When it comes to outsourcing project management responsibilities, there are a lot of reasons why to consider it. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of pitfalls to avoid. In the channel, project responsibilities for MSPs, agents, and other technology partners are multifaceted and involve many moving pieces. An outsourced project manager can bring a high level of experience and expertise to cover these responsibilities while juggling multiple schedules, vendors, and teams.
Outsourcing project management to an outside expert can help growing businesses keep within their customers’ project scope and execute on project objectives, all while allowing internal teams to stay focused on what they do best. That’s why finding the right outsourcing partner can make all the difference. Factors that might motivate business leaders to outsource project management tasks can vary, but they tend to center on some key objectives. If you find yourself making these statements (below), it may be time to start hunting for a skilled outsourcing partner. Let’s take a look.
‘I want to keep my internal staff small, but I need specialized skills’
Whether a business is just starting or it’s an established company looking to control costs, bringing on a full-time hire is a significant undertaking and financial commitment. By outsourcing PM responsibilities, organizations can keep their internal team small and agile while bringing on an external project management team that has specialization and experience in that area.
‘There’s a big opportunity I want to jump on now’
Hiring a project manager on a contract basis can provide a big payoff for a big new project. Most outsource partners should be able to start working immediately without much training or ramp-up time. That means if you’re working with a new client or you’re leveraging an outside PM to break into a new vertical, there should be almost no learning curve. Want to complement your network management portfolio and start selling Managed Security Services (MSS)? A project manager that has a focus in that area can help you get your new customer up-and-running much faster than training internal teams or going through the full-time hiring processes.
‘I need to stay focused on core responsibilities’
Back office operations – including project management – tend to expand quickly during a period of rapid growth. Earning a new big account or client is great, but it may overwhelm your team’s internal project management team and consume resources at the expense of the core activities that made your company so successful in the first place. When companies can outsource these activities to a trusted partner, teams can refocus in-house resources on the critical functions that make the business profitable, without sacrificing quality or service for existing customers.
‘My business model doesn’t usually require a project manager’
If your organization tends to take on short-term projects, it may not make financial sense to hire and train a full-time project management staff. This category could include managing the installation of digital signage for small businesses. Or it could include installing video surveillance equipment or gate and alarm systems. In these examples, it may be cost prohibitive and more of an administrative burden to hire a full-time project manager. If a new project arises that’s more complex, such as installing digital signage across multiple retail locations where each has different network requirements and connectivity needs, an outsourced project manager specializing in these services could provide a critical benefit for that customer rollout.
Depending on your organization’s situation, goals and culture, advantages of outsourcing project management can easily outweigh the disadvantages. Understanding what your motivations for outsourcing are, and your company’s long and short-term goals can help you make the right decision for your business and your customers.