With so many options to choose from with respect to IT support in Dubai it is often difficult to define what is right for your business and which route to take. In this blog, we will identify different types of IT support services for your business and which is the best option for you.
Block hour
One form of IT support is a block hour or pay as you go service. This is a purely reactive service or one which allows you to put resource time against potential requirements. This solution is very cost effective, as you are only paying for a specific amount of time. Once the time is used it is then rebought. This type of support is great for customers that have a limited number or resources and requirements. If your business doesn’t rely on technology then it is a feasible option. The downside here is that because of its reactive nature, time for incident fixes may not be optimal. Also proactive measures are not taken to eliminate or reduce downtime. If this an issue, then the following may suit your business better.
Outsourced IT Services
With this form of support you are relying on a third party, IT outsourced company, to take on the entire responsibility of your technology needs. The benefit here is that the company will take ownership of the IT roles. However, it is important that the company is vetted correctly to ensure that it delivers services to fulfil your business’ needs. It is also important to understand that company uses a managed services platform to proactively manage your IT systems. This will allow the company to address many issues before they even occur. Simple things to look for to qualify the best IT service provider are; that they use a robust managed services platform, they provide a service level agreement which explains all potential incidents and response times/commitments, their team is trained to an expert level and they have local experience, the company has vast market experience and in particular, experience in your industry.
Outsourced IT services is a cost effective solution and can effectively grow with your company.
Hybrid outsourced/inhouse
Hybrid IT solutions are often used when a business has the need to have someone inhouse for manual tasks or for highly specialised IT software skills. For instance, the construction industry would typically have an IT specialist that focuses on an estimating or construction software. However, this individual would not necessarily have the skillset, or the desire, to manage the office infrastructure. In these cases an outsourced IT company would provide the IT infrastructure development and support with the support of the inhouse individual. In the case of the team member that is providing manual support onsite the model works very well. Your business will benefit from the fast response time for manual tasks (printer jams, data cable management) with the benefit of the high level experience and deployment from the outsourced team.
With respect to cost, this would fall slightly higher than the purely outsourced model, but this addresses speed and efficiency perfectly. Your outsourced IT company may even be able to provide the full solution, a more manual member of staff that sits on your premises to perform the routine tasks whilst the back office provides the preventative and higher levels of support.
CTO services
An outsourced CTO will be able to provide the IT roadmap for your business, so much so that they would be able to give a full budget for your IT needs now and in the future. This is a purely advisory role. However, it is an extremely efficient model. Compare this advice to the cost of an inhouse CTO and the argument is heavily weighted towards the outsourced model. It is important to establish that the person on the outsourced team has the ability and skillset to deliver such information. It is important therefore to ask for experience in the market and in your industry before engaging in this area. The best IT service companies will give this advice as part of their outsourced and hybrid packages.
Consultative
This role is one of advice only. It may not be roadmap specific but specific to a problem or service only. Like the CTO services, before engagement occurs, qualify your vendor with the skills and experience questions.
Hopefully, with the breakdown of the services here, you will be able to choose the best IT provider to suit your business needs.
For any further impartial advice please connect here.
Please also read our FREE ebook, The definitive guide to increasing productivity in the workplace.
