The IT landscape is broadening every day, and with the advent of more advanced production technology, you might consider outsourcing IT for your manufacturing business. Yet, despite the benefits in overall cost, efficiency, and increased capabilities that manufacturing IT support offers, many business owners in the industry choose not to outsource.
What's Holding Businesses Back from Outsourcing Manufacturing IT Solutions?
There are several factors that lead to hesitation for leaders when deciding whether to outsource IT. Some of these include concerns over control, lack of in-house support, costs, and more.
1. Loss of control/oversight
One of the biggest concerns business leaders have with outsourcing IT is the lack of direct control they'll have over their network. Feeling like you know what's going on with your network is important, so this is a valid concern.
However, especially in such involved businesses such as manufacturing, you likely don't have the extra time to set aside for IT oversight. Technology has become more advanced, and with these innovations come bigger technical difficulties.
For this reason, it might be wise to take IT issues off your plate and opt for a service offering virtual CIO services to provide the necessary support and experience.
2. Wanting immediate assistance
Another concern includes the need for immediate assistance on technical issues. Downtime can be costly, with average downtime costs in the thousands. Because of this, you might hesitate to hand over the keys to an outside company, for fear that they'll leave you hanging when you need them the most.
A great way to circumvent this fear is to read reviews of different IT services for manufacturing. These will likely address your concerns for wait times as well as service quality in general. It's also a good idea to ask about average response times when meeting with different IT companies.
To read more about the actual costs of downtime, check out our blog: The Hidden Costs of Faulty IT Infrastructure
3. Budget allocation and cost concerns
Businesses often overlook their IT budgets. However, if you are aiming to reduce costs, your technology spend should be one of the first places to look. If you want to maximize your budget and ensure you're allocating the right amount of money towards it, it might be nerve-wracking to saddle the task with an outsourced company.
If you want to ensure you're using your budget effectively, this starts with a network assessment that explores:
- What your IT budget is going towards
- If your allocated funds are being efficiently utilized
- Gaps in your technology strategy that need more investment
- Wasted resources on inefficient or vague IT contracts
4. Long-term project needs
Especially if you have larger technical migrations on the horizon, you might be concerned that a managed IT provider will be able to dig into the finite details of your long-term projects.
However, many MSPs offer virtual CIO (vCIO) services, with a designated professional in charge of overseeing these projects for you.
Many providers have fully staffed IT teams to manage large projects, troubleshoot issues with migrations, and make any new technology integrations seamless for your business. To learn more about vCIO & project management services, check out our blog: FAQ's About Virtual Chief Information Officers (vCIOs)
How is IoT Technology Impacting Manufacturing Industries?
The emergence of digitized production tools and machines has created a severe gap in IT support for manufacturing. Not only are there more technical issues to resolve with these technologies that connect to business networks, but there are also increased risks for cyberattacks.
To learn more about the Internet of Things and how this affects the manufacturing industry, check out our blog: How Do Outdated Manufacturing IT Tools Impact Production?
How to Find Managed IT Services for Manufacturing
If you're on the hunt for IT services for manufacturing companies, there are a few key things to look for. When looking into providers, ensure that they have:
- Fast response times to limit production slowdowns from IT issues
- Experience working with manufacturing businesses and tools
- Good reviews detailing helpful, knowledgeable service
- Knowledge of common manufacturing pain points and IT needs
If you're ready to jump into the process of optimizing your manufacturing business's IT tools and practices, click the button below to speak to an IT expert.
