According to one recent study, the amount of revenue generated worldwide by managed IT services is projected to hit over $25 billion by the end of the year.
If you needed one statistic to point to the idea that managed services are not just another "tech trend" or "passing fad," that one should comfortably do it.
At their core, managed IT services are a bit like hiring a dedicated IT team to handle your business's technology needs, only they're not actually your employees.
They handle maintenance, security, support, and more - in whatever capacity you need.
Are you constantly running into issues where routine maintenance is taking away too much time that could be better focused on other matters?
A managed services provider (or MSP) can help.
Do you not feel like you have the resources needed to stay ahead of the latest cybersecurity threats and fear that you might find yourself on the receiving end of a data breach with an average cost of $5.12 million per incident as of 2025?
An MSP can help.
Indeed, managed services providers are certainly nothing new.
They've been around in some form or fashion since the explosion of digital and especially mobile resources.
As technology became more and more ingrained in the everyday operations of just about every business you could name, a need was identified that MSPs dutifully positioned themselves to fill.
But at the same time, there are several myths that still prevail about what managed service providers are and, more importantly, who they're actually for.
Getting to the bottom of these myths and shedding light on the truth is the key to guaranteeing that you're making the most informed decisions possible when it comes to the current and future state of your business's IT infrastructure.
Maybe the biggest myth about managed IT services is that it somehow means you're "losing control" over your IT infrastructure.
In reality, you need to see an MSP for what it really is: a partner in every sense of the term. If your business hires an electrician, does that mean you're somehow giving up control over the electrical wiring in your building?
Of course not - it just means that you're enlisting a partner to come in and bring a specialized set of skills that you may not have.
MSPs integrate with your company’s goals and operations, ensuring your IT solutions align with your business strategy.
By collaborating with MSPs, businesses gain access to specialized expertise and resources without sacrificing control over their IT environment.
Co-managed IT services, in particular, allow you to maintain total control over everything that is important to you while still getting the support that you need.
MSPs typically handle routine IT tasks, such as monitoring, security, and maintenance, while internal teams focus on higher-level strategy and development.
This model enables companies to leverage the strengths of both in-house IT staff and MSPs, making sure that both day-to-day operations and long-term goals are met efficiently.
A company might retain control over IT budgeting, project priorities, and technological advancements while outsourcing tasks like system updates and Help Desk support to an MSP.
By design, managed services take advantage of the flexibility of technology, meaning that this isn't a move only the largest IT enterprises out there are poised to make.
It's perfect for medium-sized and even small businesses, too.
MSPs offer flexible packages tailored to the unique needs of smaller businesses, providing access to enterprise-grade technology and services at an affordable price point.
This scalability means that as a business grows, its IT infrastructure can grow seamlessly without the need to constantly reinvest in new hardware or hire additional IT staff.
To that end, outsourcing IT services can be a hugely cost-effective solution for small and medium-sized businesses.
Instead of investing heavily in internal IT staff and infrastructure, not to mention the training and ongoing education that these employees will require, businesses can take advantage of managed services that offer a predictable monthly cost.
This setup eliminates the need for capital expenditures and reduces the risk of unexpected IT expenses, providing small businesses with a stable and budget-friendly solution.
On the surface, this myth makes some degree of sense.
Naturally, the more people who have access to your IT infrastructure, the more vulnerable it becomes as your potential attack surface widens.
Therefore, it's logical to assume that limiting the number of people with access to that infrastructure will make it more secure by default.
It makes sense... but it's an assumption that misunderstands what MSPs are and how they operate.
MSPs often provide advanced security solutions that are difficult for smaller organizations to manage in-house.
These include multi-layered defenses, real-time threat monitoring, and specialized tools like intrusion detection systems, firewalls, and anti-malware solutions.
MSPs also keep systems updated with the latest security patches, ensuring protection against evolving cyber threats.
Not only that, but many MSPs offer continuous network monitoring and incident response, which can dramatically improve the security posture of a business.
They also help ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations, such as GLBA or HIPAA, by maintaining up-to-date policies and processes.
All of this is hugely time-consuming and requires an enormous amount of effort (not to mention money) to "get right" if you're trying to do it on your own.
With these built-in protections, businesses can avoid costly security breaches and maintain trust with customers.
For smaller organizations with deeply rooted and carefully constructed company cultures, this may be the biggest myth of all.
They assume that outsourcing anything automatically equals job replacement, the same way that factory owners sometimes fear automation because it will "replace human jobs."
In the case of managed IT services, however, this couldn't be further from the truth.
Outsourcing isn't about replacing anything - it's about supporting and empowering the workers you already have.
Rather than replacing in-house staff, MSPs augment the skills of internal IT teams.
By handling routine tasks and maintenance, MSPs allow internal staff to focus on more strategic projects and complex initiatives.
This partnership can enhance the efficiency and capabilities of your in-house team, allowing them to develop their skills and contribute more significantly to your organization’s goals.
When routine IT management tasks are outsourced, internal teams can focus on higher-value work like digital transformation, process optimization, and technology-driven business innovation.
To put it another way, you're freeing up as much of the valuable time in their day as possible so they can focus on the bigger picture.
That's not to say that the maintenance they were focusing on before isn't important - obviously, it is.
It's just that it took so much time and attention away from projects that are supposed to be driving revenue that many smaller organizations often feel like they're stuck in stasis.
They need these projects to grow, but they can't do that without a larger IT team, and they can't hire more people for that team until they grow.
This approach empowers in-house IT professionals to play a more significant role in business strategy, leading to improved job satisfaction and career development opportunities.
It doesn't put jobs at risk - it's an opportunity to help those workers become more valuable than ever.
Finally, we arrive at the age-old idea that somehow, managed IT services are just too expensive for the vast majority of use cases.
This goes hand-in-hand with the myth that it's only a move large enterprises can make.
People assume that A) they require too much money to buy into, limiting their potential for smaller organizations, or B) any value generated will be offset by the enormous amount of money you need to put forward to buy into an MSP in the first place.
The cost of hiring and maintaining an in-house IT team can quickly add up, especially for smaller businesses.
Costs associated with recruitment, salaries, training, benefits, and turnover can be significant.
In contrast, outsourcing IT to an MSP offers predictable, fixed monthly costs, reducing the financial burden on a business.
Additionally, MSPs can often provide access to a broader range of skills and resources than an in-house team might be able to, offering a high return on investment.
Because of all that, one of the key benefits of outsourcing IT services is the ability to predict and budget IT costs accordingly.
You're no longer paying wild, unpredictable rates for everything - you're exchanging most of those costs for a fixed monthly fee.
Managed IT services are typically offered as a subscription model, making budgeting more straightforward.
In the end, these are just a few of the many myths surrounding the idea of outsourcing IT services.
If you've bought into one or even all of them in the past, don't worry - you're not alone.
But maybe the biggest myth of all is that managed services are for everyone - that there is some kind of "one size fits all" approach to how you're supposed to handle your business's IT infrastructure.
This, too, is false, because not all companies are created equally.
If you took a look at your closest competitor, you'd probably be looking at an organization with very different needs compared to your own, despite the fact that, on paper, you're very similar.
All that is to say, there are legitimate situations where you might want to keep your IT in-house, and an MSP isn't for you.
Likewise, there are situations where you might not want an in-house IT department at all because it just doesn't make financial or business sense.
There are situations, too, where you would want a hybrid model—one that allows you to experience the "best of both worlds."
Figuring out where you fall on that spectrum begins with shattering myths like those outlined above and setting the story straight.
At that point, you can take a look inward at your own business and your own needs and better determine where an MSP fits in line with your vision for the present and future.
By understanding the facts behind the myths outlined above, businesses can approach managed IT services with confidence, knowing they can retain control over their IT while benefiting from the expertise and resources of an MSP.
If you’re considering managed IT services for your business, start by having a conversation with an MSP.
Assess your current IT needs and explore how outsourcing could enhance your operations and reduce costs.
If you're interested in finding out more information about these or other managed IT myths, or if you have any additional questions about how outsourcing IT services might be the right move for your business that you'd like to discuss in a bit more detail, please don't hesitate to contact us today.
