In the October 6-12, 2017 issue of the Providence Business News, Eli Sherman wrote a well-researched piece on outsourcing titled “Outsourcing helps keep businesses competitive, but is it hurting job growth?” Let’s explore that question.
A business has two options when it comes to staffing its company: either hire the talent with W-2 employees or contract with an outsourcing firm like Peak Support (https://peaksupport.io/services/customer-service/) that tends to specialize in the needed skills. The article seems to equate this popularity in outsourcing with the stagnant job growth here in Rhode Island. It states, “the dynamic has helped create a leaner, more-efficient business community. But it is also putting downward pressure on the state’s ability to grow jobs, as fewer people, in many cases, are doing the work once done by many.” As an owner of a company that provides outsourced IT services to SMBs, and that also contracts with an outsourced marketing firm, I just don’t find the connection between outsourcing and fewer jobs.
By outsourcing some or all of their IT department functions, our clients are able to focus on their core competencies while enjoying the peace of mind that comes with a team of experts handling this essential role. At NetCenergy, we practice what we preach by engaging with an outside marketing firm similar to this SEO reseller to handle and consult in our marketing functions. Not being distracted by an in-house marketing team allows us to grow more tech and sales jobs, and our growth makes up for much more than the jobs “lost” to outsourcing. I would suggest, rather, that Rhode Island’s anemic job growth (as quantified in the article) has more to do with RI’s well-documented unfriendly business climate than the fallout from outsourcing versus hiring W-2 employees.
NetCenergy is in the business of providing efficient IT services performed by technicians and engineers that are highly-trained, certified, and experienced. With that job handled, our clients can grow jobs. In the same vein, as our clients grow their core competencies, NetCenergy continues to grow tech jobs by outsourcing our non-essential functions, like marketing. It’s hard for me to see where there are any losers.
If you’re not outsourcing your IT department, check out our eNCompass managed services product. We partner with our clients to give them the peace of mind that their information is secure and managed by a team of experts.
As President of NetCenergy, Don Nokes is responsible for ensuring client satisfaction, and overseeing company performance and direction. Prior to co-founding the firm with Dan Charland in 2003, Don held senior leadership positions with IT service firms ranging in size from $3 Billion to $10 Million in annual sales.
Nick Eckman joined NetCenergy in 2016 from an international gaming company. Nick’s experience with supervising and implementing secure, fiber and copper wire infrastructure services provides our clients with a team of highly trained and experienced technicians. In addition to the skills required to manage our infrastructure services department, Nick brings a very experienced and focused approach to project management and is a stickler for accurate documentation for every project designed and built by his team.
Peter Lachapelle joined NetCenergy in 2015 and is responsible for leading all of NetCenergy’s operations and accounting functions. Each department within NetCenergy reports through Lachapelle. He brings his years of experience to maintain a pragmatic, efficient, client-focused team at NetCenergy. Lachapelle joined NetCenergy after completing a 27-year career with a Rhode Island, federally-charted bank which culminated in his senior management position as COO and CFO for the bank.
Peter Nelson has 25+ years of technology and management experience and has been with NetCenergy since inception. Peter serves as the VP of Engineering at NetCenergy. His role consists of managing the engineering staff, driving the companies technology strategy, and ensuring NetCenergy keeps up to date on new technologies and solutions.
As a Founding Partner, Dan is a result oriented individual who is always focusing on what is best for his client. He understands that business applications empower an organization and that technology must support those critical business applications. Dan’s technology career started in 1990 at EMC Corporation. Through the years, he has represented technology and consulting services for several organizations until 2003, when he and Don Nokes founded NetCenergy.
With decades of hands-on HR experience, Margery Ahearn is our Director of Human Resources, overseeing all hiring of new positions for NetCenergy with a careful eye on sourcing technology savvy engineers and skilled office-based professionals who fit our company culture, understand our commitment to our clients, and bring their time and talents to our team. Margery has both a BA and MBA in Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University.