When it comes to protecting your business from cyberthreats, the basics still matter. A lot.
According to IBM’s 2023 Cost Of A Data Breach Report, 82% of breaches involved data stored in the cloud—and the vast majority could’ve been prevented with simple, foundational safeguards.
That’s where “cyber hygiene” comes in: your business’s version of daily handwashing. No, it’s not flashy. But it is essential. And if you’re skipping the basics, you’re asking for trouble.
Here are four cyber hygiene essentials every small business should have on lock:
1. Keep Your Network Secure
Your internet connection is the front door to your business—and it needs more than a flimsy lock.
Encrypt sensitive business data.
Use a firewall to monitor and block suspicious activity.
Hide your WiFi network by disabling SSID broadcasting and ensure your router is password-protected.
Require remote employees to connect via a VPN (virtual private network) for secure access.
Think of it as the difference between leaving your house key under the mat—or securing it in a lockbox.
2. Teach Your Team How To Stay Protected
Technology is only as strong as the people using it. Human error is one of the most common causes of breaches.
Require strong passwords and multifactor authentication (MFA).
Provide clear policies on appropriate internet use and handling sensitive data.
Train employees to spot phishing emails, malicious attachments, and sketchy downloads.
A single click on a malicious link can open the floodgates. Education is your best defense.
3. Back Up Your Important Data
When—not if—a breach, crash, or ransomware attack occurs, backups keep your business alive.
Regularly back up documents, HR and financial files, databases, and mission-critical spreadsheets.
Automate backups whenever possible.
Store copies in the cloud or on secure offsite servers for redundancy.
Backups aren’t just insurance—they’re a lifeline.
4. Limit Data Access
The fewer people with keys, the harder it is for intruders to get in.
Give employees access only to the data they need for their roles.
Restrict admin privileges to trusted IT staff and select leaders.
Ensure former employees are immediately removed from all systems during offboarding.
Even in the event of a breach, limiting access helps contain the damage.
Security Is Well Worth The Hassle
Yes, putting these safeguards in place takes effort. But the alternative? Critical data stolen, operations halted, and trust with customers shattered.
Investing in cyber hygiene up front is far less costly—in time, money, and reputation—than cleaning up after a preventable breach.
Want To Get Ahead Of The Threats?
If you’re not sure how your business stacks up, now’s the time to find out.
👉 Our free Cybersecurity Risk Assessment will uncover hidden vulnerabilities, identify gaps in your defenses, and give you a clear, actionable plan to strengthen your cyber hygiene—fast.
Power outages. Ransomware. Server failures. Natural disasters.
These disruptions don’t wait for a convenient moment—and when they strike, your internal IT team can be quickly overwhelmed.
That’s where co-managed IT proves its value. Your co-managed partner shouldn’t just be assisting with day-to-day operations—they should be actively preparing your business to survive and thrive through the unexpected.
Backups alone aren’t enough. If your systems go down and your team can’t access tools, files, or communicate with clients, even a small disruption can turn into a serious business failure.
Co-Managed IT Is About Continuity, Not Just Support
Most internal IT teams are stretched thin. They’re great at handling tickets, managing users, and putting out fires. But what about disaster recovery planning? Cloud redundancy? Compliance audits? Off-site failovers?
That’s where your co-managed partner comes in.
A true co-managed IT provider extends your team’s capabilities by proactively helping you:
Design a business continuity plan
Implement off-site backups and cloud infrastructure
Test and simulate disaster recovery scenarios
Ensure remote work readiness
Maintain compliance with industry standards
Backup vs. Business Continuity: Don’t Confuse the Two
Too many businesses think “our data is backed up” means “we’re protected.” Not quite.
Backups restore your data.
Continuity ensures your business keeps running—even when disaster strikes.
A well-coordinated continuity plan developed between your internal IT staff and your co-managed partner answers questions like:
How fast can we recover our key systems?
Where can our employees work if the office is offline?
Which platforms and data are mission-critical?
Who leads the recovery process on both sides?
And it includes:
Verified, encrypted, off-site backups
Clearly defined RTOs and RPOs
Remote access infrastructure
Redundant hardware and cloud failover systems
Annual disaster recovery testing
If your current co-managed provider isn’t driving these conversations, they’re just a help desk—not a strategic partner.
Real Disasters. Real Impact.
These aren’t hypothetical scenarios:
Wildfires in California destroyed entire offices—some had no off-site recovery in place.
Flooding in the Southeast wiped out local servers—weeks of billing and records lost.
Ransomware hit thousands of small businesses—many discovered their backups had never been tested.
These are the exact moments your co-managed IT partnership should shine. If they aren’t ready, you’re exposed.
Questions to Ask Your Co-Managed IT Provider Now
Don’t wait until a disaster forces you to scramble. Sit down with your provider and ask:
How quickly can we recover from a ransomware attack?
Are our backups encrypted, tested, and stored off-site?
What’s our plan if a fire or flood takes down the building?
Can we stay compliant if disaster disrupts operations?
Is our remote work environment resilient enough to handle sudden disruption?
If your co-managed IT provider can’t confidently answer these, it’s time to reevaluate.
Co-Managed IT Is More Than Extra Hands—It’s Your Disaster Insurance
You can’t prevent every storm, outage, or breach. But you can make sure your business doesn’t miss a beat when they happen.
A good IT partner helps your internal team. A great one empowers them with enterprise-grade continuity planning.
Want to see how resilient your business really is?
🛡️ Book a FREE Network & Continuity Assessment Let’s make sure your next disaster doesn’t turn into your biggest disruption. 👉 [Insert Link]
Business Interrupted: The Disaster Your Co-Managed IT Partner Should Be Planning For
Power outages. Ransomware. Server failures. Natural disasters.
These disruptions don’t wait for a convenient moment—and when they strike, your internal IT team can be quickly overwhelmed.
That’s where co-managed IT proves its value. Your co-managed partner shouldn’t just be assisting with day-to-day operations—they should be actively preparing your business to survive and thrive through the unexpected.
Backups alone aren’t enough. If your systems go down and your team can’t access tools, files, or communicate with clients, even a small disruption can turn into a serious business failure.
Co-Managed IT Is About Continuity, Not Just Support
Most internal IT teams are stretched thin. They’re great at handling tickets, managing users, and putting out fires. But what about disaster recovery planning? Cloud redundancy? Compliance audits? Off-site failovers?
That’s where your co-managed partner comes in.
A true co-managed IT provider extends your team’s capabilities by proactively helping you:
Design a business continuity plan
Implement off-site backups and cloud infrastructure
Test and simulate disaster recovery scenarios
Ensure remote work readiness
Maintain compliance with industry standards
Backup vs. Business Continuity: Don’t Confuse the Two
Too many businesses think “our data is backed up” means “we’re protected.” Not quite.
Backups restore your data.
Continuity ensures your business keeps running—even when disaster strikes.
A well-coordinated continuity plan developed between your internal IT staff and your co-managed partner answers questions like:
How fast can we recover our key systems?
Where can our employees work if the office is offline?
Which platforms and data are mission-critical?
Who leads the recovery process on both sides?
And it includes:
Verified, encrypted, off-site backups
Clearly defined RTOs and RPOs
Remote access infrastructure
Redundant hardware and cloud failover systems
Annual disaster recovery testing
If your current co-managed provider isn’t driving these conversations, they’re just a help desk—not a strategic partner.
Real Disasters. Real Impact.
These aren’t hypothetical scenarios:
Wildfires in California destroyed entire offices—some had no off-site recovery in place.
Flooding in the Southeast wiped out local servers—weeks of billing and records lost.
Ransomware hit thousands of small businesses—many discovered their backups had never been tested.
These are the exact moments your co-managed IT partnership should shine. If they aren’t ready, you’re exposed.
Questions to Ask Your Co-Managed IT Provider Now
Don’t wait until a disaster forces you to scramble. Sit down with your provider and ask:
How quickly can we recover from a ransomware attack?
Are our backups encrypted, tested, and stored off-site?
What’s our plan if a fire or flood takes down the building?
Can we stay compliant if disaster disrupts operations?
Is our remote work environment resilient enough to handle sudden disruption?
If your co-managed IT provider can’t confidently answer these, it’s time to reevaluate.
Co-Managed IT Is More Than Extra Hands—It’s Your Disaster Insurance
You can’t prevent every storm, outage, or breach. But you can make sure your business doesn’t miss a beat when they happen.
A good IT partner helps your internal team. A great one empowers them with enterprise-grade continuity planning.
Want to see how resilient your business really is?
Questions Every Business Should Be Asking Right Now
If disaster strikes tomorrow, can your business stay operational?
Power outages. Ransomware. Server failures. Natural disasters.
These disruptions don’t wait for a convenient moment—and when they strike, your internal IT team can be quickly overwhelmed.
That’s where co-managed IT proves its value. Your co-managed partner shouldn’t just be assisting with day-to-day operations—they should be actively preparing your business to survive and thrive through the unexpected.
Backups alone aren’t enough. If your systems go down and your team can’t access tools, files, or communicate with clients, even a small disruption can turn into a serious business failure.
Co-Managed IT Is About Continuity, Not Just Support
Most internal IT teams are stretched thin. They’re great at handling tickets, managing users, and putting out fires. But what about disaster recovery planning? Cloud redundancy? Compliance audits? Off-site failovers?
That’s where your co-managed partner comes in.
A true co-managed IT provider extends your team’s capabilities by proactively helping you:
Design a business continuity plan
Implement off-site backups and cloud infrastructure
Test and simulate disaster recovery scenarios
Ensure remote work readiness
Maintain compliance with industry standards
Backup vs. Business Continuity: Don’t Confuse the Two
Too many businesses think “our data is backed up” means “we’re protected.” Not quite.
Backups restore your data.
Continuity ensures your business keeps running—even when disaster strikes.
A well-coordinated continuity plan developed between your internal IT staff and your co-managed partner answers questions like:
How fast can we recover our key systems?
Where can our employees work if the office is offline?
Which platforms and data are mission-critical?
Who leads the recovery process on both sides?
And it includes:
Verified, encrypted, off-site backups
Clearly defined RTOs and RPOs
Remote access infrastructure
Redundant hardware and cloud failover systems
Annual disaster recovery testing
If your current co-managed provider isn’t driving these conversations, they’re just a help desk—not a strategic partner.
Real Disasters. Real Impact.
These aren’t hypothetical scenarios:
Wildfires in California destroyed entire offices—some had no off-site recovery in place.
Flooding in the Southeast wiped out local servers—weeks of billing and records lost.
Ransomware hit thousands of small businesses—many discovered their backups had never been tested.
These are the exact moments your co-managed IT partnership should shine. If they aren’t ready, you’re exposed.
Questions to Ask Your Co-Managed IT Provider Now
Don’t wait until a disaster forces you to scramble. Sit down with your provider and ask:
How quickly can we recover from a ransomware attack?
Are our backups encrypted, tested, and stored off-site?
What’s our plan if a fire or flood takes down the building?
Can we stay compliant if disaster disrupts operations?
Is our remote work environment resilient enough to handle sudden disruption?
If your co-managed IT provider can’t confidently answer these, it’s time to reevaluate.
Co-Managed IT Is More Than Extra Hands—It’s Your Disaster Insurance
You can’t prevent every storm, outage, or breach. But you can make sure your business doesn’t miss a beat when they happen.
A good IT partner helps your internal team. A great one empowers them with enterprise-grade continuity planning.
Want to see how resilient your business really is?
🛡️ Book a FREE Network & Continuity Assessment Let’s make sure your next disaster doesn’t turn into your biggest disruption. 👉 [Insert Link]https://go.scheduleyou.in/ydgAXWJHb?cid=is:~Contact.Id~Link
Why Cutting Corners on IT Support Can Undermine Your Internal Team (and Your Business)
If your business has an internal IT team, co-managed IT support can be a smart, scalable way to extend your capabilities without overloading your staff. But be careful: not all co-managed IT providers are created equal.
A low-cost co-managed agreement might seem like a win at first—affordable monthly pricing, supplemental support, a few extra tools. But dig deeper, and you’ll often find those “budget” providers are quietly cutting corners, leaving your internal team exposed, overwhelmed, and under-supported when it matters most.
Here are five hidden pitfalls we see time and time again with cut-rate co-managed providers—and how they can sabotage your IT operations and bottom line.
1. Security Gaps That Put Everyone at Risk
Your internal IT team might have a solid foundation, but true cybersecurity takes layered protection—and budget co-managed partners often stop at the basics.
We’ve seen providers install bare-minimum antivirus, skip multi-factor authentication, and offer zero guidance on endpoint security or user awareness training. That leaves your internal team holding the bag when something goes wrong—and in today’s cyber landscape, it’s only a matter of time.
Worse, without advanced protections, your cyber insurance claims could be denied. A good co-managed partner should strengthen your security posture, not leave it up to chance.
2. Incomplete Backup Strategies That Leave Data Unprotected
Your IT team might be backing up critical servers—but what about Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, CRMs, and third-party SaaS apps?
Most budget MSPs ignore those platforms entirely or rely on the default retention policies. That’s a disaster waiting to happen. Even worse, many don’t offer immutable backups—a non-negotiable for ransomware resilience and cyber insurance compliance.
In a true co-managed model, your partner should complement your backup efforts with comprehensive coverage and regular testing, not guesswork.
3. Unexpected Fees That Break the Budget
Budget co-managed IT providers often advertise low monthly rates—but then charge extra for after-hours support, on-site visits, or even emergency escalations. This creates friction, slows response times, and forces your team to think twice before calling for help.
That’s the opposite of what co-managed IT is supposed to be.
Look for a partner who offers predictable, flat-rate pricing and acts like a true extension of your team—not a metered vendor.
4. “Not Our Job” Mentality Around Vendor Support
When your team needs help troubleshooting phones, internet, or printers, a good co-managed provider should jump in—not point fingers.
Many cheap providers refuse to work with third-party vendors or charge extra just to coordinate on your behalf. That leaves your in-house team stuck in the middle, chasing down support for tech they didn’t even implement.
We believe in full-stack support. If it touches your network, it’s our job to help fix it—period.
5. No Strategic Oversight, No IT Roadmap
The most damaging shortcut of all? Lack of leadership.
Inexperienced co-managed providers often push tasks to junior techs without offering any real IT strategy. That leaves your internal team without a sounding board for big-picture decisions or long-term planning.
With the right co-managed partner, you should expect:
A dedicated technical account manager
Proactive reviews of your cybersecurity, compliance, and backup posture
Strategic guidance for future upgrades, projects, and budgeting
Collaborative planning—not reactive firefighting
Bottom Line: Co-Managed IT Should Make You Stronger—Not Weaker
Your internal IT team is already juggling a lot. A true co-managed IT partner should make their job easier, provide peace of mind, and cover the gaps—not create new ones.
If your co-managed support feels more like a cost center than a force multiplier, it’s time for a second opinion.
Want to know what your current co-managed agreement might be missing? Let us take a look—for free.
We’ll review your environment, evaluate your risks, and provide honest feedback to help you strengthen your internal team with the right support (not just cheap support).
It’s almost vacation time. You set your out-of-office auto-reply and start dreaming about beaches, road trips, or conference breaks. Your inbox begins to quietly respond on your behalf:
“Hi there! I’m out of the office until [date]. For urgent matters, please contact [Name] at [email address].”
Sounds helpful, right?
Unfortunately, it’s also exactly what cybercriminals love to see.
That friendly auto-reply can quickly become a hacker’s roadmap — giving them everything they need to time an attack, impersonate your team, and trick someone into clicking, wiring money, or handing over sensitive credentials.
Why Hackers Love Out-of-Office Replies
Even a short, well-meaning message can contain:
Your full name and title
How long you’ll be away
Who’s covering for you (with their email!)
Internal roles or team structure
Travel info or conference details
This creates two major risks:
1. Timing Advantage: Hackers now know you’re unavailable — meaning you won’t be checking your inbox or spotting fraud. 2. Targeting Precision: They know exactly who to impersonate and who to manipulate (often someone with access to money or sensitive files).
From there, it’s phishing and Business Email Compromise (BEC) 101.
How These Attacks Typically Play Out
Your OOO message hits a malicious inbox.
A hacker spoofs your identity — or your listed backup.
An “urgent request” is sent to someone in your office:
A wire transfer to a vendor
Login credentials for a system
Sensitive client documents
The team member, moving fast and trusting the name they recognize, follows through.
You return from vacation to a fraud incident and financial loss.
Who’s Most at Risk?
If your organization includes frequent travelers — especially executives, sales teams, or remote staff — and someone else is managing their communications (like an admin or assistant), the risk doubles.
Admins are often:
Fielding requests from multiple contacts
Authorized to send payments or access files
Trusting senders they think they recognize
One realistic-looking spoofed email can be all it takes.
How To Protect Your Business from OOO Exploits
The solution isn’t ditching auto-replies — it’s using them more strategically and reinforcing your security posture. Here’s how:
✅ 1. Keep OOO Messages Vague
Don’t list backup contacts unless absolutely necessary. Keep location or itinerary details out of the message. Better:
“I’m currently unavailable. I’ll respond as soon as I return. For urgent matters, please contact our main office.”
✅ 2. Train Your Team to Verify Everything
Never fulfill urgent requests involving money or credentials over email alone.
Always confirm requests through a second channel — phone, text, or in person.
Assume urgency = red flag.
✅ 3. Enable Email Security Protections
Use anti-spoofing tools (like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC).
Implement advanced spam filters and BEC threat detection.
Segment email access and use role-based permissions.
✅ 4. Turn On MFA Across the Board
Multifactor authentication makes it much harder for attackers to access inboxes, even with stolen passwords.
✅ 5. Work with a Proactive IT & Cybersecurity Partner
A co-managed IT partner should be actively monitoring for:
Suspicious login attempts
Unusual email behavior
Phishing campaigns
Credential compromise alerts
If your current provider isn’t flagging threats while your team is offline, they’re not doing enough.
Want to Vacation Without the Cyber Risk?
Your OOO message shouldn’t become an open door for hackers. Our team helps businesses build layered security systems that work — even when your team is away.
Book a FREE Security Assessment Today We’ll assess your email configurations, review vulnerabilities, and show you how to keep things locked down while you’re off the grid.
If your only touchpoint with your co-managed IT provider is when something breaks — or once a year at contract renewal — it’s time to rethink the relationship.
Technology doesn’t sit still, and neither do the cyber threats targeting your business. That’s why quarterly check-ins with your co-managed partner aren’t optional. They’re essential.
But here’s the problem: Most internal IT teams don’t know what to ask. Or worse — they don’t realize what their co-managed provider should be proactively bringing to the table.
That’s why we’ve built this cheat sheet. These 7 questions should be part of every quarterly conversation — to ensure your internal IT efforts are backed by a partner who’s not just filling gaps, but actively driving business continuity and security.
1. What Vulnerabilities Have You Identified in Our Environment?
Your co-managed provider should always have a pulse on your infrastructure. Ask them:
Are there systems that still need patching?
Is antivirus or EDR up-to-date across all endpoints?
Have there been any red flags or near misses in the last 90 days?
You don’t want to discover a vulnerability after it’s been exploited. A proactive partner brings this to the table before you even ask.
2. Have Our Backups Been Tested Recently — And Are We Backing Up the Right Data?
You might have local backups. You might have cloud. But if your co-managed provider hasn’t tested recovery in the last quarter, that’s a problem.
Make sure they’re answering:
When was our last full restore test?
Are we covering mission-critical systems and cloud data?
Are backups stored securely off-site?
What’s our RTO/RPO — and has that changed?
Your backups are only as good as your ability to restore them — fast.
3. Are End-Users Following Security Best Practices?
Even the best internal security stack can be undone by human error.
You should be reviewing:
Unusual login attempts or shadow IT behaviors
Whether MFA is enforced company-wide
Whether end-user phishing training is current and effective
Who clicked what — and how quickly it was caught
A good co-managed IT partner helps coach your team and close the human loopholes.
4. How Is Our Network and System Performance Trending?
Your internal team already fields enough tickets. Let your co-managed partner help solve the root causes:
Are recurring slowness or outages being logged?
Are we hitting capacity on any hardware or SaaS licenses?
Is there an optimization opportunity we’ve overlooked?
Better performance = fewer tickets and a more productive team.
5. Are We Still Compliant With Industry Regulations and Cyber Insurance Requirements?
Your compliance burden doesn’t disappear just because you share IT responsibilities.
Ask your partner:
Are we up to date on HIPAA, PCI-DSS, SOC 2, or state-level laws?
Have policies or frameworks changed since last quarter?
Are we aligned with evolving cyber liability insurance requirements?
A strong co-managed partner helps keep you audit-ready and legally covered.
6. What IT Investments or Upgrades Should We Be Planning For?
You don’t need surprises. You need foresight.
Get insight into:
Licensing renewals or software nearing end-of-life
Hardware replacement timelines
Security tools worth budgeting for
Any project recommendations for Q2/Q3
If your partner isn’t helping you plan ahead, they’re not helping you grow.
7. What Cybersecurity or Tech Trends Should Be On Our Radar?
The right co-managed IT partner isn’t just filling support tickets — they’re thinking like a CIO.
Ask:
Are we falling behind on any emerging threats or standards?
Are there automation, cloud, or AI tools we should consider?
What are similar companies doing that we’re not?
Where could we be more secure — or more efficient?
It’s their job to keep your internal team competitive, not just reactive.
If You’re Not Having These Conversations, That’s a Red Flag 🚩
If your co-managed IT provider can’t clearly and confidently answer these questions — or worse, if they never bring them up — it’s time to reevaluate the partnership.
Co-managed IT isn’t just a help desk extension. It’s a strategic alliance. You need a partner who helps you stay ahead of threats, avoid outages, reduce internal workload, and scale smart.
✅ Want a 2nd Opinion?
We offer FREE Security Assessments designed specifically for co-managed IT environments. Whether you want to benchmark your current provider or validate your internal practices, we’ll show you exactly where you’re solid — and where you’re exposed.
No matter the size of your business, no matter what the product or service, your company is at least partially reliant on technology to survive and function in today’s marketplace. It is just unavoidable. A significant portion of everyone’s business is online in some fashion or other. And internal operations and administration are dependent on databases, servers on-line access, etc. A large and diversified company has the depth of staffing to fully support all of its IT infrastructure needs. Unfortunately, this is not the case with small- to medium-sized businesses, and it is absolutely not the case for recent startups struggling to get a foothold in the market. SMBs are generally forced to focus all of their resources on the operations that drive revenues. For example, how many small firms have a trained human resource practitioner on board, even though the lack of one can leave them vulnerable to a number of legal and staffing issues? Very few. They just don’t have the resources to devote to anything that isn’t sales or a critical line operation. The same tends to be true for an IT infrastructure support staff and the personnel “required” to support it 24/7.
The question then arises, how does an SMB begin to bring on the necessary resources to support their IT needs? A common solution is to bring on a generalist who will act as the IT director/manager and then that person will bring on additional, more specialized staff as revenue growth permits.
This is a pretty standard model for addressing IT support needs for a growing SMB. But does that really make the most sense? The issue with this model is that it follows a typical, hierarchical company org chart, but doesn’t necessarily meet the needs of a SMB. The IT demands of a typical company are very diverse, and one individual doesn’t have the depth and breadth of experience to significantly support every corner of your IT infrastructure. When resources for IT staffing are limited, creating the IT department that covers everything can be unrealistic. Building out this traditional model takes time and resources to make sure you have the IT support that possesses all the diverse skills needed to meet the many requirements of a sound IT infrastructure. As a result, this model may not truly meet the immediate/urgent needs of a developing or transforming organization. The alternative IT support is not from an organizational chart approach but from a risk management one.
What do we mean by a risk management perspective? For any business, but especially a smaller one without deep pockets, the consequences of some disaster may mean the end of the business. As a result, risk evaluation becomes critical. There are an endless variety of events, from mishaps to major disasters that challenge your viability. Risk management inventories all of the possible risks that could befall the organization and places them in a hierarchy of significance. At the top are single points of failure disasters or extreme events that would shut down the business, at least temporarily. Risk management then works to channel limited resources toward mitigating the most serious risks. How does this reflect on how you bring on IT support in your business? You bring on the support, either through hiring or an MSP on the basis of where your IT infrastructure is most vulnerable, not on the basis on “positions’” to be filled. This is a different approach and more appropriate for a SMB that has limited resources.
It’s a sunny June morning. Half your team is on vacation. The other half is juggling coffee shop Wi-Fi and spotty hotel connections.
And then it happens:
Your system crashes.
The printer won’t print.
Shared files vanish into the void.
A phishing email just slipped past your filters.
You call your IT person… but they’re out of office, too.
Now what?
Your business stalls. Your team scrambles. And your vacation just got hijacked.
Sounds dramatic? Maybe. But unrealistic? Not at all.
Summer is Great for Vacations — Terrible for Reactive IT Support
Most business owners underestimate how much tech quietly holds everything together… until it all breaks. And when your only IT resource is on PTO, you’re stuck.
That’s the fatal flaw of reactive IT support: It works fine — until it doesn’t.
The “Just call Bob if something goes wrong” approach might get you by during slower seasons, but summer? That’s when it all hits at once:
Servers still overheat.
Hardware still fails.
Hackers don’t take vacations.
And when no one’s available to respond, downtime and damage pile up — fast.
Reactive IT = Playing Catch-Up While Firefighting
If your IT plan is built around fixing things after they break, you’re signing up for:
Costly downtime while you wait for help
Security breaches slipping through unnoticed
Minor glitches turning into major repairs
Zero support when your “go-to” person is MIA
It’s not just inconvenient. It’s a liability — especially in June, when vacation calendars are packed and remote work is the norm.
Proactive IT = Peace of Mind, Even from a Beach Chair
A proactive IT partner doesn’t wait for disasters — they prevent them.
They monitor your systems around the clock, apply updates before vulnerabilities are exposed, and ensure your business keeps running… whether your team is on-site or on a surfboard.
Here’s what you get with a proactive approach:
24/7 monitoring and maintenance
Security updates before you’re vulnerable
Regular backups and tested recovery plans
A team of experts (not just one person)
Predictable costs with fewer tech surprises
No more scrambling. No more waiting. No more “out of office = out of luck.”
The Real Cost of Waiting Until It Breaks
Downtime can cost small businesses hundreds to thousands of dollars per minute. And if it’s a cyberattack? You could be looking at permanent reputational damage on top of financial loss.
Reactive IT doesn’t just cost money — it creates chaos.
Don’t Let Tech Trouble Crash Your Summer
This summer, protect your business and your PTO.
Let us assess your current setup and show you how a proactive IT strategy keeps your operations running smoothly — no matter where your team is.
Risk assessment means looking at all the conditions, situations and threats that exist that could damage or bring down your business. Risk assessment is all about identifying the external and internal threats that exist and measuring the likely consequences if that threat becomes reality. A data security risk assessment would identify what data you have, how you use it, how confidential it may be, how it is affected by regulations and the ways it could be compromised. A major focus of a data security assessment is cybercrime.
In terms of developing an IT staff, the alternative approach to building out a team is to determine your IT staffing needs in terms of risk assessment. That means evaluating risk and directing staffing resources to those areas where the risk is greatest and the consequences most severe. Basically, it is an evaluation on the ROI of your IT staffing in light of identified risk. In particular, what is the return on your risk management investment? The goal is to evaluate risk in light of business and operational consequences. Put simply, which point of failure leads to the most destructive consequences. Once that is determined your limited IT resources can be directed at those most critical areas.
In the short term, you can try to find the specific applicants that have what you need to plug the holes. Is that workable given the challenges to hiring? The market is very competitive.
The alternative is an MSP. Using a Managed Service provider for at least some of your most critical needs can be a very effective way of targeting your IT resources to where you are most vulnerable.
You have more freedom to move resources to where they are most needed.
Opting for an in-house IT team limits you in terms of scalability. You cannot just add or reduce the strength of your IT team anytime. Choosing a managed services provider, however, provides the flexibility to scale up or scale down your IT investment to suit your business needs.
You are better prepared for IT emergencies
Having a service contract with an MSP helps you tackle IT emergencies better because you get access to top-level IT expertise. An MSP’s core business is IT so they are naturally more knowledgeable and up-to-date when it comes to the latest IT challenges, including cybercrime. Plus, an MSP can deploy more resources if need be to solve your IT emergency, helping your business get back on its feet sooner.
You will be ahead of the curve
The IT industry is constantly evolving. The in-house IT team may find it challenging to keep up with the latest trends and norms of the IT industry as they will be caught up in managing the day-to-day IT activities at your office. Also, IT is a very broad field, and only a diverse IT team has the depth to cover all of the different areas. With an MSP, you don’t have to worry about how technology is changing. A good MSP will not only be up-to-date with the latest in tech but also advise you on what tech changes you need to make to stay ahead of the curve.
The lesson for hiring IT is that you should focus resources, be they in-house or external, on the areas where your business is at highest risk from a single point of failure or a cyber attack. Not all IT needs are equal, and traditional models don’t always recognize this. A Managed Service Provider can also assist you in determining a hierarchy of your IT needs.
For any business, but especially a smaller one without deep pockets, the consequences of some disaster may mean the end of the business. As a result, risk evaluation becomes critical. There are an endless variety of events, from mishaps to major disasters that challenge your viability. Risk management inventories all of the possible risks that could befall the organization and places them in a hierarchy of significance. At the top are single points of failure disasters or extreme events that would shut down the business, at least temporarily. Risk management then works to channel limited resources toward mitigating the most serious risks. Here are some examples of risk in the IT area that could be especially damaging if left unprotected
Data Security and Cybercrime –
Loss of data – Failed backups or human error can lead to lost data. Every business needs to have the IT expertise to ensure that quality backups are maintained, preferably in real-time
Data breaches – More significantly, data is constantly at risk from crime. From malware to ransomware, viruses and cyber attacks can destroy a small business. Consequently, quality IT support is most critical in this area. It should be an issue of highest priority.
Hardware redundancy – Your entire physical IT infrastructure represents a vulnerability. Single points of failure could shut down your business. Proper design of your infrastructure, and 24/7 monitoring of it is, again, a risk mitigation factor. How much evaluation has been done to determine your level of risk?
Natural and human-made disasters – How prepared is your IT infrastructure to continue operations in the event of a flood, fire, or natural disaster that prohibits access to your physical location? How would you handle a long-term power of broadband outage? IT professionals skilled in disaster recovery can help you mitigate the risk in the face of a major event.
The point here is not to list all the possible risks you face, but to recognize that IT support should be focused on the most critical areas. Whether you bring them in-house or use the services of an MSP, resources should be directed first at areas where the risk is greatest.
How can an MSP help support a risk-focused IT strategy?
Hiring individual in-house support can be expensive and slow – Given the tight labor market, finding ideal candidates can be exceptionally difficult, and as a consequence, too expensive. An MSP represents a faster way to bring on support and can be utilized only when and where the most critical services are needed.
Up-to-date support – Over-worked in-house IT staff in a small company may be too busy putting out fires to keep up with the latest developments in specific corners of their field. As a result, you may lack the knowledge depth needed on narrow but critical areas. IT is a very broad field, and only a diverse IT team has the depth to cover all of the different areas. With an MSP, you don’t have to worry about how technology is changing. A good MSP will not only be up-to-date with the latest in tech but also advise you on what tech changes you need to make to stay ahead.
Scalability – The size of your in-house IT support staff is, in the short term, static. If you experience peak demand times, resources can be stretched to the point of being overwhelmed. .Choosing a managed services provider, however, provides the flexibility to scale up or scale down your IT investment to suit your business needs.
24/7 monitoring and availability – Until your organization gets big enough, an in-house IT staff cannot be available 24/7. Nor can it provide 24/7 monitoring for that part of your business that must be functional all the time. An MSp has the resources, because of economies of scale.
In the end, don’t think of IT support as “IT Hiring” instead, think of it as staffing. What is the best use of limited resources to meet your most immediate vulnerabilities? That is the best perspective to take on IT support when resources are limited.
