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Many SMEs face the same choice sooner or later: do we build an internal IT service, or do we work with an external IT partner? On paper, it seems like a simple equation. In practice, it rarely is. Expectations are often skewed, costs are underestimated and responsibilities remain vague. So time to be honest and make the comparison as it really is – without marketing talk, but with the reality of Flemish SMEs in mind.
What do we mean by internal IT?
Internal IT usually means one (sometimes two) employees who do “everything with computers.” From resetting passwords and fixing printers to managing Microsoft 365, monitoring security, checking backups and evaluating new tools. Close and fast in theory. In reality, often overloaded.
An in-house IT person knows the company inside out. That is a great advantage. But at the same time, that knowledge is also a risk: it is often in one head. Vacation, illness or departure? Then more falls silent than you think.
What does an external IT partner do differently?
An external IT partner works with a team, processes and agreements. Not one person, but multiple specialists: support, security, cloud, networking. You don’t buy “hours,” but continuity, knowledge and responsibility.
Important detail: a good IT partner works proactively. Not waiting for things to go wrong, but preventing problems. Updates, monitoring, security alerts, testing backups … things that are often left behind internally due to time constraints.
The comparison no one dares to make
1. Availability
Internal IT: available during business hours – when there is no meeting, no project running and no vacation.
External IT partner: SLAs, accessibility, escalations and backup of colleagues. Someone is always available.
2. Knowledge & expertise
Internal IT: strong in what he or she sees every day, but impossible expert in everything.
External IT partner: combined knowledge of dozens of environments, current threats and best practices from other SMEs.
3. Cost (the painful truth)
Internal IT seems cheaper. Until you factor in everything: salary, RSA, training, tools, licenses, sickness, turnover.
An external IT partner is predictable in cost and scalable. You pay for what you need – and nothing more.
4. Security & compliance
Internal IT: often reactive, security “taken with it.”
External IT partner: security as the foundation. Think monitoring, awareness, backups, incident response, GDPR and NIS2.
5. Objectivity
Internal IT: emotionally involved, sometimes blind to structural problems (“that’s how we’ve been doing it for years”).
External IT partner: looks at things rationally, asks tough questions and dares to say what’s not working.
The biggest misconception
Many SMEs think that choosing an external IT partner means losing control. The opposite is true. With clear agreements, reporting and fixed points of contact, you get just that much more grip on your IT environment.
The real wrong choice is not internal or external. The wrong choice is not having a clear strategy.
The realistic middle ground
For many SMEs, a hybrid model works best:
- Internal IT (or key user) who knows the business
- External IT partner that provides structure, security, continuity and expertise
This is not a weakness. That’s mature IT.
Internal IT is not a bad choice. Neither are external IT partners. But if you expect the same availability, knowledge and security from one internal employee as from an entire IT team, sooner or later you will disappoint yourself.
IT today is no longer a cost, but a business foundation. And foundations are not built on gut feelings, but on reality.
Frequently Asked Questions
In the short term, internal IT seems cheaper. In the medium term, an external partner is often more efficient and predictable in cost.
No. With clear agreements, reports and fixed points of contact, you just get more overview and direction.
Yes, provided good onboarding. And often faster than expected, because they have experience with similar SMEs.
Definitely not. Internal IT and external IT reinforce each other. The problem is thinking that one person can carry everything.
If IT is mostly putting out fires, security comes “later,” and everything revolves around one person – then it’s time to honestly evaluate.
