Firms should look beyond cutting costs to get the best out of IT outsourcing, according to an expert.

“Business value creation and further market acquisition should be included in the list of objectives for adopting outsourcing as part of a sustainable business strategy,” TMCnet advises.

Firms can adopt a number of strategies to maximise IT outsourcing, according to the news provider.

They can improve information systems to enhance the performance of resources by allowing outsourcing specialists to manage IT services and employ emerging technologies, TMCnet says.

Business impact is another potential benefit, as employees can gain better IT knowledge to match their business management skills, the news provider adds.

It claims firms can also improve their return on investment by “generating new revenue and profit from offset costs”.

Recently, Synco Jonkeren, writing for ComputerWeekly, said bosses should be involved in outsourcing decisions as well as IT leaders.