Question 1

When is an in-house IT person better than managed IT services?

Accepted Answer

An in-house IT employee can be the better choice if: (1) your business develops highly specific software that needs constant adjustment, (2) you have strict physical security requirements under which only your own staff may have access, or (3) you have more than 200 employees and can build a complete IT team. For SMEs with 5-150 employees, managed IT is almost always more cost-effective.

Question 2

How much do I save with managed IT compared with hiring an in-house IT person?

Accepted Answer

On average, SMEs save 20-40% on their total IT costs by switching to managed IT. An in-house IT employee costs €75,000-95,000 a year (salary + employer costs + tooling), while managed IT for 25 users costs €36,000-72,000. On top of that, you get a whole team of specialists instead of one generalist.

Question 3

Do I lose control of my IT if I outsource it?

Accepted Answer

No, you keep full control. You set the policy, the priorities and the strategy. The managed IT provider carries out the work and advises, but you make the decisions. Reports and a client portal give you 24/7 insight into the status of your IT. It is much like working with an accountant: they do the bookkeeping, but you run the business.

Question 4

What if I already employ an IT person?

Accepted Answer

You can combine managed IT with an in-house IT employee. Your IT person focuses on business-specific tasks and first-line support, while the managed provider handles the more complex work, 24/7 monitoring and specialist expertise. This hybrid model is popular with businesses of 50-150 employees.

Question 5

How quickly can a managed IT provider get to know my business?

Accepted Answer

Good onboarding takes 2-4 weeks. During this period, we document your entire IT environment, learn how your processes work and build a relationship. After onboarding, you have a dedicated account manager who knows your business. Within 3 months, the difference from an in-house employee is barely noticeable.

Question 6

What are the risks of managed IT?

Accepted Answer

The main risks are: (1) vendor lock-in - choose a provider that uses open standards, (2) less ad-hoc availability - schedule regular check-ins, (3) reliance on documentation - make sure everything is recorded. At TRON Group, we mitigate these risks with transparent contracts, thorough documentation and a single, fixed point of contact.

Managed IT vs In-House IT

Key Takeaways

Side-by-Side Comparison

Cost

Managed IT

In-House IT

Expertise

Managed IT

In-House IT

Availability

Managed IT

In-House IT

Scalability

Managed IT

In-House IT

Security

Managed IT

In-House IT

Business knowledge

Managed IT

In-House IT

Cost Comparison

In-house IT employee

Managed IT Services

Which option should you choose?

Choose managed IT if:

Choose in-house IT if:

Frequently Asked Questions

Curious what managed IT could do for you?