The advent of technology has made IT support necessary for every type of business. Regardless of size or nature, businesses rely on technology, which must be utilized to achieve success. It’s no longer a debate.
These days, the question lies in who should provide this support. Should you hire an internal IT team? Or should you outsource the task to a managed service provider (MSP)? 
As an MSP, Intelligent Technical Solutions (ITS) believes in the many strengths of outsourcing your IT support. However, we also know that partnering with MSPs isn’t always the right call. Internal IT teams offer many benefits for certain businesses, and yours might fit the bill.
To know more about whether you should hire an internal IT team, we talked to Todd Whitley, a partner at ITS. Whitley is an expert technology solutions consultant who advises our clients on handling their IT, whether partnering with us or having their own team.
With his expert knowledge, we aim to make you understand what an internal IT team can do and when it’s the right time to hire one for your business.
When should you hire an internal IT team?
Let's get straight to it. When is it recommended to hire an internal IT team?
1. If you have 50+ employees
When asked, Whitley answered, “It would be driven more by the size of the organization and if they're growing rapidly.”
Small businesses with 25 to 50 employees might not find value in hiring an internal IT team or even just one dedicated IT guy. If you fall under this, your technological needs are likely less extensive, and there would need to be more work to keep the team busy. Whitley supported this by saying, “I would say if you're a small business, there's not very many good reasons to hire an internal IT team.”
2. If you have < 50 employees but on hypergrowth mode
Another consideration is the business’ growth rate. Fast-growing organizations could make sense of adding a dedicated IT group, especially if they're heavily reliant on technology. Whitley described this as a reason to have an insight group, which could also be balanced with an MSP partnership, similar to a co-managed IT setup.
3. If you’re in a niche industry that requires unique expertise
The final thing that affects your need for an internal IT team is the nature of your business. Companies with unique expertise, such as those creating software or other high-tech applications, may require their own team to address issues immediately. Meanwhile, those in industries such as retailing may need managed IT.
These three things – company size, growth rate, and nature – are the factors that could determine whether you should hire an IT team. If you’re a small business, it’s best to forego an internal team and instead ask if you need an MSP. But if you’re fast-growing or heavily reliant on tech, you will need a dedicated support group to help your business grow.
How can an internal IT team help your business?
It’s helpful to know when to hire an internal IT team for your business, but it’s also necessary to understand what they can offer you. Knowing this will help you set expectations and goals for your team.
The ways your internal IT team can help are:
- You can expect an on-site team to respond promptly to your inquiries and requests. Minimizing downtime many benefits, from improving efficiency to ensuring continuous operations.
- Internal staff can build better relationships with other members of your business, resulting in clearer communication that is important when resolving tech issues.
- Your business is the sole focus of your internal IT team, so it’s easier for them to gain an in-depth understanding of your processes and systems. This knowledge will help them provide the best IT support that you need.
- Each business has different IT needs – some require cybersecurity, while others need general managed IT support. You can decide which IT aspect to focus on to help your business grow.
Ready to decide if you should outsource IT or stay internal?
Investing in an internal IT team requires a lot of resources, which is why it’s important to determine if it’s necessary for you. Remember that if you’re a small business with slow growth and little tech dependence, you may be better off partnering with external experts. However, if you’re a fast-growing business relying heavily on tech, you will need an internal team to succeed.
With that knowledge, you’re ready to decide whether your business needs an MSP or an internal IT team. If you decide on the latter, you can check out this fundamental IT checklist for SMBs. This should help you plan and implement the right tech for your organization.
If, on the other hand, you decide on the former, you can check out these pieces of content on managed IT services from our learning center:
- Ebook: Everything You Need to Know About Managed IT
- Article: How Much Does Managed IT Cost? (5 Price Factors) [Updated]
- Article: 20 Questions to Ask When Choosing the Best Managed IT (MSP) in 2023