‘Most of the IT outsourcing deals we hear about have tended to be major projects involving hundreds of staff and millions of Euro. But the one sector that can really benefit from outsourcing is SMEs,’ commented Caroline Godsil, joint managing director, Hibernia Evros Technology Group at the launch of the report, ‘IT Outsourcing – Size Doesn’t Matter. How SMEs Can Realise the True Power of Technology’.

The report says that technology is moving so quickly that it is difficult for an internal IT department or individual in an SME to remain on top of trends including security, new products, managing mobility, the move to Social Media and other issues.

Caroline Godsil said that for smaller businesses, with either a small or non-existent IT department, the responsibility for IT provision is often assumed by someone who is busy with the day job. ‘This usually means that the main day-to-day focus is on keeping the existing equipment working – with little or no time for ensuring that the data is safe, the environment stable or how IT can best serve the business in the medium term.’

She added that if there is an internal IT department, just outsourcing some elements of the service provision will free up time to focus on more strategic elements of the business.

An earlier study by HiberniaEvros found that of those SMEs who are already using IT outsourcing, 63% listed ‘focus on core business’ in the top two reasons for doing so. Cost saving was the second most popular reason, mentioned in their top two choices by 51%. ‘Releasing internal IT staff for more strategic work’ was highlighted by almost half (47%).