To remain competitive, your business will need to be at the forefront of technology innovations. The question is whether you need to have an in-house or outsourced IT team. Also, who makes that call? Who should be the IT decision-maker in your business? Let’s discuss these issues and discover how you can ensure that your business has the best IT support.
Who is the IT Decision-Maker in SMBs?
There are approximately 32 million small businesses in the US. Research shows that for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), the IT decision-maker is largely determined by the size of each enterprise:
1-10 employees: Owners and office managers make IT decisions.
10-250 employees: There is often one IT professional (or a Network Admin) who makes IT decisions.
250-500 employees: The IT Director is the IT decision-maker.
501-1000 employees: There is a VP of IT who oversees all tech decisions.
Over 1000 employees: A CIO is where the buck stops - since that role is the final IT decision-maker.
The smaller a business is, the more likely it is that the owner will be the one to make all IT decisions. With larger organizations, the hierarchy expands and is likely to include a specialized IT role and a clear IT decision-maker.
Choosing Between In-House or Outsourced IT Support
All SMB IT decision-makers must decide whether to outsource or hire their IT needs. We invite you to consider the following indicators to make your decision:
Competing Time Use
When doing IT in-house takes away time that could be spent on your core business, then it’s time to make the outsourcing decision. If IT is not one of your core competencies, then wisely reallocate your personnel and outsource your tech needs.
Hiring, Retention, and Upskilling Difficulties
Recruiting, training, and paying IT staff is expensive, and with their high labor demand, you may also have high turnover. Furthermore, if your existing IT workforce has outdated skills and you don’t have the budget to pay for upskilling, then your business will suffer. It makes sense to outsource your IT needs to certified experts at affordable prices.
Niche Requirements
If you have a project that requires niche IT expertise (like cloud management migrations), then it’s better to outsource to a specialist company. Trying to hire an entire team of IT experts is unlikely to be cost-effective.
Ease of Scaling and Time to Market
SMBs must be responsive to changing market conditions, and outsourcing their IT requirements is one way to quickly scale upwards and downwards as needed. Since recruiting the right IT talent takes time, outsourcing the IT expertise that you need allows you to quickly get your product or service to market.
Outsourcing is a Better Choice
If outsourcing your IT needs is more cost-effective and gives you improved and specialized services on-demand, then it’s the better way. If outsourcing is a good strategic move for your business, you should make that choice.
Hiring the right IT managed services provider will make your outsourcing decision a beneficial one.
Need an IT Managed Services Provider?
We have discussed how to figure out your IT decision-maker and the factors to consider in making your outsourcing decision. Are you looking for a knowledgeable, affordable, and effective IT managed services provider? We could be your partners in technology. Net Friends supplies expert IT services that help your business run securely, scale easily, and exceed your strategic goals. Contact us today to get the professional IT support that you need when you need it.
WHAT TO READ NEXT:
- The Benefits of Hiring An Outsourced IT Company
- Top 3 Reasons Why Hiring a Managed Services Provider Can be a Game-Changer
- Top 5 IT Budget Questions to Consider in 2021
