Let’s say you’re at your work one day, crafting an important spreadsheet for management about how your company is going to budget for the year. All of a sudden, your computer freezes! All across the office, screens start bugging out, monitors start hissing, data start getting deleted: it’s chaos!
Ok, we’re exaggerating a little. But all businesses need strong IT departments to help their computers running, and there are two ways you can build that team. Do you do it in-house, or do you export the process to an outside company?
If you’re on the fence about this choice, fear not! We’re here to give you the complete rundown on which is better for your company: internal or external IT support?
Pros and Cons: In-House IT Support
One of the main advantages of having an IT team right at your fingertips is the home-field advantage they have. Since they operate right out of your company, they will be able to not only fix problems faster than an outside team but also know exactly what machines and software they’ll be dealing with.
Plus, because your company will be responsible for the team, you will also get the freedom to craft them at your discretion. Want to tailor their skill-set towards virus removal over hardware repair, or put a more business-focused edge on your team? Go for it!
The price for this level of freedom, however, is a lot of time and money: you’ll have to build the team from the ground up, and IT folks aren’t cheap. On top of this, you will likely need to bring on a decent-sized team to address the strengths and weaknesses of every IT member, which means more hiring costs and salaries to pay.
Pros and Cons: Outsourcing IT Support
One immediate pro of getting outside IT help is the cost factor. Not only are external companies typically cheaper than hiring and maintaining an in-house team, but you also have the bonus of knowing the cost right at the beginning. This way, you don’t have to put up with any unexpected budget strikes.
Another pro is the consistency with which outside IT companies can assist you. In-house teams may be faster, but outside teams can generally service you with a wider range of hours and issues (since their teams tend to be larger and thus have a wider range of knowledge).
The negatives for out-sourcing your IT support, however, tend to come from their outsider status. They might not be as familiar with your specific software or hardware, and their relations with employees might be lower since they’re not “really” part of the team.
It’s also worth noting that because of their remote operations if you have a physical issue with your computer, it will take some time to receive support from your partner company.
Virus-Busters, Assemble
You should now have a clearer idea about which type of IT support is right for your company!
If you have more questions about business technology or how to keep your head above water in this corporate world, check out the other posts on our blogs! So until next time, remember: you ain’t afraid of no computer bug.
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