Information technology is a vital component of business operations that can be approached several different ways. Unfortunately, finding the level of talent needed to appropriately operate an IT department is becoming harder for executives to find and maintain.

Consider that 60% of managers have increased their IT payroll budget to secure a specific person to meet their IT needs. In the technology sector, the playing field is heavily tilted towards qualified applicants over your company, and that can lead to making difficult and sometimes uncomfortable decisions that affect your bottom line.

There are three ways to approach your IT resource needs. You can either hire a full-time IT professional or a team to dedicate themselves to your technology or processes, a consultant to step in and set the foundation or an outsourced third-party vendor to fully-manage all aspects of your IT.

There are positive reasonings behind all three options, but one sticks out as a true winner for small businesses.

Hiring an IT Person May Make Sense

When you have a full-time IT person, you should feel that this resource has a personal connection to your business and commits themselves as an exclusive resource in managing your network infrastructure and addressing your security concerns.

If properly motivated, a full-time employee becomes an integral part of your company culture and delivers proven results time-and-time again. If you’re working with a team of IT professionals, you have the flexibility to hire junior-level employees at a cheaper cost and train them up to be the guy in the future.

This person should know your network better than anyone because they live and breathe it every day.
Sometimes, a Consultant Is Necessary

Hiring temporary employees who may or may not catch on full-time may make sense in the short-to-medium term to help complete projects on a timeline or help your technology get off the ground if you’re just getting started. A contract employee can help your company complete a project and temporarily re-allocate internal resources to focus on other needs within your organization.

While hiring consultants may make sense for your business, understand that these employees may be less engaged than someone who knows they have a job secured long-term. Competition is fierce within typical IT staffing agencies, and these firms always take a cut from your consultant’s salary. These employees may demand more salary knowing that their benefits package won’t match that of a full-time employee.

Third Party IT Firms Can Make the Most Sense for Small Business

We understand the appeal of having IT staffers on payroll, but for most smaller organizations, it just doesn’t make sense.

Third-party vendors can be just as dedicated to your business as a full-time employee, and have the capability to manage your IT at a project level or take on every aspect of your technology, including end-user support, network protection, risk mitigation and long-term planning.

When you partner with an IT company, you receive a defined statement of work and are allowed a full understanding of project costs and know exactly what you’re getting for your money.

A third-party technology vendor takes on a shared risk for any issues that may arise during the engagement, providing peace of mind that is impossible to achieve when you trust an individual or internal team to manage your technology.

When technology is managed internally, deadlines can be misinterpreted or flat out ignored if something else comes up. Outside IT companies treat deadlines as deadlines, and ensure that projects are completed on time and on-budget without excuses.

Find the Right IT Company for Your Needs

If you find yourself going back-and forth on if an outsider’s perspective is valuable for your bottom line and is right for your technology, we would love to chat and help put your mind at ease.

As one of St. Louis’ oldest and most trusted technology vendors, ThrottleNet has the experience and expertise to handle virtually any network situation in any industry no matter how large or small your business is.

Contact us today to receive a free network assessment, and learn the difference a third-party can make in managing your technology.