Interest and investment in IT outsourcing go far beyond security as well . For instance , project management for corporate initiatives like migrating applications to the cloud is becoming a popular option . These kinds of projects often involve critical business systems — like corporate email , for example — and , as such , the stakes are extremely high . Understanding how important it is that these initiatives go off smoothly , decision makers want to be sure they have access to the necessary skill sets , even if that means leveraging a third party .
At the same time , “ letting go ” of mission-critical aspects of IT can be nerve-wracking . How does leadership know it is getting resources with the required skill sets ? Will the third-party be as invested in the organization ’ s success as the organization itself ? These are crucial trust issues that are best resolved by carefully examining the credentials of an outsourcing partner . Because when that trust is established , the benefits can be tremendous .
“ Done right , outsourcing adds depth of capability to the IT team ,” explains Atrion ’ s VP of Client Engagement , Paul Pinto . “ It increases the CIO ’ s sense of control because she / he has the resources needed to actually meet the full set of business requirements .”
As IT challenges have evolved , so too have outsourcing options . In some cases , organizations can actually leverage resources directly from a third-party ’ s own internal talent pool for co-location . In these cases , the outsourcing partner can take the time to learn the client ’ s business firsthand while simultaneously helping internal IT acquire new skills and complete mission-critical projects . This approach can be particularly valuable for organizations who rely on technology to drive their business , but don ’ t live and breathe it .
“ We realized that though we need and depend on technology , we are not in the IT business ,” explains David Caprio , President and CEO at Children ’ s Friend , the oldest child welfare organization and social service agency in Rhode Island . “ In coming up with our strategic plan , it was clear we didn ’ t have the resources we needed . We kicked off a relationship with Atrion where the leader of our IS services is a member of the Atrion team and is integrated with our internal team . So Atrion is responsible for delivering parts of our strategic plan and helping us design , build and run it .”
Outsourcing can take other forms as well , such as a managed services model that takes “ run ” tasks off an internal IT team ’ s plate , allowing it to focus more on innovation and growth . But regardless of what outsourcing model an organization chooses , success rests heavily on the third-party ’ s credibility and the trust it fosters with the client .
“ We ’ ve taken some significant steps forward that we never could have because we didn ’ t know what those steps were ,” Caprio says . “ Atrion looks to give solutions and has built a level of trust with us , a level of understanding , respect and attentiveness . And we really appreciate that .”
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