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IT Outsourcing: 4 Real-World Strategies That Work

George Anderson
June 30, 2025
IT Outsourcing, Managed IT Services

Modern IT management is getting more challenging by the day. Whether you have IT staff or not, it’s difficult to keep up with cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, and cloud systems—not to mention end user support.

This is why many companies turn to IT outsourcing services.

But how do you get the most out of IT outsourcing?

Is outsourcing the same as offshoring?

Do you have to fire your IT team?

Here’s everything you need to know.

Key points:

You don’t have to fire your IT team to enjoy the benefits of IT outsourcing.
There’s an IT outsourcing strategy to fit every scenario—including fully managed, co-managed, and staff augmentation services.
100% predictable monthly pricing is the Holy Grail of IT outsourcing. It’s what we offer here at Corsica Technologies.

1. What are IT outsourcing services?

IT outsourcing services are expert services that manage an organization’s IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, and specific technology needs in many areas. These services are provided by an IT outsourcing company (like Corsica Technologies).

Depending on the provider’s capabilities, IT outsourcing gives an organization access to an entire team of IT experts for roughly the cost of one staff hire.

But not all IT outsourcing arrangements look the same. Some companies may need fully managed services. Others may need co-managed services, in which the provider fills in gaps in the customer’s IT staff.

There are also different management models for IT outsourcing.

In a managed IT services arrangement, the provider manages the services and IT infrastructure themselves, either entirely on their own or in collaboration with the customer.

In an IT staff augmentation scenario, the provider acts more like a staffing agency, offering expert IT help that’s managed by the customer—usually over the short term. The benefit here is that the provider takes care of payroll and HR overhead, leaving the customer free to focus on completing the project or strategic initiative.

As you can see, IT outsourcing isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” service. We’ll talk more about this below in the Best Strategies for IT Outsourcing.

What services are included in IT outsourcing?

IT outsourcing covers a wide range of IT functions and operational processes designed to help your business run better. This includes managing network infrastructure, servers, cloud environments, and ensuring data backup and recovery. Beyond foundational IT, capabilities often extend to supporting specific applications like Microsoft 365, providing end-user support, and offering high-level IT consulting for strategic planning and budgetary roadmaps.

Advanced providers, like Corsica Technologies, also offer specialized services in areas such as EDI, data integration, digital transformation, and AI transformation, ensuring comprehensive technology coverage.

Most outsourced IT providers will offer flexible service packages to fit an organization’s needs. Here are the most common types of services included.

Outsourced network services. Also known as managed network services, this offering covers network device management, ISP connectivity, and 24/7/365 monitoring, troubleshooting, and remediation for network issues. A good outsourced IT company should also cover preventative maintenance and capacity planning.
Outsourced server services. This offering covers 24/7/365 monitoring of server availability and performance, plus troubleshooting and remediation for any events. Most providers also offer ongoing management of virtualization and specific server operating systems.
Outsourced cloud services. Just like any other system, cloud solutions need experts maintaining and troubleshooting them. Learn more here: Cloud Managed Services.
Backup monitoring and remediation. You need a thoughtful plan for restoring essential systems if you have a catastrophic data loss. An outsourced IT service provider can help you determine, for every system, whether you should 1) restore the data, 2) restore the system, or 3) restore both.
Outsourced IT support for M365. Microsoft 365 requires regular performance optimization, including synchronization with Active Directory. An outsourced IT provider ensures that every user has the right permissions and that your Microsoft environment is secure.
Outsourced IT support for workstations and users. A good provider should offer 24/7/365 end user support in addition to supporting user maintenance and workstation issues.
Outsourced IT consulting services. How do you make sure you have a good IT strategy if you don’t have IT leadership on staff? Even if you have (or are) an IT leader, it’s helpful to get an outside perspective as you develop and adjust your strategy.
Roadmap for budgetary planning. An IT outsourcing company should help you determine what investments may be needed to support the strategy direction of the business. A collaborative roadmap solves this problem, ensuring you’re never blindsided by a required technology investment.
Outsourced cybersecurity services. IT and cybersecurity are deeply interwoven. This is why you should find an outsourcing provider who handles cybersecurity as well as IT.
Self-service client portal. You deserve total transparency. This is why the best outsourced IT service providers let you see exactly what they’re seeing in your client portal. Here at Corsica Technologies, our client portal includes on-demand reports, interactive views, real-time information on tickets, and much more.

Of course, different organizations have different needs. Most IT outsourcing firms will work with a client to understand their requirements, then align their service offerings so the client doesn’t pay for things they don’t need.

Here at Corsica Technologies, we offer adaptable service packages to fit a wide variety of scenarios. Here are two of our most popular:

Corsica Secure—outsourced services for IT, cybersecurity, EDI, data integration, digital transformation, and consulting.
Corsica AI One—outsourced services for AI transformation, from strategy to execution and ongoing management.

2. What are the latest trends in IT outsourcing?

92% of major corporations outsource IT tasks. And when it comes to cybersecurity, 81% of companies outsource this responsibility. (Source: ScaleupAlly.)

Indeed, the popularity of IT outsourcing is demonstrated by the size and projected growth of the industry.

This market is valued at $588.38 billion in 2025, with projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.51% between now and 2030. At that time, the market should be worth $806.55 billion. (Source: Statista)

Clearly, IT outsourcing services are a major force in the modern economy. Organizations in all verticals turn to IT outsourcing to support their operations and essential technology without the challenges of staff hiring.

The difficulties associated with staff hiring are significant. In our exclusive report on IT Outsourcing Trends, we found that 42% of companies rate IT Staff Availability as a top pain point.

How do top-performing companies approach IT and cybersecurity outsourcing?

Our exclusive IT and Cyber Outsourcing Report isolated top-performing companies to see what they do differently. These findings really illuminate what works in IT outsourcing.

Companies that don’t struggle with IT staff availability experienced 136% higher sales growth—and 125% higher profit growth.
The most profitable companies are spending 78% more on cloud data hosting and storage than their peers.
Top-selling companies are 29% more likely to outsource their cybersecurity services.
Leading companies are 27% more likely to adopt AI threat detection in the next year.

What IT functions are outsourced the most?

Outsourcing is more common in some IT functions than in others. In our exclusive Report on IT and Cybersecurity Outsourcing, we found that remote IT management was the most frequently outsourced function, while end user support was the least outsourced. Note that leading companies (in terms of profits) are 59% more likely to use remote IT management.

These findings make sense. Outsourcing offers great benefits in a remote management scenario, while end user support may require an onsite presence that’s more difficult to outsource.

That said, note that companies approach both functions both ways.

What is the customer satisfaction rating of IT outsourcing services?

Our exclusive Report on IT and Cybersecurity Outsourcing also examined satisfaction with various approaches to IT support. The findings are fascinating.

Companies that use third-party services for remote IT management are more likely to be satisfied (44%) than those that use OEM/vendor service (40%) or support in-house (38%).

Overall, most companies are satisfied with their current technology services in four key areas.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting.

While 67% of companies use in-house resources for end user support, those that use third-party partners for this function are 23% more likely to be satisfied than those using in-house resources.

This is one area where IT practice isn’t following the data—at least not yet.

What does the data say about IT outsourcing?

Every company is different, but we can make several high-level recommendations based on this data.

Companies with low approval ratings for in-house end user support should evaluate IT outsourcing as an alternative.
Solving the IT staff availability crisis, whether through hiring or outsourcing, has been shown to correlate with over 100% higher sales and profit growth.
Remote IT management is the most popular function to outsource, but businesses should examine economies of scale that occur when bundling additional services with their IT outsourcing company.

3. Should you outsource your IT department?

If you already have some IT staff, it’s rarely a good idea to fire them and move to a 100% outsourced model unless things really aren’t working out.

Instead, most organizations with IT staff should retain their valuable employees while bringing in an outsourced IT partner to fill their gaps.

Of course, if you have no IT staff, the question isn’t so complex. Outsourcing gives you access to all the IT resources you need at a significant cost reduction compared to staff hiring.

What are the benefits and value of IT outsourcing?

Organizations can gain significant advantages by leveraging IT outsourcing services, leading to improved efficiency, enhanced cost control, accelerated innovation, and comprehensive enterprise transformation.

Whether you outsource your IT support in part or in whole, you gain several benefits that aren’t available with 100% staff hiring.

Your IT outsourcing company will adapt to meet your needs. It’s easier to pivot in an outsourcing scenario than it is to hire and train new staff members.
Need more help one month and less help the next month? Outsourcing allows you to scale up your IT practice as needed. NOTE: Here at Corsica Technologies, your service delivery scales with your needs—without scaling up in price. You get one predictable monthly cost. Learn more here: Unlimited IT Support Services.
Comprehensive coverage. It’s tough cover all your technology needs with staff hires. An outsourced provider should do it all—from IT to cybersecurity, AI to EDI, data integration to digital transformation. That’s what we offer here at Corsica Technologies.
24/7/365 support. It’s tough to get staff hires to handle nights, weekends, and holidays. When you outsource your IT services to an expert partner, you get the continuous support you need—even in the off-hours.
Cost savings. Simply put, outsourced IT support is cheaper than staff hiring. You get access to an entire team of experts for significantly less than the cost of salaried employees. In fact, here at Corsica Technologies, most of our clients get access to the team they need for roughly the cost of one staff hire.
Ownership of regulatory compliance. This one is a beast—but it doesn’t have to be. If you don’t have the dedicated leadership and resources to handle regulatory compliance, the right outsourced IT company should take strategic ownership of this critical initiative. Here at Corsica Technologies, we can take ownership of regulatory compliance, or we can work alongside your team to achieve and maintain it.

4. What are the best strategies for IT outsourcing?

IT outsourcing isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. From recurring services to project-based support, the right mix of resources (staff vs. outsourced) looks different for every organization. Here are the most common approaches that our clients take.

Fully managed services
Co-managed services
Comprehensive outsourcing (including EDI)
IT staff augmentation

There are similarities and key differences between these approaches. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Fully managed services

If an organization doesn’t have any IT staff, fully managed services provide a great solution. Under this arrangement, the IT outsourcing company acts as a complete IT department for the client.

Many outsourcing firms offer fully managed IT services. However, note that most providers can’t assist with complex technologies like data integration or EDI. (More about solving this problem below: Comprehensive Outsourcing.)

2. Co-managed services

If an organization already has great IT professionals on staff, they may choose co-managed services. Under this arrangement, the outsourced IT company partners with in-house staff to deliver comprehensive IT management. Typically, the service provider fills in gaps in expertise, bandwidth, and shift coverage, while also providing strategic guidance.

This is a great approach for organizations that have some IT capabilities but struggle to support the business completely. The organization can retain their excellent staff resources while also covering areas that their staff can’t handle.

“Corsica didn’t come in and say, here’s what we can do for you, we can get rid of your IT dept. No, they want to work hand in hand with you and be a partner. It fits our model to a T.”

—Greg Sopcak, 1st VP of IT

See Greg’s story →

3. Comprehensive outsourcing (including EDI, ERP, and more)

IT management typically covers standard capabilities like cybersecurity, networking, infrastructure, cloud systems, hardware, email, and so on. These things are critical, but most companies have technology needs that fall outside these traditional “IT responsibilities.”

These “non-IT” requirements often include:

EDI support
Data integration support
ERP system support
CRM system support

If a company needs comprehensive support for one or more of these systems (in addition to standard IT), then they typically have to work with multiple outsourced providers. That gets complicated—not only in terms of communication, but also in terms of ownership and technical compatibility.

This is why Corsica Technologies offers comprehensive services that go beyond traditional IT. Our goal is to be your one-stop-shop for every technology that your business uses.

“Corsica has been instrumental in helping to rebuild and modernize our EDI systems this fall.”

—Christina Holmes | Co-Founder, Skulicity

4. IT staff augmentation

Sometimes, you just need additional help on a short-term basis to fill specific gaps in your IT staff’s capabilities. You don’t have all your IT needs covered, but a managed services relationship is too much firepower for the problem you’re trying to solve.

In these cases, IT staff augmentation can help. Your outsourcing company provides IT professionals with specific skills on a short-term basis. Your internal IT leadership manages these resources, meaning you get full control of project execution without having to invest in long-term hiring.

Learn more here: IT Staff Augmentation.

5. How much do outsourced IT services cost?

The monthly cost of IT outsourcing typically depends on two factors:

Your provider’s billing model
How much service you need in a given month

Most outsourcing companies use an hourly rate for billing (typically $150-200) multiplied by the number of hours you’ve consumed for the month. This leads to fluctuating bills as your IT service requirements increase or decrease, making it tough to stay on a budget.

Corsica Technologies is different.

Our billing model is simple. During the sales process, we work with you to determine what service level you need, then offer a contract with a fixed monthly price. Your cost will stay 100% dependable for the life of the contract—even as your service needs fluctuate up or down.

This makes it easier to stick to a budget. It also empowers our team to jump in and help without worrying about billable hours.

This pricing model leads to significant cost savings for our clients.

How much could you save?

Use our FREE Outsourced IT Savings Calculator to find out.

6. What should you look for in an IT outsourcing company?

Every organization has unique challenges. Not all IT outsourcing companies are up to the task of adapting and providing excellent service.

There are three specific qualities that you should look for as you consider your options:

Comprehensive expertise
Great to work with
Easy on the budget

Here’s what goes into each of these qualities.

Comprehensive expertise

IT, infrastructure, cloud, and hardware
Cybersecurity and regulatory compliance
AI and business transformation
EDI and data integration
Business strategy consulting

Great to work with

100% US-based team
Passionate technicians and consultants who really care
Provider takes a “true partner” approach

Easy on the budget

100% predictable monthly pricing
Unlimited service consumption

Finding the right approach to partnership and service delivery

A successful IT outsourcing engagement hinges on a strong partnership and effective service delivery.

Look for providers who prioritize building trusted relationships, acting as an extension of your team rather than just a vendor. This involves clear communication, transparent processes, and a commitment to understanding your business goals.

A true partner will offer flexible engagement models, proactive support, and a collaborative approach to problem-solving. They should demonstrate a willingness to adapt their services to your evolving needs, ensuring successful outcomes through continuous improvement and alignment with your strategic objectives.

Here at Corsica Technologies, we check all these boxes. If you’re looking for the last outsourced IT partner you’ll ever need, get in touch with us today. Let’s take your next step with technology.