In-House vs. Outsourced IT: The Real Pros and Cons
Time is money. Business owners know this better than anyone.
So, why are so many owners and managers hesitant to outsource their IT needs?
In 2018, the market size for global outsourcing reached a staggering $85.6 billion. In this article, we’ll examine a few of the real pros and cons of outsourced IT services. We’ll then share a few tell-tale signs that you’re actually losing money by keeping IT tasks in-house.
Let’s get started.
In-house vs. outsourced IT
When putting in-house and outsourced IT head-to-head, there is no clear winner. Both offer advantages. Both have drawbacks. And, which is best for you will depend on the scale, nature, and industry of your business.
Every strategic decision starts with a pros and cons list, right? Here’s ours.
The pros of outsourcing your IT:
- You and your team will have more time and energy to focus on what you do best
- When you outsource your IT to an experienced professional, they will most likely get the work done twice as fast
- Your business will have access to specialized IT expertise and the latest tech innovations
- You will save money – remember, time is money
The cons of outsourcing your IT:
- There is potential for a lack of understanding – outsourced IT service providers are not in your workplace interacting intimately on a day-to-day basis, and it may be difficult to communicate your business’s more nuanced needs and limitations
- In order for your new vCIO to fully maximize their benefit, it will take time to bring them up to speed with the exact needs of your company.
- Your chosen IT professional may not live in the same state as you, meaning they could be operating on a different time zone
Outsourcing only makes sense when you acknowledge time is money
Your time is an asset, and so is the time of your employees – it’s time to start acknowledging this. Every single minute you or your team spend on an IT task that could be outsourced is one minute you could have spent growing your company.
“Instead of spending time to get money, truly happy people spend money to get time.” – Forbes
If you’re still on the fence, try conducting an experiment. Time yourself over one workweek completing outsourceable tasks. You might be surprised by just how much a few minutes or hours here and there adds up.
3 signs it’s time to start outsourcing your IT
If you notice the following three signs, it’s time to start outsourcing:
Small tasks become time-killers
If you’re not an IT professional, seemingly small tasks can eat up huge chunks of your time. If you find yourself spending way too long on maintenance, updates, and other basic activities, it’s time to outsource.
IT tasks prevent you and your team from completing core responsibilities
You have responsibilities. And you hired your team members to fulfill specific business-critical roles. If your IT efforts are preventing you from engaging in high-priority tasks, outsourcing is a viable solution.
You aren’t aware of the most cost-effective solutions
The right technology can boost productivity, streamline processes, improve customer experience, and protect and backup data. If you don’t feel confident, the technology you currently have in place is the most cost-effective, suitable solution on the market, work with an IT consultant.
Finding the right fit
Do one or more of the above signs sound familiar? Outsource. Just take the time to hire the right people.
“This is the time to be highly selective. This is the time to make sure you are creating a good cultural fit.” – Forbes
Get in touch with an IT service provider that is dedicated to helping your business grow. The right partnership can deliver far-reaching benefits that will improve more than just your bottom line.
