Oklahoma CPAs know that to be successful in today’s accounting industry means adopting changes brought on by technology. Outsourced IT is one of the technology trends that will continue to grow rapidly.
Just as outsourced IT makes sense for other businesses, it is beneficial for CPA firms as well. For many, it is not a question of “if”, but of “when” and “what” IT to outsource to be more cost effective and efficient.
Advantages of Outsourced IT
Even if your IT department is top-notch, there are reasons to consider outsourcing. Remember, too, that outsourcing does not have to be an all-or-nothing affair. You can outsource sections of IT that make the most sense for your organization. Benefits include:
- State of the Art Technology – The cost in money and time to stay up-to-date can be a drain on finances and personnel. Remove that burden from your staff and place it on third party vendors who stay current.
- Infrastructure and Staffing Flexibility – Grow virtually rather than physically. Outsourcing allows you scalability without having to increase or decrease operations or staff to meet demands.
- Reduced Operating Costs and Increased Capital Funds – Outsourcing IT at a fixed cost lets you budget for the future and reduces the need to invest in non-core business operations. You do not need to continually upgrade software and hardware, which allows you to allocate more funds for core functions.
- Reduced Risk – If you outsource to a managed services provider, your IT operations is monitored 24/7. Patches and security updates are done automatically for you, and backups are done for disaster recovery.
- Greater Efficiency and Productivity – Outsourcing data entry, and other back-office IT functions, allows your staff to spend less time on manual tasks and enables them to focus on the parts of the business with greater ROI.
Find the Perfect Partner for Outsourced IT
When it comes time to outsource, you need to find the vendor with the right resources and experience. You need to research and ask questions such as:
- How long has the vendor been in business?
- What experience do they have with CPA firms?
- Can the vendor provide a full range of services to be able to adapt to your needs?
- Does the vendor have experience with present technology and the ability to stay abreast of future technology?
When you find the right partner, you will reap the benefits of outsourcing and be able to concentrate on other areas.
Are you an Oklahoma CPA firm that has outsourced IT? What have been your experiences? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments box below.
And to follow up on the tips introduced in this article, be sure to download your free Information Technology Guide for Oklahoma City CPAs.
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