Outsourced Tech Support: A Valuable Business Asset

Outsourced tech support is an invaluable business asset. It assists small to medium-sized businesses maintain their IT systems and keep them up to date without spending a fortune on internal resources. But how does it work? Let’s take a closer look at what outsourced tech support entails, the benefits of outsourcing your technology needs, and a wide range of things you should consider before making this important decision for your business.

What is Outsourced Tech Support?

Simply put, it’s a service that provides backup to small and medium-sized businesses that cannot afford their own in-house IT team. The most common services include help desk, server management, installation of new software updates, disaster recovery for data loss due to natural disasters or human error such as accidental deletion.

An outsourced tech support service typically offers customer and technical phone-based support, remote desktop services, hardware repairs, data recovery. The company’s goal in providing this type of service is to assure businesses that they will handle any technology issue that arises in their organization.

 

Value of Outsourcing Technical Support Services

Outsourced tech support can help you maintain your data and IT systems without spending a fortune on internal resources like additional employees or expensive software licenses. You’ll also benefit from having more time to focus on what matters most to your business, which is often sales, production, or customer service. Here is a shortlist of our top benefits to think about when outsourcing your technology needs:

• The cost savings, range of services, and benefits beats having an internal team working full-time.
• More time for you and other organization members that deals with sales, production, or customer service.
• Peace of mind knowing that someone is there to fix it if something goes wrong (in most cases).
• You’ll feel reassured knowing that you have access to a technical support team that are experts in technology working on your behalf to resolve any issues with your data or IT systems.

 

Outsourcing Tech Support Brings Positive Growth and is a Benefit for Businesses

Outsourced tech support is a useful tool for small to medium-sized businesses looking to grow their company. When you’re ready to expand, it’s important not only to have the right systems in place but also the resources and personnel capable of handling any potential issues. This can be difficult when an in-house IT team might be too busy or stretched too thin to provide the level of service you need.

Outsourced technical support resources can help small and medium-sized businesses grow in several ways, such as:

• Outsourced techs are knowledgeable about the latest IT products and software.
• Businesses focus on their core competencies, which allows them to devote more time to growing their business.
• An outsourced team will provide remote assistance for a small monthly fee that is far less than hiring an in-house IT team or buying expensive software licenses.
• Outsourced techs will provide any necessary hardware upgrades, installation of new updates, and data recovery for small businesses on a budget.

 

Who Should Use Outsourced Tech Support and When?

Technology is changing at an exponential rate. The rapid development of technology has put a strain on in-house IT teams, and business owners feel the pain. As more and more businesses turn to outsourcing for their tech support needs, they must know when this type of service could help them best. Being that outsourced tech support is a valuable asset to small businesses when done properly, it can provide a much-needed respite for in-house IT teams and help avoid expensive mistakes.

There are many reasons why an owner might want or need to outsource their technology needs. For example:

• They don’t have the time or expertise to handle everything themselves and are looking for a skilled team to handle their technical issues.
• Their IT budget is tight, and they are looking for a cost-effective solution with low overhead costs to stay up-to-date with software updates, In-House tech, hardware issues, network design, network security issues, and more.
• They want to upgrade or replace In-house IT staff, or they can’t find qualified employees in their area.

 

Examples of Outsourced Tech Support Services

• IT consulting: The help you need to assess your business’ technology and find an efficient way forward without headaches.
• Software support: Updates for Microsoft Office, MATLAB, Quickbooks, Clio, Autodesk, or other software programs can be handled by outsourced technicians when you don’t have time or expertise on your own.
• Cloud hosting support: Your company’s data is hosted on the cloud, and you’ll still have access to it if your network goes down.
• Remote desktop services: A good option when there is malware or ransomware in play.
• Tech infrastructure: Helping you with cloud storage, data backup, and other hardware needs.
• Hardware support: Upgrading or replacing In-house IT staff or can’t find qualified employees in their area.
• Network support: This type of service is typically used by companies with a large in-house IT team to provide additional coverage or consultation for complex issues, but it could also be beneficial when an owner needs help monitoring their network and keeping it secure.
• Web development services: When you need new functionality added to your website, we have developers who can bring your vision to life.
• Project implementation: Outsourced technicians could help plan and deploy all the infrastructure, software installation, security protocols, etc., so you don’t end up with a nightmare of an IT project on your hands.

 

What are some common issues that arise?

• Software licensing issues, such as not being able to update software past a certain point or having too many licenses for an outdated program.
• Hardware issues, such as computers crashing and need repair or replacement, failing hard drives, etc.
• Data security breaches, such as the recent Colonial pipeline cyber attack or any number of phishing scams.
• Network design issues, such as old and outdated equipment, lack of bandwidth, etc.
• Viruses and malware infections (such as from the WannaCry virus).

Outsourced tech support can assist an in-house IT team with these issues (and others) to ensure that small businesses stay up to date and running smoothly. We know it doesn’t happen often, but when these problems arise, it can take your in-house IT team hours to find a solution or properly diagnose the problem–time they could be using for other tasks like project planning, customer support, or general business operations.

 

Some Things to Consider Before Outsourcing Your Tech Needs:

 

1. How much time will be required to maintain your data and IT systems?
2. What is the cost for outsourced tech support services, including monthly fees and one-time charges for installing new software updates or disaster recovery?
3. Ensure the team you choose to partner with has a wide range of skills and has positive online reviews. Nobody wants to be surprised by poor customer service when they outsource IT services.
4. How many staff members in your organization are willing to work with outside providers to maintain your data and IT systems?
5. Do you have a backup plan in case the outsourced provider goes out of business, is no longer available for service, or something else happens to disrupt their services (i.e., natural disaster)?
6. If outsourcing tech support affects other aspects of your organization, such as employee work hours, budgeting, or IT management, you might want to reconsider this option.
7. How important are your data and the security of your network?
8. Do you have a disaster recovery plan if something goes wrong (in most cases) and someone isn’t there to fix it?

If outsourcing tech support seems like a good idea for your business, then you’ll need to determine whether this service is right for your company and take the time to understand all of these points.

 

How to Choose the Right Outsourced Tech Support Partner

1. Find a company that is close to your location. The closer, the better because they will provide you with faster assistance and help if needed.
2. Look for an outsourced tech support provider who offers 24/hour service, as well as weekends, so any issues can be addressed in real-time without impacting your business operations.
3. Please find out the level of technical support they offer. Do you want basic help desk tickets, or do you need an IT consultant to assist with more complex issues?
4. Ask lots of questions about service and what is provided to ensure that your outsourced tech support company will meet your needs.
5. Find out if they offer security monitoring, which will alert you to any malicious software issues so they can be removed before harm is done.
6. Discuss the costs for your outsourced tech support service and whether or not there are hidden fees in their contract that may come back to bite you down the road.
7. Ensure that if you employ remote workers or a virtual assistant, they are included in your managed tech support strategy.
8. Lastly, please find out how they handle support for your third-party applications in case any potential issues arise.

Before deciding, you must do your research about the outsourced tech support company and understand what they offer for different tiers of business size (small businesses are typically Tier One). If this is something you’re interested in exploring further, you should review this list of considerations before deciding.

Is Outsourcing Tech Support Right For Your Small Business?

Businesses often consider outsourcing their IT needs when they’re looking to grow. The benefits of outsourcing tech support are extensive, including cost savings and the ability to focus on your core competencies while still receiving a quality service that covers all your IT needs. It’s important to remember that outsourced teams will be able to provide remote assistance for a small monthly fee and hardware upgrades, installation of new updates, and data recovery if you have a budget for it. If you’re thinking about moving to an outsourced team, these four things below will help you make the decision.

• The fact that outsourced tech support will be able to provide remote assistance for a small monthly fee is the most compelling reason of all since you can hire an in-house IT team or purchase expensive software licenses if your budget allows it.
• Outsourcing also means having more time on your hands and being able to spend it on what matters most to your business, which is often sales, production, or customer service.
• If you lack office space and don’t need dedicated space for outsourced technical support staff. Thus lowering operational costs is a great benefit to small and medium businesses.
• The peace of mind gained from knowing that someone who is a technology expert will be working on your behalf to resolve any issues with your data or IT systems.

 

We hope this information has helped guide you in the right direction when looking for an outsourced tech support provider that will best meet your needs.

Infinity Solutions is a trusted and reliable managed service provider and outsourced tech support company that can meet your needs today. With our exceptional customer service, technical knowledge, and extensive experience in the industry, you will be able to find what you need without having to worry about hidden fees or security risks down the road. We are just an email away, so if you’re looking for a positive experience with your IT service provider who goes the extra mile, please contact our sales team and let us know how we can help you.

Thanks so much for reading!