Handing over responsibility for areas such as cybersecurity, big data analytics and even basic support functions to specialist IT outsourcing companies like Probrand means companies can focus their time, energy and internal resources on business-critical functions. In other words, it lets them focus on doing what they do best. Last year, the global outsourcing market was worth some $88.9 billion. This is predicted to continue to grow over the coming years, and will result in some fundamental changes in the makeup of modern businesses. Increased focus on partnerships Those businesses that avail themselves of external technical support must ensure they work with a partner who both understands their existing needs and can anticipate how these needs will evolve in the future. This means there is more to working with an outsourcing partner than mere technical expertise. It is also vital that the two organisations operate in partnership, and with a spirit of trust and transparency, as they work together to achieve business goals. This is quite different to traditional perceptions of outsourcing for functions such as catering or building maintenance. Rapid growth of emerging technology Companies are increasingly looking to take advantage of emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things or blockchain to increase their competitive advantage. Use of an external outsourcing partner provides access to the most skilled engineers and developers, which in turn, gives businesses the opportunity to react faster and more effectively to the latest innovations. Focusing on value above cost In the past, businesses have chosen outsourcing as a way to reduce costs. While this is still, of course, a factor, there is an increasing focus on the value their outsourcing partners can add to the business. Ultimately, this is leading to a change of perspective, and businesses will be willing to pay more for a higher quality of service that really delivers tangible benefits to the business and helps it achieve its strategic objectives. IT skill shortage will drive outsourcing further Increased demand for technology and a growing reliance on the benefits it brings to deliver products and services will create a self-perpetuating circle of development. Demand for specialist skills, for example in mobile technology or cloud solutions, will continue to drive outsourcing, making the traditional internal IT department a more and more unusual feature in the average business. Soft skills more important than ever While hard IT skills will be placed in the hands of external service providers, soft skills will become increasingly important in order to really leverage the expertise and innovation into business applications. Ultimately, the key to successful outsourcing is teamwork, communication and strong leadership. And these are skills that cannot be outsourced, at least not yet!
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