Why Should I Outsource My Tech?
I often get asked the question. Why should I outsource my tech?
It’s a great question.
But before looking outward.
Sometimes it’s best to look inward first.
Here are 6 questions to consider regarding insourcing or employing your own IT or tech staff.
1. What is your loaded cost? (salary, benefits, training, equipment, etc.) for the in-house person versus the cost for an outsourced IT provider to handle the same functions and more?
2. Consider that the average tenure for an IT professional is 2–3 years max. How long will it take them to get up to speed? How much time and energy will you be investing with them? What happens when they leave your company for more money and/or a better title?
3 Is EVERYTHING in your IT environment documented? And, is that documentation reviewed and updated periodically? If your IT guy bolts you’ll want to make sure their replacement can pick up where they left off or least come up to speed quickly.
4. Consider the software and tools that the in-house person is going to need to effectively do their job. You will need backup software, a patch management system, monitoring tools, antivirus and security software. Do you have these tools in your budget today?
5. Your in-house IT person is 100% devoted to you, which is great. You’re not sharing him/her with other clients. On the other hand, they are just 1 person. They will have a limited skill set, they need to sleep, they will be sick and they will take vacation. Who is covering while they aren’t available?
6. Consider your business risk. More specifically, consider shifting your risk to someone else. With an inhouse IT guy/s you assume the risk (data theft, hacking, ransomware). With an outsourced IT model someone else assumes the risk (and backs it by contracts and insurance). Are you covered?
Understanding your exposure and risk with insourcing is important.
Both outsourcing and insourcing offer advantages and disadvantages.
Outsourcing for example, provides you with access to talented resources, gives you expertise you wouldn’t otherwise have, and allows you to focus on your core strengths.
As a business leader, it’s important to evaluate how each strategy can influence your business before deciding on a course of action.
The choice is yours to make.
