In this technological day and age, no business can hope to prosper without the right IT solutions. Cloud storage, backups, cybersecurity – the list of relevant solutions goes on and on. But, when it comes to how you use and implement those IT solutions, you have a big choice to make: in-house or managed? There are arguments to be made on both sides, and this guide explores the pros, cons, and how to make the right choice for your company.

An Introduction to Managed IT Services

We’ll start with a look at managed IT solutions, which offer a notable array of advantages. If you’re unfamiliar with managed IT, a simple way to think of it is as outsourced IT. It’s basically when you let another specialist company take care of various IT-related tasks for your business, like:

  • Network admin
  • Cybersecurity
  • Document management
  • Data backups
  • Cloud storage
  • Access management

The Pros

The advantages of managed IT include:

Cost-Effective

In most cases, managed IT is notably more cost-effective than hiring an in-house IT team. Indeed, studies suggest that companies who opt for managed IT solutions can save up to 33% per year when compared to in-house IT salaries. That’s a big saving, especially for smaller businesses with limited budgets.

Wide Range of Services

Managed IT providers offer a broad range of services. They can help with everything from network admin tasks to setting up your cybersecurity, adding new devices and IP addresses, solving internet issues, and so on. Often, they’re also quite flexible in their offerings, so you can pick and choose a plan that meets your needs.

Round-the-Clock Availability

The best managed IT providers also offer constant, round-the-clock support. They’ll work tirelessly to monitor your networks, take appropriate actions to keep your business up and running, minimize downtime and security risks, and so on. That lets you and your team focus on more important matters, helping you build a more productive, efficient business.

The Cons

Managed IT isn’t perfect. Here are some downsides:

Remote Support Only

A clear downside with managed IT solutions is that, in the vast majority of cases, your managed provider will operate remotely. They might be miles away from your actual business location, or even on the other side of the world, and have to fix and manage everything from there. That can present difficulties if you have an in-house issue that needs physical repair or attention.

Not Always Specialized to Your Specific Business

The best managed IT providers aim to offer versatile and broad services to suit all sorts of businesses. However, they can’t necessarily fine-tune their offerings to suit every single specific element of your operations. You may have to compromise in a couple of areas, and it can take time to find the best possible provider.

An Introduction to In-House IT Solutions

Next, in-house IT solutions. This is when, rather than outsourcing your IT or letting anyone outside your company help out, you bring in your own IT specialists. You can set up a dedicated IT department or, if your business is quite small, just hire one or two IT workers to help with things like setting up cyber defenses, device and network administration, and so on.

The Pros

The pros of going with an in-house IT team include:

Specialist Support

If you hire your own IT team, you can train them to work exactly as you like, understanding your business’ philosophies, practices, and key tools. This is a clear advantage over certain managed IT solutions, as they won’t always be able to personalize their services or fully adapt to your way of working.

Total Control

With an in-house IT team, you’re in charge. You can choose who to hire, when they work, what they do, and so on. You have control over the decisions they make and the tools they use to support your company and its development. Plus, since they’re always on-site, you can speak with them directly and bring up any issues as they arise.

The Cons

Next, the downside of in-house IT:

The Cost

As discussed above, it’s often much more expensive to hire your own IT specialists than it is to work with a managed provider. IT professional salaries can routinely exceed the $100,000 mark, and if you’ve got a big company to run, you may have to bring in numerous specialists. That’s a lot of money to spend just on salaries, plus the costs of software and other tech tools to add on afterward.

Risk of Turnover

Another issue with having in-house IT pros is that they might eventually leave for other opportunities, taking all that specialist knowledge along with them. Then, you have to go through the long, drawn-out process of finding and hiring the right replacement and training them to fulfill their role. This isn’t an issue with managed IT.

Summing Up: Managed or In-House?

So, we’ve seen the arguments for both managed and in-house IT solutions. But which one’s truly best?

Well, the fact of the matter is that there’s no single answer to that question. Some businesses are better off with managed IT. Others should probably opt for in-house IT instead. It all depends on factors like the size and nature of the business, its budget, and the type of IT solutions required.

In general, here are some useful rules to follow:

  1. If you’re running a small business with a limited budget, outsourcing your IT to a managed provider is almost always the best move. It’ll save you money and provide the reassurance, protection, and support you need to grow.
  2. If your business is bigger, more established, or has highly specific needs, a specialist in-house team may be best. You can train them to understand your business’s way of working, and they’ll always be on hand to help solve any issues you encounter.
  3. Remember, too, that it’s not necessarily a binary choice. You can have a mix of the two, hiring a small in-house IT team to help with certain aspects, while outsourcing other IT solutions to a managed provider. This “best of both worlds” approach is favored by many businesses of all sizes.

Whatever you decide is right for you, Da-Com can help. We offer a range of managed IT services and additional tech solutions, from document management to cybersecurity, for companies in and around St. Louis, Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, and western Illinois. Contact us today to learn more.