IT Outsourcing vs. In-House: Which Is Best for Your Business?

Is your better in need of IT solutions? If so, you’re probably wondering whether you should invest in an in-house team or go the route of IT outsourcing. Both options have their pros and cons, but oftentimes, one option can be much better for a business than another.

Not sure which route you should go? In this article, we’re covering everything you need to know about hiring IT services. So, you can decide which hiring tactic is best for you and your business.

Should You Hire an In-House IT Team?

Since the 1980s, many companies have outsourced their information technology efforts. But in recent years, certain larger companies have decided to invest in an in-house IT team. This is especially true of tech companies who have chosen to invest in in-house efforts and train up their IT pros in the areas of quality insurance, documentation, and databases.

Here are the major pros and cons of hiring this type of team.

Pro: Quick & Trusted Service

If you have your own team on hand, it’s easy to quickly turn to your employees and get assistance with your IT issues. They can help you resolve an issue or start a brand-new project that could take outside individuals longer to ramp up on. There’s also little wait time for addressing emergency issues like website breeches or crashes.

Pro: Expertise

An in-house IT team is familiar with the day-to-day workings of your business. They’re also better acquainted with your employees and the internal network itself. An internal IT team can also work at a slower, more deliberate pace and work toward more comprehensive long-term solutions.

Con: High Cost

Onboarding and retaining a highly trained IT team isn’t easy. And it can come at a high financial cost. These costs often make little sense for smaller companies who don’t need IT professionals on hand at every hour.

Con: Limited Flexibility

If you hire an internal IT team, you’re only able to allocate resources in a certain manner. This means there’s a higher risk for task overflow, and issues that emerge when priorities constantly shift. By having a permanent set of IT resources, you have less flexibility and may not be as prepared to handle task overflow when it emerges.

Should You Go with IT Outsourcing?

As mentioned above, outsourced IT has dominated many industries since the inception of IT. With managed IT services, you can hire people on an as-needed basis to handle projects.

And like in-house IT, this option comes with its benefits and drawbacks. Here are the major pros and cons of outsourcing your IT.

Pro: Flexibility and Expertise

One of the biggest benefits of outsourced IT is that you don’t need to have IT professionals on hand at all times. This means you can hire people on an as-needed basis, and make sure you’re allocating resources appropriately. It’s also easier to hire outsourced IT pros with a specialized skill-set you can immediately leverage, so you don’t have to spend time and money training up your own employees.

Pro: Above and Beyond Service

When you’re outsourcing IT, you’re the client. Which means your IT hires are more likely to go above and beyond to earn your business for another year. Internal employees, on the other hand, often need greater benefits and pay raises to feel compelled to overcome your IT problems.

Con: Finding the Right Vendor

The biggest con of outsourced IT is that it can often be quite difficult to find the right vendor for your business. It doesn’t help that there are so many options out there! But by only reviewing vendors who match your needs and company culture, you can weed out the bad options and find the perfect provider for you.

Con: Remote Work

Many companies who outsource IT often do their work remotely. Which may feel strange if you’re accustomed to or prefer face-to-face interactions. But ultimately, that can actually make things easier and more flexible for you, as you can avoid the hassle of scheduling things and making sure they’re available when you need them.

The Right IT Solution

If you have a small or medium-sized business, chances are IT outsourcing is your best bet. You can get the IT support you need without breaking the bank, and rest easy knowing they can handle any IT issues that come your way.

Do you need honest and reliable IT support? Prefer to pay as you go with a no terms contract? Contact us to find out which IT solutions we can provide for you!