MSP vs. In-House IT: Which One Is Right for Your Business?

Your business has officially reached the point where “turning it off and on” is no longer fixing your IT issues. You are having issues with your email, your Microsoft licenses, onboarding/off-boarding employees, your internet fails for no apparent reason, your inbox is filled with more “phish” than a hatchery, and you have no idea what is being backed up!

And don’t even get you started on QuickBooks. Or that printer that took years off your life when it spit out random papers at 8:30pm when you were in the office by yourself. And you have client’s claiming they never receive your emails, your office is a random collection of computers you purchased on sale from Best Buy and some don’t integrate well with industry software, and YOUR PHONES ARE DOWN. AGAIN!!!

In short, it’s time to secure IT support.

When deciding between Managed Service Provider (MSP) services and in-house IT support, businesses should evaluate several key factors:

1. Cost Considerations

• MSP: Typically operates on a subscription model (monthly or per-user/device pricing), which can be more predictable than unexpected IT expenses.
• In-house: Requires salaries, benefits, training, hardware, software, and potential overtime costs for IT staff.

2. Expertise & Specialization

• MSP: Provides a team of specialists with expertise across multiple IT domains (cybersecurity, cloud, networking, compliance).
• In-house: May require hiring multiple specialists or training existing employees, which can be costly and time-consuming.

3. Scalability & Flexibility

• MSP: Easily scales with your business, offering services that match your growth without hiring new staff.
• In-house: Growth may require additional hires and infrastructure investments.

4. Support & Availability

• MSP: Offers 24/7 support and proactive monitoring, reducing downtime and enhancing security.
• In-house: Support is limited to working hours unless additional staffing or on-call support is arranged.

5. Security & Compliance

• MSP: Often provides industry-specific security and compliance services (e.g., HIPAA, GDPR, SOC 2).
• In-house: Requires a dedicated team to stay updated on security threats and compliance changes.

6. Control & Customization

• MSP: May offer standardized solutions that may not fully align with unique business needs.
• In-house: Allows for fully customized solutions, though at a potentially higher cost.

7. Business Focus & Strategic IT Planning

• MSP: Can act as a strategic IT partner but may not be as integrated into business operations.
• In-house: Offers deeper business-specific IT strategy alignment.

When to Choose MSP Services?

✔️ Small to mid-sized businesses needing enterprise-level IT at a lower cost.
✔️ Companies requiring 24/7 support, cybersecurity, and compliance assistance.
✔️ Organizations looking to scale IT without significant capital investment.

✔️Organizations needing multiple IT solutions from hardware to cybersecurity to internet to telecommunications.

When to Choose In-House IT?

✔️ Businesses needing highly customized IT solutions or strict control over infrastructure.
✔️ Large enterprises with extensive IT needs and budgets for specialized teams.
✔️ Companies with highly sensitive data that prefer in-house security management.

Structured Technology Solutions can help with both options! We provide traditional MSP services and IT staffing solutions. Contact us today to explore our custom-tailored solutions and ensure your business runs smoothy.