One of the first things an SME (small to medium-sized enterprise) looks to outsource is the network, its largest and often most costly asset.

"The larger the shop," says Matlus, "the better the chance that you'll get the savings to justify it." How many admins do you have? How much does it cost to keep them? If you're burdened with high overhead, then letting another firm manage your network could pay off for you.

Not so with the help desk. Says Matlus, "It usually costs more to outsource than to keep it in-house. The average cost for a help desk ranges around $20 per call. When you outsource, it runs from $17 to $22."

But outsourcing does have it benefits. Although it won't save you money, it will improve efficiency. "We typically find that an internal help desk only resolves 50% to 60% of calls, but the external desk is close to 70% or 80%," says Matlus.

If you haven't built the right self-help tools, knowledge base, and problem tracking system, then an outsourced help desk could be a boon.