Why it makes sense that the Third Sector is anxious about outsourcing; and why they should consider it anyway.

It makes perfect sense that everyone involved in working with not-for-profit organisations wants as much money as possible to be directed towards the actual cause. The decision to reinvest in the charity is not one which can be taken lightly. There must be a very clear-cut ROI set out before any monies can justifiably be used in any other area of the business.

Taking the strategic view to reinvest because it will benefit the charity and its stakeholders to do so is complex. It involves convincing trustees who may not have a thorough understanding of the daily processes or outdated systems, slowing you down, that it’s worth it. It also involves ensuring managers and employees who are so invested in the cause that they try to do everything themselves, that it’s a better option.

Most small or medium-sized charities have overstretched budgets, and legislation and compliance challenges are now adding to the pressure.

Other problems faced by most charities include:

• Addressing trust and perception
• Evidencing and delivering on efficiencies
• Providing high-quality services to all stakeholders
• Supporting collaborative working to assist employees and volunteers
• Investigating linking or merging of services to provide value for money.

If you lack the equipment or workforce to make your operations easier, more efficient, cheaper and regulation compliant, use this no-nonsense guide to the benefits of outsourcing. Blue Saffron works with a variety of charities and delights in saving them money and being a helping hand for good causes.

1. Lower Costs

With an outside IT professional, you will never have to worry about buying and maintaining expensive technology or recruiting and retaining high-earning IT specialists. You simply pay for what you need monthly and upgrade as your charity grows.

An MSP (managed service provider) will custom design a plan using their hardware and systems to meet the specific needs of your organisation. This will ensure you achieve the biggest return on investment to help you to generate more funds.

The greatest benefit of outsourcing your IT is the amount of cash you save on labour and equipment. Computers, servers and software add up fast as do employees with the correct IT skills and storage and upgrade costs.

Over the past 12 months, we have consistently proven that outsourcing delivers an improved service delivery for the same, if not less, as is currently being spent on a necessary service.

2. Leading Edge Technology

Imagine having access to the latest technology (and a qualified team on-hand to support it) without wasting your time and budget trying to learn and stay on top of new tech.

Just sit back, relax, and reap all the benefits. By outsourcing your IT department, you can integrate all the latest technology into your business and concentrate your assets on your core goals.

3. No panic in a crisis

What is your current plan for a systems failure? Have you calculated how severe the consequences would be if your systems went down for a lengthy amount of time?

Outsourcing your IT department means saying goodbye to lengthy downtime for good. An external IT supplier eats, breathes, and sleeps tech, providing your business with round-the-clock support. They will continuously monitor the availability, performance, and overall health of your infrastructure, 24/7 and ensure you are up and running.

4. Improved Security and Compliance

Data is the new oil. It is incredibly important both for revenue, public perception and to meet legislation that you keep it safe. Is your computer network protected from viruses to stop your data from falling into the wrong hands?

If you outsource, they have in-house security specialists, capable of offering the virus protection and backup solutions you will need to keep your network and business files secure. This will protect you from cyber-attacks and data compromises which can harm the reputation of your brand and affect donations.

5. Save Time

By allowing a third-party professional to take care of your IT duties, you can reduce your workload, allowing you to focus on what matters.

Managing staff, meeting deadlines, producing compliance reports—there simply aren’t enough hours in the day. As a senior executive of a charity, doing it, all can use up your precious time and hinder your progress.

The team at Blue Saffron are happy to look at your current IT spend and provide a cost and efficiency comparison against an outsourced service, including lots of great advice and no obligation to move forward with the project.

Further Information

• IT managed services for charities
• IT Productivity with Blue Saffron
• Managed infrastructure services
• Contact us