More and more businesses are seeking digital transformation of their businesses. They are adding more devices and applications to their IT infrastructure. This investment makes your workforce more effective but these technologies and applications are not a onetime investment as they require maintenance and upkeep by a skilled workforce. Here comes the dilemma for organisation as they have to choose managed IT services and inhouse IT integration. But before taking the final call you should know the pros and cons of both these models.
Why organisations prefer inhouse IT
Some businesses prefer inhouse IT as they want to have a control over their IT infrastructure. These organisations believe that having an inhouse will help them get the work as and when required.
Advantages of an Inhouse IT
Resources for Skilled Job
One of the major advantages of inhouse IT integration is that you can build an IT team with specialised knowledge. As the IT needs of every organisation are different, you can train your team to meet your specialized IT support needs.
In Person Communication
An Inhouse IT support facilitates better communication. Here you can talk to IT guys in person. It is far more effective than an outsourced IT support where you have to communicate over phone or chat.
Quick Resolution
By having an inhouse IT support you can get the quick resolution of issues that might be crippling your IT ecosystem. Your inhouse team can cut the downtime significantly. The team starts working at the moment an issue surface. It is far quicker than a managed IT service where you have to call their customer service.
Ability to Handle Multiple Projects
If your business has multiple IT project than having an inhouse IT could be an ideal decision. You can train your team to work on multiple projects simultaneously which is hard to handle with an outsourced IT.
Onsite support
There are times when the IT issues at your organisation requires onsite support which very few managed IT services can provide. Even if they provide, it takes time that means downtime and loss of businesses.
Disadvantages of Inhouse IT
Cost
The major disadvantage of having an inhouse IT team is its costliness. Hiring, training and buying equipment for staff needs investment that small and medium scale businesses are not able to do. And it is why businesses with limited budget look towards outsourcing.
Employee Retention
Even if your hire and train the staff there is hardly any guarantee that they will stay with you for long. What if they live you for greener pastures? The investment made on hiring and training goes in vain. So small and medium scale companies don’t find it useful.
Lack of Good Talent
Due to continuous rise of IT market, the employees with IT skills are much in demand. So, it is hard to find the right employees for your inhouse IT support. Even if you find the right employee, it doesn’t come into your budget.
Management issues
By hiring an inhouse IT team, you will be overburdening your HR and administration as they have to deal with their salaries, attendance and employee issues. You may have to increase the size of your HR team to handle these issues.
Lack of flexibility
An inhouse IT staff only works during the business hours and it is hard to make them come to office at after hours when a need arises. On the other hand, a managed IT company is highly flexible in its approach. They don’t mind working even after hours.
Why organisations prefer managed or outsourced IT
Companies often hire managed IT services as they find hiring the employees with required skill set for their work difficult. Even if they find hiring the candidates with the right skill set, they find that the candidates is not within their budget.
Advantages of Managed IT Services
Access to the best technology
As technology is the core competency of managed IT services by hiring a managed service provider (MSP), you can rest assured that you will get the best in technology. As IT services get advanced by every year, you don’t have to worry about the expenses incurred on updating your network.
Cost Effectiveness
Cost effectiveness is one of the major benefits of hiring a managed IT service. Besides saving the cost of hiring dedicated employees, the cost of equipment is also saved. You have to pay a fixed monthly plan as per your contract. So, you have a better understanding of what can you get for that budget.
Expertise
Hiring an expertise for a small sum of money is also a major benefit of managed IT services. Sometimes, you only get that skill for certain period of time. So, by hiring an MSP you can save the expense incurred on training your inhouse staff for that skill.
Disaster Recovery
By hiring an outsourced IT support, you will rest assured that your data won’t get lost. These companies have data centres and cyber security teams. So even if the data is lost, in all probability it can be recovered.
High efficiency
A managed IT service company works round clock without taking a break. So, by hiring them you can rest assured that they will provide you the required support even after the work hours and on holidays.
Disadvantages of Managed IT services
Potential downtime
Managed IT services are not without cons. One of the major cons of outsourced IT services is downtime. If there is no staff available for the resolution you may face downtime for long. The solution is to hire only a reputed IT support.
Security Concerns
Security may be a major issue while outsourcing your IT. The IT companies are supposed to follow security protocols but you must be sure that your IT support company is following that protocols. You should outsource to a company with good track record.
Diverse Objectives
Ideally your managed IT company should be on the same page with you. The goal is to meet your business objectives. But sometime, some companies give too much attention to procedure while your business goals suffer.
Lock in
Some MSP ask to sign a contract for a year or more. There is no issue with signing such contracts. What if they are not up to standard? The best remedy is to work with only those companies with a excellent track record.
Lack of Flexibility
Sometime managed IT services stick to rules and don’t wish to experiment with a new software. As the works of an organisation can’t be restricted to procedure, the lack of flexibility is major concern.
Geek Force USA provide Managed IT service for small to mid-sized businesses since 2005. Call us today at (310) 415-8771
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