Are the Days of a Part-Time, Internal IT Department Over for the SMB?

Your Technology is No Longer a Cost Center

In a perfect world, all your employees would be tech-savvy enough not to need an IT department. Since this is never the case, the next alternative is to rely on those in the office who have the technical knowledge to support those who don’t. This part-time IT idea is the solution that so many SMBs have relied on for years, and, for so many reasons, it’s the wrong solution. 

A part-time IT staff cannot keep your business safe.

They have their own jobs to do.

They don’t have the resources to plan for growth.

They most likely don’t have the specialized expertise you need.

Your organization represents potential, be it profit, growth, or customer service and the best way to harness that potential and give it the best chance to succeed is through the right technology.  An outsourced IT solution provides a modern workplace. One that not only effectively handles the IT issues of today but provides an IT roadmap that will guide your business through growth.  

The IT Landscape is Always Changing, How Will You Keep Up?

We understand why companies stay with part-time internal IT departments. Perhaps you are afraid of risk or want to retain full control. Maybe your current in-house solution appears to be working. Technology buzzwords like “the cloud” may seem foreign but at SBT, we have worked with business technology for a long time and over the years we have found that if your company continues to rely on inadequate technology solutions, you will fail to remain competitive. Here are some reasons why a trusted managed services provider is far superior to an in-house option.

Technology Is Here to Stay

IT is the ultimate differentiator and if you have been relying on temporary or poorly planned solutions, there will come a time when you will find your business is far behind the times. In today’s business climate, IT needs to be part of every decision. As a modern managed services provider, we make sure your growth incorporates technology. You gain the total IT management you need to handle growth and weather any storm.  

Part-Time Internal IT Staff Arrive Through a Revolving Door

IT departments that consist of one or a few professionals need to be everything to everyone and this is a difficult task to achieve. This is especially so if your IT department is also the sales department, or human resources, or accounting because their technology tasks will always get in the way of what they were hired to do. In our experience, the notion of relying on a part-time IT professional is a dangerous one, and it is the quickest way to put your business out of business. 

We Already Have the Expertise; There’s No Need to Search for It

Do you run a property management firm? A manufacturing facility? A school or church? Any services organization with distributed offices? Wouldn’t it be great to find an IT professional who had already worked in these fields and who understands their unique challenges and industry regulations? If you don’t find one person, maybe you can combine these qualities in a few, but by this time your IT department will have become something that is expensive to maintain. 

External IT Departments Are More Cost Effective

The average salary for an IT Manager is just about $100,000 a year without benefits or incentives included. This is quite a cost for a professional who may not be able to handle the requirements of their job on their own. Include the tools they need, and the ongoing training they require, and this cost quickly multiplies. 

Always Evaluate Your IT Landscape

The solutions of yesterday aren’t the best response to the IT needs of tomorrow. In fact, they may not satisfy the needs of today. At SBT, we make sense of your IT, evaluate it to make sure it does exactly what you need it to do, and help you plan for the future. We give your part-time IT staff the freedom to do their intended tasks, not something they were asked to do out of necessity. If you have an internal IT staff that may be stretched too thin, we are here to fill in the gaps.

This is the purpose of a modern MSP. When was the last time you evaluated your technology? Reach out to SBT today, let us assess your technology, and get ready for a modern workplace.