Should small-to-midsize organizations outsource IT?
As a small to midsize company grows, the need for a dedicated IT person becomes obvious. What’s not always as obvious, however, is whether it’s better to hire an IT administrator or outsource your IT to a managed services provider (MSP).
To help you weigh your options, here are five (5) critical points to consider:
- Predictable Costs
The initial cost of hiring an IT admin is comparable to hiring an MSP under contract. With an MSP, however, you gain a much higher level of cost predictability, usually delivered as a monthly “fee for service.” Additionally, when you hire an MSP, the good ones will almost always conduct an assessment of your network and IT assets to get the lay of the land. This effort reveals out-of-warranty hardware, unpatched software/firmware and other areas of concern that the MSP can address with you and plan for. Additionally, an MSP will continually monitor your IT environment, which enables them to detect problems and fix them less expensively than when they reach the breaking point. - Diverse Expertise
An IT administrator may be familiar with one technology or one technology manufacturer’s products, but most businesses use multiple technologies from multiple manufacturers. An MSP has a team of experts and a wide range of expertise to support these environments. They will also bring varied advanced certifications and business-minded technical training that will help keep you out of harm’s way, abreast of new technologies and as productive as possible. - 24/7 Support
Many businesses today operate well beyond “normal business hours,” and one IT person can’t be available around the clock all the time, not to mention when they call off sick, take a day off, or wait for it… take two weeks of vacation. What do you do then? An MSP, on the other hand, has a team of experts protecting and supporting you whenever and wherever you need — even if you need 24/7 support. - Disaster Response
If your company gets hit with ransomware or another virus outbreak, it can easily overwhelm a single IT administrator. Not only do they have to identify and contain the issue, but they also have to handle a barrage of questions and other interruptions. An MSP has more resources to divide and conquer the problem and can resolve it faster while simultaneously working to keep the rest of the business online. An MSP is also more likely to understand and implement best practices for reporting the problem, fortifying the network from a repeat attack and complying with industry regulations. - Ongoing Learning
Being the sole IT person in a growing company is exhausting. And most IT administrators are so busy fixing IT problems that they have little time for researching new technologies or attaining new certifications. An MSP, on the other hand, does invest in training, and with the help of value-added distributor partners including Ingram Micro, they have easy access to the latest technologies, training and support resources, as well as a community of peers they can learn from and rely on when they need to scale.
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While the above list isn’t exhaustive, it should be considered a useful guide as your IT support needs continue to grow and evolve. It’s also important to point out that not every IT hiring decision is an “either-or” scenario. In many cases, we work with clients who already have an IT administrator to assist with special projects or supplemental support. In other cases, we may work directly with a CTO to implement his or her strategy and keep focus on the bigger picture.
Once you determine what kind of help you need, then it’s easier to figure out who can best help you. And if you need help with any of the above, we’re here for you – day and night. Contact WCA Technologies online or call 212-642-0980.
