What is outsourced IT support?
Outsourced IT support means another company looks after some or all of your IT, rather than staff you employ. Your team calls or logs a ticket, and people who know your setup help them. The same people keep your systems updated, protect them and help you plan what's next.
For most of our clients, outsourcing is how they get the breadth of a whole IT team for less than the cost of a hire. One in-house person, however good, can't cover every specialism: security, networks, Microsoft 365, phones, projects and AI. A team can.
You can outsource everything, or only part. Some clients hand us the whole of their IT. Others have their own IT person and want specialist help alongside them. Both work.
When does outsourcing IT support make sense?
Businesses usually start looking when something exposes a gap:
- A client or insurer sends a security questionnaire nobody can answer.
- A contract requires Cyber Essentials.
- The person who has been doing IT on the side is leaving.
- New systems or AI are coming in without anyone leading them.
- The business has grown, and someone asks who actually looks after the IT.
If you recognise one of these, it's worth a conversation. If you only want help now and then when something breaks, an ongoing service may not suit you, and we'll say so. Our guide to IT support costs explains what affects the price.
What to expect from an outsourced IT support company
The good ones know your business, because the same people look after you year after year. That's what we aim for. There are 17 of us. Meenash and Nazheer joined in 2016, Jamie in 2017, and Ryan and Jessica in 2018. Clients speak to people who remember their setup and their name.
Day to day, a real person answers the phone, always. Every ticket gets a human reply, so you know it's been seen. 98% of IT requests are solved in a quick remote session, and for bigger problems we aim to identify the fix within 30 minutes. Support is 24/7, and someone comes on site when a problem needs it.
Which IT services can you outsource?
All of it: managed IT services
With managed IT services, we take responsibility for your IT as a whole, from everyday support to looking after your systems, for a monthly fee.
Cyber security and compliance
This is where many clients need us most. We protect accounts, devices and data, and help you answer the security questions your own clients, insurers and investors send. We also help with Cyber Essentials, and hold Cyber Essentials Plus ourselves. See outsourced cyber security services and IT compliance.
Networks
Managed network services for your office network and Wi-Fi, including dealing with your internet provider when something goes wrong.
Backup and disaster recovery
Backup and disaster recovery so your data can be recovered and the business can keep working if something fails.
Helpdesk only
If you have your own IT person, you might outsource the day-to-day calls and keep the planning in house, or the other way round.
IT projects and advice
IT projects and IT consultancy for new systems, office moves and upgrades. We add most value when we're involved early.
AI adoption and development
Helping your team use AI confidently and safely, starting with Microsoft Copilot. We also build AI applications and help businesses automate work. For one investment firm, we reviewed an AI platform another company was building for them. We found their data would be stored in Singapore when it needed to stay in the UK, and that they wouldn't fully own what they were paying for.
How to choose an outsourced IT support provider
Most businesses that call us have been let down by a provider before, so they're wary of promises. That's sensible. Ask these questions before you sign:
- Who will actually look after us? Meet them. Ask how long they've been with the company.
- What happens when we call? Does a real person answer, and does every ticket get a reply?
- What's included? Get a clear list covering security, on-site visits and projects, and what's charged separately.
- What are the service commitments? Response times should be in the contract.
- How will the handover work? It's the biggest worry for most new clients. Ask to see the plan and meet the people who will run it.
- Can they help us answer security questions? Ask what certifications they hold themselves.
- Will they work with our own IT person? If you have one, check they'll work alongside them.
- How do we leave? Check the notice period and what happens to your data, passwords and documentation.
The benefits of outsourcing your IT support
A whole team for less than one hire
You get people who cover security, networks, Microsoft 365, phones and projects between them, for less than the cost of one IT employee. Our support starts from £1,000 a month.
Your people get on with their work
Nobody in your office has to be the one who fixes the printer or resets passwords. We look after IT and security so your people can get on with their work.
Confidence with security questions
When a client or insurer sends a detailed security questionnaire, you have people who can help you answer it properly.
Cover when something goes wrong
When one client's network went down, we went to site and set up a temporary connection so their team could keep working. We chased the provider for a permanent fix and stayed late to restore and test everything, so they started the next morning without disruption.
Help thinking ahead
Six months in, clients have usually stopped chasing. They also start bringing us into decisions earlier, because they trust the advice.
Talk to us about outsourced IT support
Send us a message. Jessica Ruvin, our Operations Director, replies to every enquiry personally, the same day. The first step is a conversation about your business, what's working and where you need help.