SDaaS vs outsourcing IT | Main Differences and How to Choose One

As technology improves, and the need for reliable and bespoke software increases, Software Development as a Service (SDaaS) will continue to deliver benefits that are more appealing than simply outsourcing IT.

For some businesses, having an in-house IT team can ensure their operationally-critical software and software development process is continually maintained, enhanced and optimised to a high standard, but for others, this isn't a reality due to the cost and varying levels of work available throughout the year. This is why many businesses decide that outsourcing their IT is the right step for them as it significantly reduces costs, however, it can also vary in terms of quality, reliability and its ability to meet the needs of the business.

In this blog post, we look at the differences between SDaaS and outsourcing IT, and why streamlining your software development can benefit and support your bespoke systems.

What is outsourced IT?

Outsourced IT is when a business works with an external agency to allocate the work on their IT systems and develop software. The outsourcing vendor provides services so the hiring business doesn't need to hire employees in-house, potentially saving money in the process. However, outsourced IT has been criticised for its quality, as an external company or freelance developer generally only works on one-off projects, meaning they may not have the domain expertise your business needs.

What is Software Development as a Service?

SDaaS is an on-demand and flexible software development service with predictable ongoing costs, designed to ensure bespoke software is consistently maintained and supported in the same way it would be with a team of in-house developers. It allows businesses to reduce costs and risks related to their IT systems maintenance and enhancement, whilst still ensuring their systems are consistently of the highest quality and have the capability to respond to changing business requirements to remain fit-for-purpose with the skilled software developers employed.

Differences between Synetec’s Critical SDaaS and outsourced IT

• Maintenance and support
  With outsourcing, there can be barriers with communication and collaboration. You may not know if the team or business you’re outsourcing to have the domain expertise your business needs. If their main focus is project delivery rather than the overall workings of your bespoke systems, quality control can be reduced.
  However, with Synetec’s Critical SDaaS, your business is fully understood and the stringent onboarding of your bespoke systems allows us to maintain them to a high standard, while our on-demand, responsive development team can be used by you as a flexible and scalable resource.
• System monitoring
  Outsourced IT isn't always ‘on' like SDaaS. It is only available to complete the work required with usually a lead time associated. However, SDaaS involves carrying out daily system operational checks and data quality checks, which help to ensure the systems you rely on are consistently fit-for-purpose. This in turn reduces costly downtime and the dependency on internal resources or contracted suppliers. Outsourcing contracts for IT is not a one size-fits-all solution. You must ensure that your business needs it before making that commitment and that you have the necessary processes in place to maximise your investment.
• Quick, scalable enhancements
  When the time comes to deliver new features, new projects or even a proof-of-concept to the business, SDaaS is flexible and can scale up faster and more effectively than outsourced IT. Since SDaaS is a long-term partnership, rather than an outsourced company for a single project or service, it means each deliverable can be started quickly and completed to the highest standard, making IT even more valuable to the organisation’s success.
• Flexible and comprehensive
  SDaaS is built around reducing risks and costs, meaning it’s highly flexible for efficiency, speed and capacity whenever required. Outsourcing on the other hand can be quite rigid in its approach to each singular contracted project or service and be unable to move quickly and easily – a key factor in ensuring your bespoke software is always fit-for-purpose.
• Predictable costs and reduced IT spend
  For a one-off project, outsourced IT work may be cheaper if there is no need to understand the business or industry as a whole. However, with SDaaS, building a long-term relationship with predictable costs that are considered and approved in advance, means you can use the budget as and when you need it, without the delays of lengthy approval cycles or due diligence processes.

When it comes to bespoke software, your business needs to be able to rely on a service that keeps your systems stable, secure and fit-for-purpose at all times. Here at Synetec, our Critical SDaaS will not only enable you to maintain operations today, but help to build for tomorrow and support your business fully in the process. Our collaborative and reliable approach will maximise the operational benefits of your bespoke software, allowing you to free up internal resources and move away from outsourced IT to focus on the strategic priorities of your business.