In-House or Outsourced IT?

Whichever way you look at it, your business will rely on some form of IT support somewhere down the line. It might be a series of small, infrequent tasks like replacing printers and ensuring that cables are safely tucked away, to larger, long-term projects like introducing a server-supported domain to your organisation that can manage devices, connections, users and everything else.

There’s no avoiding it. Your business needs IT.

But let’s face it. IT isn’t everybody’s favourite subject. Many people would rather avoid it altogether, right up until that point where black smoke is coming out the back of the monitor, along with a worrying burning smell. So, the question is, who’s going to take care of this? Are you going to employ a team to take care of your IT needs in-house, or are you going to find a reliable, cost-effective IT support and helpdesk solution? Let’s talk about the various things that you should consider when it comes to making this type of decision.

Before we get into this – well, yes. We’re obviously biased. But we promise we’ll try to keep things impartial. With that in mind, let’s start with some of the reasons you might prefer to keep things in-house.

Keeping it In-House

First and foremost, if you have an in-house IT team they can generally be trained up exactly as you need. This means that they’ll mould to your organisations very specific requirements, and ensure that internal company procedures are followed to the letter.

Your in-house team will also of course be ready for you at a moment’s notice, able to simply pop over to your office and fix… whatever it is that needs fixing.

However, all this this training can take time. And lengthy (and expensive) recruitment, employment and HR processes can mean that you’ll possibly get through any number of potentials before you find the ideal candidate for your team.

Outsourcing Your IT Requirements

On the other side of the coin, outsourcing your IT means that you’ll have an experienced team of dedicated professionals ready to support you with less admin, less HR and overall less fuss. You’ll have access to highly specialised tech expertise, and you’ll be free to focus on your own tasks instead of organising the growth of a new department in the business.

However, remember that outsourced IT companies will also have other clients, so unless you have a contract or an appropriate Service Level Agreement in place it’s not always going to be possible to get your issue address there and then.

Time is Money – So Are You Spending it Wisely?

If we look at the above, one key factor is quietly keeping its head down between the lines. Time – whether it’s yours or that of your business. Are you spending longer on resolving in-house IT issues than you should be? Where you spend half a day trying to resolve an IT issue, could somebody else do it in half an hour?

Time is of course money, and as such it’s worth considering how much of both you could be wasting when you should be focusing on your business goals.

What Are Your Day-to-Day Business Needs?

Think about what you’ll need and when you’ll need it. How many computers do you have in your business? How many printers? Do you have a server that needs to be maintained, or staff that need regular IT support? Would you get the most out of having an in-house IT technician, or would they spend part of their day waiting for something to land on their desk?

You need to decide whether your day-to-day business needs match up with either an in-house team or an outsourced IT support solution. Overall, the goal is to save money on operational needs like IT, so consider your options and think about whether you’d get the most out of either solution.

The truth is, there’s no one answer. Each business is different, and as such your situation will be unique. If outsourcing your IT will overall save you time, money and stress then you should absolutely do that. Start by contacting us! Similarly, if employing in-house will also have this effect then do what you feel is right for your business.

Best of Both Worlds

Did you know, many of our current customers come to us for their outsourced IT support requirements, even though they also have an in-house team? There’s no rule saying you can’t have the best of both worlds. Again, it all comes down to whether or not you’re saving time and money for your business.

We work with some exceptionally talented in-house IT teams, and each has a different reason for calling us. Sometimes they’re simply at capacity, and are just too busy to fit everything into their busy schedules. Others might need us to bridge some gaps in their in-house expertise, lending our specialised knowledge to support their existing IT infrastructure.

Whatever your reasons, you need to pick the right solution for you. If you have any questions or concerns about the IT requirements of your business, why not give us a call? It won’t cost you a thing to speak to one of our friendly team, who will help you to decide what’s best for your unique IT support and helpdesk requirements.