Today, it’s hard to find an industry, company, or business that does not rely on fast, dependable technology at every level of operation to function. With businesses completely dependent on functional, reliable tech across industries and departments, network failures or tech malfunctions are no longer minor inconveniences: they can have serious, and often catastrophic, consequences. That’s why decisions about in-house vs. managed IT are more important than ever.
In-House vs. Managed IT: What’s the Difference?
In-house vs. managed IT is a question of how your company handles its tech needs. IT support is no longer optional: nearly every business operation today requires some kind of IT support. So when it comes to technology maintenance and management, the decision most companies face is whether to utilize in-house IT support or managed IT support.
In-house IT is internal. It may be a one-person IT department or a tech team, but in-house IT operates as part of and within the company itself.
Conversely, managed IT is external, outsourced IT support. In other words, instead of having an IT person or department who works within the company, a managed IT approach hires an external team dedicated to managing and maintaining tech systems and solving tech problems.
When it comes to decisions about in-house vs. managed IT, which is better? While many companies have historically kept their IT department internal, the reality is that in today’s rapidly evolving tech landscape, managed IT has clear advantages over in-house. Let’s explore how they stack up in three critical areas.
Quicker Response Time
Minimizing downtime caused by technology glitches or network crashes is critical. But can in-house IT or managed IT respond faster?
At first glance, it may seem like in-house has the advantage: isn’t it quicker to knock on the IT guy’s door when the system crashes instead of calling out to an external provider?
In short: no. Having a one-man in-house team means that tech problem-solving is limited by what one person can do at a time. And if that tech person is putting out small fires, they’re not well-equipped to do proactive work like improving technology, anticipating and planning solutions to future problems, or otherwise improving system maintenance.
Broad Knowledge Base
Using in-house IT means putting all of the company’s proverbial eggs in one proverbial basket. A one-person IT department can manage and solve only what one person has the time and capacity to do, using only what expertise that one person has.
A managed IT approach utilizes a team of experts with diverse skill sets and areas of expertise and focus. Instead of relying on one in-house person to put out fires one at a time, a managed IT team gives you access to a team of tech experts with a broad and varied knowledge base, meaning that you can count on tech service, maintenance, repair, project planning, and a team who will help you create an innovative tech road map to get you from where you are now to where you want to be.
Cost Savings
The bottom line: managed IT is more cost-effective. Outsourcing to an expert-managed IT team means that you won’t have to deal with the costs that come with recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and managing an employee or team.
In-house IT comes with unpredictable costs and employee expenses: those that come with absences, or an employee taking sick or vacation leave. There are the costs of finding, hiring, and training temporary replacements, and there are the even higher costs of employee turnover that you may face if an employee takes extended leave, is fired, or quits.
With managed IT, there are no surprises. A predictable cost model means that you know what you’re paying each month, and you can expect a fixed monthly rate with a clear breakdown of the services provided.
Outsourcing IT puts your tech and security in the hands of experts, cutting your downtime, saving you money, and freeing you up to focus on running your business.
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Since 1963, CPI Technologies has been offering IT services and office technologies custom-designed to meet the specific needs of our customers. Our services include Managed IT, Managed Print Services (MPS), Electronic Document Management (EDM), data backup, network security, VoIP phone systems, and more. We also offer top-of-the-line office equipment, including printers, scanners, fax machines, shredders, folders, collators, and all-in-ones. Let us show you how we can increase your office’s efficiency and productivity. To get started, please request a quote or give us a call at 800-337-2679.