The average network and computer system administrator earns more than $80,000 per year. That amount doesn’t even include the cost of benefits like health insurance, retirement contributions and continued training.
Hiring an IT guy that is part-time can help you save money, but it can also make it difficult for you to get the right services when you need them. A part-time employee, after all, isn’t there all day to solve problems as they arise.
If you still use a part-time IT guy, then you should look for these 4 signs that you need a change.
IT Tasks Take Longer Than Expected
Your business relies on IT tools to make its processes as efficient as possible. When the network goes down, or you when have problems with applications, you have to spend valuable time fixing the problem.
According to some researches, just one hour of downtime can cost a business $100.000 or more. If that sounds like an exaggeration, you should consider:
- The money you waste on hourly employees while they can’t do their jobs.
- The money lost from customers who can’t access your services.
- The time and cash that you will have to spend locating any lost information.
Time is a precious commodity for all businesses. If your IT guy can’t perform tasks quickly, then you will lose money. Perhaps even worse, the downtime could damage your reputation among clients and colleagues.
Related: Are Managed IT Services Right for Your Business?
You Feel Stressed When the IT Guy’s Out of the Office
You take a big gamble when you have just one person overseeing your business’s IT needs. At some point, your IT guy will want to take a vacation. What happens if your server fails during the weeks that your employee is out of town? What about when that person gets too sick to come into the office?
Your gamble becomes even more outrageous when you hire a part-time IT guy. The chances are slim that your IT needs will just so happen to fall within the 20 hours that your employee spends in the office each week.
Related: Why Switch From Break-Fix to Managed IT Services?
If you feel stressed when you think about letting one person run your IT, then you need to consider an alternative. Outsourcing your IT needs to a third-party company ensures that you get the IT support you need 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When you have a team of people on the job, you don’t have to worry about vacations and sick days.
You’re Spending Too Much Money on IT
Assuming that your IT guy is a real professional with a college degree and plenty of experience, you probably spend at least $40,000 for part-time help. A full-time IT guy will cost you closer to $80,000.
Large companies can easily afford to pay several IT professionals $80,000 or more to make sure their systems function well at all times. SMBs, however, need to count every dollar so they can meet their financial goals.
The truth of the matter is that your business doesn’t need an IT guy at the office every day. You may not even need someone once per week.
When you outsource your IT tasks, you only pay for the services and time that you use. Get a quote from PCS International to find out how much money you can save by firing your IT guy and hiring consultants when you need them.
Your Network Gets Attacked by Malware
Has malware attacked your system within the last several years? If so, then your IT guy probably isn’t keeping your firmware and software up to date. Updating software and firmware is one of the first steps toward creating a secure network. As software ages, hackers find vulnerabilities that they can use to access your data, client payment information and other sensitive files.
With professional, proactive network security, you make it harder for hackers to infiltrate your system and steal your information.
Sorry, IT guy, but your services don’t match the needs of today’s businesses. Technology has become too important. Successful companies need proactive IT teams with experience in a wide range of subjects.
