The pros and cons of outsourced IT services

Are you a smaller business that doesn’t currently benefit from the right IT support and advice? Or are you a larger business with your own internal IT team? If so, it might be worth considering outsourcing your IT services.

Technology has become an integral part of modern business, especially since the pandemic. Businesses can no longer rely on substandard IT support. Without a proactive, reliable, and experienced team of IT experts supporting your systems, you risk productivity loss and serious security breaches that could damage your reputation and lead to significant financial losses.

Whether outsourcing IT services is right for you depends on your specific goals, needs, and challenges. In this article, we’ve compared the main pros and cons of outsourcing IT services to having your own internal IT team. This should help you make informed decisions about your IT setup and ensure you’re prepared for a successful 2023.

Remember, outsourcing doesn’t necessarily mean fully managed IT support! Some businesses have their own internal IT team while also taking advantage of external IT providers. This collaborative co-managed IT setup offers unique benefits that we’ll cover in this article.

Outsourced IT services: The pros

Expertise:

• Most IT companies have experienced IT engineers accustomed to managing complex IT issues.
• They often hold technical certifications and adhere to best practices like ISO, Cyber Essentials, and CREST.
• This expertise can help you achieve your goals or fill knowledge gaps in your current team.

Reduced risk:

Outsourcing reduces the risk of productivity loss and serious security breaches.

Taking advantage of outsourced IT services not only enhances your capabilities but also reduces financial risks for your business. Your IT support partner will likely offer you a contract for monthly payments for a specific period, eliminating the need for you to make a capital investment. Moreover, there’s no commitment to hiring full-time staff, who require various benefits such as holiday pay, sick pay, office space, and equipment.

Project Support:

IT support providers possess the expertise to deliver complex technical projects for diverse businesses and industries. This experience equips them to handle projects that an internal team might lack. This can encompass various tasks, from office relocations to cloud migrations. Ultimately, you need to be confident in having the right team in place to mitigate risks, prevent disruptions, and ensure a seamless customer experience.

Scalability:

An IT support provider offers the resources and manpower to promptly support your business as it expands or contracts. Conversely, if you experience rapid growth, it would be time-consuming and costly to recruit more qualified internal IT engineers to adequately meet your increasing demands. The recruitment process and potential notice periods could delay your ability to hire a substantial team, potentially compromising your IT infrastructure and cybersecurity.

Outsourced IT Services: The Disadvantages

Cultural Fit:

If you’re outsourcing your IT services, you might have permanent IT engineers in your office to provide support and guidance. These employees will become part of your team, contributing to your company culture. Therefore, your culture must align with that of your IT partner. You can assess this by reading their Google and Trustpilot reviews, as well as client testimonials. Do they receive positive feedback? Are they friendly, helpful, and quick to resolve issues? You can also review their About page to see if your business values align. Additionally, does their team collaborate effectively to solve problems and achieve success?

Now, let’s talk about the difference between onsite and remote IT support. If you have an internal IT department, they’ll likely be onsite permanently, meaning they’ll be available whenever something goes wrong. However, this isn’t always the case with outsourced IT services. They may instead offer remote support. If you need IT engineers to be on call at all times, we recommend choosing a local IT provider with the resources to visit your office if needed. Alternatively, you could opt for an IT partner that offers co-managed IT options. This way, you can experience the benefits of having an internal IT team while also taking advantage of outsourced IT support.

Co-managed IT support and fully managed IT support are two other options to consider. Co-managed IT allows you to combine the benefits of outsourced and internal support. External IT specialists will work alongside your team to help you solve IT issues, deliver projects, and achieve your goals.

At IT Department, we offer flexible co-managed IT support solutions tailored to your business needs. We also provide fully managed IT support options for those who want to reduce the stress of managing IT and cybersecurity, allowing them to focus on key business objectives.

If you’d like to learn more about our co-managed or fully managed outsourced IT services, please follow the links below:

• Fully managed IT support
• Co-managed IT support

Alternatively, you can contact us to discuss your business requirements and how we can help you.