It can be a bit of a dilemma for SMEs when it comes to deciding on
whether to outsource IT services or keep them in-house. We have outlined
some of the key reasons why outsourcing your IT services to a managed
service provider can be beneficial to your business, helping you to
decide what to do for the best when it comes to managing your business’
IT needs:

Experience

With an in-house IT manager or even in-house IT team, there is a
restriction on the amount of knowledge and expertise within the
organisation when it comes to IT, as often the IT department is small.
However, with an outsourced IT service, there is a larger team of IT
experts dedicated to the field. This means the range of experience is
much greater. This is particularly important when a major disaster
occurs, as the issue is more likely to be resolved quickly with a
greater pool of knowledge managing it. Also, small in-house IT
departments often have a significant workload even before a large IT
problem arises. With an outsourced service, there are more hands on deck
to deal with an issue immediately so any disruption to an organisation
is limited.

Compliance and security

Is your company adhering to all the relevant standards it should be?
Is its security system up to date? Is it aware of the latest virus
causing chaos across the country? There is a lot of legislation to abide
by and risks to be aware of when it comes to IT. It can be difficult
for small in-house IT departments to stay abreast of all the latest
developments in these areas. However, an outsourced IT service deals
with matters relating to legislation and risk day-in day-out. Whether it
be a data breach, security scare or virus, experts in the industry are
far more likely to know all about the problem and how to deal with it
before any ill effects occur.

Reducing costs

Keeping expenditure low in a business is always paramount. When it
comes to costs relating to IT, they can often take a sharp increase when
hiring and training IT staff. It can be even more costly when employees
don’t meet the skills requirement, as more time and resources are
needed to seek the right candidate. Outsourcing to a managed service
provider however can make things far more cost effective as it takes
away the hassle and expenditure associated with recruitment and
training. Also, many in-house IT departments need to conduct their own
research, development and implementation, which also mean increased
costs. Using a managed service provider that can undertake all these
elements on your business’ behalf can minimise such expenses.

Are you thinking about outsourcing your IT services and support? For
more information, talk to one of our team members at SA1 Solutions on
01792 439 087 or email info@sa1solutions.com