Your business needs information technology for productivity and outreach. Recent statistics show that 64% of small businesses in the U.S now have a website, and 75% of consumers expect help online within 5 minutes. That means you can’t afford to have poorly managed IT infrastructure. As you acquire more IT equipment and subscribe to more software and cloud computing services, you need an expert IT manager to keep them functional and secure.

You have two options: outsource to a managed service provider or build an in-house IT team. Which is best for your business? To help you make a wise choice, here is a brief outline of the pros and cons of both options.

In-House Team

When you hire a dedicated team of IT experts who can manage your IT infrastructure, you may gain the following benefits.

The Pros of an In-house IT Team

1. Better familiarity with equipment: Your in-house team can gain an intimate knowledge of each piece of equipment, PCs, and networks. They work with these machines daily.

So, if there’s a minor fault or need for a quick repair, they are likely to provide a suitable solution quickly and prevent future breakdowns.

2. Response is instant: In-house staff is always with you, so they only need to walk to the machine to fix a problem.
3. You exercise greater control: You are free to decide how you run your IT department, the training your staff have, and the kind of projects and documentation they produce.

The Cons

Keeping an in-house IT team has these drawbacks, which you need to know.

1. Keeping IT staff is expensive: The cost of hiring, training, and remunerating IT experts is relatively high. Each new hire costs you about $4,000, while the average annual salary for an IT manager is over $85,000.
2. Your staff may not handle emergencies: It is not always feasible to keep staff on call 24/7 if you are not running a commercial support center.
3. Support department may be overwhelmed: If you have many off-site or field workers, your IT support staff will be inundated with support tickets for mobile applications.

Outsourcing to a Managed IT Service Provider

Outsourcing your IT management can offer you these benefits.

The Pros of Outsourcing to an Expert IT Manager

1. Access to a wide range of IT skills: IT service providers hire and keep a team of experts in all areas of IT, including security, networking, PC troubleshooting [https://www.gardenstatecomputing.com/pc-troubleshooting], application management, and cloud computing.
2. Support is available 24/7: You can get a response from the support desk at any time from any location.
3. Service quality can be measured: You can choose a service level and increase or reduce it as your business needs to change.
4. You can limit your expenses to your budget: Overheads for IT drop significantly, and you spend less on IT management.
5. More time is available for business growth: Outsourcing gives you more time to focus on marketing and serving customers to boost revenue.

The Cons

1. You relinquish control to your service provider: Most IT management decisions must be made in consultation with your service provider.
2. Response may be slower: If you need someone to come to your facility, you may need to wait for a while if the service provider’s workers are occupied.

Get an Expert IT Manager Without Breaking Your Budget

You can enjoy the full benefits of outsourcing — cost savings, expert knowledge, skills, and freedom to grow your business with peace of mind — by partnering with us at Garden State Computing. Contact us today at 973-636-7350 for a free consultation.