Nowadays, agencies are constantly pressured to keep up with evolving technology and deliver seamless app experiences. It often leads to costly downtime or poor customer experiences.
Managing app maintenance can quickly drain resources, slowing down growth and innovation. The challenge is clear:
- How do you keep up with the demands of app maintenance?
- How can you focus on scaling your business while managing app maintenance?
That’s where application management outsourcing can help.
“How?”
Explore our blog to understand how outsourcing application maintenance and support services can help agencies scale efficiently, improve performance, and reduce costs.
Table of Contents
Why Should You Consider Outsourcing?
Outsourcing for maintenance and support involves delegating the management and upkeep of your software and systems to third-party vendors. This strategy can greatly increase productivity and lessen your team’s internal workload.
Why think about application outsourcing maintenance and support?
According to Deloitte’s Global Outsourcing Survey, 65% of businesses claim that outsourcing allows them to concentrate on their core competencies.
You can increase the efficiency and speed of problem-solving by outsourcing application maintenance and support, which gives you access to specialist knowledge and resources that might not be available internally.
Another survey by Clutch states that over 1 in 3 small businesses outsource at least one business process. More than half (52%) said they want to outsource at least one business process in the future.
Similarly, outsourcing maintenance and support is crucial for businesses looking to grow and remain competitive because it frees up resources for expansion plans and other strategic objectives.
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How Does Outsourcing Help Agencies Scale?
Outsourcing has become a strategic approach for agencies looking to expand their operations, enhance efficiency, and remain competitive. Here’s how application management outsourcing helps agencies scale effectively:
1. Focus on Core Competencies
Outsourcing application support services allows agencies to focus more on their core business operations, like marketing, customer engagement, and product creation.
Teams can concentrate on strategic objectives that promote growth and differentiation rather than getting bogged down with mundane duties like software updates or bug repairs.
Agencies can assign support work to a third party to increase efficiency. Here’s how:
- Frees teams to focus on innovation and growth
- Offloads time-consuming support tasks
- Boosts productivity by reallocating resources
2. Cost Effective
As you reduce unnecessary overhead, you can save money. Application management outsourcing frees up funds for investments in expanding your agency by converting fixed expenditures into variable costs.
It can lead to savings on costs, such as office space and employee benefits, which are other potential outcomes—using the specialized talents of outside suppliers results in increased efficiency, which enhances service quality and turnaround times.
Here’s what an in-house and outsourcing cost includes:
| Cost Factor | In-house | Outsourcing |
| Salary | Fixed higher cost | Variable cost |
| Office Space | Required | Optional |
| Equipment | Provided by you | Provided by an outsourcer |
3. Keep Up with Changing Technology
Keeping up with the changing technology can be difficult for many firms. Managing internal application support demands continuous training, budget allocation for education, and recruiting skilled professionals, all in a rapidly evolving environment.
Outsourcing application management services can simplify the procedure and help businesses stay up-to-date while allocating resources as efficiently as possible. It helps to:
- Free internal teams to focus on strategic tasks
- Offer expert support for upgrades and new tools
- Keep your organization aligned with the latest IT trends
4. Improve Productivity
Outsourcing application support services ensures your app remains secure and performs optimally. It’s frequently better than depending entirely on an in-house team, particularly when dealing with difficult coding requirements or ambiguous project deadlines.
You can hire app developers through outsourcing and save money by paying for the services you need. Here’s what you’ll get:
- Offers expert support for constant app updates
- Avoids full-time hiring for short-term needs
- Saves costs with flexible payment models
5. Risk Management
Outsourcing application support and maintenance improves your company’s risk management by providing supervision and strong security measures. These outside companies put in place thorough procedures to protect apps against online dangers and weaknesses.
Moreover, they guarantee prompt fixes for any problems, maintaining the security and functionality of your business apps. Under this:
- Experts identify and resolve vulnerabilities
- Strong risk management protects from threats
- Quick specialist responses minimize downtime
6. Reduce Downtime
Outsourcing application maintenance and support by lowering downtime helps avoid expensive productivity and revenue losses. Third-party vendors provide expertise and infrastructure to ensure applications are continuously available and operating correctly. You’ll get:
- Quick issue resolution by experts
- Robust infrastructure reduces downtime
- Improved application availability for smooth operations
Cost of Outsourcing for App Maintenance & Support
You will need to set aside money for many aspects of app upkeep. Here, we’ll break down the factors influencing app maintenance costs. It helps you estimate the probable cost of carrying out different kinds of regular maintenance. Below is the cost breakdown:
| App Maintenance Type | Approx. Costs |
| Hosting Charges | $70 to $320 Per Month |
| Bug Fixes and Updates | $25 to $100 Per Service or Per Bug |
| 3rd Party Services (such as mail and SMS) | $30 to $70 per month for notification emails & SMS services |
| API Integration | $1000 to $5000 Per Year |
| IT Support | $10k to $30k Per Year |
| Analytics | Free & Paid Services |
| Payment Gateways | $50 to $150 per month |
| Technical Intervention | $35 to $50 Per Hour |
Get in touch with us to reduce expenses while delivering top-tier app support.
Challenges in Outsourcing App Maintenance & Support
Outsourcing app maintenance and support provides many benefits but has some challenges. Let’s discuss some challenges that companies have while outsourcing app development:
1. Communication Gaps
Different time zones, cultural norms, and language challenges may lead to misunderstandings and delays. Setting up clear communication channels and using collaborative tools to keep in sync is crucial.
2. Quality Control
When an application management outsourcing staff works remotely, ensuring they match your quality requirements might be challenging. Maintaining high-quality outputs requires constant feedback, clear expectations, and regular reviews.
3. Security Concerns
Sharing sensitive information with a third party raises the possibility of data breaches and cyberattacks. Strong security procedures, such as NDAs, secure communication channels, and adherence to security regulations like GDPR, should be implemented.
4. Dependence on External Providers
It might be dangerous to rely too much on an outside organization for upkeep and assistance, particularly if they experience operating problems. To mitigate this, have backup strategies to lessen this, including keeping a backup staff or knowledge transfer protocols.
Best Practices for Successful Outsourcing
Successful application management outsourcing necessitates careful planning and clear communication to guarantee that both parties fulfill expectations and attain the intended results. Follow the given best practices:
1. Define Your Goals and Schedule
It’s crucial to define your goals when looking for an outsourced partner. Are you seeking specialist expertise, increasing productivity, or cutting costs?
For example, if you are starting an eCommerce app development outsourcing business, set clear objectives such as increasing online sales by 20% in six months or improving the user experience on your website.
You can choose the best provider and monitor the effectiveness of your outsourcing endeavors by establishing specific, quantifiable targets. Create a thorough schedule including important dates and milestones to guarantee your project stays on track.
2. Choose the Right Outsourcing Agency
Not every outsourcing company can provide all services. One-size-fits-all solutions are unacceptable, just as you wouldn’t hire an accountant for digital marketing. To make the right choice:
- Investigate possible agencies
- Review their performance history
- Check client endorsements
- Make sure they have prior experience
When looking for the best agencies to work with, prioritize those with a track record of meeting deadlines and understanding your company’s objectives.
3. Select the Right Outsourcing Model
There are two types of IT outsourcing models to assist you in selecting the one that best suits your objectives. Let’s discuss them:
- Location-Based: Onshore outsourcing guarantees cultural compatibility but can be costly. Nearshhore offers a balance with local vendors, while offshore is more economical, which may result in communication problems because of time zone differences.
- Relationship-Based: Staff augmentation adds remote workers for certain tasks, while the managed team model provides a dedicated team with more control. On the other hand, project-based outsourcing offers flexibility without long-term commitments by concentrating on particular activities.
4. Start Small
It’s a good idea to start with a small project to test an outsourcing vendor’s dependability, performance, and communication. The project helps establish trust before taking on more significant projects. It offers insightful information that enables you to evaluate the partnership and choose the best course of action for future cooperation.
5. Outsource the Right Skills
Application management outsourcing enables firms to develop and scale through cost savings, increased efficiency, and access to specialized expertise. Setting specific objectives and selecting the best agency and model make outsourcing a calculated decision that helps you remain competitive and swiftly adjust.
6. Don’t Compromise Quality Over Price
When outsourcing, concentrating only on cost reductions may result in poor quality and expensive errors. Prioritizing quality and dependability is crucial since a trustworthy vendor will produce better work and save money by minimizing errors and rework.
For example, investing in a reputable agency guarantees greater performance and profitability, whereas selecting a low-cost PPC provider may lead to inefficient advertisements and a low return on investment.
7. Engage With the Outsourcing Team
Treat your offshore team like your in-house team by establishing clear communication, providing regular feedback, and involving them in team meetings. It fosters:
- Collaboration
- Ensures alignment with business goals
- Helps prevent misunderstandings through consistent check-ins
Partner with our experts to maintain performance without overburdening your in-house team.
8. Provide Training and Tools
Make sure your app development outsourcing team has the right training and tools to perform effectively. Invest in:
- Onboarding
- Training sessions
- Provide access to essential resources
It helps to integrate seamlessly with your in-house team.
Still Confused?
Scaling app maintenance and support for agencies requires a strategic approach to ensure efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and quality of service.
App management outsourcing allows agencies to tap into:
- Specialized expertise
- Reduce operational costs
- Scale support services according to demand
This model provides access to skilled developers and support teams, ensuring continuous app performance and timely updates without the overhead of an in-house team.
At PixelCrayons, we offer end-to-end outsourcing solutions that enable agencies to focus on growth while we handle the complexities of app maintenance and support. Our team can help you scale with flexible, reliable, and efficient outsourcing strategies to meet your unique needs.
Contact us to discuss how our application development services can enhance your app maintenance and drive your agency’s success.
