Everything You Need to Know About Managed IT

Your Guide to Managed IT Services

Your internal IT team can't be everywhere at once. When they're off sick, on holiday, or simply overwhelmed, who's keeping your business running? That's where Managed Service Providers (MSPs) come in – not to replace your team, but to give them the backup they desperately need.

In this guide, we cut through the noise to explain what managed IT services actually deliver. Whether you're running a growing business, managing tight IT budgets, or tired of technology headaches disrupting your operations, this is for you.

What is Managed IT Services?

Let's be clear about what managed IT services and support means. An IT managed services provider becomes an extension of your existing team – they're here to eliminate the friction and frustration that's currently eating up your people's time and your budget. If your team is currently non-existent, they can help you with all your IT needs.

The difference between managed IT and traditional support is simple: managed services are proactive, traditional support is reactive. Managed IT providers monitor your systems, spot problems before they cause disruption, and fix them while you're focused on running your business. Traditional support only helps after things have already gone wrong.

Here's what managed IT service support includes:

Network and Infrastructure Management

Monitor and manage network performance – routers, switches, wireless networks, and cloud infrastructure. One throat to choke instead of juggling multiple suppliers.

Software and Hardware Management

Licence management, software installation, updates, and patch management. Plus, hardware procurement and lifecycle management that actually makes sense.

IT Consulting and Strategy

We help with digital transformation initiatives and technology roadmaps so you can see where your IT is now and where it needs to be.

Cyber Security Services

Each managed service provider will have different cyber security capabilities. But you can expect endpoint protection, security audits, compliance support, data encryption, secure access controls, incident response, and threat detection. The boring stuff that becomes very expensive if you get it wrong.

Data Backup and Recovery

Regular data backups (on-site and cloud), disaster recovery planning and testing, and business continuity solutions that actually work when you need them.

Service Desk and Technical Support

24/7 user support (remote or on-site), troubleshooting hardware and software issues, and ticketing systems for proper issue tracking.

Ready to move away from Traditional IT services? Contact Us.

Benefits of Using a Managed IT Provider

Businesses – especially ambitious ones like yours – are turning to Managed Service Providers for practical reasons:

Reliability When It Matters: A managed IT services provider can fill the gaps when your team is unavailable due to illness or annual leave. But they’re much more than that, they can help during busy times and through the low points in your business. You get a reliable point of contact who understands your business operations from strategy down to day-to-day headaches.

Proper Service Coverage: IT managed services providers offer comprehensive services – virtual machines, Azure services, business broadband, network device monitoring, email security, and more. This approach ensures all aspects of your IT infrastructure work together properly.

Security That Works: Protection for your IT infrastructure from cyber threats through advanced threat detection, automated responses, and expert-led reviews. Compliance with standards like ISO 14001:2015, 9001:2015, and 27001:2022 isn't optional – it's what keeps you in business.

Real Cyber Security Protection: Proactive threat detection, investigation, and response, reducing the likelihood and impact of cyber attacks. This includes 24/7 monitoring using advanced technologies like Microsoft 365 Defender and Microsoft Sentinel.

Continuous Improvement: Managed IT providers align processes and services with your changing business needs. Eliminating inefficiencies and restructure systems to focus on what actually matters to your customers.

Predictable Costs: MSPs offer subscription-based pricing, helping you avoid nasty surprises. No more unexpected expenses when critical systems fail at the worst possible moment.

Reduced Labour Costs: No need to hire and train in-house IT staff for every need. Your MSP gives you access to senior expertise without the recruitment headaches or eye-watering salary bills.

Smarter Infrastructure Costs: Cloud services and remote monitoring reduce the need for on-site hardware. Your MSP will save you time and money by designing infrastructure that helps rather than hinders your business.

Training Your People: The better IT managed services providers offer proper training for your team, ensuring they know how to use the technology effectively. This maximises the benefits of what you've invested in.

A great MSP will offer exceptional training for your people. We offer all of our clients free access to TSG Academy – a library of content, live sessions, and expert advice that every member of your team can use to upskill and learn more about the technologies they use daily. We make sure your team can do more than just simply get by with your technology.

Managed IT vs. Traditional IT Support

Managed IT is the upgrade your business needs from traditional IT support:

Aspect	Managed IT	Traditional IT
Approach	Proactive monitoring and maintenance. Continuous monitoring of IT systems, identifying and resolving issues before they cause significant problems.	Reactive approach. Traditional IT support addresses issues as they arise, leading to longer downtimes and more significant disruptions.
Scope of Services	Comprehensive services including cloud services, cyber security, and data backup, providing a complete approach to IT management.	In-house resources. Traditional IT support relies on in-house IT staff, limited by the expertise and availability of your internal team.
Costs	Cost efficiency. Managed IT services operate on a subscription-based model, more cost-effective compared to the unpredictable costs of traditional IT support.	Variable costs. Costs are unpredictable and vary based on the frequency and severity of IT issues.
Strategic Value	Strategic partnership. Aligns technology with business growth goals.	Transactional. Addresses immediate technical issues without broader strategic input.

Core Services Offered by Managed IT Providers

The reality is simple – you need IT support that works when you need it most. These services ensure your business keeps running when things go wrong.

Co-Managed IT Services: Your internal IT team can't be everywhere at once. Co-managed service gives you backup that understands your business – not just someone reading from a script. A managed services provider aligns to your in-house IT. As an IT support provider ourselves we have over 100+ highly certified engineers who are equipped with tooling and knowledge about their business to provide exceptional support. If your IT team are held in HQ but you’re having issues in other business areas it will take time for them to go and solve the issues. Whereas providers like us have a UK wide field service team who can get to mainland UK within 4 hours

Cloud & Managed Services: Your managed IT service providers handle everything – Virtual Machines, SQL Server, Azure Storage, Virtual Desktop, App Service. Plus, connectivity: business broadband, Ethernet lines, managed network infrastructure. And security essentials like Microsoft Defender and email protection. One throat to choke instead of juggling multiple suppliers.

Backup and IT Disaster Recovery: Here's the truth – up to 60% backups fail when you need them and 50% of recovery attempts are unsuccessful. Robust approach to backup procedures and testing to ensure higher chance of recovery Integrated approaches combine on-site devices with cloud replication. When disaster strikes, you can recover instantly from either source. No nasty surprises when you're already having the worst day of the year.

Security Services: Every business is a target now. You need someone who will provide email security, antivirus protection, vulnerability assessments, and help you meet compliance standards like ISO 27001. That includes data policies, encryption, patching, and GDPR compliance – the boring stuff that becomes very expensive if you get it wrong.

Azure Backup Security: Your backup data gets encrypted and replicated to another Azure region. Immutable settings mean hackers can't delete your backups even if they get in. It's proper belt-and-braces protection.

Service Desk Management: Remote monitoring and management of your network devices, plus configuration backup.

Customer Documentation: Cloud printing, SaaS protection, and backup solutions.

Penetration Testing: Find the holes in your defences before the bad guys do.

Who Needs Managed IT Services?

IT managed services can benefit most businesses. They're especially useful for:

Businesses with Limited IT Resources: You can't hire good IT people. We know – we've been there. Building a proper IT team costs a fortune, and great people don't want to work client-side anyway. Managed IT services give you access to senior security experts and enterprise-grade technology without the recruitment headaches or the eye-watering salary bills.

Organisations Seeking Enhanced IT Support: Your internal IT team is drowning. They're good people, but they're sub-scale and don't have the tools to do the job efficiently. Co-managed services bridge that gap – augmenting your team with the resources and expertise they need to actually get things done.

Companies with Complex IT Needs: Your IT environment is a mess of on-premises systems, cloud applications, and hybrid setups that barely talk to each other. Most businesses end up here through organic growth and tactical decisions. You need someone who will help you make sense of it all and ensure everything works together properly.

Businesses Focused on Cyber Security: Every business is at risk now. Hackers target the vulnerable – large and small. It's our job to make life difficult for them so they spend their time elsewhere. Advanced threat detection, rapid response, and proper containment when things go wrong. Because they will go wrong.

IT Disaster Recovery Needs: Most disaster recovery plans are worthless because they've never been tested. When disaster strikes, you discover your backups don't work and your "plan" is actually a wish list. A great managed IT provider will put together, test, and execute disaster recovery that actually works when you need it most.

Continuous Improvement and Quality Assurance: Your business keeps changing, but your IT stays the same. That's a recipe for friction and frustration. Align your technology with what your business needs – not what it needed three years ago – and keep improving it as you grow.

The bottom line? These aren't nice-to-have services. They're what separates businesses that thrive from those that just survive.

How to Choose the Right Managed IT Provider

In 2024, there were an estimated 11,492 active managed IT providers in the UK. That's a lot of noise to cut through to find one that's actually worth your time.

Here's how to separate the wheat from the chaff:

Co-Managed IT Services: Don't pick a provider who wants to take over everything. You need someone who complements your existing team by adding expertise where you're short without wrestling control away from you. The best partnerships let you delegate the stuff that's draining your resources whilst keeping control of what matters most.

Service Delivery and Support: SLAs are meaningless if the provider can't deliver. What's their incident response like when things go wrong at 2am? Do they spot problems before you do, or are you always the one calling them? Look for 24/7 support that works and regular reviews that focus on outcomes, not just ticking boxes.

Continual Improvement and Quality Assurance: Most providers implement your solution and disappear. You want someone obsessed with making things better – cutting the inefficiencies that slow your business down, automating the repetitive stuff, and constantly improving how they serve you. If they're not making your life easier year on year, what's the point?

Customisation and Flexibility: One size fits all is rubbish. Your business isn't like everyone else's, so why should your IT support be? Choose a provider who'll scale services up or down as you need them, not someone trying to force you into their standard package.

Security and Compliance: Security isn't optional anymore. Your provider should have proper data security policies, encryption, patching, antivirus, and vulnerability assessments as standard. If they're treating compliance as an add-on, look elsewhere.

Cost Management: Beware of providers who won't show you transparent pricing. You need someone who'll help you optimise IT spending, not just sell you more stuff. The right partner helps you spend less whilst getting more value.

Customer Feedback and Satisfaction: Ask for their NPS score. If they won't share it or don't measure it, that tells you everything. Industry average is around 30. Good is 40+. Great is 60+. We're at 85 because we actually listen to what customers tell us.

Industry Experience and Accreditations: Lots of IT resellers are trying to transform themselves into service businesses. They've hired a few people and got some vendor badges, but they haven't got the wounds or wisdom that come from years of doing this properly. Look for ISO standards, Cyber Essentials, and partners who've been doing this long enough to know what actually works.

The truth? Most providers will promise you the world. The proof is in what their existing customers say about them.

Common Myths About Managed IT

Like any service that actually works, there are myths designed to scare you off. Here's the reality:

"It replaces internal IT staff."

Complete rubbish. A managed IT provider collaborates with your current team and acts as an extension of it. What happens is MSPs take care of system maintenance, freeing up your IT team to focus on strategic initiatives.

"Loss of Control Over IT Systems."

Another myth. Managed service providers collaborate with your internal team, ensuring you retain control while benefiting from their expertise.

"It's too expensive."

Managed IT typically operates on a predictable monthly subscription model, often reducing long-term costs compared to reactive, break-fix support that hits you when you can least afford it.

"Security risks increase."

The opposite is true. MSPs often have advanced security measures and expertise to protect your data and systems more effectively than an overstretched in-house team.

"It's a one-size-fits-all solution."

No. With proper providers, services are highly customisable. There are tailored packages for your business size, industry, and goals. At least with a good MSP there is.

"Only for large companies."

Small and medium-sized businesses often gain the most significant advantages – cost savings, access to expert support, and enhanced security that they couldn't afford to build internally.

Case Study: We Transferred STARK's IT Infrastructure Across 600 Sites Country-Wide

STARK and TSG, along with the network provider, collectively planned and executed the rollout of new IT systems, coordinating with each other to ensure all parties were up to date with daily progress updates. The project involved building a new network, issuing new devices, and physically visiting every site to install these devices.

Together, STARK and TSG finished the project two weeks early, having migrated 13 brands, 608 branches, 10 offices, 8,591 employees, and built and delivered over 7,000 devices.

Case Study

Getting Started with Managed IT

If you've gotten this far, you're serious about getting managed IT support for your business. Here's how to do it properly:

Steps to Get Started with Managed IT

Assess Your Pain Points: Evaluate your current IT infrastructure and identify what's broken. Review current IT performance and downtime, identify security vulnerabilities, and understand internal IT capacity limitations.

Define Your Objectives: Decide what you want from a managed IT provider: 24/7 support? Cybersecurity and compliance? Cloud migration? Strategic IT planning? This helps you choose a provider that aligns with your goals instead of just taking what they're selling.

Choose the Right Provider: Pick a provider that aligns with your business needs and goals, not just the one with the best sales presentation.

Plan the Transition: The MSP won't just jump into the middle of your IT estate. Instead, they'll work closely with you and your IT team to map out onboarding timelines, define roles and responsibilities, and set up proper communication channels.

Onboarding: Transition your IT operations to the MSP, including data migration and system integration. Onboarding typically includes network audits, documentation handover, and setting up monitoring tools.

Continuous Improvement: Regular reviews and optimisation of services to ensure they meet your evolving business needs.

What to Expect in the First 90 Days

Depending on your IT needs and goals, these steps may vary based on your specific requirements:

Initial Setup and Onboarding

Device Configuration: All equipment gets shipped to the MSP's configuration centre for unboxing, checking, and rebuilding with the latest operating system and updates. This ensures no unnecessary bloatware and avoids delays onsite.
Profile Setup: Follow-up calls are scheduled to set up user profiles, connect to personal services, and install additional software as needed.

Service Integration and Customisation

Architecture Management: The MSP helps manage the complex relationship between organisational architecture and business needs, providing principles, standards, and tools for structured and agile change management.
Continual Improvement: The MSP aligns processes and services with changing business needs, identifying opportunities for improvement within services and service components.
Service onboarding: 4-week intense support onboarding ensuring that the handover process into support is seamless and stress free. Aligned a technical support contact and an Operations Manager with a weekly meeting cadence to get ahead of any issues before being handed over to mainstream support. Take on would include review of any documentation provided from previous supplier, building internal documentation and familiarisation sessions around how to log, manage and close service desk requests for users.

Security and Compliance

Information Security Management: Implementation of practices to protect sensitive information from misuse, ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data.
Compliance Standards: Adherence to compliance standards such as ISO 14001:2015, 9001:2015, and 27001:2022, with certification in Cyber Essentials.

Monitoring and Reporting

Performance Monitoring: Internal survey tools measure the quality of support, sending surveys after every call and reviewing results for staff appraisals and client satisfaction.
Monthly KPI Reports: Monthly reports including server and storage info, capacity usage, call logs, user account monitoring, and maintenance activities.

Ongoing Support and Optimisation

Service Desk Management: Remote management and monitoring, network device monitoring, and configuration backup.
Customer Success Management: Regular review meetings to review account activity, service delivery, and client feedback to ensure high-quality service and continuous improvement.

Cost Management

Cost Management and Billing: Tools and practices for cost management and billing, ensuring transparency and efficiency in financial operations.

Training and Development

User Training: Training plans for end users to ensure they're well-equipped to use the new systems and services effectively.

Risk Management

Risk Management: Help managing risks associated with IT operations, ensuring business continuity and resilience.

Strategic Planning

IT Roadmap: Working with your organisation to map out an IT roadmap aligned with strategic goals, identifying key projects and priorities for the coming months and years.

By following these steps, you can expect a smooth transition and effective integration of managed services within the first 90 days.

Managed IT Support You Can Expect From TSG

Our services are designed to support and enhance your IT infrastructure, ensuring it's secure, efficient, and cost-effective.

When you work with us, you get:

Co-Managed IT Services: We bridge the gap between your internal IT specialists and the resources of a managed IT services provider. This service enhances your IT team with additional experience, resources, and knowledge.

Cloud Managed Services: We specialise in Azure cloud services, cloud architecture, security, migration, managed services, and disaster recovery. These services are tailored to ensure your cloud setup is secure, efficient, and cost-effective.

Cyber Care Services: Our Cyber Care services constantly monitor your systems for suspicious activity. Real-time monitoring and response, alerting you to issues that need investigation or resolving them on your behalf.

Cloud Care Services: Optimising your cloud usage to ensure cost-efficiency and performance with our Cloud Care services. Identity management services, licence procurement, monthly usage reports, user support, and minimising Azure consumption.

System Care Services: Comprehensive maintenance for your computer systems, including regular updates, virus protection, and troubleshooting. It ensures optimal performance and security, minimising downtime and maximising productivity.

Help Desk Management: Remote management and monitoring, including network device monitoring and configuration backup, ensuring continuous oversight and support for your IT infrastructure.

Training and Development: Through TSG Academy, clients have access to free training on various technologies, including Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Sage, Pegasus, and cyber security. This training is available through on-demand courses and live sessions.

Each managed IT provider has their own approach, but typically you can expect: 24/7 Helpdesk and User Support, Remote Monitoring and Management, Cyber Security Services, Cloud Services and Migration, Data Backup and Disaster Recovery, IT Infrastructure and Asset Management, Patch Management and Software Updates, and Strategic IT Consulting and Forecasting.