Every business has to make an important choice when it comes to IT support structure. Of course, we are referring to the choice between the use of an in-house IT department and the use of an outsourced managed IT company. Of course, it is possible to combine these two approaches, but that is not our subject for today. Instead, we will evaluate these two options in terms of their pros and cons. This will hopefully aid your decision-making and give you a better idea of what to expect.
In-House IT: The Pros:
First of all, an in-house IT department has the advantage of being on-site at all times. Thus, if you need their help, they are right there to help you in person. This also allows them to become more personally familiar with the workings of your IT setup. Indeed, most of the advantages of an in-house team come from their close proximity and easy availability. Even if your IT people aren’t the world’s best, good communication can make a big difference.
In-house IT also has certain advantages in terms of security and control. Keeping things internal can be more secure, as you don’t have to worry about trusting another group or company. And, since they work directly for you, you can exercise a greater degree of control over their tasks and goals.
In-House IT: The Cons:
There are also some downsides to the in-house method. First of all, an in-house IT team tends to be relatively small. This means that you have a smaller pool of knowledge and experience amongst your team. This problem is compounded by the general lack of good IT workers. Yes, there are plenty of skilled people out there, but most of the better ones will charge a lot more for their services. Thus, the in-house option tends to be more expensive.
It should also be noted that an in-house approach requires more expense for hardware and software. When you use a managed option, the outside company will mostly be using its own resources, which means you don’t have to buy as much hardware or software. Also, since an in-house team tends to be small, a lot of their time will be taken up with routine maintenance, monitoring, and problem-solving. Thus, they will not have as much time for optimization and improvement.
Managed IT: The Pros:
Managed IT service companies have one big advantage over in-house teams: The fact that their entire company is focused on IT. An in-house IT department needs its own separate budget, which will never be as large as that of a dedicated company. That means they can hire more in-demand people, get more of the latest tech, and give their workers more of the latest training and information resources.
This focus on IT leads to an even bigger advantage: Lower costs. When your managed IT company already has the equipment, people, and expertise needed, they don’t have to charge you extra for those things. Thus, you can just pay a single monthly fee and know that all your IT matters will be handled. This also leads to more predictable IT expenses, which makes budgeting easier.
A managed IT company will probably have more employees than your in-house IT department, and that is also a good thing. This larger workforce gives them a larger degree of skills, knowledge, and experience. If you should run into a particularly difficult problem, it is more likely that the outsourced company will have the answer, simply because they have a lot more qualified people.
Managed IT: The Cons:
If you don’t choose the right managed IT company, you can end up in a situation where you have good service but poor communication. This brings us to the main disadvantage of managed IT: The fact that not all managed IT companies are worth employing. Thus, you may have to do a little bit of research to find the right one. Just remember that you will only gain the benefits listed in the previous section by employing a reputable and honest IT company.
The most significant downside of the managed approach would have to be the lack of on-site help. Most managed IT companies do not offer on-site technicians, although there might be some exceptions. In any case, you will have to rely on remote support a little bit more. This is one reason why many companies choose to employ a mixture of in-house and outsourced employees.
The Results
Now we need to look at our information and determine which option is better. In the end, we can see that both approaches have valid pros and cons, and both of them require proper planning and implementation in order to gain their benefits. Thus, we would say that a co-managed approach is probably the best option for most companies. You get the wide knowledge base of a dedicated IT company while also getting the on-site assistance that you require from an on-site team. When properly implemented, a co-managed IT plan will give you the best of both worlds.
If you can only choose one or the other, the managed IT approach would seem to offer a better chance of getting the results you need. As long as you pick the right company, the only real disadvantage is geographical distance, but there are many ways that they can help you without being physically present. In most cases, the outsourced option is also cheaper.
Conclusion
One of the most difficult parts of this whole process is the task of finding the right IT company. As we said, it is highly essential to choose the right one, but you have a head start in that endeavor. Maybe you need co-managed IT support or co-managed services, or maybe you just want to find out more about competent IT management in your area. For these and all other IT support questions, you can call PCH Technologies at (856) 754-7500.