Every modern organization needs reliable IT support to stay competitive. But as technology evolves and cyber threats multiply, the level of expertise required to keep systems running smoothly has grown exponentially.
While an in-house IT team might have been sufficient a few years ago, many organizations are discovering that this approach is no longer sustainable—or cost-effective. Let’s explore when it makes sense to consider managed IT services as your next strategic move.
Your IT Infrastructure Has Become More Complex
In their early days, most organizations can get by just fine with a small in-house team or even a single IT expert handling their technology needs. Someone’s printer isn’t working? They’ll fix it. Need to set up a new laptop? They’re on it. Password reset? Done in seconds.
But organizations rarely stay small forever. As they grow, so does IT infrastructure complexity. Suddenly, the IT team isn’t just managing basic hardware and troubleshooting simple issues. Instead, they’re juggling cloud services, cybersecurity threats, and compliance requirements.
As a result, the same small team that once handled everything so efficiently now finds itself stretched thin, which can result in mounting technical issues and frequent system downtime. That’s bad news because the cost of a single minute of downtime can reach thousands of dollars.
Unfortunately, expanding the traditional IT department isn’t always a viable solution. Between the ongoing IT talent shortage and the high costs of hiring specialized experts, building a fully-staffed IT department has become both too time-consuming and prohibitively expensive for many organizations.
If you’ve reached the point where your in-house team is struggling to keep up but expanding it isn’t feasible, then partnering with a managed service provider (MSP) makes strategic sense. MSPs already have teams of specialists covering every aspect of modern IT infrastructure, and you can tap into their collective knowledge immediately and scale your IT support as needed.
You Face Compliance Requirements That Demand Specialized Expertise
Cybersecurity compliance requirements are becoming increasingly complex across virtually every industry, and it’s easy to understand why. Just looking at some of the largest data breaches of 2023 paints a sobering picture of what’s at stake.
For example, T-Mobile suffered two major breaches in 2023, with one incident alone exposing sensitive data from 37 million accounts. The genetic testing company 23andMe saw the personal information of 6.9 million users compromised through a clever exploit of their DNA Relatives feature. Even digital protection firms aren’t immune—DarkBeam accidentally exposed over 3.8 billion records through an unsecured interface.
These and other incidents have prompted regulators and industry bodies to respond with stricter compliance requirements, creating a complex web of regulations that organizations must navigate.
Right now, defense contractors across the country are preparing for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Program, which will require them to implement specific cybersecurity controls and undergo third-party assessments to verify their cybersecurity practices meet DoD standards—a daunting task for any organization, but especially challenging for smaller contractors whose IT lacks the necessary expertise.
Such contractors, as well as other organizations across different industries, often find that partnering with a specialized managed service provider is the most practical path forward. MSPs already have teams of experts who understand these complex requirements in detail and can guide organizations through the entire compliance journey—from initial assessment through implementation to ongoing maintenance.
You Need IT Management and Strategy, Not Just IT Support
The traditional “break-fix” approach to IT support, where you only call for help when something stops working, is becoming increasingly obsolete.
When your organization relies on technology for everything from internal operations to customer service, you can’t afford to wait for things to break before addressing them just like airlines can’t afford to wait for engine failures before performing maintenance.
Instead, modern organizations need proactive IT management and strategy that includes:
- Regular system health monitoring and maintenance
- Predictive analysis to identify potential issues before they cause problems
- Strategic technology planning aligned with business objectives
- Cybersecurity threat prevention rather than just incident response
- Structured upgrade and replacement cycles for hardware and software
- Regular backup testing and disaster recovery planning
While an in-house IT team might handle day-to-day support well, they often lack the time, resources, and specialized expertise needed for strategic planning and implementation. In other words, they’re too busy keeping current systems running to research emerging technologies or plan for future needs.
Managed Service Providers (MSPs), on the other hand, have both the expertise and bandwidth to develop and execute comprehensive IT strategies. Most importantly, MSPs can translate this knowledge into actionable strategies tailored to your organization’s specific needs, budget, and growth plans.
Making the Move to Managed Services
Have you recognized your organization while reading this article? Then it’s very likely that you’ve grown past what your current IT support can handle. The good news is that you don’t have to make an all-or-nothing choice when it comes to managed services.
Many organizations start with a hybrid approach, keeping some functions in-house while partnering with an MSP for others. For example, organizations with 50 or more employees often maintain an in-house helpdesk for immediate, hands-on support while relying on an MSP for complex needs.
The key is finding the right balance for your organization’s unique needs, and that’s something we at OSIbeyond specialize in. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and learn how the right managed IT services partnership could benefit your organization.