Owning an internal IT department that supplies dedicated IT support services to a company can be a costly overhead. Small businesses need to be especially smart about the way in which they run their companies to ensure that they keep costs low while still running efficiently enough to make a profit. Under the current economic conditions, which have been compounded by the pandemic, one of the first areas that small business cut costs is in their IT department.

However, it is essential to remember that it is not only corporate and high-tech companies that require IT support services. This is evidenced by the increasing dependency of smaller businesses on complex integrations of hardware, software and cloud services that handle a multitude of connections.

There are three options that small businesses can consider as an alternative to their own in-house IT department; onsite IT support, remote IT Support and a hybrid solution of both.

Remote IT Support

Remote IT support is exceptionally versatile as it allows external IT support professionals to address IT issues from any remote location with internet access. This type of support has gained popularity – especially over lockdown, and this can be attributed to its ability to provide a quick solution, as well as the lower fees associated with it. Since no travel costs or travel time are incurred, prices can be kept to a minimal. This is a very viable solution for both small and large issues.

Onsite IT Support

Dedicated onsite IT support involves a company having an IT Technician situated on their premises for a certain number of hours, as determined by the Service Level Agreement signed. This enables a more substantial number of technical issues to be resolved – especially in the case of a server or network crash. Another positive is that a regular onsite IT Technician also becomes familiar with the company and its process, which can prove beneficial to both parties.

Disadvantages of Remote and Onsite IT Support

While both models have their advantages, there are a few disadvantages too. For example, remote support is limited when physical issues arise such as viruses, physical data loss or power problems. These all require a technician onsite to fix the relevant hardware. Onsite support also has its challenges, especially in terms of costs for small businesses. Service hours are also a consideration for onsite support, and after-hours call-outs can be quite costly – if not adequately negotiated in the Service Level Agreement.

A Hybridised Solution

Both remote IT support and onsite IT support services have their advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, an initial hybridised solution may be the best way forward to determine whether remote or onsite support services would be most suitable for the needs of each specific business going forward. Remote support can also be purchased as an Unlimited Remote Support Option, through Westech,  to alleviate the administration regarding reconciling Support Services at month-end.

For further information, contact Westech for the best onsite and offsite IT support.