Should Multi-Site Firms Go DIY for IT Installation and Rollout?
When expanding or upgrading across multiple business locations, companies face a critical decision: handle IT and AV installations in-house or bring in professionals. While a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach can seem appealing—especially for firms with in-house IT staff—many organizations quickly discover that the scale, complexity, and coordination needed for a successful multi-site rollout go beyond the capabilities of their internal teams.
In this post, we’ll explore why so many multi-site organizations ultimately choose to hire experienced installers for their nationwide IT deployments. These aren’t just anecdotal preferences—they’re decisions backed by practical considerations around efficiency, cost, consistency, and risk management.
1. Nationwide Coordination is a Logistical Challenge
Installing IT and AV infrastructure at a single location is one thing; replicating that across dozens—or even hundreds—of sites is another. Multi-site rollouts require seamless coordination across geographies, time zones, and local site conditions. Travel logistics, labor scheduling, and site access permissions can become a full-time job in themselves. A national installation partner brings a vetted network of local technicians who can execute simultaneously across multiple locations, eliminating travel constraints and ensuring the project keeps pace.
2. Consistency Across Sites is Crucial—But Hard to Achieve DIY
One of the biggest risks in a DIY rollout is the inconsistency in installation quality. Variability in technician skill level, local subcontractors, or improvised processes can result in big differences from one location to the next. Professional installers follow standardized procedures and documentation, ensuring every location is equipped and configured in a uniform way. This consistency is critical for system performance, centralized IT management, and future support.
3. Downtime and Delays Cost More Than You Think
When companies attempt DIY rollouts, they often face delays caused by overbooked internal resources or site-by-site learning curves. These delays don’t just affect project timelines—they impact operations. Locations waiting on functional networks or equipment suffer from reduced productivity, customer service issues, and even revenue loss. Professional installers can streamline the process, staging and bundling equipment, pre-configuring devices, and reducing on-site time so installations are quick and minimally disruptive.
4. Complex Installations Require Specialized Skills
Installing a printer is one thing. Installing routers, access points, modems, point-of-sale terminals, AV systems, and rack-mounted equipment is another. Multi-site rollouts often involve a diverse range of equipment and integration with legacy systems. Many professional installation partners are trained across these device categories and work from detailed documentation with manufacturer support. This means fewer errors, smoother installations, and more reliable outcomes.
5. Consolidating Services Saves Time and Budget
One of the most overlooked benefits of using a professional installer is the ability to consolidate multiple services—cabling, equipment setup, staging, and configuration—into a single trip. Instead of coordinating different contractors or making repeat visits, firms can bundle the installation of all devices and infrastructure into a unified service call. This not only saves travel and labor costs but reduces the need for coordination across multiple vendors.
6. Professional Project Management Makes a Difference
Even if a company has the technical know-how, managing a multi-site national rollout involves more than just installing equipment. It requires proactive planning, real-time problem-solving, inventory tracking, and communication across all stakeholders. Professional installation firms often provide dedicated project managers who oversee the rollout from start to finish, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. This centralized oversight is a game-changer for complex, time-sensitive deployments.
Summary
While a DIY approach may be viable for small, local installations, multi-site firms have much more at stake. Outsourcing to experienced installation professionals isn’t just about convenience—it’s about ensuring consistency, reducing risk, and accelerating time to value across your entire network. When the goal is a smooth, scalable, and stress-free rollout, partnering with experts is an investment that pays off in performance, reliability, and peace of mind.
With our national network of technicians, INC Installs has been conducting IT installations for multi-site firms for more than 30 years. With our project managers and the wide network of technicians we’ve developed across North America, we’ll get your job done rightꟷat one site or many. Please contact us any time.