Outsourcing is a popular strategy for companies looking to save on labor costs. However, outsourcing can also be tricky.
You want to ensure that the company you hire has the right skills and expertise to get the job done well. Caution and preparation for hiring your IT teams are essential.
This post will outline some of your options for outsourcing IT work. It will provide some advice on how to choose an outsourcer who will be able to quickly get up-to-speed with your needs. This will happen all without sacrificing quality or efficiency.
Whenever you're ready to learn more about outsourcing IT, keep reading.
Why You Need A Dedicated IT Team?
If your company is looking to outsource IT infrastructure and security work, you're going to need a dedicated team. A team who will be able to provide the same level of service as if they were employed by your business.
Outsourced teams tend to have more specialized skill sets than those on a general payroll. Thus, they can solve problems quickly and efficiently without knowing how things are done in-house. This also means that companies won't have trouble bringing new employees up to speed with existing systems.
Dedicated outsourcing providers should already know what equipment is required. They should know any peculiarities in software or hardware setups.
They should also understand every aspect of your operations end-to-end. This includes internal and security protocols, data movement systems.
Of course, companies will vary in the degree of this knowledge. Some may know your existing infrastructure inside and out while others might not be as familiar with it.
Experience
When considering an outsourced team, you'll want to find one who has experience working for other companies like yours or those similar to it. This means they already have a good grasp of what's required by most business networks. They can quickly adapt their skillset to meet your needs instead of having to learn about them.
While every company is different in terms of its IT environment. It could be remarkably complex if there aren't many employees leftover who understand how everything works. Outsourcing providers commonly have experience working with a variety of companies.
This means that they've dealt with most kinds of challenges before. They know which tactics worked best in those situations, meaning you won't need to rely on costly trial-and-error. For your outsourced team to be effective at what they do, they must hire skilled and experienced workers.
While some smaller or mid-sized organizations try hiring entry-level employees, this ain't it. It can result in cost savings since these individuals will usually make less than internal staff members would.
This strategy isn't recommended for larger businesses where there is more competition for jobs. This is particularly true if multiple clients want this same person to work for them. The quality of the team you hire should be your priority, rather than focusing on cost alone.
Technology Skillset
While it's essential that outsourcing providers have experience with similar types of companies and can quickly adapt their skillset to yours, they'll also need to use technology that matches what businesses commonly use today.
They shouldn't try using outdated products just because these are cheaper. This will slow down productivity or cause more issues in the long run when something breaks unexpectedly. This leads back to costly trial-and-error.
It may seem like a good idea at first—especially if money is tight—to choose an outsourcer who has access to an older software license. This would save your company some cash upfront, but there are a couple of problems with this.
First, if your company's infrastructure is built on a modern platform that works well for you now and into the future, it won't be compatible. This, meaning that any new work will have to start over from scratch.
Second, these older versions may no longer function properly in your network environment. They were designed when different operating systems were popular (which means compatibility issues).
IT Teams: What Separates the Good From the Bad?
Many factors separate good from bad teams when considering hiring them out for complex infrastructure. For instance, network security design/management/monitoring, patch management automation & compliance audits.
Still, three key ones need consideration:
Time
How long will it take them to get up and to run? A clear understanding of the timeframes involved is critical. If they cannot provide a realistic schedule in line with your needs, then move on!
Expertise
Does their team have the skills needed to meet your requirements? An honest appraisal should give you an initial idea of whether or not this company can help you. The next step would be asking for references from other customers similar to yourself, if possible.
One point worth noting, though - there may well be some overlap between each IT services provider's skillsets/expertise. Don't make the mistake of thinking any one person has all the answers! It's instead to consider teams as a whole to provide the services you need.
Quality & Responsibility
How well does the team perform, and are they committed?
This is where references become useful. If possible, ask for similar past projects (i.e., size, timeframes, etc.). Did customer service drop off during busy periods?
Were deadlines missed? If so, then don't be afraid to dig deeper by asking why this occurred. Also, consider their quality control processes.
Do they have them in place at all stages of a project, or only once it's finished when there isn't much an IT outsourcing company can do about it!
Once again, though, remember that every provider has different strengths/weaknesses. Think carefully before ruling anyone out wholly based on one reference or project.
How to Test Your Future IT Team
There are several ways you can test your future IT team before committing them to the project. This is as important as considering the qualities of your future IT team.
Ask for A Schedule/Outline
Go back to the timeframes mentioned earlier. Ask how long they think specific tasks will take, who's responsible for each job.
If it varies wildly from what you hoped for, then this might be another sign there are problems within processes or management structure. This could lead to delays later on.
Check Feedback Systems
Most outsourcing providers have an online system where customers provide feedback on projects once complete (if not, then keep searching - good companies value customer input!).
Take advantage of these since they're explicitly designed with this in mind, so check out previous posts and see what people are saying.
Request A Mock Project
This is where they can show you something which relates to your industry/type of work. It allows them the opportunity to showcase their abilities in timeliness, quality control.
The best companies will jump at this chance since it gives them an excellent idea as to whether or not they're on the right track for working together long term - if they hesitate, then move on to someone else!
Request Proof
This is where you can see whether they have all the necessary skills/expertise to take on your project. Ask for a list of their employees' names and job titles, then look them up online.
It's incredible how many companies 'forget' to include key personnel in the generic examples they provide! If you are looking for a good example of an IT team, get in touch with Krishna Kosgi.
Request References
As mentioned above, certain IT service providers will be better than others at different types of work, so make sure you ask about projects which are similar to what you need if possible (i.e., again, timeframes should align closely) - but don't forget that each provider has strengths & weaknesses so choose carefully, bearing these factors in mind...
Check Certifications
Many providers are members of industry bodies that require stringent standards to be met. Look for membership of groups like the International Council on Systems Engineering (the INCOSE), where IT service companies have to meet quality & technical requirements, or The Open Group - a non-profit consortium with expertise in eCommerce and security solutions.
Don't Rush Decisions
while you may want this project completed as soon as possible, one must do everything correctly. Remember not to sign anything until all parties involved can agree upon what will happen next.
This includes any contract/statement detailing precisely who does what under which circumstances! It's better if both sides are clear on expectations before moving forward since misunderstandings later down the line could lead to a lot of wasted time and resources.
Using Third-Party Impartial
Whether you're looking for IT service companies or want some unbiased advice from someone who has experience within the industry, then this is where using recruitment agencies can be helpful!
They know exactly what they're doing, so they will take the hassle out of choosing between dozens/hundreds of different providers - plus, if there's anything wrong with any supplier, they'll let you know before it becomes too much work.
Common Mistakes Made When Outsourcing An IT Team
When it comes to hiring or outsourcing your IT team, inevitable mistakes happen more often than others. Here are some of the most common ones:
Seeking the Cheapest Options
While this might seem like an excellent way to get your project done cheaply, you mustn't skimp on quality. Remember, if something goes wrong with an IT service provider, then not only will it be more expensive in terms of time & money, but it could also cause problems within your business.
Hiring Based On Language/Location
Many companies choose geographically close partners for reasons such as ease of communication or simply because they're cheaper (again, these aren't necessarily valid reasons).
While some may work out okay, there is always a chance that misunderstandings arise when different languages, etc., are involved, which means that someone has made assumptions when communicating and can lead to errors later down the line - and time spent rectifying these mistakes is lost revenue.
Signing Long-Term Contracts
While it's important to choose the right IT service company you don't want them staying with you forever (unless that's your goal!) so make sure that any agreement includes an end date, or at least holds out the possibility of this happening in future.
Remember, even if they're doing their job correctly there could come the point where technology advances beyond what they can provide. This means making sure that both parties are clear on expectations from day one!
Not Tracking Changes
Checking back on old contracts/agreements/understandings is much more complex than doing it when everything has just been signed off, but think about how much time that could save down the line!
It may seem like something which isn't worth worrying about right now. Still, this kind of minor change could stop problems from developing further and keep your business running smoothly all year round...which would be far more valuable than anything else, wouldn't you say?
Not Taking Action When Issues Appear
Sometimes things don't go to plan, and you must have a way of dealing with this. Make sure there is some procedure in place.
This means setting up an email address/phone number. Thus, only your IT team can access or have someone within your company who can deal with problems.
The best way to avoid significant issues is by taking action when things go wrong! Otherwise, you're just hoping for something good to happen, and that's not a great business strategy.
Your Outsourcing Done Right
As you can see, outsourcing your IT teams isn't that difficult when all the correct steps are taken. If something goes wrong, it is essential to take action immediately to have a smooth-running operation for the rest of the year!
As long as both parties are clear on their expectations from day one. Review any agreements/contracts/understandings regularly, then you'll be fine!
Remember that the best way to avoid significant issues is by taking action when things go wrong. Never underestimate how important it is to follow this one rule.
Now that you understand the process of choosing the right IT team, you are ready to outsource.