As UK charities continue to grow and expand, so must their technological infrastructure. As the digital age progresses, more and more charities are outsourcing their managed IT support services to reap the benefits that come along with it. However, there are certain challenges that charities must consider before outsourcing their managed IT support services, as well as specific benefits that could be advantageous for them.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss the advantages and issues associated with managed IT support for charities – from cost saving to potential security threats – and how a managed service provider, like Qlic, can help you and your charity meet your goals.
What Is Managed IT Support for nonprofits?
Managed IT Support for nonprofits and charities is the process of outsourcing your IT management and maintenance to an outside provider. This type of service is designed to help reduce costs and improve security, while still providing the same quality of support that would be expected from an in-house IT team.
IT Support for charities can include hardware and software installation, maintenance, monitoring, troubleshooting, network infrastructure, cloud services, desktops, laptops, mobile devices, printers and peripherals.
With managed IT support, a provider will be responsible for monitoring and supporting all areas of your IT environment – from software updates and patching to hardware maintenance to network administration and more. By offloading these tasks, organizations can focus their resources on their core mission rather than the day-to-day operations required to run an efficient IT system. Not only that, but managed IT support can also help reduce the risk associated with cyber attacks, while ensuring that your technology remains up-to-date with industry standards.
The benefits of Managed IT Support for nonprofits & charities
The third sector is not like any other sector, and as such, the IT support that you need is very different. At Qlic, we understand the very tight budgets, multiple challenges and legislation surrounding the third sector. Here are some great benefits of outsourcing IT Support as a nonprofit:
- Lower costs
- Latest Technology
- Fills skill gaps
- Constant security & compliance
- Expert support
- Time-saving
Read on to find out more about each of these excellent benefits.
Lower costs
Many outsourced IT Support companies offer nonprofit deals. At Qlic, we offer bespoke managed IT support and solutions for your charity requirements at highly incentivised prices.
Latest technology
Outsourced IT companies will be up-to-date with the latest technology that will completely enhance your nonprofit’s current technology environment. Members of the team will be constantly monitoring the latest developments in technology to make sure their clients receive the best service.
Fills skill gaps
When it comes to trained IT staff, many charities and nonprofits might not have this within their team. The impressive statistic below shows how a lack of IT skills within nonprofit organisations is one of the biggest factors for minimal engagement digitally.
Lack of skills or knowledge (41%) was one of the biggest barriers for small charities to fully engage with the digital and data agenda.
Stat provided by Small Charities Data
Constant security & compliance
With a managed service provider taking care of your IT environment, you can rest assured that all areas of your system are being monitored and protected from potential vulnerabilities such as breaches or malicious attacks. This added layer of protection will help minimize the risk associated with data loss or theft.
Expert Support
Reaching out to a company that lives and breathes IT Support guarantees expertise. Not only do they provide expertise, but also clear visibility for the future of your nonprofit organisation’s IT needs.
Time-saving
A managed service provider will be able to leverage their expertise to ensure that your organisation’s technology is running as efficiently as possible. This can help reduce downtime, improve productivity, and enable you to get more out of your existing resources.
The Potential Challenges when Outsourcing IT Support for Charities
Though outsourcing IT support for charities can offer a number of advantages, it is not without its potential challenges. Before transitioning to a managed service provider, nonprofits should consider the challenges involved with Managed IT Support, specifically:
- IT Support reputation
- Structure of handover
- Hidden costs
- IT Support dependency
- IT Support security procedures
Read on to find out more about the potential challenges of outsourcing IT Support.
IT Support reputation
Making sure you go with the correct Managed IT Support company is crucial. One of the main factors in differentiating the good from the bad is reviews! Take a look at their Google reviews, case studies and any testimonials provided to find out how their current clients rate them.
IT Support is very much based on reviews and word of mouth, therefore if you come across any negative feedback and reviews, there will be plenty more companies out there to support your charity. Here you can find a good example of an IT Support testimonial page.
Structure of handover
Are you looking to move away from your current IT Provider but not sure where to start? A handover with a Managed IT Support business should be seamless. They should provide you with a step-by-step of the handover process and take control. If an IT Support Provider is making the handover difficult for your charity, they’re not the correct company for you.
Take a look at just how easy it is to switch IT Providers.
Hidden costs
When it comes to joining a new Managed IT Support for charities provider, there should be no hidden costs. If the company you’re in contact with doesn’t put together an easy and clear proposal that includes all costs for your charity’s project, they’re trying to hide costs.
Make sure you receive clear IT Support proposals listing step-by-step the project and costs procured.
IT Support dependency
Having full dependency on your IT Support provider can sometimes cause pressure and leave your charity in the unknown. Finding an IT Support provider that not only solves your IT issues, but also explains the process of recognising the issue and fixing it, will help provide reassurance for your nonprofit team.
Of course, your IT Support provider would like you to solely rely on their expertise, but sometimes explaining an issue and how it’s been resolved helps your team learn a little bit more about their work and procedures.
IT Support security produces
When it comes to keeping your charity organisation secure, your IT Support provider will have this covered. They should perform regular checks on your charity and it’s database. Also, they should constantly monitor what’s coming up in technology and suggest the best processes and software for your nonprofit organisation.
If your IT Support provider sits back and let’s your charity stay with the same processes from the beginning of the relationship, they aren’t providing you with the utmost technology. Technology is constantly evolving and so should your cyber security landscape.
Final Thoughts
All in all, a third-party IT Support provider will offer your charity the expertise you need, especially if they specialise in IT Support for charities! Managing your support in-house has its benefits but it also has its negatives, so before outsourcing your IT Support, make sure you review the benefits and potential challenges in this blog.
Is your charity in need of IT Support or looking to change providers? Book a completely FREE IT Support Consultation with our expert team at Qlic by clicking the button below.
