Most of the calls we get from prospective new clients are small business owners feeling overwhelmed by technology concerns. They often feel their technology isn’t keeping up. They’re wary of cyber threats and uncertain about what tech should cost. See if any of this sounds familiar:
— 1. Hiring an in-house tech person can cost more than anyone else on the payroll. Then, they’ll also require a lot of expensive gear.
— 2. Cyber threats feel like the great unknown. Security prices seem all over the place, and it’s hard to know what you’re getting for the money.
— 3. The person or company who used to help with the company’s technology isn’t available, can’t handle your needs anymore, or just disappeared.
— 4. No one on the team has the time or expertise to take “technology” on as an additional project. Usually, it would mean hiring someone else to do what they can’t get to.
— 5. There’s a nagging sense that solving the company’s tech needs will only get more complicated as time goes on. Is now the right time to fix it? Or should that have happened a year ago?
Let’s break all this down to find some realistic solutions that make sense for small and mid-sized businesses in the Philadelphia area.
1. You Don’t Need to Build an IT Department
Business owners often think they’re stuck between two choices: ask someone in the office to “figure it out,” or hire a full-time IT employee — one with a salary north of $80K, plus benefits, plus PTO coverage, plus the cost of all the equipment and software they’ll need to manage your systems. It’s not hard to brush up against $200K.
Fortunately, there’s a better option: Local tech companies staffed by experts whose entire business is handling the IT needs of companies just like yours… so you don’t have to.
What does outsourced small business IT support look like? Here’s a real-world breakdown:
- These tech service providers start with a FULL EVALUATION of your current tech environment — what you’re using, where the vulnerabilities are, and where your systems might be working against you.
- They deliver a STRAIGHTFORWARD PLAN outlining what needs to be fixed or added. You’ll see recommendations for tools, services, hardware, and costs — often with optional add-ons explained if you want them. (That’s your call.)
- Once you settle on the plan the tech company has worked out with you, there are TWO BASIC COSTS: a one-time, upfront charge for installation and labor, and an ongoing monthly fee that covers continuous management, security, and support.
From that point forward, the tech company takes over all the tasks of managing your technology, such as:
- Monitoring every device’s performance for alerts and troubleshooting so things get solved in the background before they become problems that disrupt your team’s work.
- Adding and updating cybersecurity protections that cover ~99% of vulnerabilities.
- Backing up your company data in multiple secure locations as protection against hackers, ransomware, or natural disaster.
- Patching and updating all your critical software and systems so you operate with the latest versions, without having to keep up with what those versions are.
- Fixing network issues (like the Wi-Fi dead zone in the warehouse), usually through a Help Desk your team members call whenever something doesn’t seem right.
- Making sure only the right people can access sensitive files, so that even if one team member’s passwords are compromised, hackers can’t get to that sensitive data.
- Equipping new hires with ready-to-go computers and secure logins, saving someone on your team hours of prep time and getting your new employee off to a fast start.
- Ensuring your technology stays compliant with local, state, or federal data rules, meeting your industry’s standards, avoiding fines, and maintaining the trust of your customers.
- Fielding every tech question or issue from your staff without clogging your day. Many issues can be solved quickly and remotely – usually faster than an in-house person can get to it.
And here’s the kicker: for most small and midsize companies, this level of outsourced IT support usually costs significantly less than hiring an in-house IT person, while giving you access to an entire team’s worth of knowledge, skill sets, and backup coverage.
That’s why an increasing number of business owners in our market (Philly, Delco, Montco, and Camden County) are starting to ask: “Why should I build a tech department if I don’t have to?”
For most small and mid-sized businesses, bringing on outsourced IT support like this is surprisingly easy because you don’t have to become a tech expert to get solid technology for your company.
2. Security Isn’t a Product — It’s a System
Let’s address one of the biggest frustrations I hear from business leaders: security spending feels like a bottomless pit, and it’s unclear what you’re actually getting for what you pay.
Often, the problem comes from trying to “DIY” their security setup, piecing together antivirus subscriptions, one-time firewall purchases, or free browser extensions — and crossing their fingers. Those costs add up without producing great results.
Frankly, that’s like locking your front door but leaving the back door wide open. You’ve taken action, but not the kind that keeps thieves out. And unfortunately, the number of internet thieves is growing at an astonishing rate.
To defend against it, small and medium-sized businesses need real security.
What is Real Security?
Real security is layered and managed. Here’s what that includes:
1. 24/7 endpoint monitoring to detect unusual activity across devices.
“Endpoints” are the end of a path that starts at your network, such as your computer.
2. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) setup for email and system access.
This is a second means of proving a user’s identity, such as a code sent to your phone before you can finish signing into your account. It’s super-effective because if a bad guy gets your password, they still don’t have your second device, so they’re blocked from getting in.
3. Firewall management that adapts to changing threats.
A firewall is a barrier between your internal network and the outside world. It controls incoming and outgoing traffic, making sure that only approved traffic comes into your company’s network.
4. Employee phishing simulations and awareness training.
Most system compromises happen because of human error… usually a smart hacker tricking one of your employees into giving up a piece of information that lets them hack into your system. Training decreases those errors by 70%.
5. Dark web monitoring to see if your credentials are already out there.
That’s right – there’s a good chance one or more of your company passwords or account numbers is for sale to hackers right now. Security programs find them and let you know which passwords or accounts to change to protect your assets.
6. Automated patching to close up software vulnerabilities.
Software companies like Microsoft, Google, QuickBooks, Salesforce, and many others are continuously attacked by hackers, so their security updates (protection against hackers called “patches”) occur frequently. A company that manages your technology will update them on all your users’ devices.
7. Incident response plans in the event of a breach.
If something happens, a specialist team will take quick action to remediate it, 24/7. A non-critical breach is usually handled by a team of engineers who receive an immediate alert in a security operations center. A critical breach, such as a successful ransomware attack, is usually remediated by a specialized team who do only that kind of work.
A good IT partner doesn’t just install a tool and wish you luck. They’re actively managing all of this in the background and alerting you before things go sideways.
The right partner will also walk you through the “why” behind each piece, so you’re not just paying for tools or acronyms, you’re investing in outcomes: preventing breaches, avoiding downtime, and gaining more peace of mind. (That’s small business IT support done right.)
3. If You’re Doing the IT Chores, You’re Losing Money
Here’s a common scenario: a business owner is ordering laptops at midnight. The office manager is calling Comcast about a router issue. A junior employee is spending an hour trying to reset someone’s email password. And then the owner finds out that backups haven’t worked for three weeks.
That’s not IT management. That’s organizational bleeding.
When IT gets handed off to whoever is available, you lose momentum… and revenue. Nobody’s doing their actual job well because they’re stuck doing work they weren’t hired to do and aren’t trained for.
Let’s talk impact:
Scenario A: Your company has about 50 employees. If just three of them lose an hour each week fussing with connections or troubleshooting problems, that’s over 150 lost hours each year. Multiply that by wages and lower productivity, and you have real money walking out the door.
Scenario B: Your company has about 6 employees. When things don’t work, employees turn to Janet, your combo office manager, customer service department, bookkeeper, purchasing department, HR assistant, and occasional travel agent – like she has time to spare. Or, the staff turns to the company owner, who has less time to spare than Janet. That’s a waste of real money but even more, it’s a loss of capacity and focus – two things no small business can afford to waste.
In either scenario, an outsourced IT team takes that entire burden off you and your staff. They set up systems, train users, resolve problems, and keep things running. No internal bottlenecks, no repeated breakdowns.
And most importantly: no one asks the business owner, “Hey, can you look at this error message?” Instead, they call the tech company.
One of our clients who runs a retail establishment with about 12 employees saw their daily frustration level disappear after we took technology off their shoulders. Now, they’ve regained countless hours to focus on growing their business and no longer lose sleep worrying about inadequate security.
4. Your Technology Should Grow with You, Not Hold You Back
Most small businesses don’t plan to outgrow their IT setup. It just happens.
You start with a few people. Then you add a couple more. Then someone gets a second monitor, you buy a new printer, and suddenly nobody can find the shared files anymore. Also, half your team is running different versions of the same software.
This is how tech fragility creeps in. And when it does, it becomes a silent tax on your growth.
The solution? A tech roadmap.
A good IT partner will help you build one. That means asking questions like:
- What are your business goals in the next 12–24 months?
- Are you hiring? Expanding? Changing your services?
- What tools or systems are showing cracks?
- Where are the biggest risks to your business?
- Are there any big changes coming for your industry?
Then they’ll lay out a timeline that helps you phase in improvements: which upgrades or changes are urgent, which can wait, and how to prioritize investments to support your business growth—not derail it.
A roadmap is all about getting strategic, not just tactical. That’s how technology becomes a driver of your goals, instead of a speed bump. It works like an engine to help you succeed. It doesn’t hold you back or hand the advantage to your competitors.
Final Thought: IT Shouldn’t Be a Gamble
Look, nobody starts a business because they love patching operating systems or researching cybersecurity protocols. You start a business because you have a product, a service, or an idea —and you want to build it into something real.
Too many businesses that could be great are held back by clunky, fragile, or invisible IT setups that were never designed to support their growth. Or worse — by breaches, downtime, or other threats they didn’t see coming.
The good news? You don’t have to become an expert to get it right. You just need a trustworthy partner who’s done this before and can do it for you.
If you’ve been losing sleep over tech concerns or you’re not sure how to make the right tech decisions for your company, have a conversation with an experienced technology management company. In the greater Philadelphia area, that’s us. We get it, and we can help.
Your time should go toward growing your business. We’ll handle the tech that helps you do it.
