| Businesses today wrestle and grapple with the thought | | | | ones that you hire. What happens at the average |
| of hiring their own technology support staff to support | | | | company when the challenges stop occurring? |
| their daily need for IT support without fully | | | | Boredom is disastrous. There are two possible |
| understanding the risks and the costs associated with | | | | outcomes that occur with in-house staff who deal with |
| having their own team of technology professionals. | | | | challenges with boredom. |
| Business owners, C level execs and Managers are | | | | - They choose to leave to seek out challenges - |
| attracted to the idea of having a team or a consultant | | | | When a company loses a member of their own |
| readily available within shouting distance down the hall, | | | | internal staff, the intellectual property and knowledge |
| basically having an IT resource committed to them 24 | | | | goes with them. This leaves a huge void in the |
| hours a day, 7 days a week. However, many of | | | | understanding of your systems and network layout. |
| today's business owners across the country are not | | | | With a trusted IT partner, this knowledge is retained |
| aware of the total risks their business is exposed to | | | | and companies continue to function as if nothing |
| by electing to bring their technology support in-house. | | | | occurred. |
| More often than not it is purely a cost based decision, | | | | - They decide to adopt "make work" projects - When |
| on the surface it may appear to be more cost | | | | this occurs it can be disastrous as well. Many make |
| effective to hire a consultant or employee who is | | | | work projects are the result of boredom and |
| committed as a full time employee. CFOs and | | | | complacency because of lack of challenges. When |
| Accounting Managers often look only at the cost of | | | | make work projects appear, what isn't getting done is |
| having their IT outsourced and or attracted to hiring | | | | the attention to the daily needs of your systems and |
| someone for a few thousand dollars a month as part | | | | network. Make works projects are distractions and |
| of their staff will save their company in the long run. | | | | your IT partner doesn't worry about finding stuff to do |
| This is not the case in reality and by having a full time | | | | on your network. The daily attention to your systems |
| employee will actually end up costing business today | | | | is still the main focus of their services. |
| more in the long run. | | | | Michael Fafinski, President of Syand Corporation in |
| So what are the advantages of having an IT Partner | | | | Minneapolis states about the value of having a full |
| who focuses on delivering a complete managed | | | | service IT partner can bring to a company, "having a |
| technology solution? There are a number of immediate | | | | full feature IT partner eliminates the "tunnel vision" |
| benefits over having a full time employee. These | | | | found with internal employees. Too often, employers |
| benefits include: | | | | are limited only by the expertise of their internal |
| - The average technology professional with five years | | | | employees and lose opportunities to improve their |
| experience may be worth $60,000 a year. This is | | | | business." |
| great when you looking at the bills from your IT | | | | Many firms that elect to go with their own in-house IT |
| provider and see that you have probably spent paid | | | | person, more often than not resent this decision down |
| the same in their consulting bills for only a fraction of | | | | the road. What seemed like a great idea quickly turns |
| the time. When a business elects to go internal, a | | | | into a huge business mistake that ends up costing |
| $60,000 salary now buys the business one person and | | | | them. |
| not a team of professionals offering depth in expertise | | | | Randy Biggs from VACS in St. Catharines, Ontario |
| and knowledge. | | | | shares "Hiring a trusted IT partners allows a company |
| - IT Partners will provide around the clock monitoring | | | | to have access to many additional certified resources |
| and coverage throughout the entire term of the | | | | without having to keep paying for their staff to get |
| contract. When a company hires their own IT staff, | | | | certified. I find that with hired staff, you get one of two |
| now the challenges around vacation scheduling, training | | | | types. One that always wants the latest and greatest |
| and time off from illness impacts the company. An | | | | that many companies cannot afford to keep up with |
| outsourced IT Partner provided full time coverage, | | | | and the second, someone who becomes complacent |
| vacations, illness and other absences now are not an | | | | and only does what needs done. In either case, they |
| impact on your technology support. | | | | aren't looking out for the best interest of the company." |
| - There are hidden additional costs when a business | | | | When a company elects to retain an outsourced firm |
| elects to hire internally. The costs associated with | | | | over hiring internal, they are getting service from a |
| training can rise rapidly, when you have a trusted IT | | | | company who is focused on ensuring the IT needs are |
| partner, training is no longer the company's challenge. | | | | being addressed in the most efficient manner possible. |
| The IT partner ensures that the skills of their team are | | | | Many trusted IT partners are focused on the bigger |
| up to date. Combine this with costs associated with | | | | picture, ensuring everything is looked after in a |
| procurement of equipment that include SmartPhones, | | | | company's environment including: |
| laptops and other supplies can quickly add up and then | | | | - Vendor Relations |
| there is the added payroll expenses associated with | | | | - IT Budgeting |
| healthcare, payroll and others logistical items. | | | | - Network Monitoring and Proactive IT services |
| - IT partners can offer a wealth of knowledge and | | | | - Knowledge Base Management |
| great resources when needed, offering networks of | | | | - Disaster Recovery Planning |
| partners who can help geographical and even across | | | | Partnering with a trusted IT Partner brings value to any |
| town. When a company turns to hiring their own staff, | | | | business no matter what the size, what makes more |
| this experience often is not available to them and they | | | | sense to you? Limiting the knowledge, options and |
| are stuck with just a single person or a very small | | | | having to deal with people challenges such as |
| team with limited expertise. Now when these skills are | | | | complacency and boredom or expanding available |
| required outside of the skills level of their staff, this is | | | | options by having a wonderful relationship with a |
| now an additional expense that normally the right IT | | | | trusted IT partner who understands what business |
| partner can extend to a company as part of their | | | | needs to grow, increase profits and the importance of |
| program. | | | | the right technology solution. |
| - IT technicians always like to be challenged even the | | | | |