Hiring an in-house IT team may seem like a convenient and affordable way to keep your IT infrastructure running smoothly. Some business owners might believe this is their only option, with no awareness of managed IT services.
Working with a managed service provider (MSP) can be a better, more cost-effective option than paying for IT staff. And in this post, we’ll explore six reasons why.
More Staff Means More Salaries and Overheads
When you hire IT staff, you have extra salaries to pay and overheads to cover. That can be incredibly expensive depending on their experience and qualifications. There’s also a risk that your IT team would be overqualified for the work involved and demand salaries that place unnecessary strain on your finances.
However, with an MSP, you’ll only pay for the solutions you really need. The best MSPs offer comprehensive packages tailored to their clients’ unique requirements. They’ll take the time to:
Assess your current IT infrastructure
Consider your day-to-day technological dependencies
Discuss your budget with you in detail
Procure the right hardware and software for your needs to fit within your budget
That can make hiring an MSP much more cost-effective than paying multiple full-time salaries year on year.
You May Need to Invest in Extra Office Space
Another point to consider when hiring in-house IT staff is space. Will you have room in your current location? Or will you need to start renting the office next door as well to fit in a whole new department?
If you have plenty of space available, this isn’t an issue you’ll need to worry about. But if your business is working in a small environment, hiring IT staff may necessitate expanding or changing your current setup.
Switching to managed IT services ensures you can rely on expert support whenever you need it without the expense and disruption of adjusting your current location.
Paying for Job Ads and Recruitment Services
Finding the right IT professionals for your company can be costly. You may need to advertise the role(s) on job sites, social media, and in industry publications. Some businesses use recruitment agencies to source their staff instead, which incurs further costs in fees — and these can be high.
For example, recruitment agencies in Canada charge a standard fee of 15% to 30% of the first year’s gross salary per candidate (according to GoHire).
However, using managed IT services instead can help you avoid the cost of advertising and recruitment fees altogether. You’ll agree on a monthly or annual rate with your MSP, so you’ll know exactly how much you’ll pay overall.
On top of that, you or your HR department will be spared the task of finding and onboarding the new hires.
Sourcing Your Own Hardware and Software is Expensive
Hiring IT staff and paying their salary isn’t the only expense that comes with managing your own IT infrastructure. You also need to equip your workforce with computers, devices, printers, and any number of other items.
Researching your options, weighing up the costs, and making a decision takes time. And unless you’re an expert, you may pay more or less than you should. Either way, a poor decision could leave your workforce with hardware and software that’s unnecessarily comprehensive or too limited.
None of this is an issue when you sign up for managed IT services. Your MSP will explore the best hardware and software for your business needs based on your budget. They will recommend solutions, offer advice, and source tech for you.
That leaves you free to focus on managing your business without the distraction or stress of handling it all yourself. You can trust a reputable MSP to take care of it on your behalf.
You May Need to Bring in Extra Help for Tech Emergencies
One of the main reasons why businesses hire their own IT staff is to ensure they always have an expert on site in emergencies. If something goes wrong, they won’t need to wait for external help to arrive.
But even a strong in-house IT team may lack the training or hands-on experience to solve every problem that arises. Some issues could be too complicated or outside of their range of knowledge.
In those cases, you would need to bring in further assistance. Some local firms may charge high rates for an emergency callout, particularly if it’s at a busy time. Additional costs could also apply if they need specific tools or extra resources to fix a problem.
A company providing managed IT services will provide remote and on-site support in emergencies. A specialist can visit your office, investigate the problem, and recommend a solution. If possible, they will put that into action immediately. Otherwise, they can explain the steps required to get your IT infrastructure running smoothly again.
IT Staff May Be Spread Too Thin and Make Oversights
They may require assistance from a managed IT provider almost daily.
Even in small businesses, IT staff may be inundated with requests for assistance and tasks to complete. Helping employees regain access to their computer when they forget their logins, installing new software, upgrading systems — there’s a lot to take on.
But with so much to do, IT staff can take on more than they can handle and become spread too thin. Over time, that could cause stress and lead to oversights that cost money to fix later (such as data breaches or mistakes caused by outdated software).
However, managed IT services providers specialize in building and maintaining IT infrastructures for businesses. They have bigger teams and more resources at their disposal.
Ready to Learn More About How You Can Get a Better Deal with an MSP?
NETWORTH provides managed IT services across the Greater Toronto and Southern Ontario area. Our solutions include:
Computer network installation
Network and server support
Computer repair and maintenance
Information and cybersecurity services
IT support management
Computer IT support and wireless network services
We also provide all managed IT services clients with a guaranteed 30-minute response time for total peace of mind.
Ready to speak to a member of our team? Contact NETWORTH today!