Technology has become a huge part of modern businesses. Even small teams regularly use computers, mobile phones, laptops, and cloud computing. Some companies are composed of teams with members all around the world. This offers unprecedented opportunities for businesses to grow, challenge themselves, and disrupt marketplaces. But it can also offer significant challenges for a business when it comes to managing IT. Websites, networks, servers, and cloud computing all need to be maintained. How should a company get it done?
Some companies choose to hire a managed IT service provider to handle some or all of their technology needs. Others opt to augment their staff by hiring one or more new team members and creating an IT team on site.
But which of these options is better for your company? We’ve outlined a few factors here to help you decide.
Cost
The first factor to consider is cost. Depending on your needs, hiring your own staff is likely to be more expensive. Salaries, benefits, physical space for the team to work in, and completion of the onboarding process all add up quickly. With managed IT services, however, you know what the recurring cost of the services will be every month. So you can plan for a specific budget amount. Staff costs can fluctuate as team members leave and need to be replaced.
- For a business on a tight budget, a managed IT solution might be more effective.
- For a company with a more expansive budget, especially one on the cusp of upsizing, staff augmentation might be the right choice.
Level of control
Another factor to consider is how much staffing control you want to have. For example, if you have an underperforming staff member, you can choose to manage the issue and even remove them from the company if needed. You can hire people you believe will be the best fit for your company. The question is whether you have the time, expertise and available talent pool to hire the right skilled resources to manage your changing technology environment.
With managed IT service companies, you don’t get to decide who the IT company hires, which means you aren’t vetting and hiring the team of IT professionals who will manage your cloud computing, data backup, and other IT services. But the IT services experts have the focus, motivation, expertise and model to bring on the best and brightest technical resources to meet the needs of all their clients.
- If you have the staff, the time, and the budget to bring on exactly the right people for each IT job then staff augmentation might be your best choice.
- If you’re comfortable depending on your IT managed service provider to deliver and manage the IT talent then a managed care solution may work well.
Specialization
One big difference between managed IT services and staff augmentation is specialization. When you augment your team with a particular person, they come with a particular set of specialties and experiences. They add those skills to your team and expand its capabilities. When they do not have the right expertise or knowledge for new issues, projects or technologies, either they or your company must acquire the additional knowledge or assistance.
Managed IT service providers, however, tend to be slightly more focused on the big picture. They can complete maintenance, ensure your website is secure, and create customized solutions for your company. They are likely aware of specializations on their own teams, but what you see is a composite work created by all team members. Even a single IT professional costs on average around $60,000 a year, and that doesn’t account for any of their specialties. Managed IT allows for more expertise per dollar.
- If you have a specific skill gap to be filled, staff augmentation may be the right solution, since it allows you to find precisely the right person for the job.
- If your company needs a broader set of skills or services to complete a wide range of tasks, then managed IT may be a better solution.
If you’re considering managed IT services, talk to Vision Computer Solutions today.
