Short answer
For a company with fewer than 30–50 staff, managed IT usually costs less than an employee and covers more specialities: network, security, backup, support. An in-house IT person makes sense when there is daily work for them or very specific systems. The riskiest option is "a friend who knows computers".
What managed IT means
For a monthly subscription, a provider takes care of your computers, network, email, backup and security. They respond to problems and, more importantly, prevent them: updates, monitoring, checks.
The comparison in short
- Cost: an in-house IT person means a full salary plus taxes; a subscription for 10 computers costs a fraction of that.
- Cover: one person goes on holiday or gets ill; an external team doesn't.
- Specialities: one person rarely knows network, security, servers and cameras equally well.
- Knowing the business: the employee wins here, unless the provider gives you a dedicated technician who knows your setup.
The risk of "a friend who knows computers"
It works until they move, change jobs or stop answering the phone. Passwords, configurations and backups often exist only in their head. The first requirement of any solution: the documentation belongs to the business.
What to ask a provider for
- A fixed monthly price, with what's included in writing.
- A technician or small team you know, not a call centre.
- An inventory and documentation handed over to the business.
- Monitoring and tested backups, not just call-outs on request.
- A written response time and on-site visits.