Fuse is a Microsoft Partner, based in Northampton. We help organisations of all sizes to maximise IT efficiencies through the use of Microsoft cloud computing solutions.
Outsourcing IT Support vs. Handling it In-House - Which Should I Choose?
There's no definitive, one-size-fits-all approach to how you should handle your businesses' support. Both outsourcing and paying for an in-house, dedicated team of workers have advantages and disadvantages that suit some companies better than others.
In-House IT Support
An in-house IT team is a department tailored to your business, run onsite at your place of work by your staff. While in-house IT departments can prove expensive and complex to run, it can provide you with a greater degree of control and streamlining when it comes to handling predictable, preventable, and routine IT issues.
Routine hardware problems are sometimes easier to resolve with an onsite workshop. Sending your equipment away for repair, or calling in an engineer, may eat up large amounts of time and money. This makes onsite support an ideal choice for larger companies with the resources to expend on a well-equipped team.
However, onsite IT support models have some drawbacks.
Maintaining specialist IT support staff during long periods of downtime is unproductive and expensive, particularly if you're running a smaller company. With small IT departments, you might struggle to properly support users of unfamiliar software, operating systems, devices, and online platforms.
If you're storing confidential data, you might also open your servers up to more security risks by decreasing the level of surveillance expertise and active hours spent on network monitoring. Even the best staff can't work 24-7.
Remote and Outsourced IT Support
There are two main ways to take on third-party IT support:
1) Pay for a contracted service that covers onsite and remote support for your full IT infrastructure, or;
2) Take out online support for systems and platforms on a case by case basis.
Support is delivered via phone, email, visits, or remote support software like TeamViewer - a special piece of software that lets administrators take remote control of a PC or tablet via an internet link.
Fuse Collaboration is a third-party IT support provider. We provide flexible IT support in these ways to a wide range of companies. Outsourced IT support is ideal if you don't require constant oversight of your IT hardware and any technical issues - but DO require it for data storage, network security, and 'always on' software up-time. By using rotating shifts and a larger body of staff, outsourcers can offer near-constant technical support, 365 days per year.
Paying for outsourcing also allows you to access the experience of a broader range of IT specialists and experts. Remote IT support companies that specialise in the detailed aspects of software and tech can afford to employ a more diverse selection of IT professionals. This allows them to go above and beyond in solving challenging technical problems that might stump newer, fewer specialist teams.
Hybrid Models?
If you need maintenance and support for specific services less than others, it can make sense to use in-house staff for day-to-day tasks alongside remote support for infrequent issues. For example, server and long-term data storage support could be handled off-site by specialist services, while your day-to-day problems could be managed by in-house staff.
Dedicated Remote IT Support with Fuse Collaboration
Fuse Collaboration can offer you a wide range of IT support, specialised, and tailored to whatever your company needs. We offer telephone, onsite callouts, and email support, alongside dedicated workshops, backups, and software upgrades. Give us a call on 01604 343178 today to find out more.
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