Is Outsourcing Managed Applications better for my Company?
June 6, 2017
From entrepreneurs to enterprises, businesses have been embracing the concept of outsourcing managed applications as a way to improve productivity. With today’s technology-driven resources, outsourcing is often a more inexpensive way to scale up your business – or scale it down in a hurry.
Outsourcing managed applications can offer many benefits as well as some challenges, particularly if you don’t select the right outsourcing partner. The reality is that almost any task can be outsourced these days, and it’s quite possible you’re already using external resources for payroll, staffing, or other services. But what about other managed applications within your business model? Choosing how much to outsource versus what to take in-house requires you to evaluate your business for its strengths and weaknesses. Ask yourself:
Typically, there are some applications that are often managed externally, especially if you are a small to medium sized business. For example:
Outsourcing managed applications is a growing market, and new models are cropping up rapidly. For example, corporate outsourced email is one of the latest in a growing list of managed applications that are cheaper and easier to manage than providing the service in-house. Forrester Research said they’ve been receiving an increasing volume of inquiries related to this service:
While we all would agree that email is one of the most critical business communication tools today, it is interesting to note the increasing popularity of managed email services in the cloud. This says a lot about outsourced managed applications as a service; clearly, even the most conservative enterprise organizations are adopting these models. Outsourcing email follows the typical cloud subscription model, which creates a manageable budgetary framework that is particularly attractive to entrepreneurs and small businesses where cash flow is still an issue.
Generally, outsourcing managed applications allow for greater competition for even the smallest of businesses. With the rise of software as a service (SaaS) models, all businesses can benefit from the same tools that enterprise organizations have been using effectively for years. The biggest benefit is that a professional provider is managing the application, which means issues like security and uptime are really someone else’s problem 24-hours a day.
Finding the Right Outsourcing Managed Applications Service Partner
When you’ve decided to transition to an outsourcing managed applications model, what kind of vendor characteristics should you search for? Obviously, you should closely examine uptime and the delivery processes for customer service should you need help. But you should also look for a vendor that has these basic characteristics:
If your application partner is overseas, make certain you recognize the possibility of language barriers as well as time zone differences. Ultimately, most businesses agree that outsourcing today offers great advantages that include cost savings from lessening your professional staffing needs. Outsourcing is delegation at its finest, and the majority of American companies are leveraging this model. How do we know this? According to CompTIA, the global managed service market will grow to $193 billion by 2019.
A True Partnership — Outsourcing Managed Applications
Signing a contract with a managed services provider is the first step in what should become an effective partnership. Your process will include working with the outsourcing managed applications provider to migrate functions and then create workflows to train and work with the new provider. Communicating effectively means establishing your expectations and understanding fully what the provider offers as part of your contract.
Managing the vendor relationship is essential for the success of the service. Regular communications, transparency, and flexibility are all a necessary part of the transition process. The goal is for the business owner to have the confidence to step back and allow the outsourcing managed applications provider to take over and do the job. Get a free assessment and find out if your business is ready for outsourcing managed applications.
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