Very likely the answer this question is "NO!" (Unless they are an IT Services Professional)

And we aren't just saying that because we want to provide the services for you. In our experience we see this scenario play out a LOT. Let's face it, hired IT services can appear to be expensive... at least until you consider the alternative. A lot of small to medium sized businesses tend to go with the philosophy "Hey, John has some free time in his schedule from his normal duties, let's have him handle the IT things for us, he's pretty good with computers." 

There can be many problems that arise with that scenario though. Inevitably as your business grows, so will your IT needs. This will mean that "John" will have less and less time to work on the original duties that he was hired for. Right now, you're thinking to yourself, "that's ok... we will just hire another employee to fill the role that John used to do." But there is a problem with that as well. First of all, training. John will need to train the new employee to fill his previous role. But more importantly than that, we find that "John" (employee X) usually isn't trained in IT, and often times makes costly mistakes that won't be discovered until later and much more difficult to unravel. 

Another major problem that we have run into in many cases is that because "John" isn't trained in IT, he doesn't know full well the absolute benefits of properly documenting his work. It's not his fault, he is doing the job that he has been placed in, trying to keep his head above water and making sure that HE knows what is going on with the business in relation to IT. And as long as John is employed by you, you may be OK... but what happens when "John" leaves, and all his knowledge of the little fixes that he did, or workarounds that he created goes with him, along with vital passwords, contacts, and procedures? That is the biggest difference between a seasoned IT Professional and "John, who used to be in accounting". A seasoned IT Professional has leaned through experience the importance of good documentation, work flows, documented procedures, accounts lists, contact lists, etc. When a GOOD seasoned IT Professional parts ways with your company,  they will hand over the "keys to the kingdom" so that whoever you have come in next won't have to recreate the wheel. 

Another problem with having "John" (employee X) who isn't an IT professional, handle your IT needs is training and experience. Sure, it may "feel" like you are saving money, because John's salary is below, or perhaps even well below a IT Professional's salary, but in reality John is likely costing you more. Firstly, he is putting your business in a greater risk factor than an IT Professional would, and it's not his fault, it's just plain and simple lack of experience. Also, what may take a seasoned IT Professional minutes to accomplish, may take John hours... Because first he has to research HOW to do what needs to be done. In the long run, John is more often than not MORE EXPENSIVE than hiring the right person in the first place. But "hiring" a dedicated IT Professional can be expensive... That is where we come in. We have service packages ranging from Hourly support to dedicated contract monthly maintenance agreements. In short, we should be the step between being small enough to not need anyone service your IT needs and being large enough that a dedicated IT Professional employee makes financial sense. 

We are here to help! And we would love the opportunity to give you the peace of mind you deserve in the business that you have worked so hard to build!

Please feel free to contact us to discuss how we can help protect your investments in your business by becoming your Professional IT Services Provider!