivity by up to 62%. Equally important, diligent employee off-boarding upholds organizational security, ensuring only authorized users can access sensitive company resources. Because managing employee permissions, credentials, and access controls can be tedious, companies often outsource this task.
When to Outsource Employee IT Administration
Organizations might decide to outsource employee IT administration when:
- The company is growing, requiring a more efficient way to onboard employees onto necessary software systems and digital resources
- You need to eliminate the security risk of ex-employees having access to company resources
- The IT team is busy with more strategic work
Key Benefits of Outsourcing IT Services
Outsourcing IT support brings several key advantages, from enhanced operational efficiency to expert IT guidance. The following advantages underscore why this business model recently has become so popular.
More Time for Core Business Activities
Externally delegating IT functions that are tedious, time-consuming, or outside of your team’s core competencies gives your team more time to focus on what they do best. For instance, full-time employees may focus on IT strategy and tech innovation rather than managing print jobs and devices. Outsourcing print management might be a wise option to keep teams from feeling overworked and burned out.
Access to IT Expertise
One of the key advantages of outsourcing IT services is that it gives businesses of all sizes access to specialized IT expertise. Smaller companies may not have the resources to hire full-time, in-house IT specialists. Outsourcing, however, allows them to enjoy support from expert IT professionals without making the full-time commitment to building an internal team.
Quick Resolutions
Depending on the provider, outsourced IT support services may be available during extended business hours or 24/7, enabling employees to receive quick resolutions to their questions or problems. Plus, since outsourced services are more scalable than traditional IT support, response times won’t dwindle as the company grows and expands hiring.
Enhanced Operational Efficiency
Outsourcing IT support services allows organizations to minimize downtime, improving productivity and employee satisfaction. Outsourced providers help ensure a reliable and resilient tech infrastructure through regular software updates, system patches, device maintenance, and an emergency backup or recovery plan. Such proactive IT management ensures employees have access to critical tech that supports efficient and smooth operations.
Potential Cost-Savings
IT support outsourcing could also lead to IT department cost reductions. Outsourced services may be more affordable than what it would cost to recruit, hire, train, and pay the salary and benefits of skilled IT professionals. Moreover, expert outsourced teams can help you identify ways to streamline IT operations in order to capture cost savings without sacrificing productivity.
IT Outsourcing Trends to Stay Ahead of the Curve
It’s clear that IT outsourcing can provide a wealth of benefits for organizations looking to enhance operational efficiency, strengthen cybersecurity, and deliver a more seamless employee experience. Depending on your specific tech needs and in-house resources, IT outsourcing might look different for each organization. However, the following trends in outsourcing are worth monitoring to keep up with evolving best practices, ensure compliance, and remain competitive.
Heightened Cybersecurity Efforts
81% of executives report that cybersecurity is their organization’s top external challenge. A cyber attack can be devastating, both financially and reputationally. Thus, organizations may increasingly seek external support from an outsourced provider to navigate the complexities of modern cybersecurity threats and implement best practices.
These providers likely have better expertise and are able to leverage advanced solutions to detect and minimize threats, helping to strengthen network security and avoid potential data losses from a breach or cyber attack.
Greater Use of AI and Automation
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation across all business areas has grown substantially over the past few years, and such trends are expected to continue into the foreseeable future.
Specifically with IT outsourcing, automated tools have ushered in a new wave of innovation, delivering quick user support via chatbots, accurate data analysis, software development, and more. One Forbes survey reports that more than half of business owners now use AI for cybersecurity and fraud management.
These capabilities will continue to evolve, helping businesses enhance their operational efficiency, mitigate risks, and free up internal teams for more strategic work. In-house teams with limited technical expertise will be able to lean on outsourced partners to integrate these capabilities into IT workflows more effectively.
Switch to Cloud-Based Services
Cloud-based software systems and applications support improved efficiency in today’s hyper-connected environments. Rather than relying on siloed or clunky legacy systems, organizations are seeing the benefits of cloud computing technology, which makes it easy to adapt, scale and innovate to meet changing market demands.
According to one survey, 60% of tech leaders say that cloud capabilities have allowed their organization to grow revenue over the past year sustainably.
However, cloud migrations can be complex, as the same survey reports that 90% of organizations faced challenges with cloud adoption. Outsourced partners can leverage their expert resources to help organizations enjoy cloud-based services, ensuring they can access IT services whenever and wherever they need.
Growing Emphasis on Sustainability
65% of corporate executives say sustainability goals are the most critical priority. As companies increasingly focus on green initiatives and become more eco-friendly, IT departments will not be an exception. Thus, organizations may seek an outsourced provider that can help enhance efficiency of their IT operations for better sustainability, such as reducing paper consumption.
Outsource Print Management with an MPS Partner
Print management is a great place to start among the many IT services that organizations can outsource. Partnering with an expert MPS provider, like imageOne, can help teams streamline IT operations and take advantage of current trends, like right-sizing their printer fleet to minimize waste, automating print workflows for better efficiency, and ensuring compliance with data security requirements.
If you’re interested in the cost of managed print services and want to know how imageOne can help you save time, reduce costs, and eliminate printer frustrations, request a custom quote today to get started.
