Today, businesses rely more and more on technology. It helps them make and sell products and communicate with partners and clients. But how do you choose who will manage all your business technology?
Some businesses may partner with an external IT provider, while others may hire an internal IT team. Both have challenges and benefits. But how do you know which one is right for you?
WEBIT Services has provided IT strategy, service, and support to the greater Chicago area for over 25 years. In that time, it has served hundreds of satisfied clients.
We realize that, as an IT provider, WEBIT has its own bias towards external services. However, an external IT provider is not the best choice for every business. Therefore, we created descriptions for both IT team styles.
We recognize that you know your business best. We hope this article helps you make an educated decision for your IT needs.
By the end of this article, you will learn the challenges and benefits of external and internal IT teams and learn tips to determine which suits you best.
What Does an IT Team Do?
An IT team takes care of your IT infrastructure (hardware, software, procedures, etc.) while also planning for the future of that environment.
Essentially, any IT team ensures the business has the technology, IT tools, and practices it needs to function. For example, they verify that your email works, the internet connects, the hardware is reliable, and employees can use essential data and apps.
Internal and external teams have similar, if not identical, goals but differ in how they work and what they bring to your business.
Internal IT Team
An internal IT team works in your office. You might see them grabbing coffee or at company events. They're part of your company.
The size of an internal team depends on your budget and needs. Smaller budgets might mean just one person, while bigger companies might have several IT employees.
Benefits of an Internal IT Team
1. They Know Your Company Well
Being on-site, an internal team knows your company – the people, the tools, and how things work. They deeply understand your company's culture, structure, employees, equipment, and procedures.
2. Specialists in Your Customized Tools
They're pros at using and keeping up customized tools and programs specific to your business. Your internal IT team will be specialists in the tools and programs unique to your business.
3. Quick Help for Employees
Since they're right there, they can quickly help employees with tech questions or issues. They’re in the building and are only committed to your company, so they are typically more accessible than an external team.
4. Full Focus on Your Company
They only work for your company, so all their time and attention go to you.
Challenges of an Internal IT Team
1. Limited Time for Planning, Proactivity, or Growth
Due to their work nature and often smaller sizes, internal IT teams are frequently more reactive than proactive.
They must keep up with the organization’s IT needs, putting out IT “fires” as they pop up. They are, in a sense, firefighters.
They're often busy fixing immediate problems and might need more time for long-term planning or learning about new technologies, procedures, and risks.
2. May Lack Wider Experience and Knowledge
Internal IT teams may also be limited in experience, depending on their work history and combined knowledge. The smaller your team, the less combined experience they have.
They may not know firsthand how other companies currently resolve more complex IT concerns or what beneficial new strategies and procedures are applied outside your company.
Smaller teams might not know what's happening in other companies or the latest tech trends.
External IT Team
An external IT team is from outside your company. Usually, they're called a managed service provider or IT provider.
IT providers are independent companies that manage the IT needs of their various clients. They handle support, proactive maintenance, and IT strategy.
Benefits of an External IT Team
1. Wide Knowledge and Skills
IT providers bring in a whole team with different skills and experiences. Within a quality provider, your company will reap the rewards of the provider’s combined knowledge and skillsets.
IT providers also work with several clients simultaneously, allowing them to problem-solve based on their client experiences. As a result, they know what tools and strategies worked for similar businesses and what didn’t.
2. Handle Time-Consuming Tasks
Because of its team structure, IT providers can commit to more time-consuming tasks. For example, they can handle more complex projects, like researching the best computers for your needs and budget. This saves their clients valuable time.
3. Proactive Maintenance
Quality IT providers work to prevent problems before they happen because they are structured to be proactive.
External providers analyze ticket trends, asset lifecycles, and risk assessments to find potential concerns and resolve them before they become a crisis. Their goal is to put out existing fires and keep new fires from lighting.
4. Focus on Planning for the Future
To succeed, IT providers must stay abreast of new technology, procedures, and risks. Then, they bring this knowledge to clients and use it to build effective IT strategies.
They keep up with new tech and help you plan for your company's growth.
Challenges of an External IT Team
1. Take Time to Know Your Company
They might need some time to understand how your company works and what's unique about it.
2. Work with Other Companies Too
Since they help different companies, they might not be as focused on just your company.
Can Internal and External Teams Work Together?
Yes, internal and external teams can work together, but this depends on your teams’ compatibility, needs, and budget.
The internal team knows the company and specialized software. The external team can bring creative problem-solving and the ability to perform complex or time-consuming tasks. Together, they can build an exceptional IT experience.
However, either team may initially be suspicious of newcomers. With this mindset, both internal and external teams may be hesitant to partner with each other.
If the teams build a trusting relationship, your business can have the best of both IT worlds.
Choosing the Best Team for Your Business
When choosing between an internal and external IT team, consider how much you want to spend, how fast your tech will grow, and if you need help planning for the future. Every business is different, so there's no one-size-fits-all answer.
When choosing an IT team for your business, ask yourself the following questions:
- What am I willing to spend on IT? How much of this budget can I allocate to a team?
- What is my time worth, and which team best supports my time?
- How much and how quickly would I like my technology to grow and develop? Which team could manage this best?
- Which team can help me build an IT strategy?
- Is my current team able to accomplish tasks AND grow? If not, why?
Answers will vary based on your business and needs.
Next Steps to Choosing Your IT Team
You can see how well your current IT team is doing by looking at how quickly they solve problems and if they stick to your budget.
If things are good, great! If not, it might be time to think about a change. Don't be afraid to look closely at how happy you are with your IT service.
An internal team has in-depth knowledge of your company, its values, employees, procedures, and customized applications. However, internal IT teams are often more limited in their ability to be proactive and grow.
An external IT provider brings in a team of experts to help meet IT service needs while providing strategy and proactive IT management. Its disadvantages lie in being an outsider.
To find the best team style for you, develop metrics to help evaluate and track your IT team’s success and growth. Metrics can involve ticket resolution times, the number of IT-related crises you experience, and how well you stay within your IT budget.
If your IT team’s stats are trending in the right direction, you have a setup that supports your needs.
However, if this is not the case, it may be time to reevaluate your IT partnership. Don’t be afraid to look closely at your IT setup and satisfaction with your IT service.
For over 25 years, WEBIT Services has served hundreds of satisfied clients in the greater Chicago area.
If you are looking for a new IT provider, schedule a free 30-minute consultation to see how WEBIT Services can help.
If you aren’t ready to make a commitment but would like to learn more about IT providers, we recommend the following articles:
