Employed or Outsourced IT Help — What's Proper for London Companies?

Technical help for your business can come in all shapes and sizes, and there’s no doubt that even more resources will be available at your fingertips in the years to come. With the rise in outsourced IT support enterprises in London, your business may be trying to understand which is the better choice for its operations: outsourced or in-house help?

While both options have multiple unique features and benefits, your business needs to have a clear understanding of its current capabilities, future goals and technical requirements before it can begin to search for its IT helpdesk in London. In this article, we’ll cover what questions your business needs to ask itself and detail the differences between hired and outsourced IT help.

Your Requirements

No matter what size your business may be, having an IT infrastructure that actively promotes your success is one of the most crucial aspects when it comes to surviving the fast-paced market. Competition is fierce, and you need a reliable support team to take care of any issues you might encounter along the way. Without proper IT help, technical problems and severe downtime can put a strain on your business.

As such, your business needs to make sure its new IT hires are prepared and well-qualified to handle such rigorous needs. Whether you’re interviewing a candidate for in-house IT or alternatively outsourcing London IT support to an external specialist, these are the points to keep in mind:

• Proficiency in project management and communication skills.
• Experience coding websites (HTML), utilising Microsoft Office and accurate documentation.
• Access to and understanding of networks, servers, hardware appliances and databases.
• Overall quality guarantees.
• Knowledge of the market, business operations and experience providing business IT assistance.

Additionally, your business should include any questions specific to its operations. While so many questions can make the interview process a long one, it’s one of the most critical aspects of securing your success in the future. After all, IT is the backbone of your business — you need someone who knows what they’re doing, and who does it well.

The Differences

As you might expect, the debate between having an in-house and outsourced IT helpdesk in London is discussed for a reason; there genuinely are some significant differences between the two. As your business completes its research, it’ll come across these significant points of interest that separate both options.

What You Can Expect from In-House IT

An in-house IT team operates within your workforce like any other employee. As such, they’ll be regularly working with your network throughout the year, giving them in-depth knowledge and experience that an outsourced IT help partner might not receive.

Additionally, in-house IT gives your recruitment team a unique opportunity to acquire new employees who can contribute to company culture and bolster workforce morale. And, because they’ll be on-site so often, you won’t have to worry about lengthy downtime thanks to their rapid response.

What You Can Expect from Outsourced IT

From a financial standpoint, acquiring IT support from an outsourced provider in London is the cheapest option by large. Yearly salaries, benefits and holiday pay won’t show up on your bill any longer, allowing you to pay only for what you need, when you need it. As a bonus, scalable and flexible purchase options are popular amongst IT help partners, keeping you from placing a strain on your resources.

Additionally, outsourced IT enterprises have a large team of experts, which means you won’t be relying on the limited experience of a select few in-house employees. Every time you have an issue, you’ll be paired with someone who has the most extensive knowledge in the area. Lastly, many of them have established relationships with vendors and can provide software or technical equipment discounts.

How to Make Your Decision

At the end of the day, there’s no easy way to make your final choice. The process shouldn’t be done too quickly, as it is critical your business fully understands its needs, capabilities and resources beforehand. Set up consultations with different providers, speak with potential employees, keep your options open and don’t settle for less. After all, a healthy IT infrastructure leads to a healthy business — don’t take risks for something you can’t replace.