Hiring An In-House vs. Outsourced IT Support: Which One’s Right For You?

July 3, 2023 No Comments

Featured article by Hellen Shepherd

Effective information technology services and systems increase business productivity. Not only do they provide security from data threats but they also manage the company’s pertinent data. Internal relations can also be monitored through IT processes, which immensely help in corporate decision-making.

Whether you are getting in-house support or an outsourced team for your company, it is relevant to invest in IT support to expand your business and achieve success. Deciding which kind of IT support to get is tricky, so keep reading to ensure that you are choosing the best option that suits your business’s needs.

In-house Vs. Outsourced IT Support

On one hand, in-house IT support means hiring a team of IT specialists who will work at your business establishment. This type of employment is a traditional and more conventional approach for centralized businesses.

On the other hand, outsourced IT support refers to employing managed service providers (MSP) or a third-party IT company to provide technical assistance and manage your IT infrastructure. Their functions and responsibilities are similar to those of the in-house IT support, but they don’t physically report to your business establishment. Instead, they deliver their services off-site or remotely.

Things To Consider When Hiring A Managed IT Team

You have to consider many factors when hiring a managed IT provider, and the following are only some of the most significant facets that you need to take account of.

1. Response Time

The response time of on-site IT support is shorter than those of outsourced IT support. This is because the former is on the same site as the end users—you and your employees. You can quickly call them and require them to immediately address an issue because your company is their only priority and focus.

Outsourced IT teams usually take longer to respond, depending on client volume. This is sometimes one of their managed IT services challenges because they cater to the needs of more than one company. MSPs may also have a slower response time if they’re from a different time zone. It’d be best to find an MSP that offers 24/7 services to remedy such an issue. 

Whichever you opt for, you must ensure that they’ll provide you with sufficient attention and adequate quality service, so you can prevent operation disruption that could result in system downtimes.

2. Knowledge And Skills

Since your in-house IT team will only work on your company’s system, their expertise will mainly be focused on it. As a result, they can quickly get a hang of your system and manage it efficiently. This also allows them to troubleshoot problems faster, which diminishes operational downtime.

Many IT experts from an outsourced team may know more than one system since they have exposure to varying networks. IT infrastructure differs from one company to another, so IT experts from an outsourced company have more comprehensive knowledge and skills due to experience. Hiring an outsourced team can be beneficial if the IT issues you are experiencing are quite complex. Outsourced specialists can apply tried and tested solutions that some inexperienced IT professionals may have yet to encounter.

3. Costs

Allocating a budget is an important consideration that will affect your decision of hiring IT professionals. In-house IT support costs are more likely to be predictable because you pay them in terms of salary. As long as their services and functions are stipulated in the contract, their salary remains the same.

The cost of outsourced IT support is similar to that of in-house since you’ll be paying a monthly subscription. This fee is flat, but the services may be limited depending on what the MSP offers. The problem is that you may need to upgrade to a higher subscription to avail other services that are excluded from your initial package. The good thing about this is that you’ll only be paying for their services. You no longer need to allocate a budget for benefits and overtime pay that you would otherwise do for a full-time IT staff.

Remember to ask the MSP about the services included in their offers to ensure that you won’t need to upgrade to a higher subscription fee. Asking them the right questions can be a way to evaluate the right team.

Conclusion

With the aforementioned benefits of each type of IT support, you can now evaluate what would work best for your business. If you want a team that you can physically interact with, then in-house support is beneficial for you. If you need a more experienced team to handle complicated issues on your system, then an outsourced team would be a better choice. Remember that choosing an IT support team for your company must be within your budget to avoid compromising your finances. Ultimately, whichever you choose, ensure that they meet your company’s needs and interests, so they can help your business grow and succeed.

About the Author

Hellen Shepherd has been working as an IT support for 12 years now, and she does not see herself shifting careers in the future. Although she enjoys writing guest posts and blog articles in her free time, she takes more pleasure in learning the latest TikTok dances with her children.