In today’s business world, most companies will be heavily reliant on IT and computing as a key part of their mission-critical services. Whether you have a business that uses a website with SEO and digital marketing to boot, or if you are just using some online social media and customer resource management, you use IT. The question here is not ‘do you need IT services’ the question is whether to have an IT person in-house or to have an outsourced IT company or person who manages your IT for you. There are pros and cons for using cloud based services and outsourcing, and keeping things in house – so whether you’re looking to save money or protect your company – we’ll go through each option now so you understand the benefits (and disadvantages) of both.
Outsourcing
You have a few options here as to how much service and support you want. At the base level you have all of your IT equipment and data stored in-house, and you hire an IT professional if something goes wrong. At the next level you have most of your IT and infrastructure in-house, but you store some critical data offsite. At the top tier you have a remote office setup where a company who offers cloud solutions, managed cloud services or IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) manages your IT solutions remotely. You information and data is stored in an off-site data centre and you enjoy the benefits of cloud based infrastructure.
Advantages of outsourcing
No matter what level of support you choose, when you enlist someone from the outside to help with your company’s IT needs you know that you are getting an expert. When you hire someone – whether it’s a once-off or on a monthly contractual basis to manage your infrastructure as a service – you get a professional who is focused entirely on fixing that problem, so things are usually resolved very quickly.
Disadvantages of outsourcing
When you outsource instead of having someone in-house, you can often end up paying a higher hourly rate than you would for an in-house operator. It can also be tough to find someone with the right skills, at the right level, exactly when you need them. Over time of course you will build up a list of people you can trust to call, but initially at least, this can be taxing.
In-house IT
Hiring someone to manage your IT needs means that you always have someone on-board if problems arise. This can be hugely helpful if you are a large business or a company that relies heavily on the working computer systems in your environment. There are benefits and disadvantages for this as well, so let’s take a look.
Advantages of in-house IT
if you work with sensitive information it can be hugely helpful to have someone who is trained and has access to the right level of trustworthiness and clearance. An IT person in-house will be dedicated to their role and want to ensure that everything they do happens quickly and effectively. You can always call on them and not have to worry about inflated fees.
Disadvantages of in-house IT
When you have someone on your team whose role it is to maintain your IT systems, you’ll be paying them a salary and all the other benefits of being a member of your company. This happens even when there’s not a lot to do. Training will need to be done, and you do run the risk of staff leaving at any time – which means you have to pay competitively to keep star players on board. Once all the software is updated and the virus protection systems have been updated, there can be some waiting around – which you’re going to be paying for.
Conclusion
It depends on what kind of business you have, but an in-house IT person is really only the right avenue to pursue if you have a large company where there is a lot of immediate need for trained and expert technological service at any moment. If you’re a company who needs a functional IT department, but who doesn’t have the need for round the clock staff presence (but 24 hour service) then you might be better off with a company who offers infrastructure as a service or IT support. We can help with any kind of IT support you need – so give a call on 03 9626 4400 or contact us online to find out about our IT services.
