In 2017, companies around the world spent a combined $88 billion to outsource IT. The market has had its ups and downs, but it’s clear outsourcing IT is a popular business move.

Business owners sometimes assume keeping IT in-house is their best option. This often isn’t the case. Outsourcing can help you manage the IT department more effectively and efficiently.

We’ll go over a few of the signs that tell you when to outsource your IT activities. Knowing when outsourcing is the right move can help your business continue to grow.

1. Your IT Department Doesn’t Have the Capacity

Many small business owners don’t believe they can afford outsourced services. Some think they don’t need them either.

Often, they’re the ones who need a helping hand the most. The scale of today’s IT projects demands many experts and a robust team. Most small businesses eventually find they can’t afford the in-house IT team they need.

Small business IT outsourcing is a great solution for this reason. If your IT team is falling behind on tasks or you have a new project looming, it could be time for an IT intervention.

2. You Need 24/7 IT Support

Even if you do have access to the best IT team in the world, they probably don’t want to work all hours of the day and night. Your IT operations, on the other hand, need round-the-clock care. Your customers are relying on you to keep things running.

A move to outsource IT can help you resolve this issue. A managed service provider will be able to assist your customers or keep a watchful eye on your systems.

3. Outsource IT if You Want to Cut Costs

Keeping a team of experts in-house can get quite pricey. Given the size and scope of today’s IT operations, this fact affects businesses of all sizes. Huge corporations struggle with the costs as much as small business owners do.

If you need to reduce overhead, outsourcing your IT operations could be the solution. Some IT outsourcing articles have reported businesses can realize cost savings of anywhere from 25 to 40 percent.

4. You Want to Keep Growing the Business

Most business owners have growth as a major goal. To keep growing though, your IT operations have to keep up with you.

For this reason, almost any time can be the right time for an outsourcing decision. You don’t need to wait until the business is a certain size or your IT team is overwhelmed by their task list.

If you want to grow, consider scaling up your IT by enlisting an IT outsource service provider.

Is It Right for You?

Many business owners are concerned they’re not ready to outsource IT. When to outsource depends less on the size of your business and more on where you want to go in the future.

If you see any of these four signs, it might be time to take the leap. Get in touch with an expert today, and learn more about how IT outsourcing can help your business grow.