IT Solutions: Outsourcing vs In-house

In this day and age, technology is an essential aspect of everyone’s lives. Virtually everyone carries the equivalent of a supercomputer in their pocket, and we are more connected to the rest of the world than we have ever been.

Businesses also need to be connected; therefore, they need the technology to do just that. They also need those that know how to fix it when things go sideways. Most businesses will have IT experts they call on to save the day when necessary.

Regarding IT solutions, there are usually two routes to go: in-house or outsourced. The former is where a business has on-site IT employees to fix any tech issues, while the latter is an outside company or service you contact when problems arise.

Both have pros and cons, below we outline the two so you can decide which route would work best for you and your business.

In-house IT 

A dedicated staff department that addresses tech issues as they arise regularly maintains and updates the company’s systems.

Pros of In-house

1. They know the company: When the IT people are your employees, they will know the company inside and out. They’ll know the common issues, see the updated schedule, and be able to diagnose problems quickly, as they’ll be aware of what’s going on internally. They’re invested in your company and know how their co-workers in other departments use their equipment, which makes them adept at solving problems.
2. Very responsive: When the IT staff work for your company, they are there to do the work your company needs when you need it. Their attention isn’t split between multiple clients, which means they have your company’s needs and wants as their top priority.
3. You’re in control: When your IT people are in-house, you get to be the one in control of your IT solutions. They have the proper training to meet the company’s needs, and you can keep tabs on what they’re doing and how much they’re spending, as you would with every other department.

Cons of in-house

1. IT staff are expensive: IT is a specialized skill set, which means they are both high-value and high-cost. The average salary for an IT project manager is $85,000, not considering the cost of benefits, overtime, onboarding and continued training. If you’re a smaller business, that may be more than you can pay. And the odds of an IT person coming to work for less than the average pay for their field are not great.
2. Not always available: As much as we’d love it if IT issues only occurred between the hours of 9am and 5pm, that’s not always the case. Tech issues aren’t always considerate of the workday hours, and things can go sideways any time of day, and even on the weekends. Unless you’ve got in-house staff that are on-call 24/7, which would be ridiculously expensive and thus unlikely, chances are you won’t always have an IT staff member available when something goes wrong.
3. There will be backlog: Whether you like it or not, the on-site IT department will likely fall behind on their tasks. Falling behind isn’t because they don’t know what they’re doing, but simply the nature of the IT beast. Work orders will always be coming in, fires always need putting out, and the work will pile up. IT staff are not robots (we’re not quite there yet in society), and they have human limitations, so they can only work so quickly.

Outsourced IT

This model allows you to hire tech experts from outside your company to handle IT issues as they come up.

Pros of Outsourcing

1. Much more affordable: Suppose you’re a small- or medium-sized business that cannot afford to have an entire IT department on staff or doesn’t need a full-time IT staff. Outsourcing is a much more affordable option. You can use those funds elsewhere to continue growing your business, which is vital for new or smaller companies. You can also set a reasonable budget for outsourced work.
2. Experts available: When you outsource your IT solutions, you’ll have a whole team of experts available to meet your needs. No matter the issue, you can reach someone who can handle the problem. Outsourced service providers will also have access to the most up-to-date equipment, so you won’t have to spend money on assets that may become outdated in a year or two.
3. On-call 24/7: No matter when you have an IT issue, an outsourced company can be reached anytime, day or night, to solve it. Since IT problems don’t adhere to the basic human workday, it’s good to have access to people who can solve the issue when it happens.
4. Quality of service: Outsourced IT is excellent for your business because they want to keep your business, which means they will do their very best to keep you happy with their work, so you’ll keep coming back to them for your IT solutions. They’ll do great work for you, which you’ll share with others and get the word out for them.
5. Better use of resources: Plenty of small businesses have that one reasonably tech-savvy employee, but their actual job is doing something else. But thanks to that tech knowledge, they get roped into trying to solve any issues. Unfortunately, this divides their attention away from their job, limiting productivity and putting the business behind in other areas. Having outsourced IT services means that one employee can do their job and leave the tech stuff to outside experts.

Cons of outsourcing

1. Lack of control: Because an outsourced IT company isn’t an employee of your business, you don’t necessarily know what they’re doing and when they’re doing it. For some, that’s a huge issue, as it’s tough not to know what’s happening in every aspect of their business. But those that can relinquish control of this one aspect of their business will reap the benefits.
2. Lack of communication: Unlike with an on-site IT department, you can’t just walk down the hall and stick your head in to see what the IT team is up to when they’re outsourced. You may not hear from them daily (mainly because they’re busy taking care of your IT issues) and suppose your outsourced company is in a different time zone. In that case, it can also make communication an issue—trying to arrange a meeting at a time that works for both parties can be a pain, especially if you forget the other is two hours behind you. You can make it work as long as everyone remembers what time zone everyone else is in.

Is outsourcing right for you?

Deciding if outsourcing IT suits your company is not to be made lightly. There are financial questions you need to ask yourself, cost-benefit analysis to consider, and if you’re in a position to outsource the work. What will work best for your company may not work for others, so crunching the numbers is essential here.

And it’s not like you can wave a magic wand and have the right IT people appear before you. You’ll have to research and call around to find the best IT company for your needs and budget. Like any big business decision, you’ll want to shop around and ensure the IT company will work best for you and your business. Ask them questions, read reviews of their work, and determine if they have the services you need and how much they charge. Having the complete picture gives you the tools to make an informed decision.

It takes time and effort, but it’s worth ensuring your tech problems can be solved and bring you that peace of mind.

If outsourced IT services sound like the best option for you, we can help set up your company or business and are ready to handle any thing technology throws at you.

Why choose Carpathia IT

There are a lot of IT companies out there, but we at Carpathia IT are ready to work with you. We specialize in IT solutions for small- to medium-sized businesses, so you can rest easy that we’ll be able to address your needs. You’re not just a nameless, faceless corporation or number to us; we work with you to make your business the best it can be to help you help your clients. When we work together, everyone’s needs are met, which makes everyone happy, and allows for good business.

Our base is in West Kelowna, so we know what it’s like for businesses in the Okanagan. Local businesses supporting local businesses keep things moving and benefit everyone.

If you’re in the market for a quality IT service, call Carpathia IT at 236-361-9074, and we’ll do everything we can to help.