Is It Time to Outsource IT Support? Key Signs & Expert Tips

Lacking In-house Expertise

Recruiting and building a comprehensive team of professionals to cover every specialized tech infrastructure need can be costly, and not every company has the ability to do so. In-house employees are tasked with taking care of the tech system, and in many cases, without the appropriate skill set, they fail to handle the issue at hand properly. This restriction in resources and experience can prevent the firm from growing sustainably, as the system has trouble meeting both customers’ and employees’ demands. This results in more long-term and costly problems down the line.

Outsourcing an IT help desk helps you curb all of the mentioned problems. Not only will the IT service provider have comprehensive technical expertise to take good care of your IT infrastructure, but they can also address and fix problems quickly, minimizing unwanted downtime.

Frequent User Complaints or Delayed Support

The growth of your business is directly proportional to the number of IT tickets your tech team receives. If you solely rely on your internal team to maintain the IT infrastructure and handle IT support tickets, the team is likely overstretched and overworked. The resolution time, as a result, is slow, and many of the issues are delayed. Again, these delays can lead to more long-term problems down the line that can quickly become costly.

Having support from a third-party provider enables your in-house team to prioritize core tasks, while the outsourced provider can quickly and efficiently handle other troubleshooting or bugs.

Poor IT Infrastructure

Perhaps you have noticed poor network connections or the system’s slow response. Perhaps it has been your main concern over the days, despite your internal IT team handling tickets on time and performing all their duties in a timely and efficient manner.

This is a sign that you should consider consulting with a credible service provider. IT help desk services aren’t only about handling tickets or maintaining infrastructures; they can help you upgrade and improve the existing ones, too. Keep in mind that poor IT infrastructure harms your business operation in more ways than one.

For starters, every task is slowed down and inefficient. Next, you find scaling the system to be a near-impossible task with its current state without the help of a professional. Last but not least, weak infrastructure is synonymous with weak security. Your IT system is vulnerable and exposed to potential threats, including data breaches, phishing, ransomware, and more.

Budget Constraints

Managing an IT department can quickly become costly. Recruiting can be timely and expensive, as are training, salaries, and benefits. You would also need to purchase hardware and software licenses. Sometimes, even then, you still find that your in-house team doesn’t cover IT tasks efficiently and thoroughly.

Outsourcing technical support means you only need to pay for the outsourcing costs. Your partner has everything covered – from the right type of talent, infrastructure, and software licensing. Another huge plus? There are multiple pricing models to choose from, whether it is per hour, per incident, a fixed price, or even hiring a dedicated team to support you.

Fully Outsourced IT Support

This method of outsourcing often fits smaller businesses, which don’t yet have the resources to build their own IT teams. This hands-off approach means the third-party will take care of every aspect of the organization’s IT system, from overall IT strategic planning, network management and monitoring, to security and handling daily IT tickets. In other words, you are hiring a dedicated third-party IT team.

The downside of this approach, however, is the lack of control over the IT workflows. There is also a higher risk of leaking sensitive internal information, so it’s vital to implement strict policies regarding data, security, and communication channels.

Co-managed IT Support Services

Unlike fully outsourcing IT support, companies that rely on co-managed IT services often have an internal IT team. In this case, the company often works with a managed service provider (MSP), sharing IT responsibilities with the third-party vendor.

For example, the MSP might take care of advanced troubleshooting, cybersecurity, or large-scale projects. While working with an MSP is beneficial for companies with certain skill gaps or a fluctuating workload, it can also create coordination issues or security concerns. Nonetheless, thoroughly discussing these concerns with your MSP will greatly boost efficiency and upgrade your tech infrastructure.

Help Desk Services

Help desk services ensure a smooth day-to-day operation, e.g., password resets, network connectivity issues, account management, and support users via multiple channels like emails or calls. Even though these tasks seem simple on the surface, they are often time-consuming and require sufficient resources to handle smoothly.

Outsourcing help desk service takes care of most of the legwork. This frees your internal resources to take care of other core, value-driven activities. Help desk outsourcing has become such a common practice that the global revenue of help desk outsourcing was USD 3,471.3 million in 2024 and is projected to grow to USD 5,822.1 million by 2030.

Cloud Service Management

An increasing number of businesses are moving to the cloud for cost efficiency and scalability. Clouds are a powerful tool and resource. However, as the saying goes, “The tool is only as good as the hand that wields it”, so for many businesses, the cloud’s advantages only truly materialize once they find a reliable vendor to manage it for them. This involves every facet of the cloud, from monitoring to performance optimization to making sure the cloud investment isn’t wasted on unused resources. In short, whether your company uses cloud resources like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure, it’s best to have a team with the right expertise to maintain and manage your cloud.

Backup and Recovery

The importance of data is widely recognized, yet data backup and recovery often come as an afterthought. Backup and recovery involve more than simply copying and pasting of existing information – it also includes server configurations, user settings and preferences, and software applications.

It often is already too late when you scramble for IT backup and recovery when the infrastructure breaks, or data breaches happen. By then, the cost of backup and recovery is expensive and there is no guarantee you will recover the system to its original state.

Coming up with a comprehensive backup and recovery strategy, hence can become a daunting task. If you find yourself in this situation, it’s worth considering outsourcing this service to a team of professionals.

Network Management & Monitoring

Reliable data transfer and server connections rely heavily on strong network systems. This means the network is optimized to perform its functions, and every firewall, router, server, and network device is configured according to the business’s unique needs.

With an IT service provider on board, you can rest assured that the network is managed and monitored 24/7. They will take care of problems even before they have a chance to emerge and disrupt the operation, all while optimizing the most suitable network strategy.

Cybersecurity Security & Regulatory Compliance

Businesses face an array of security threats each day. Failing to protect your data and security properly results in direct financial loss – in 2024, the average global cost of a data breach was $4.88 million, which, compared to the average of $4.45 million in 2021, is a 10% increase (IBM) Businesses would also suffer from operational disruptions, damaged reputation, and legal liabilities.

Having an expert on the team ensures you are well-protected. Just as important is ensuring you comply with local and global security regulations, like GDPR or HIPAA, depending on the industry you work in. This allows you to go on with the peace of mind that your network and system are proactively protected from malicious attackers and other online threats.

End-User Training

A great IT investment goes beyond the tools and software – it also lies in its people. Many companies aim to maximize their investment by having their employees attend training programs. The most common ones involve raising awareness in cybersecurity, but there are a variety of training programs to choose from, covering both software and hardware systems. Most IT providers stay up-to-date with the latest technologies, regulations, policies, and threats. Training your employees is extremely beneficial, as it enhances problem-solving, boosts security awareness, and maximizes ROI on IT investments.

Focus on Core Business Activities

As essential as an IT system is, managing and maintaining it isn’t always a strong suit for a company. It can be hard to focus on core business activities when you have to constantly worry about managing IT tickets, monitoring the network, or being unsure of the organization’s security measures.

Outsourcing part or the entire IT department takes the weight off your shoulders, and allows you to create value for the company. A strong and reliable IT system boosts efficiency and may even give you time and space to concentrate on innovating and developing new products. It’s a win-win situation.

Access to Expertise

IDC reports that nearly two-thirds of North American IT leaders link skill shortages to missed targets and quality issues, and predicts that by 2026, over 90% of organizations will face similar challenges, costing $5.5 trillion globally. This problem is magnified when you want to recruit specialized IT talent (cloud computing, data analytics or AI/ ML).

One solution to this problem is partnering with an outsourcing company that offers the right specialized talent and has experience in the industry you operate in. Gone are the days of searching high and low for that one talent and delaying your project – have your partner handle it.

Better Employee Experience

Technology has undoubtedly enhanced every aspect of businesses. Still, being reliant on technology means even the slightest mistake or bug can disrupt an entire business operation. Prevent this from happening with an outsourced IT help desk team. Your employees can carry out their tasks knowing that the IT system is well-taken care of.

Reduced IT Costs

Building and maintaining IT teams has become increasingly more expensive. Costs quickly add up right from the recruitment phase. Not only is this phase costly, but it is also extremely time-consuming. Suitable IT talent can be difficult to secure, especially specialized ones. There has been a noticeable shortage in tech talent. Even after successfully securing one, you still need to take into account salaries, benefits, and operational costs.

One way to cut costs while still having access to high-quality IT talent is outsourcing IT support. Your partner will have the long recruitment process, salaries, and benefits covered for you. All you need to do is let the team know your vision and goal and the project is ready to kickstart.

Generative AI and Automation

Artificial intelligence is more than a buzzword – it has been reshaping almost every aspect of the tech industry. More than simply using ChatGPT to answer questions, write emails or rewrite paragraphs, AI is used in customer service to power chatbots to reply to customers 24/7, in software development to complete, improve and fix code lines, in marketing for automatic emails for customer feedback or other promotion purposes. All in all, the use of AI is versatile.

Outsourcing AI capabilities isn’t simply a matter of keeping up with the changing tech and “trends”, but it’s more about reducing risk, optimizing development costs while gaining immediate access to AI expertise. While AI is still evolving, its integration into workflows has already delivered significant benefits, from automating processes to unlocking new opportunities for innovation.

Stronger Security

The boom of AI brings exciting innovations, but also increasingly sophisticated scams. AI-powered attacks gather information more efficiently, adapt in real time, and can even target specific employees based on the collected data.

AI isn’t the only technology that’s evolving. Other cyberattacks are constantly evolving and becoming more dangerous. Hence, in addition to implementing security measures (continuous security assessments, regular employee training to raise awareness, etc.), having external support will further strengthen your defense against malicious attacks. Many companies have leveraged AI to advance cybersecurity solutions. As a matter of fact, a survey by Forbes reported that more than half of business owners use AI for cybersecurity and fraud control.

More Focus on Cloud-based Services

Data is the new oil. Businesses collect vast amounts of data each day, yet much of it remains unprocessed. To overcome this fragmentation, or data silo, companies have turned to the cloud for a unified view into their data, all while saving costs on clunky legacy systems and expensive hardware. Along with AI’s advancement, this has unearthed the possibility of obtaining meaningful and actionable data almost instantly.

Still, cloud adoption can be tricky. One way to overcome this challenge, as it has now become a steady trend for many, is reaching out to seasoned experts to do all the heavy lifting – organizing cloud-based services and coming up with a customized, optimized cloud strategy.