If you’re having trouble managing your business IT infrastructure, then it may be time to consider getting some help. There are two ways to approach this: Seek the services of an outsourced IT consultant OR look at employing IT staff in-house. But which option is best for your business?
Making this choice can be difficult as each type of IT support can help you in creating an efficient IT setup. For many small to medium-sized businesses who are budget conscious, taking on an additional staff member may not fit into their business plan, and as a result, these business owners typically prefer to have the ability to scale their operations as they grow. This usually means employing an external IT support provider. On the other hand, larger businesses without budget constraints may prefer hiring their own IT staff , so they can assess and manage their IT infrastructure continuously.
In this guide, we take a look at the benefits of each option, giving you further insight into why having proper business IT support is a key to success for any company.
Engaging An External IT Consultant To Support Your Business
Engaging an external IT consultant to assess and manage your IT systems is a good first step toward improving IT infrastructure for any business, alleviating the headache of trying to troubleshoot IT issues yourself. Most IT consultants operate as Managed Service Providers (MSP), and finding the right one to support your business is important.
Whether you need someone to assess your entire IT system or complete the full setup of Microsoft 365 for your business, getting the right IT support will give your business an efficiency boost and ensure that you and your staff have access to the tech that supports your business needs. So what are the benefits of engaging with an external IT consultant? Read on to find out!
#1: Business Flexibility
IT consultants are available when you need them, giving you the flexibility to scale your IT support up or down as needed. Instead of looking for full-time staff, hiring them in a permanent position and managing their day-to-day operations, you can rest easy knowing that if you need additional support it’s available from an external party without retaining that extra staffing cost. You can also access MSP support for specific projects that may have a fixed period, allowing you to budget for the exact services you need.
#2: Specialised Expertise
Many IT providers have specialised knowledge and experience in a particular area of technology. They are often experts in those specific fields and can provide valuable insights and recommendations that an in-house IT team may not have. With many different clients and businesses on board IT consultants may also be more in-tune with the latest technology trends, constantly learning from the newest tech that benefit a variety of different businesses, not just the existing tech that your office or business already uses.
#3: Cost-Effective Support
While hiring a full-time IT staff member for your business may have its benefits, you may end up paying a lot more than if you had engaged an MSP. With an IT support provider, like Concord IT, you won’t have to worry about staff holidays, sick leave or additional staff administration, instead you’ll have the flexible support you need, when you need it. You also won’t have to worry about paying more for services you don’t need. With an IT support provider you’ll only pay for the services your business needs access to, not the additional items that in-house staff may specialise in.
Hiring In-House IT Support
For some businesses, having additional support direct from an in-house staff member may have strong benefits. IT consultants are great at providing flexible support, but if you need daily assistance in the office or someone to directly manage IT infrastructure, you may need to investigate whether it is worth hiring a full-time staff member. Some benefits of hiring permanent IT staff include:
#1: Direct Support
Having a full-time IT support staff member on hand means that whenever you run into an issue, you’ll have someone there to help troubleshoot and solve your tech-related headache. This is great for businesses with multiple in-house staff, saving you the headache of training team members or working through their own individual tech problems. The only downside with having a staff member on board is if they go on leave, so does your tech support. You’ll need to have a contingency in place to provide employees with support during these leave periods, especially for any business-critical systems.
#2: Infrastructure Knowledge
Many IT providers have specialised knowledge and experience in a particular area of technology. They are often experts in those specific fields and can provide valuable insights and recommendations that an in-house IT team may not have. With many different clients and businesses on board they may also be more in-tune with the latest technology trends, constantly learning from the newest tech that benefit a variety of different businesses, not just the existing tech that your office or business already uses.
#3: Dedicated Support
While IT support providers are great at providing flexible services when you need them, employing an in-house IT team may give your business greater support with a team dedicated to optimising your IT setup. Depending on your budget, you may be in the position to hire multiple IT admins to support your business and provide the high levels of IT help that your business needs. Keep in mind that hiring permanent staff members will likely come at higher permanent costs, unlike the flexibility gained by hiring a contract-based MSP that can be scaled down when desired.
How To Make The Right Choice
Ultimately, getting additional IT support will greatly benefit any business, whether it’s from a business IT consultant or via in-house IT staff. Many big businesses have large, in-house IT support, knowing the benefit of optimising their tech and the ways that IT experts can support workplace efficiency on a daily basis.
But for most small to medium-sized businesses, having an IT support provider to consult on their technology simply makes sense. Instead of going through a risky hiring process and employing somebody permanently within the business, an external IT consultant can provide the same levels of service that can be scaled up or down depending on your business needs and budgets. You’ll still get the business IT support that you need, without the additional staff admin and salary that a permanent employee carries.
Here at Concord IT, we provide IT consultancy services for businesses across Melbourne, from system upgrades to remote support when you need it most. If you’re looking for additional IT support for your business, contact us today and we’ll help your technology reach its full potential.
