Why in-house IT is not always appropriate for growing SMEs

When considering managed IT services and support, there are a numbers of pros and cons to running IT in-house. Many companies without their own information technology experts have found it beneficial to outsource their IT instead of handling it themselves.

In-house IT is appropriate for some businesses, and whilst we’d never knock those with a capable IT department, there are several shortcomings that certain businesses face with an in-house team, especially during times of rapid growth. Here’s why…

“It’s just not our thing”

Information technology is not an area of expertise that’s of interest to everyone. If you’d rather focus on the core processes of your company, you may be better off handing IT responsibilities to a managed IT services and support provider that suits your needs, budget and company ethos.

Having access to the top minds in the IT industry with an outsourced provider can give you a distinct advantage over the competition – IT professionals can fix issues faster (often before you’ve even noticed them) and have the experience to set you up with the appropriate, resilient and reliable IT infrastructure.

Server support issues time and time again

A common problem that many businesses with in-house IT departments battle with is that of server failures. Failures happen for a number of reasons; from too many servers to incorrect processes. Having an efficient IT support service which knows what to do in the event of server issues will mean you’re back up and running in almost no time at all. With a dedicated outsourced provider, you could conserve your own resources and put them to better use elsewhere.

Many outsourced IT providers also provide 24/7 support for any IT issues your company may be experiencing. This is increasingly important for round-the-clock business operations, but is difficult to maintain (not to mention expensive) when using in-house resources.

Staff growth that isn’t mirrored by IT

It’s a common misconception that information technology remains a static system once it has been deployed. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Information technology infrastructure is actually a dynamic entity that needs to evolve as your business does.

For example, if you started with 15 employees and now have 70, there’s no chance that your IT could remain the same as it was when you started. Hardware and software need to be tailored to suit factors like employee numbers, collaboration and usage, which is why so many businesses would rather outsource at this stage.

Out of date processes and systems

Again, IT needs to be kept up to date with rapidly-evolving technologies and your own business developments. Unless it’s a real passion or an area you’re interested in, many businesses just can’t dedicate the time needed to keep their hardware current and effective. This means that expensive machinery is often left to become out-dated, resulting in costly maintenance and upgrades.

During a time of rapid growth in a business, things like IT can take a backseat when there’s so much on the go. However, this can prove to be an expensive mistake later on. In this case, IT outsourcing is often the appropriate choice for companies:

• undergoing transition or growth
• with limited IT experience
• with business leaders who want to be able to focus on their key areas of interest and expertise

Get an outsourced IT team that acts like an in-house one…

Outsourcing doesn’t have to mean giving up all control. At Conosco, we’ll treat your business’ IT as well as we would our own. Contact us today for a free assessment or for help with an honest cost/benefit analysis.