There are numerous ways to reduce your operating costs by outsourcing IT infrastructure and/or functions. We’ll take a look at those opportunities in a minute. But first, let’s talk about how an IT sourcing consultant can help you reap those benefits and avoid common missteps getting there. 

The value of an IT sourcing consultant is simple: they know more than you do, because they’re specialized professionals in a complex, volatile field. They have the ability to see the big picture in a dispassionate way, but they’re passionate about helping protect your best interests so you can make the most effective outsourcing choices for your organization. You need every competitive advantage you can get.

Making outsourcing decisions on your own can be very risky indeed.

You could easily wind up with higher costs than anticipated, having wasted time and resources during the decision-making process. With or without an IT sourcing consultant, the process of identifying the most viable, cost-effective solutions and sourcing the right providers can be a rocky road, with plenty of opportunities for mistakes.

Do you really know how to suss out the most meaningful alternatives? Or find the right provider – someone you’re well-paired with, so you can establish a harmonious relationship and work smoothly together? Or negotiate a high-performance contract that includes the right timeframe and most beneficial pricing as well as the right SLAs? Just reading proposals won’t get you there.

But can you even craft a well-targeted RFP? What criteria will you use to vet providers?

Here’s the thing: simply deciding to outsource won’t necessarily reduce your operating costs. You need a well-thought-out strategy and an implementation plan that’s exactly aligned with your corporate goals and objectives. Putting all that together so you get the results you want and the flexibility you need takes detailed marketplace knowledge as well as understanding your internal needs.

Every smart executive knows success depends on having the right team in place. That’s why you need an IT sourcing consultant.

Constructing the most valuable baseline.

Your IT sourcing consultant will help thoroughly assess your current status. And they’ll explore your goals with you. You’d be surprised how easy it is to overlook small-but-critical details, especially the intangibles that can significantly affect your total cost of ownership.

Your decision-making process will go faster, and you can be much more confident in your business case. That’s critical, because everything else hinges on that.

What can you expect in the way of reduced operating costs?

• Direct savings is the hands-down favorite for most companies. You can significantly reduce or even eliminate expenses for equipment and facilities maintenance, everything from energy costs to labor. A smaller physical footprint saves on taxes and focuses your security and disaster recovery needs. Removing the need to purchase additional hardware and software can provide a much-needed redirection of your capital budget.

• Your outsourcing partner will take over support responsibilities, assuring reliable availability 24/7 -- especially important for multi-state or multi-national companies operating extended hours or around the clock.

• The inherent scalability of outsourcing will keep you ready for anything without having to regroup or rethink your response. You know you’re going to face ups or downs, whether known or unforeseen. Agility ensures you’re cutting-edge competitive.

• Predictability helps eliminate over-spending for what-ifs without leaving you vulnerable when you need to ramp up quickly. So the mere fact that you have better control means you can reduce expenses.

Increased efficiency brings increased economies. Working with an IT sourcing consultant can enhance and smooth every aspect of the outsourcing process, so you can make better decisions, in a more timely manner. You’ll know if outsourcing is in fact the right choice, and, if so, what alternatives to choose. You won’t have to wonder if you’ve chosen the right provider, or veered sideways in a contractual way.

Every one of those things is a savings you can take to the bank.

Photo credit: arinobe via Flickr