Companies in all industries today are turning to managed IT services for cost savings, operational efficiency and increased agility. But the benefits of managed IT services go beyond standard business needs. The need to make your company’s technology work for you, not the other way around, is influencing companies to look more closely at managed IT services.
The growing use of mobile devices has led to an increasingly complex network environment. While technology has made it easier for employees to work wherever they are, the location-independent nature of today’s workforce can cause IT headaches in terms of monitoring device inventory and ensuring that these devices are secure.
And since many companies have not adequately budgeted for or incorporated mobile into their IT infrastructures, pre-migration planning and post-migration support represent a significant burden—one that is only growing as companies introduce more and more mobile devices.
The need to manage all these complex moving parts has led companies to embrace managed IT services.
MSP or In-house IT?
A recent survey of businesses conducted by Dimension Data found that more than half of the respondents said they planned to move some or all of their IT work in-house. But with budgets tight, companies need to maximize their dollars when it comes to buying services, and over the past few years, they have increasingly turned to managed IT services—services that are delivered by an outside company but where you’re still responsible for the systems.
Consider Your Business Circumstances
As with any business decision, the best approach for your company depends on its individual circumstances. As you consider which services to bring in-house and which to hand off to a managed IT services provider, here are some questions that might help you make that determination:
What is our current situation?
How many employees do we have?
How many devices do we have to support?
What type of technology do we currently operate on?
How will moving some or all IT operations in-house affect our business on the front end, the back end and day to day?
What are our company’s goals for its IT infrastructure? What is important to us—cost reduction, increased operational efficiency, greater agility?
How can managed IT services help us to achieve those goals?
What is the total cost if we outsource all our services as opposed to bringing them in-house?
Does it make sense for our company now—or will it ever make sense—for us to bring some or all of our technology operations in-house?
If we plan to bring our technology operations in-house, which services are the best candidates for us to do ourselves and which should be outsourced?
As you consider these questions, it’s important to determine what business needs are driving your decision. Are you looking to reduce costs? To increase operational efficiency? To become more agile?
That answer will help you determine how best to move forward. If the goal is cost reduction, for example, it might make sense to bring some services in-house—but not all of them. The same goes if your objective is to increase operational efficiency or flexibility. Then again, perhaps you conclude that there’s no good reason to bring any services in-house.
Evaluate and Respond
Whatever the case, it’s time for businesses to take a closer look at what managed IT services can do for them. While this is by no means an exhaustive list of the benefits—or even all of the benefits—of moving some or all IT operations in-house, it’s a good place to start. And, of course, it’s important to consider all the options on the table.
