Apart from software development services, technology providers offer a range of o value-added services to enterprises. Services like testing, training, managed services, staff augmentation etc are very useful to businesses to manage their IT environment.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced most companies to increase their digitalization process by adopting technology. As enterprises adopt more digital technologies, they would need value-added IT services to run, manage and maintain their IT environments.
What are Value-Added Services in IT?
In the absence of a standard definition for value-added IT services, it can be explained as services that are non-core software development services. Examples of value-added IT services include testing, training, cyber security, managed services staff augmentation etc.
Most software companies offer product implementation services such as SAP implementation or custom development services like building mobile apps. In addition to these core services, these companies offer a few non-core services mentioned above.
We, at Gemini Consulting & Services, can help you increase productivity and get maximum value from your IT environment with additional services. While our core expertise is SAP and digital services, we also offer many value-added offerings, such as test automation, process automation and mobile app testing. To know how to enhance your technology deployment, Contact us.
How Value-Added IT Services Help Enterprises?
- Save Time: When two or more services are offered by one company, enterprises don’t have to spend time selecting vendors and coordinating with them.
- Cut Costs: Software companies offer bundled packages to businesses that avail their non-core services along with core services.
- Speed Up the Project: This is particularly relevant to services like testing which cannot be done in isolation or parallel to software development. Testing can only be done after the software is built. Now when 2 vendors work on the project, it would require more time than one vendor taking care of both development and testing.
Major Value-Added Services
As said earlier, software development companies offer a range of value-added services to businesses. Here are five of the most popular value-added services in IT.
- Software Testing: While there are many IT companies that only offer software testing services, almost all software development companies have also started offering it. And it makes perfect sense. It helps the software company earn additional revenue as well as help the clients as they don’t have to outsource testing part of their project to other companies. It also speeds up the software development project with only one company building the software and testing it.
- Training: Enterprise technology is continuously evolving. New technologies are emerging. Also, enterprise software is complex and needs user onboarding and training. For example, software like ERP would need user training. So, if a company implements an ERP or migrates to a new ERP, it necessitates user training to help people using the ERP. Good training is also essential for the success of any software, as it drives adoption.
- Managed IT Services: Take for example a healthcare company that decides to adopt ERP into its system. Now they would need specialized skillsets to run and manage the ERP. Now, for them hiring people and building a team to manage the ERP would not only be expensive but also resource-consuming. Software companies, especially those who are into product implementation are also offering managed services wherein their teams manage the ERP. There are many functions that are being outsourced under managed services.
- Staffing: Hiring new people can take a few weeks to a few months depending on the supply-demand of the skills in the market. But what if you have an urgent need or want resources for a few months. IT companies offer staffing services also wherein you can hire people from their teams. Most companies offer flexible engagement models such as onsite and remote working, monthly contracts or even staffing for a block of hours (100 or 200 hours) every month. This helps enterprises meet their urgent and temporary needs.
- Software Integration Services: We are living in a connected world. Enterprises use software to run their business. The integration connects 2 different systems from different vendors to connect and exchange data. For example, you may want to connect your CRM software with your accounting software so that invoices can be automatically generated or to share billing information of accounts with sales reps. Without integration, you have to manually import/export data from one system to another. This consumes labor and is time-consuming. It also slows down the process. Software companies offer integration services wherein they will understand your workflow, business needs and then integrate the software.
