One of the biggest things companies struggle with in this day and age is the technology and keeping everything operating correctly. Any time that has to be spent doing repairs is money that is lost. Because of this, companies are looking for IT solutions, either in-house or outsourced. Both have their positives and negatives. However, you have to consider what is best for your company and what you need. Here are some things to look at when it comes to choosing what to do with IT support services.
Size Of Your Company
The first thing you have to look at when you are choosing whether to outsource your IT support or not is the size of your company. If you are a large company that is constantly having issues, perhaps having an in-house IT department would work for you. They would constantly have work to do and because of this, they would be cheaper than outsourcing the work itself. If you are a smaller company, on the other hand, there are a ton of benefits that you can receive by outsourcing IT support.
Typically speaking, smaller companies do not nearly have as many issues as larger companies, especially on a daily basis. Therefore, having a permanent IT department based within the company could end up being a waste of money. By outsourcing the work, you can ensure that you are only getting service when you need it, therefore making the most of your money. Outsourced IT services are extremely common, too, no matter what city you are living in. Even in a small place such as Edinburgh, you can definitely find an Edinburgh IT firm to help you out and give you the support that you need. All in all, as a small company, it is wise to allocate your company resources and physical space towards economic growth and leave the IT support to someone on the outside.
Budget
The next thing you have to look at with your company is how much money you are willing to allocate to an IT department. As mentioned above, having an IT department can be extremely costly as you are always paying them every day of the week regardless if there is an issue or not. If you have the money to support an IT department and constant issues to give them work, this is definitely an option.
If you are looking to save your money and grow as a company on the other hand, outsourcing your IT department is a great alternative. The amount of money that you will save by doing so will allow you to focus on other projects. While it might be convenient always to have a department to help, if you don’t have the budget to do so, it is best to use that money for other means.
Look at the Work Your Company Does
One of the last major things to consider when it comes to determining if you should outsource your IT department or not is the type of work that your company does. Why does this matter? If your company is one that works in real-time and needs constant technological support, even seconds of downtime can spell disaster. You need to ensure that you are able to get support instantly and have everything back up and running as fast as possible. If you outsource your IT, you might have to wait a little while for everything to get fixed.
If your company is okay with short outages and can get by if there are some small issues here and there, outsourcing the IT department is once again going to be your best decision. It all goes back to budget and resource allocation, and unless you have to have an IT department, the resources are best used elsewhere. While you might have to wait just a little bit longer, outsourcing is definitely worth it in the long run. As your company will be able to survive with a short term outage, however, there is no reason to have instantaneous support at a premium. Always consider what type of work your company is doing and how having an IT department would affect it.
These are all important things to consider when it comes time to choose whether or not to outsource your IT department. There is no wrong answer to the situation, and it is just extremely dependent on your company and its needs. Every scenario is unique so ensure that you are taking the time to review all scenarios. At the end of the day, make a decision that is best for both you and your business. How do you plan on handling your IT issue?
