Should You Keep IT In-House?
Getting IT Help for Small Business is Easier Left to an Expert
A small business needs a small army of people to make business grow, with an organizational chart usually featuring management, HR, standard employees and of course, in-house IT support, right?
Depending on the size of a business “in-house IT support” can be defined as a guy or an entire department.
Management and HR are very good at what they do, but one thing they don’t do is IT. While not trained in this field, these people are tasked with hiring in-house IT support. Resumes and personality work well to gauge an employee’s ability to fill a cubicle but only go so far with highly technical individuals.
Pardon the Forest Gump cliché, but in-house IT support is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get.
For small businesses, the risks of using an in-house IT department may outweigh the pros. Below are some things to be aware of when considering keeping IT in-house vs. hiring an outsourced solution:
There is a Shortage of Qualified IT Professionals in the Workforce
57% of businesses can’t find enough IT security pros who are equipped to handle sophisticated cyber-attacks, and worse, 36% of organizations cite a higher turnover in their security department over other areas of the company. The other problem with a shortage in qualified IT staffers is that they’re more apt to leave for a better opportunity because they’re always in demand. The IT industry has a very low unemployment rate, and retaining IT help for small business is almost as hard as hiring it in the first place.
You Assume All the Risk When You Keep IT in House
If something goes wrong would you rather have the responsibility fall squarely on your shoulders or on someone else? If the network goes down, your in-house IT support team must juggle fixing it with countless other tasks planned for the day or all the other tasks go out the window for the day. Time is money for your business. If your business falls victim to a cyber-attack, you’re left picking up the pieces yourself.
You’re Leaving the Keys to One Individual
If your company can only afford one IT staffer to make up your in-house IT support team he develops knowledge of every process and every bit of confidential information your company owns. What happens if he leaves? Under those circumstances, you’re left scrambling to find a replacement and there’s no guarantee the information stays with your company. In a worst-case scenario, an ex-employee can be malicious towards your organization, or use the knowledge gained from your organization to improve a competitor in a new position.
It Can Get expensive to Keep IT In-House
You must pay top dollar to get top talent in a competitive industry. Add benefits to the equation, and in-house IT support get very expensive for a small business that just needs the basics – like a dependable server, security & employee support. Plus, your IT guy should be entitled to a few sick and vacation days like everyone else, even though your network doesn’t take any time off.
Managed Network plans from ThrottleNet can save your business more than 50% on IT staffing over in-house IT support, and provides a personalized approach to your company’s unique needs. All Managed Network clients receive access to local 24/7/365 help desk & support services, a Virtual CIO, uptime monitoring, anti-virus & spyware software, vendor management support & much more at a low monthly cost without contracts.
Contact us today to learn more about getting IT help for small business with ThrottleNet.