As a company grows, the moment of decision arrives: hire an in-house IT technician or use an IT outsourcing company? Both paths have advantages, and the right choice depends on the scale, budget and criticality of the technology to your business. Let's compare them honestly.
The internal option: pros and cons
Having someone in-house provides closeness and deep knowledge of the operation. But, in an SME, a single technician brings real limitations.
- A favour: immediate availability and day-to-day knowledge.
- Cons: high total cost (salary, overheads, training, holiday).
- Cons: one single person doesn't master everything — networks, security, cloud, servers.
- Cons: when someone is absent or leaves, the company is left exposed.
IT outsourcing: pros and cons
An external IT company functions as a complete department, with various skill sets, for a fixed fee.
- A favour: access to a team with diverse skills.
- A favour: predictable cost and no staff costs.
- A favour: continuity — there is no dependence on a single person.
- Cons: it requires a good partner, with a clear SLA and close communication.
What about the hybrid model?
Many SMEs choose a middle ground: they keep an in-house person for day-to-day operations and rely on an external partner for security, projects and peak workloads (co-management). It is often the best of both worlds.
How to decide
If IT is critical for revenue and operations, and cannot depend on a single person, outsourcing (or the hybrid model) is usually worth it. Evaluate the total cost of the internal option — not just the salary — and compare it with a retainer that includes prevention, security and a written SLA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is outsourcing cheaper than an internal IT technician?
Often yes, when you add up the total cost of an in-house employee (salary, national insurance, training, absences). But most importantly, it's about the value: an external team brings skills that a single person cannot cover.
Do I lose control with outsourcing?
No, if the partner documents everything and does not require a tie-in. The access and information remain yours, and there should be regular reports and meetings.
Can I combine internal and external?
Yes. The co-management model is very common: the internal person handles day-to-day operations and the external partner reinforces security, projects and specialities.
Thinking about IT outsourcing?
Here is how our external IT department on a fixed retainer works: External IT department (outsourcing).
