It’s a big decision for any business owner to decide whether to outsource your IT support or go with an in-house approach. Many factors go into this decision and we will help you know what you need to know in this article.

First, let’s look at the term known as outsourcing. The definition of outsourcing typically means to hire an outside provider to take care of any business function. This includes the managed services of IT providers.

There’s almost nothing in business that cannot be accomplished without the aid of technology. Our computers are our life and they make our business tick! We rely on them more and more with each passing year, especially as they become more and more sophisticated in their capabilities. But technology is only great if you can manage it well.

To manage technology in the office, you will definitely need an IT support system. For many small businesses you may choose to go with an in-house support person for your IT needs. However, very rarely can this include 24 hour support. If you did find someone who is available around the clock to fix any problem that arises with your technology and computers, the cost of maintaining that staff would surely be far more than you’d want to pay.

Here is where outsourcing IT support comes into the picture. Following are just a few of the reasons why outsourcing your IT support is a good idea for your business!

Savings

It can cost up to $60,000 a year to employ an in-house IT person. While it may be possible to find someone for less, any IT person who is good at what they do and has the proper skill and knowledge needed for the job will not come cheap. You should also consider the fact that there will be vacation days, sick leave, and other times when your IT person may be away and you will need to have a sub lined up. You’ll also need to invest into continuing education and training for your IT person. In short, it could cost up to $100k per year between salary and other costs to have a network administrator who is in-house. Outsourcing an IT expert is a great way to save money and cut costs. Outsourcing will prevent you from having to pay benefits, ongoing education and training, and other expenses that come with hiring someone in-house. Outsourcing your IT expert is very convenient because they will already be trained and know just how to expertly handle all your technology needs.

Experience

The great thing about outsourcing is when you do have an IT problem that arises, you’ll be able to rest assured that only the right IT provider who is skilled in that particular area will come and assess and fix the problem.

Overall Improved Performance

Perhaps the greatest benefit of all when it comes to outsourcing IT support is improved speed and performance of your network. IT providers have skill sets and a wider knowledge base that will allow them to have more accountability and a greater understanding of all areas of IT support. They are far more interested in building lasting relationships with clients, which keeps them motivated and on their toes to handle your particular needs. In short, they provide a greater level of excellence all the way around!

Focus on the Strategy of Your Company

In general, make it a goal to outsource the functions that are not essential to what your company does day to day, and leave the in-house functions to what is done well internally among your own people. Following this strategy will help you build a loyal customer base since your people are free to focus on excellent products and services.

A Few Other Perks for Outsourcing IT Support

• Reduced Risk. It’s expensive to implement new technology and only qualified IT techs really know how to implement it properly and make sure it’s running smoothly, which will save you lots of time and money! They also take the responsibility should anything go wrong.
• Keeping Your Networks Running Smoothly. No matter what, you need a system that works all the time. If there is a problem, only an experienced IT tech can monitor things and make sure there is little to no downtime should a repair be required. This definitely translates to money saved!
• Total IT Coverage. If you hire in-house, you’re going to be up against sick leave, holidays and other vacation days. Outsourced IT providers eliminates this problem and you’ll always know you’ve got someone out there watching over your system and available around the clock should any need arise.

What should you look for in an IT provider?

Perhaps outsourcing isn’t the right thing for every business, but most companies will benefit greatly from hiring IT providers on the outside. Here are a few tips to help you know what to look for:

• Make sure the staff you hire is well versed in the type of business software and hardware that you use. They should be somewhat familiar with your business, as well as what it takes to run it.
• Experience is important—and not just for the reasons you think. Yes, you should have the most knowledgeable IT provider you can find, but doing so will save you money usually, rather than cost you money. The reason is because there are fewer hours required from the IT provider who is highly skilled. They get things fixed faster, which requires less time and therefore, less money.
• Attitude matters! A good IT provider should want to know your industry and what makes your company tick. Fixing problems is great, but it’s even better if you have someone who can understand your business and the unique needs that come with it.
• Fast Response. This is crucially important. If you have a system problem, you need to know that your IT provider can be there in a snap and get things up and running with as little downtime as possible. A good IT person will always have 24/7 support so that you never have to panic if a problem arises.
• Remote access. Make sure your IT person has all the software needed to remotely sign into your computers so they can fix most problems remotely. Any time minor issues come up and they can be handled remotely, this is going to save you lots of time and money that would be spent actually coming to your business to trouble shoot the problem. Believe it or not, many IT issues can be solved remotely! Just part of the amazing digital age we live in!

In short, outsourcing your IT network support can be a very smart thing to do, both financially and reliability. For more information on outsourcing IT providers, please give us a call today at Tech Sentries!