If you’re reading this, we will assume that you’ve come to the realization that your computer systems’ integrity is critical and it’s time to think about IT Services. In today’s business environment, with mission-critical technology, it’s more important than ever to have a reliable and efficient IT infrastructure. So, you may be wondering whether to hire an IT person in house, or an outsourced IT (managed service) firm. Well, you’ve come to the right place for answers! We will explain the top three reasons why outsourced IT is worth the money, rather than hiring internally.
Reason #1: Outsourced IT Has Specialized Skills
When you outsource your IT team, you’re hiring specialized experts who have specific experience in working with, and understanding the platforms you use on a daily basis. Although you may be able to find individuals with general technology expertise who could handle some basic tasks such as fixing a computer or setting up an email account, these individuals usually don’t have the breadth of specialized knowledge or experience necessary to ensure that your technology functions at its optimum capacity. The best utilization of employee skills does not allow for divergence
Semi-proficient staff can become a liability in critical circumstances. Remember; “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing”.
Hiring outsourced IT experts results in less downtime, and increases system reliability, productivity, security, data integrity and performance. Additionally, specialized IT teams never stagnate in the same environment, but rather evolve with the ever-changing technological landscape. You can be sure that your outsourced IT partner will have up-to-date training and awareness of the latest trends and technologies applicable to your industry.
Reason #2: A Cost-Effective Strategy That Is Worth The Money
In our experience, small to medium-sized businesses typically spend between $1200 and $1600 per year, per seat on the support of computer systems. In an environment of 25 computers, or less, a salaried IT person would cost significantly more than part-time outsourced IT service.
IT people need to keep up with a very fast-paced, dynamic world. Skills training is an ongoing reality of every IT person, and can be costly. As an employer of in-house IT staff, there would also be additional costs associated with training, seminars and days away from work.
The significant cost of specialized tools, which would have to be borne by the employer, can also not be overlooked. What’s more, IT people who are being paid mediocre salaries, are often accepting those jobs to enhance their resume. IT experience and training quickly increases the value of the individual and may result in high job turnovers until they find the salary and benefits that they are happy with. This can have the effect of an employer ensuring employee retention by padding salaries and benefits beyond the value of the employee.
If this hasn’t convinced you that outsourced IT is worth the money, perhaps our next point will!
Reason #3: Outsourced IT Helps Mitigate Security Risk
With the scope of knowledge that comes with professional IT services, you can expect enhanced security, which can have an enormous effect on your and your customers’ data integrity.
Whether you’re keeping data in-house or allowing it to be stored and managed remotely, you’re employing a specialized third party that is responsible for keeping your information secure. Every day new and elaborate schemes are conceived to compromise your data. Businesses must ensure that unwelcome external connections to their data are prevented, that unwitting internal actions aren’t inviting malignant programs, that lost, stolen or improperly retired equipment isn’t unscrupulously harvested for its data, and that internal data access is limited to the context of each employee’s needs. Outsourced IT services also ensures that you own and are in control of your technological resources. Documentation, including full disclosure of administrative accounts and authentication information is not only morally right, but your legal right!
These may be invisible and unknown assets, and often held hostage by unscrupulous IT people to protect their positions, but should be meticulously documented. Until you have suffered the loss of control of your domain name, hosting company, email server, file server admin account, backup system access, or cloud administrator account, you may not understand the severity of the business interruption, nor the cost of the access recovery.
Outsourcing your IT may be the best decision you ever make for your business, and it can have a major impact. Not only will it save you money in several ways, but it will also allow you to concentrate on what’s important to your company, and allow your staff to “stick to their core competency”.
We hope this helps to explain just why outsourced IT is worth the money!
