The majority of businesses today operate with a significant amount of technology. Computers are required for almost all operations, and they need to function at their best for employees to be productive and provide superior customer service.
With this in mind, you might be toying with the idea of outsourcing your IT tasks or upskilling your team to enjoy an in-house service. If you’re unsure which option will suit your business best, consider the following questions.
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Do you have the Time for IT Problems?
When you work with the top managed service providers, there’s never any concern about whether you have time constraints. If you have an IT-related problem, you can contact your service provider any time of day and get them working on it right away. Indeed, the best MSPs will work proactively to prevent IT issues and address those that do arise before you have to pick up the phone.
If you decide to keep all IT-related services in-house, you have to ask yourself the question: do you really have the time for IT problems? If something catastrophic happens regarding your computer systems, will your team be able to manage their current workload and something new and possibly even more labor-intensive?
How many Computer Experts do you Have?
When you work with an IT service provider, you typically have access to more than one computer expert who can assist with all manner of technology-related issues. If that person isn’t available, there’s someone else to take the lead and solve your problems.
However, if you were to keep your IT in-house, it’s essential to consider whether you will always have someone to help with any issues that arise. If your go-to IT person is away, who will take over?
Is your Team Skilled Enough?
You might have an incredibly skilled team who understands the inner workings of your business and how to troubleshoot most problems thrown your way. When that’s the case, it’s easy to be lulled into a false sense of security, believing that they’ll be able to solve any IT-related problem.
However, it’s worth considering whether their skills are wide-ranging enough to combat complex software, hardware, and cybercrime-related issues. Sometimes, such problems call for experts in their field rather than business employees.
Will you Really be Saving Money?
Many business owners decide to keep their IT services in-house because they believe it will save them money. They hire a generalist IT expert and call upon them for every computer-related query or concern.
However, if you crunch the numbers, hiring a full-time IT expert might not be as cost-effective as you think. Some of the more complex computer problems can still require outside assistance, and you still need to cover all those costly employee-related expenses like training, wages, taxes, benefits, and more.
Do you have Time for Upskilling?
Technology is changing all the time, and the computer systems and software you’re using now might not be fit for purpose in just a few years. Do you have the resources to invest in keeping in-house employees continually updated and retrained on the latest technology?
When you outsource IT, you can rest assured that your service provider is already incredibly knowledgeable on the best and safest tech in the industry.
There’s no denying that in-house IT can be a valuable asset to any business. However, when you weigh up the pros and cons of in-house vs. outsourced, you might see that there’s also value in relying on external experts to assist with your technology-related queries and concerns.
Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.
Michael Fallquist says
When it comes to finding the right IT service, it’s good to weigh the pros and cons of in-house versus outsourced IT. Great insight shared here.