Your technology is a key part of your company and your strategy. Having the right applications in place with a team who can fix issues as they come up and help you with the strategic side of things as well, allows your team to do what they do best – not tech. Outsourcing IT can be the perfect solution for many small to medium-sized businesses who don’t want to have to keep their tech in-house.
When most people think of outsourced IT services, they think of their difficult experiences as they are transferred to a representative overseas. This isn’t an ideal situation and often leaves you feeling frustrated with no real resolution. Though the right outsourced IT is a worthwhile way of managing your technology needs, choosing the wrong source can create a bad experience for you and your coworkers.
Here are some key advantages to outsourcing your tech:
More Time for Your Business
Having more time for what your business does best is one of the top advantages of outsourcing your IT. Outsourced IT means everyone on staff at every location can focus on daily operations instead of hiccups in the system or routine maintenance, increasing your return on investment. Have you ever had a key application go down that kept your team from working? With outsourced IT, you would have someone to call and fix your issue so your team can get back to their day-to-day.
With someone prioritizing your IT needs, there is no need to worry about how and when new systems should be considered. GadellNet can manage your licensing and your systems to keep everything up to date.
GadellNet also provides technology consulting and strategy, as well as virtual chief technology officers. With a team of tech professionals who understand your business and your goals on your side, a three-year tech strategy can be created for you, with you needing to put the time and effort into creating it.
All of these benefits lead to one thing for you – more time.
More Accessible
Locally outsourcing IT means if there is an issue that can’t be proactively planned for or fixed over the phone, someone can come into your office and clear things up for you.
Having your IT experts nearby means more productivity because in the case of an emergency, you can have someone onsite in hours rather than in several days.
If you aren’t tech-savvy, sometimes local IT allows you a coach to walk you through how to use a new process or system step-by-step. Plus, locally-sourced IT means local expertise. Your IT help will already be familiar with major local events and environmental complications your business will encounter.
Better Customer Service
Believe it or not, managed IT services are a pretty competitive landscape. This is great news for you. Not only does this mean you have plenty of providers to choose from, but it also means the competition drives up quality for the top tier providers. When working with a locally outsourced IT provider, you can rest assured that the level of customer service you will receive is going to be top-notch. In fact, GadellNet has won Best in Customer Service every year since 2014.
When comparing locally outsourced IT to non-local IT, there are distinct cultural differences that aren’t easily translated when you outsource overseas. The meaning of customer service simply changes. Many outsourced IT companies will give you a different operator every time you call in with a question. So they have to take time to get to know your business and your needs every time you call. Many locally-sourced IT companies choose to use an account manager, so one person can be well acquainted with your business’ needs, demeanor and model.
No Language Barrier
Speaking of cultural differences, the opportunity for miscommunication is increased dramatically with an internationally-outsourced IT solution. Having your IT support nearby means more than having someone with English as their first language, it often means they are familiar with the regional terminology that can be confusing across the states. This is the kind of benefit that can be hard to qualify but makes a difference to you and your team when you call in for assistance.
More Cost-Effective
All outsourced IT options have the advantage of offering a whole team of specialized experts for a monthly fee. Often, this monthly fee is less than what you would pay for an in-house team member when you look at their salary and benefits. Though an in-house IT person may create fewer boundaries for communication, it is likely they will have their strengths and weaknesses like anyone. They won’t be able to offer the breadth of knowledge that a team of 100+ can offer.
Your locally outsourced IT provider will have team of experts ready and waiting to take on even your most challenging tech issues, and the best part – it’s all included.
These advantages are just the beginning of what a locally-outsourced IT company has to offer. Now that you’re understanding what locally outsourced IT can do for your team, it’s time to talk about how to find a provider.
How to find a locally-outsourced tech team
One of the best ways to find a locally outsourced tech team can be to ask around. GadellNet has been almost exclusively built on referrals. If you ask other small business leaders in your area, they are likely to share with you the providers in your area with whom they’ve had good experiences.
You can always do an internet search, using the map and the reviews to guide you to the best providers in your area. You can check out their websites to make sure they provide the services you need. Sometimes this can feel a little less concrete than a personal referral, but it can get you started on a short list.
Once you’ve decided on a few providers in mind, we suggest asking these questions to make sure you are choosing the right provider for you.
