Information technology permeates every industry in today’s digital world, from manufacturing to finance and many others. IT projects such as cybersecurity implementation, business expansion, and cloud migration are important for future-proof growth.
Businesses in and around New York City need a local, dependable IT services provider that offers a wide range of services, including project-based outsourcing. When choosing the right IT solutions company, it’s important to understand the benefits of various outsourced IT projects and when to consider them.
What Is Project-Based Outsourcing for IT?
Project-based outsourcing (PBO) is a common business model that involves hiring a third-party service provider to complete the specific tasks associated with a project, usually at an hourly rate. These outsourced IT projects are typically short-term, and they involve assisting a company with some sort of change, such as cloud migration, employee restructuring, or office relocation.
Benefits of Outsourced IT Projects
The benefits associated with project-based outsourcing are many, and they can vary depending on a company’s specific structure and needs. The three most common benefits include saving money, mitigating risk, and allowing in-house employees to focus on the business.
Saving Time and Money
Project-based outsourcing only lasts as long as the project itself, which means business owners are not saddled with the costs of recruiting, onboarding, and training new staff who will only be around through project completion. Companies gain access to vetted IT professionals, but with lower operational costs.
Reducing and Mitigating Risk
A few decades ago, IT projects were simpler and came with fewer inherent risks. These days, the complexity of information technology – and the amount of digital data being stored and shared across networks – creates more risk. Companies sometimes attempt to handle their own IT projects, only to find that poor security protocol or mistakes in their infrastructure lead to costly downtime and data breaches later down the line. Outsourced IT projects through a reputable IT company can reduce this risk by giving companies access to third-party professionals. Choosing an IT outsourcing company that can walk alongside you for the long haul, be on call or in person when you need them, and offer valuable consultation for future projects doubles down on risk reduction and mitigation.
Maintaining Focus on Your Business
When companies hire a team of third-party experts to handle their IT needs, they gain the most priceless resource of them all – their time. Business owners are not required to spend hours, days, or even weeks recruiting and managing in-house staff for their IT needs, so they can shift their focus to the core of their businesses.
Best IT Projects to Outsource
While it is possible to outsource virtually any IT project, some lend themselves better to project-based outsourcing than others.
Security & Cybersecurity
Outsourced IT projects related to security and cybersecurity offer businesses unparalleled peace of mind. A third-party IT security services provider is made up of large teams that share their knowledge, giving companies access to some of the best professionals in their fields. This ensures that all security and cybersecurity projects use the latest and most trusted protocols.
Staff Augmentation for a Business Expansion
When a business grows and expands, it often requires new technology and employees along with a larger, more comprehensive network. Outsourcing the IT side of a business expansion – whether adding a second physical location in NYC or moving from a home office to a true office space – helps the expansion run faster and more smoothly.
IT Maintenance and Support
Ideally, a company’s IT infrastructure should be monitored around the clock by a managed IT service provider for security and business continuity. However, when it comes time to upgrade equipment, change software, or implement network changes, project-based outsourcing can come in handy. The third-party team of experts can make such maintenance and support faster and more efficient, allowing businesses to minimize or completely avoid downtime.
IoT Environment Monitoring
The IoT environment (Internet of Things) is being woven into the very fabric of everyday life, both in homes and in businesses. From internet-enabled tracking devices for fleets and tools to interconnected factories that optimize logistics, the IoT is quite complex. As such, project-based outsourcing is an excellent way to set up, audit, or test the efficiency of the IoT environment — in the office or for training remote employees regarding home office security as well.
Office Relocation
Office relocation is exciting, but it can be expensive and time-consuming, and in a worst-case scenario, it can lead to significant downtime. A third-party company can provide packing, moving, unpacking, and damage mitigation services designed to minimize downtime and cut costs. These outsourced IT projects offer incredible time savings and relieve some of the in-house team’s burden.
Cloud Migration
Cloud migration offers numerous benefits, including lower IT costs, more business agility, consolidated data centers, and the elimination of end-of-life concerns. As companies downsize, cloud-based virtual office technology can save time and money. Cloud migration even gives businesses of any size the ability to leverage technology that may otherwise be out of reach. Project-based outsourcing is a phenomenal option for cloud migrations since it gives businesses the ability to focus on core functions, ensure regulatory compliance, and improve deployment speed – all while significantly reducing risk and downtime.
How to Assess IT Outsourcing Companies and Choose the Right One
As information technology becomes more important to the growth and success of businesses in every niche and industry, IT outsourcing companies will play a larger role in project completion. Finding the right service provider for the job may seem overwhelming at first, but there are a few ways for companies to make the right decision based on their unique needs.
Businesses should always try to hire locally, even when many of the IT-related services are offered remotely. This way, should the need for on-site help ever arise, businesses can seek help from a well-known and trusted provider that can be present in person if and when they’re needed. Businesses should review the provider’s industry experience, assess their technical expertise, and review the overall costs associated with the services they need.
To inquire about your own outsourced IT projects, or to schedule a consultation, reach out to the team at Tech Alliance. We offer a wide range of managed IT services and project-based outsourcing designed to support your business goals while saving you time and money.
Todd Stevens is a recognized Network Architect and founder of Tech Alliance. Todd holds degrees in Computer and Information Sciences, as well as many recognized technology industry certifications. Over the course of his career Todd has led numerous high-profile technology teams in the NYC area. Including: Rudin Management, Taj Hotels, Grove Press, NBC Universal, The Art Students League of NY, The Osborne Association and The Rockefeller organization.