By Monica Gleberman, Contributing Writer

Outsourcing its IT department may be the only way for a company to survive, as costs continue to skyrocket. Managed services allow companies to hand over their day-to-day IT management responsibilities to another organization in hopes of improving overall operations.

As companies continue to move toward a virtual environment to save money and streamline operations, it looks like they will do whatever they need to save money, including merging technologies or partnering with a master agent.

Ron Dunworth, writer for Channel Partners Online, said in a blog that companies who are able to adapt to managed services will be the ones who survive the next five years. “Soon it will not be possible to deal with the telecom manager to get an order based on cutting another three percent off the price of their Internet service or providing free install on a PRI,” said Dunworth.

“The days of making a tremendous amount of money selling telecom network will continue to diminish and all agents must learn new products in the managed services area and develop the ability to sell said products to a redefined client base.”

For value added resellers (VARs), this means adapting to the changes in order to survive. VARs will need to sell their services as well to save money and keep up with the competition.

Greg Praske, founder and CEO of ARG Inc., a voice and data-consulting agency, spoke at the Fall 2012 Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Orlando, Fla., earlier this year. Praske explained that a hand full of VAR’s have taken matters into their own hands. “Some VARs are looking to become the cloud provider whether white-labeling or adding their own level of service,” said Praske. “Others are looking at how to optimize their business base, some how to get new customers. We’re finding the more downstream those VARs are looking for someone to work with. To build it out is a process.”

Praske said that many VARs have begun working with Telarus (News - Alert), a telecom agent; due to its online platform, which sets up VARs to view live real-time information, pricing, and other tools.

Whether the company decides to deploy a telecom solution, move to the cloud, or outsource its IT services, it’s important that companies find a solution that works for them.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO Miami 2013, Jan 29- Feb. 1 in Miami, Florida.  Stay in touch with everything happening at ITEXPO (News - Alert). Follow us on Twitter.

Edited by Brooke Neuman