You may not have considered outsourcing before and don’t know where to even start!  Either way, inviting in a third party in to your business to handle one of the most important aspects of your ‘day to day’ can seem daunting and complicated.

 Who should outsource?

At Lumic, our clients have all chosen to work with us at different stages within their business, ranging from early start-ups to established businesses with dedicated in-house IT staff.

It may have been a decision forced by circumstance or a proactive approach to ensure smooth operations. Either way, the decision has ultimately been made to help to create a seamless workflow with the added benefit of help and support, should the worst happen…

With regards to industry type, our clients range from large scale media companies to estate agents, security, legal, recruitment consultants, medical providers and more, all differing in size from one person start-ups to global office networks!

There are some standard questions you could ask yourself when considering outsourcing such as;

• Do I currently experience technical issues and if so, can I fix them and still carry on servicing my customers with minimal delay?
• Am I getting the best price and support from my software providers?
• Am I able to scale my requirements in-house as my business grows without having to overhaul existing infrastructure?
• Do the people that currently take care of your systems really have the time/expertise to do this?
• Do my IT requirements justify a full time, in-house staff member?
• Am I covered if my in-house team are off sick, on holiday or oversubscribed?
• Do I have a disaster recovery plan?

What is outsourcing exactly?

Although we can’t speak for everyone, Lumic are experts in providing a range of IT and communication solutions that are tailored to your specific situation and requirements. Our first task is to listen to our clients and learn what their business is about. We try to understand the issues they face and their plans moving forward. 

We can than provide a range of options including software, installation and support, with added assurance we are a trusted Microsoft Partner.

An outsourced provider should ensure the ‘best fit’ solution, in both hardware and software, as well as a service and support package that is designed to save you money, streamline your workflow and maximise resources. It’s also crucial the solutions provided are scalable and can grow with you.

Where? Lumic are always there…

An outsourced IT provider is just as it sounds; external to your business.

This means that you can be left to do what you do best for your clients, but when required, can call upon a team of experts that do what they do best, manage your IT and comms.

Issues and problems can’t be planned; therefore, a good IT provider should be available whenever needed and reachable across multiple platforms 24/7, yet provide flexible support packages that are significantly cheaper than a dedicated in-house member of staff.

That said, an external IT provider should be seen as a best friend to in-house IT staff as we not only ease the burden, but support them and make their job easier. Here’s what Paul Varela, IT Manager at The Drum says about working with us…

 When to outsource

If you’re currently in business, then its highly likely you are relying on some form of IT and means of communication to operate. You are also providing a product or service for your customers that comes with an assumed promise of service, accountability and security, all of which commonly involve your IT infrastructure.

It makes perfect sense for Sole Traders or SME’s to handle their own IT, but there will soon come a day when a problem crops up, and it’s during these occurrences that frustration and anger will result. Hindsight kicks in revealing prevention was probably the best solution rather than repair. 

Data loss, viruses and software/hardware issues can almost always be prevented, and there’s also a solution for almost any problem that does occur. However, finding the problem can take time, all of which could and should be spent servicing your customers and growing your business. 

Larger business should already be aware of how vital their IT and communications systems are and may already invest heavily on In-House expertise.

To an IT staff member, the outsourced support should be their best friend, acting as a reassurance for when they aren’t needed and a secret weapon on the front line when things aren’t running smoothly.

Choosing when to work with an outsourced IT provider is a personal decision, but the sooner you do, means they can get to know your business quicker and ensure your systems are less likely to fail.

Why?

We’ve already covered several reasons why outsourcing IT and Communications provides such a valuable resource, but in summary, it provides you freedom to run your business safe in the knowledge you are using the most appropriate hardware, software and workflows for your organisation, whilst ensuring your data is secure and backed up.

Being able to turn to someone who can help in times of need, should instil confidence to go forth and succeed!

How?

Aside from simply picking up the phone or emailing an IT support provider, there’s a bit more that’s involved, but the process should still be fast, transparent and easy to understand.

A provider that confuses you with tech jargon is probably best avoided. You may not have to fix any problems yourself, but you should still be able to understand from your provider what the issue was, how it could be/was avoided and that it won’t happen again.

 Having a good relationship is key and at Lumic, we take the time to learn about your business, and boast a friendly, happy team to work with you and your staff in getting the job done. Check out what some of our customers say about working with us here…

The first step should involve a free audit of your current situation. At this stage you should not feel obligated to purchase anything and the audit should provide you with a clear list of ways that the prospective company could help. This should then include clear and easy to understand costs and payment structures. The quote should provide a range of options to consider and provide flexibility in expansion and pricing.

Lumic provide free, no obligation audits to help assess your IT and communication requirements.

Before making a decision, we strongly advise you check up on the quality of the prospective company. They should be able to provide a range of case studies, have long standing relationships with multiple clients and carry accreditations from recognisable industry bodies.

Follow these steps and you have nothing to lose, but much to gain in finding out how outsourcing your IT and communication solutions could help your business. Please feel free to get in touch with us and learn how we can work with you.