5 Reasons To Choose a Cybersecurity Provider Over an "IT Guy"

Almost every business leader at one point faces the dilemma of whether to list the services of a?cybersecurity provider?or have an IT Guy. Both alternatives have their fair shares of pros and cons, but cybersecurity providers stand out as the better option. Here's why and a detailed comparison of the two.

Using technology can make business operations more efficient by automating and streamlining processes. It has become so integral to business processes that a slight glitch can cost your organization thousands, or even millions, in terms of downtime and recovery costs. It's a no-brainer, therefore, that every business leader is keen to ensure that they have the best brains and skill-sets managing their IT infrastructure.

Why Chicagoland Businesses Hire an IT Guy

Maintaining an internal IT team may seem to be the best option at first glance. It means having a team fully dedicating their time to managing your network. A staff that understands your processes and identifies with your vision. An IT department that designs and implements custom solutions that suit your unique?IT support?needs. Isn't that the dream of every business owner? Yes, but not until you consider the financial obligations that come with maintaining an internal IT department.

You may have to acquire and continually update different software and technologies. Also, having in-house, salaried IT personnel means that you'll pay them monthly salaries, approximately?$51,838 annually, for an IT specialist, give them holiday allowances, and cater to their insurance covers. Because IT is a rapidly evolving field, you must also facilitate regular capacity building for your internal IT team to keep them at par with emerging trends. This can be a heavy burden for most small and medium-sized businesses. That explains why most SMBs opt for an IT Guy instead. An IT technician can be a salaried professional or one that you call on convenience.

What Are the Disadvantages of Hiring an “IT Guy”?

While hiring or employing an IT Guy saves you the financial stress of maintaining an entire department; it has several drawbacks:

• A hired IT Guy may not understand your systems in detail: When you opt for a hired IT Technician, you only call them when there's a need. That means that they don't take time to study and understand your processes and design custom solutions. They may, therefore, end up delivering different solutions that have worked elsewhere but are not compatible with?your unique IT support needs.
• Unpredictable expenditures: Most IT Guys bill their services per hour. Given that it's almost impossible to predict how long they'll take to sort a glitch, you cannot tell how much their services will cost. That makes it challenging to draft IT budgets.
• IT Guy can use a break-fix approach: Most IT Technicians are not proactive. They rather wait for glitches to occur before responding. This approach is usually costly and exposes you to business-crippling cybersecurity breaches you can otherwise proactively prevent.
• An IT Guy may have limited expertise: IT is a broad concept that one person cannot master all at once. Having just one IT Technician limits your organization's IT support to their knowledge and experience.

5 Reasons Why Hiring a Cybersecurity Provider Is the Best Option

Cybersecurity providers are third party?IT support?companies that manage your networks, end-user systems, and the entire Information Technology infrastructure. They are a more cost-effective way of getting high-quality IT management. So, why are cybersecurity providers better than hiring or employing an IT Guy?

1. A cybersecurity provider takes time to understand your systems and business processes: When you contact a cybersecurity provider, they will dispatch dedicated personnel to interact with your business, understand how you operate, and design customized solutions. That ensures that whatever solution they deliver fits your unique IT support needs.
2. Cybersecurity providers enable you to draft predictable budgets: Most cybersecurity providers bill per user or workstation. They then handle any unprecedented glitches at their cost. That shields you from the burden of unforeseen costs and enables you to draft your budget with confidence.
3. Cybersecurity providers are proactive: Unless the contract says so, cybersecurity providers won't wait for glitches to occur, and then they react. Instead, they proactively monitor your systems, identify and thwart threats before they aggravate into catastrophes. That can save you a lot of money and significantly enhance your cybersecurity posture.
4. Cybersecurity providers come with a vast pool of IT personnel expertise:?It's in the interest of a cybersecurity provider to hire and maintain highly qualified experts. They, therefore, regularly train their staff (and yours too) to keep them at par with emerging trends. At a small service bill, you access the cybersecurity provider's highly trained personnel.
5. Cybersecurity providers have years of experience: The chances are that you're not the cybersecurity provider's first client. They've probably managed IT infrastructure for other organizations like yours. Therefore, they know what to look for and the type of solutions that you may require.

These are just a few reasons cybersecurity providers are better than IT guys. Above all, ensure that whatever solution you settle with addresses your company's IT needs fully.

LeadingIT offers 24/7, all-inclusive, fast, and friendly technology and cybersecurity support for nonprofits, manufacturers, schools, accounting firms, religious organizations, government, and law offices with 10-200 employees across the?Chicagoland area.