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Which is better for your enterprise? IT Staff Augmentation or Project-Based Consulting?

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Anna Sharland
Which is better for your enterprise? IT Staff Augmentation or Project-Based Consulting?

The truth about IT outsourcing is that no matter which option you choose, there will be some downsides. The IT staffing industry has been struggling with this question for a long time, and it seems like the answer isn’t going to change any time soon. So, in order to figure out what the best route is, we’re going to have to first look at what both of these options have to offer as well as their downsides. Luckily, when it comes to IT staffing versus project-based consulting, most of the potential issues are common across both routes. We have differentiated in this blog, IT Staff Augmentation vs. Project Based Consulting.

Why You Should Use an Experienced Software Development Agency

Agencies offer valuable staffing flexibility, saving companies money and time. In business, there are a number of events that require quick decision-making on costs and schedules, and these factors can change drastically based on new information. For example, with a software development agency, companies will have access to freelance talent in a variety of fields they need at any given time. If something comes up during production that requires some additional coding skills not currently in-house, then business can call on freelancers through an agency instead of hiring someone full time who may not be needed once work has resumed. This saves both money and headaches by keeping employees focused on their current duties while you quickly gain whatever manpower you need.

What is Staff Augmentation?

In a nutshell, staff augmentation is when a company hires an outside contractor to perform certain tasks on behalf of its existing employees. Think of it as outsourcing some of your internal workload—like getting an assistant to help out with filing, ordering supplies and other menial tasks—and getting paid for it. Most larger enterprises use staff augmentation in order to boost productivity and cut costs at one time by using a combination of both external resources (the contracted workers) and internal talent. Typically, these arrangements are temporary and end when projects are completed or funding runs out. Many firms combine staff augmentation with project-based consulting. That’s because they benefit from both options while also reducing their risk exposure by having fewer obligations beyond specific deliverables than if they had full-time contracts in place.

The advantages of using a software development agency

You get a team of skilled developers who can work on only one project at a time. So, you needn’t pay them to learn how to use new systems while they’re still working on yours. And, when you have an ongoing relationship with them, they have more incentive to solve problems properly rather than just stop development and move onto another client. Finally, with their internal processes already established in place and optimized over time, they know how to build software with few errors.

How can a Consulting Software Development Company Help Your Business?

While staffing strategies and project-based consulting are both powerful ways to get in house expertise, they are each designed to solve a different problem. If you’re looking to build a dedicated team of programmers and developers, then staff augmentation will be able to provide exactly that for you. Alternatively, if you need help getting just one specific piece of software developed and ready for implementation within a limited amount of time, then hiring project based consulting can be useful in achieving your objective.

Why choose project-based consulting over a full-time hire?

Your needs are always changing and a full-time hire could leave you missing out on important expertise. Project-based consulting enables you to bring in outside expertise when and where you need it without having to commit long term. You can get quality results with specialists who are experts in their fields; while they may be less expensive than employing internal staff, they’re not cheap enough to skimp on quality—it’s a win/win situation!

Six tips for finding the right agency for you

How to find the right agency for you. How can you be sure a company is a good fit? Here are six things to keep in mind when interviewing consulting companies for IT staff augmentation:

1) Did they really listen? A great consultant will take time to understand not only what you need, but also how it fits into your overall business strategy, and how it aligns with their expertise.

2) What are their past results like? We all have projects that come in under budget and ahead of schedule—that's why we're excited about them! But if every project falls into that category, take pause. If a client consistently works with an agency that comes in on time and under budget (or even slightly over), there's probably something very different going on behind closed doors (and possibly some serious manipulation going on).

3) Do they look at business problems differently than I do?

Contact Us - We'd Love to Help

More and more companies are recognizing that an onsite IT staff augmentation approach—hiring full-time, onsite employees to support core operations such as networking, systems administration, and technical support—may be a more cost-effective alternative to traditional consulting. But what about your specific needs? Here’s how you can make sure you get just what you need. Since both options offer important benefits and drawbacks, it's important to take a careful look at whether your organization would benefit from one option over another. In fact, both options may prove right in different situations: The key is understanding how they could fit with your particular business situation...and what differentiates them so you can choose accordingly. Get the IT Staff Augmentation development company services in India.


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Anna Sharland
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