Do I Need IT Managed Services? A Checklist for Businesses, Nonprofits, Municipalities, and Schools.

If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve heard the words “IT managed services” (or something similar) thrown around. You may be wondering if you and your organization need IT managed services. This article is designed to answer your questions regarding IT managed services, supply you with a checklist to determine if they are a good fit for you, and describe some of the benefits of working with an MSP.

What Are IT Managed Services? (or Managed IT, Managed Services… you get the idea)

If you couldn’t already tell, IT managed services go by a few names that are very similar to each other. These may include:

Managed IT Services
Outsourced IT
Third-Party IT Services

But essentially, they all mean the same thing.

IT managed services, in simplest terms, are ongoing technology support and maintenance services that are supplied by an external party. This external party is called a Managed Service Provider (MSP). These are some of the IT help services an MSP might offer:

So how do you determine if IT managed services is something that your organization needs? Luckily for you, we’ve created a universal checklist to help guide your decision.

Do I Need IT Managed Services? The Universal Checklist

1) Your organization isn’t able to sustain an in-house IT team

Many organizations – especially smaller ones – lack the resources to sustain an in-house IT team. For example, budget constraints are a common obstacle. Hiring full-time IT staff comes with not just salaries, but benefits, training costs, and ongoing development expenses. By outsourcing all IT needs, you gain access to support on your terms – however much or however little you need! This means you can scale your IT services up or down depending on current projects or emergencies. Plus, you get access to specialized skills and knowledge for way less money than paying a full-time IT team, without the administrative headaches.

2) You are experiencing a lack of experienced IT professionals

It can be hard to find IT professionals who know their stuff – and to touch on our first point, it’s even harder to find full-time experts who are affordable and available long-term. IT is a fast-changing field, and hiring someone internally means continually training them to keep up with the latest tools, software, and cybersecurity standards. By outsourcing your IT support, you won’t just get access to one person – you’ll open the doors to an entire team of IT professionals with diverse skill sets, experiences, and specialized certifications. This allows your organization to tackle complex IT challenges efficiently, while paying a fraction of what an in-house team would cost.

3) You frequently experience high maintenance costs

We get it – IT is expensive! From system crashes to software updates to hardware replacement, costs can add up quickly. If you’re constantly dishing out money to fix your tech troubles, it’s a good sign that you’d be better off with a third-party on call to manage these issues when they come up – and even better, proactively before they arrive. For example, at Macro Connect we specialize in outsourcing vCIOs (virtual Chief Information Officers) to work closely with your leadership, creating proactive technology strategies customized to your needs. This reduces downtime, prevents expensive emergencies, and allows your organization to budget predictably for IT expenses, saving both money and stress in the long run.

4) You’re looking to scale your organization in a sustainable way

If you’re looking to expand soon, utilizing an MSP’s services can help ensure a smooth transition. Scaling brings a multitude of challenges: adding new staff, integrating systems, updating software, and expanding data storage needs. During an expansion, there are so many things to think about – the last thing you want is to scramble to figure out your IT. By partnering with an MSP, you can easily upgrade operations, implement new technologies, and protect your network without disrupting workflows. Essentially, your IT infrastructure grows alongside your organization, ensuring efficiency, security, and continuity at every stage of expansion, all while freeing your team to focus on core business objectives.

5) You need help with compliance

Pretty much all organizations need to comply with some type of legal data management guidelines – but especially if you operate in sensitive sectors such as education, healthcare, or finance. Compliance is complex and ever-changing, involving privacy laws, data storage regulations, and reporting requirements. Failure to comply can result in costly fines, legal issues, or damage to your organization’s reputation. An MSP can help by managing your data, implementing proper protocols, and staying up to date on regulatory changes. This gives you peace of mind that your organization meets all compliance standards, while your team focuses on delivering its core mission, knowing that IT and data management are handled expertly.

6) You aren’t sure how to protect your organization from cyberattacks

Cybersecurity is one of the most pressing concerns for any organization today. While there are many separate vendors for cybersecurity tools and services, the best approach is to partner with an MSP that manages not only your cybersecurity measures but your entire IT infrastructure. This ensures that every piece of your technology ecosystem is secure and that protective measures are coordinated rather than pieced together. MSPs understand the full scope of your operations, implementing firewalls, endpoint protection, intrusion detection, and security policies tailored to your specific environment. By proactively identifying vulnerabilities and monitoring systems continuously, you can significantly reduce the risk of breaches, data loss, and operational downtime, keeping your organization safe and resilient.

7) You’re spending too much time on IT troubles – at the detriment of your organization

If you’re trying to navigate the IT landscape without professional knowledge, things are bound to slip through the cracks. Constant troubleshooting, software updates, device malfunctions, and network issues can distract your team from core business activities. MSPs function to cover all the bases your organization might need: helpdesk support, infrastructure and network management, software licensing, device distribution, cloud solutions, and much more. This allows your staff to focus on productivity and growth rather than fighting technical issues. With a trusted MSP, your organization benefits from efficiency, improved workflow, and proactive IT management – preventing problems before they arise and supporting long-term success without constant distractions.

If you see yourself or your organization described in one or more of these items, IT managed services is likely a perfect fit for you!

At Macro Connect, we’re dedicated to helping all types of organizations – schools, businesses, municipalities, and nonprofits – manage their tech. Contact us today to learn how we can help you!