Thanks to modern technological advances and the improvement of cloud-based computing, small businesses in Orange County have more options today for IT services than they used to. In times past, the only options were to hire an IT staff in-house or to wait until something breaks before calling someone to fix it. Today, small businesses have the option of managed IT services—outsourcing monitoring, tech support and maintenance to a third-party company. But which is the best option for your business: managed IT services or in-house IT? Let’s explore some of the pros, cons and alternatives.
In-House IT
Given the lower cost of managed IT services compared to hiring full-time staff, are there still situations when in-house IT is preferable? It depends on the company’s needs, size and situation. For larger companies, and especially technology-driven companies, it may make more sense to keep a staff of IT professionals in house for ongoing maintenance, monitoring, updates, repairs, etc. The more complex your company’s infrastructure, the more time and effort it takes to keep your systems functional—not to mention having someone in-house means faster response times if something goes wrong. As convenient as managed IT can be, some businesses still find in-house IT to be a better solution for them.
Managed IT Services
For smaller companies or those with limited budgets, the managed IT solution presents a welcome alternative to the cost of maintaining an in-house staff. With more and more companies relying on cloud computing and online cybersecurity, the majority of issues can be prevented or solved via remote help desk, and workstations for new employees can be activated in minutes, often with no IT person present. In the rare situation where physical repairs are necessary, managed IT solutions usually offer accelerated response times to keep disruption of service at a minimum.
The Hybrid Approach
While managed IT may be the most obvious solution for small businesses, a growing number of larger companies are finding it expedient to utilized managed IT in conjunction with their onsite staff. The reason? Maintaining a large infrastructure is a full-time job that leaves little time for expansion or growth-based projects. For that reason, many companies opt to focus their in-house staff on growth strategies while outsourcing their day-to-day IT functions to a managed third-party service.
Which option is best for your Orange County business? Should you hire a full-time IT person or opt for managed IT services? To help inform your decision, ask yourself the following:
- Do you have 200 or more desks requiring ongoing maintenance and monitoring? (In other words, will a full-time staffer have enough to keep busy?)
- Does technology play a critical role in your ability to conduct business?
- Do you rely on onsite servers or cloud-based computing? (The more cloud-based you are, the more effective managed IT can be.)
- Would hiring an IT staff member affect your cash flow negatively?
When weighing managed IT against hiring in-house staff, the answer will be different for every company. However, for a growing number of small to mid-sized businesses, managed IT services are proving to be an effective option for their needs. To discuss your IT needs in Orange County, call us today at 1-877-NetServ.