Working with a third party for IT support work is a common way for organizations to address their needs. Some companies go all-in on this approach, while others prefer to outsource portions of the work. Those who aren't sure about which way to go may want to look at their operations in these five ways.
In-House Expertise
One of the simplest reasons to ask for outside IT support is due to a lack of an in-house person to handle the job. Someone who runs a small apparel shop, for example, may not be able to employ a person even part-time in this role. An IT support provider can fill this expertise gap.
Even if you have a full-time IT team, expertise is still a justification for seeking third-party assistance. If you're trying to roll out a project that maxes out your team members' time, for example, it might be best to hire a company to lend a hand with basic needs.
Installation and Configuration Work
Particularly if you're dealing with many devices, you may want some help with installation and configuration efforts. Many IT support businesses use automated systems that allow them to script the rollout of installation efforts, even with operating systems. This allows them to distribute installation copies across a network to potentially hundreds of machines. Likewise, they can configure the software ahead of time, ensuring that you'll always have a default configuration on each system.
Broadly speaking, an organization with more devices running is more likely to need help with installation jobs. This is especially the case if you have many systems that have to comply with government or industry standards like HIPAA or PCI.
Updates
The same approach is viable for many types of system updates. IT support providers tend to keep up with update notices, too, so you can rest assured you'll have the most current version of any software running on your machines. If you're not prepared to do this kind of work on an appropriate scale, outside help can be huge.
Licensing
IT support firms often have arrangements with software vendors to distribute licenses to their clients. This can significantly reduce the costs associated with the software. They can perform the installations and then configure the licensing keys for all of the devices.
Monitoring
Keeping an eye on a network is challenging. Fortunately, IT support firms can install systems that will scan for intrusions, log activity, and report any concerns.
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