When it comes to finding the right talent for your business to enhance productivity and optimize the workflow, businesses often get confused between staff augmentation vs. Managed services. The global market is brimming with certified IT talents, with a number of options it becomes to choose the right one that fits with your business goals. These two models aim at strengthening the workforce of your business, but it’s more important to choose the right one.
The choice of hiring tech resources through these models should be made based on the requirements of the project and your business goals. In the global market, there are a number of businesses that specialize in one specific industry without a dedicated IT department; hence they need to hire temporary resources for various purposes. Although staff augmentation and managed services fulfill the need for tech resources, there are certainly significant differences between them.
Keep reading to know which one is better for you.
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IT Staff Augmentation Services
The emerging technologies and global market trends have contributed to raising the graph of competition between businesses. In order to tackle business problems while enhancing the project development outcomes at the same time, businesses have turned towards IT staff augmentation services. It has created a butterfly effect over the global market as a small change such as hiring certified resources can create a significant difference in the project outcomes.
IT staff augmentation services focus on providing qualified tech resources with greater expertise in emerging technologies to enhance the overall productivity, bring down the operating cost, and more. These services are implemented to fill the skill gap in the in-house team of the businesses and manage the workflow to create optimum results.
IT staff augmentation companies in the global market offer a lot of hiring models for businesses to choose from that fit their expectations and requirements. These hiring models are designed for specified needs based on project complexity, cost, deadlines, and more. Let’s understand these types of IT staff augmentation services.
Types of IT Staff Augmentation Services
Project development consists of different parameters that need to be fulfilled for a smooth process flow. IT staff augmentation services offer four types that are result-oriented. Various companies may offer different types, but mostly they have four common types.
1. Time & Material Model
It is considered the most feasible hiring model in the market. The reason behind the popularity of this model is the simple terms and high efficiency. When businesses enter a contract of staff augmentation with any firm through time and material model, they are billed only for the number of hours and the material invested in the project development. In terms of cost-effectiveness, this model is extremely feasible.
2. Turnkey Project Model
It is also known as the fixed cost model. The turnkey project model’s working principle is extremely simple, businesses state their requirements and define the scope of the project with the IT staff augmentation company, and the service provider takes care of the rest. Businesses are not liable for any mid-project change in expenses; everything is the responsibility of the service provider.
3. Dedicated Developer Model
As the name suggests, this staff augmentation model is most suitable for businesses that are looking for certified developers with vast experience. The dedicated developer model is often used when businesses need a dedicated resource to work on a complex project. The resources associated with this model possess a verified experience and can be used for long-term projects. However, this model is also suitable for any short-term projects and other short tasks that need an experienced professional with innovative ideas.
4. Custom Hiring Model
Custom Hiring Model is often preferred when a project presents a set of dynamic requirements that requires a set of professionals with a wide array of skills. Businesses can complete a number of tasks related to project development through this model by hiring resources as per need. In terms of cost, the custom hiring model is extremely feasible and efficient.
Benefits of IT Staff Augmentation Services
The staff augmentation services come with a bundle of benefits for businesses that helps in enhancing the project development quality and brand value. Here are some of the top advantages you get with staff augmentation services.
Cost-Effective
When businesses don't want to hire permanent resources but want to enhance the team strength, they can hire certified resources from staff augmentation services at an affordable cost. A variety of hiring models makes it easy for businesses to hire staff as per their needs at less expense. Apart from that, businesses are no longer bound to pay for the employee benefits such as insurance, healthcare, etc., as they are taken care of by the service provider company.
Easy Process
Hiring full-time resources can be mind-numbing, especially when you have to invest so much time and effort in the process. It can be a risk, too, if the hired resources are not delivering the required quality. Staff augmentation services have an easy process of hiring that consumes a lot less time than full-time hiring. You get to choose the resources as per their expertise that matches your project requirements.
Extreme Flexibility
Are you experiencing a skill gap in your team? IT staff augmentation is the perfect solution for you. You can hire resources with a wide array of skills and introduce them in your project development process at any stage. Since you stay in full control of the process, you can control every aspect of the process to ensure it is going in the right direction.
Highly Scalable
When you put the right amount of effort into your company at the right time, significant growth is inevitable. Your requirements for the resources will change as the company grows; staff augmentation services are highly scalable and can match the pace of your business. You can hire a full team of experts or just a dedicated developer as per your requirements.
Managed Services
Managed services can be described as the process where a business outsources its management and support to a firm in order to achieve optimum efficiency in its operations. The resources that are associated with these services act as full-time members of your business and help with the overall growth. These services take off the management load of a business which allows them to focus on their vision. Similar to the staff augmentation model, businesses can hire certified resources to work for them and fill the skill gap.
It is known to maintain and optimize the process management of a business. If the services are implemented properly with a result-oriented strategy, it can enhance effectiveness and productivity. Managed services are known to cope automatically with project development and make decisions on their own without consulting the parent business.
Types of Managed Services
When we talk about staff augmentation vs. Managed services, both have subcategories that are carefully designed to help the businesses grow, but managed services offer types that touches every process of any organization. Here are the most common types of managed services.
1. Infrastructure Support
The world is moving towards digitization; hence, businesses need to get everything online. In order to make your business exceed its previous past record, the IT infrastructure needs to be at its optimum efficiency. Infrastructure support type of managed services offers managed networks, managed print services, network security, etc.
2. Cloud Services
Businesses with a vast amount of data generation often face difficulty in managing their data. Cloud services are hired by businesses to stay ahead of the competition by following the market trends. It delivers a web-based service that delivers file sharing, data storage, secure remote access, and it is available remotely to every employee as per their clearance.
3. Technology Support
Technology support is another type of managed service that offers technology assessment, technical support for business applications, etc. It is similar to the staff augmentation services as businesses can hire resources that will help with filling the technical skill gap and developing complex projects. It comes with a project timeline and budget timeline to make sure the project is completed within the boundary of the decided budget.
4. On-Site Services
It is also known as managed field services. This type of managed service includes sending highly qualified experts to locations where businesses want them to work and carry out site surveys, install or repair any equipment, and any other IT task. The service provider is responsible for managing the services from the initiation to the end.
Benefits of Managed Services
Managed services are extremely popular in the global market for the various perks that come along with the contract. Here are some of the top benefits businesses get with managed IT services.
Constant Monitoring
The service provider is responsible for the complete operation of the process. They monitor each process closely and ensure efficiency and quality standards; also, they ensure the availability of the required resources and tools to keep the project going.
Efficient Outcomes
Since managed services are based on the outcome of the project, the service provider is bound to deliver the discussed results. These services are supported by a service level agreement (SLA), which defines the scope of every project undertaken by the service provider.
Access to Best Resources
Managed services cover a lot more processes than staff augmentation services; hence, along with developers and other experts, they provide you access to a larger pool of IT talents. These resources are flexible and extremely feasible in terms of cost.
Time & Cost Saving
Managed services take charge of the entire process from start to finish to deliver optimum results that match the client's requirements which saves a lot of time and capital. Most of the services offered under this model have a fixed price and only vary as per the workload.
What Should You Choose?
IT staff augmentation services and managed services both have their own benefits and risks. Businesses have to choose what’s best for them as per their projects and their expectations. If staff augmentation services fulfill all your requirements along with saving costs, then you should choose the same. On the other hand, managed services offer almost every service related to your business process management. Whether you choose staff augmentation services or managed services, you’ll need a reliable service provider.
Matellio delivers businesses highly qualified tech resources to boost their workflow and project development outcomes. Our flexible hiring model is designed with precision that aligns perfectly with your business goals. With more than a decade of experience in the software development market, we understand your varying business needs and deliver appropriate solutions. To know more about our IT staff augmentation services, schedule a 30-min consultation call with our experts today!!
