In order to be successful, the modern business needs to maintain impressive flexibility, scalability and productivity. The right technology solutions can help to support these aims and drive your organisation towards growth. However, in order to reap the benefits of a strong technical foundation, every business must decide whether to handle their IT management inhouse or outsource these services to an expert third-party company.  

In this article, we will evaluate the pros and cons of inhouse vs outsourced IT support, to help you weigh up which approach is most appropriate for your specific business requirements.  

Inhouse IT support: the cons

Skills and knowledge gaps

When you rely on inhouse IT support, you may encounter issues that are beyond the remit of your team. As a project develops or your technology becomes more advanced, employees with additional skillsets may have to be brought in, potentially causing a strain on resources. As IT is ever evolving, you will also need to invest in regular training, which is another additional expense.

No out of hours support

Your inhouse IT support team will only be contractually obliged to be available within typical working hours. Unfortunately, technical issues can arise at any time, not just within the convenient hours of 9-5. As this could cause major disruption to your operations, emergency IT will need to be accounted for. Additionally, if an employee is taking sick or holiday leave, there may be no other resource to replace them, leaving your IT team understaffed.

Higher costs

Not only is building an entire IT team from scratch extremely time consuming but, once you have sourced the appropriate talent, you will then be fully responsible for their expenses. This includes the regular salaries of your inhouse IT support team, as well as associated costs such as equipment or training. These costs can quickly begin to build up and become hard to manage.

Inhouse IT support: the pros

Familiarity with business

As your inhouse IT support team are part of your business and work alongside your other departments every day, they will be fully integrated into your organisation and have a deeper understanding of your values, processes and procedures than an outsourced IT team ever could.

Onsite team

Your inhouse team will be just that – in house. If you need immediate support onsite, your inhouse IT team will already be there, ready and waiting to assist you, without delays.

Outsourced IT support: the cons

Lack of control

Your outsourced IT support provider will not be based onsite, meaning that it is harder to oversee the services you provide. If full control and management of your IT team is essential to you, then outsourced IT support may not be right for you. However, as outsourced IT experts are specialists in the field, they should be able to carry out the services you require without consistent management.

Communication

As your outsourced IT support team will not be working onsite, the flow of communication between you may be slightly less seamless than with an inhouse team. You will need to contact them using third-party channels, which could cause minor delays. Depending on the outsourced team you choose, they may operate using different contactable hours, which could cause roadblocks. It is sensible to check your provider’s working hours before you sign an agreement with them.

Outsourced IT support: the pros

Expertise

When you outsource your IT support, you gain access to the knowledge and talents of a whole team of IT experts. If you have a specific requirement or a specialist project, there will be someone within your outsourced IT team who can help, whether you need a sector specific solution or a unique skillset. Your outsourced IT team will be regularly trained on the latest technologies at no additional expense to you, ensuring that their expertise is always current.

Efficiency

You can establish Service Level Agreements with your outsourced IT support team before you agree to work with them, ensuring that their response times will always be as efficient as you require. As part of this, you can request 24/7 out of hours support, so no matter when an IT disruption occurs you will receive efficient remediation. As outsourced IT providers have a large pool of resources to draw from, any sick or holiday absences can be covered without a problem.

Lower costs

Outsourced IT support is typically far cheaper than inhouse IT support, as you pay one fixed monthly fee for all your IT expenses. This includes any emergency work that may occur, meaning that if an issue occurs you will not suddenly be faced with unexpected additional costs. The price you pay for your outsourced support package should cover all your IT needs.

Considering outsourced IT support? Talk to RAD Group.

RAD Group deliver outsourced IT support to businesses of all sizes and types. Our services are designed to minimise your technical costs, boost your productivity and drive your business growth. If you’re looking to experience the many benefits of outsourced IT support, talk to one of our experts today.