7 Signs That You’ve Outgrown Your Internal IT Department
If your day-to-day support tickets go unanswered, major projects get delayed, cybersecurity risks go unresolved, and your internal IT team is always busy, it might be time to review your IT support.
That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to replace your internal IT department. It can simply mean looking for extra support – support from someone like a managed service provider (MSP).
But how do you know for sure when you’ve outgrown your internal IT department? Here are seven warning signs and how an MSP can help resolve them.
Key Takeaways
Here are some of the biggest signs that it’s time to consider outsourcing your IT:
- Tickets are taking too long to resolve.
- Major projects keep getting delayed.
- Your IT is mostly reactive.
- Your team lacks specialized expertise.
- Hiring IT talent is becoming difficult or expensive.
- Cybersecurity is becoming overwhelming.
- You need support outside of business hours.
1. Response Times Are Too Slow
Your internal IT team can only be in so many places at once. When multiple issues stack up, your technicians can find themselves buried under a never-ending queue of service tickets.
That’s how one simple request can end up taking multiple days to resolve –your technician had to work through a ten-ticket backlog before responding.
MSPs typically provide larger teams than internal IT departments. That means more people on more tickets more often. A strong MSP will also have clearly defined service level agreements (SLAs) that outline expected response and resolution times for different issue types.
2. Projects Are Continuously Delayed
You need a new server. Your firewall needs to be replaced. Your accounting software needs an important update. Projects that should have been completed months ago, or at least started, are still left on the whiteboard. Why?
Because your internal IT team is too busy putting out smaller fires and can’t devote the time needed for bigger projects.
An MSP, however, has the resources to split up the workload, with many MSPs providing dedicated project teams alongside their day-to-day helpdesk. That way, no project gets sacrificed because a printer stopped working in the break room.
3. Your IT Support Is Reactive, Not Proactive
Reactive IT support is a trap.
When your internal IT department is stuck responding to issues, they won’t be able to prevent those problems from happening in the first place.
But your small team may not have a choice but to be reactive. Tickets come in, and computers need fixing, and before a fix is finished, another ticket comes in. It’s a brutal cycle that can easily trap internal IT teams, leading to some serious consequences.
Research from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) found that organizations relying heavily on reactive maintenance experienced 3.3 times more downtime than those that didn’t.
That’s why Managed IT services take a proactive approach to support. An MSP can consistently monitor your devices, provide regular maintenance, and software updates – all things that keep your systems working as intended.
4. They Don’t Have the Right Expertise
Whether it’s implementing a cloud migration, rolling out new software, or integrating AI into your business, there will come a time when your internal IT team reaches the limits of its experience. That’s not a slight against their abilities; it’s just a side effect of being a small team.
With an MSP, you gain access to a much larger pool of knowledge and specialization. The 20 MSP, for example, has an entire team dedicated to AI assistance, along with experts across the company specializing in different areas of IT. That way, you can tap into a broader range of expertise whenever you need it.
5. You Have to Keep Finding New IT Talent
An Internal IT team stretched thin leads to burnout and turnover. According to ISACA’s State of Cybersecurity 2025, 66% of surveyed IT professionals reported feeling understaffed and overworked. It’s an unfortunate reality of small teams with big plates.
Turnover also puts a lot more on your own plate, forcing you to find, interview, hire, and train new talent, which all takes time away from your business.
With an MSP, you never have to worry about recruiting and training technicians yourself. You partner with an MSP that supplies its own team, keeping you from having to do all the HR heavy lifting.
6. You’re Constantly Worried about Cybersecurity
Microsoft reports the average total cost of a cyberattack on a small to medium-sized business is $254,445. With that kind of price tag, cybersecurity is more important than ever.
Businesses must equip themselves with a combination of cutting-edge antivirus software, data encryption, security policies like zero trust, and much more. To be frank, handling cybersecurity is a job all on its own, and unless you have an internal IT employee dedicated strictly to cybersecurity, you leave your business vulnerable to attackers.
A good MSP takes cybersecurity seriously. The 20 MSP, for example, is SOC 2 Type II certified, demonstrating its commitment to cybersecurity and protecting client data.
When you partner with an IT expert that has the resources and knowledge to keep you safe and secure, you can finally spend less time worrying about potential cyberattacks.
7. You Lack Reliable After-Hours Support
It’s happened before, and it’ll happen again: a server goes out over the weekend, late at night, or during a holiday. Whatever it was, you had to frantically reach out to your Internal IT department and hope that they weren’t busy.
This is not a sustainable way to support your technology.
That’s why many MSPs offer 24/7/365 support. When you have a team of experts monitoring your systems around the clock, you won’t have to panic when something goes wrong. You get real peace of mind – the kind that comes from someone having your back, no matter the time or day.
You Don’t Need to Get Rid of Your Internal IT Team
Here’s the best part: you don’t need to get rid of your IT team.
The truth is, your internal IT department knows your business, your people, and how you operate. That kind of knowledge is worth a lot.
That’s why The 20 MSP offers co-managed services that work alongside your existing IT department. That way, we act as an extension of what you already have in place, providing your team with the resources and expertise that they wouldn’t normally have access to.
Yes, we are also capable of taking over as your full-time IT department. But that decision will ultimately be up to what you want for your business.
The key questions are simple: What do you want for your IT? What’s in your budget? And how can we help you get there?
If you’re interested in our co-managed support, or want to partner with us for complete coverage, let’s chat.
With The 20 MSP, you’ll never have to outgrow your IT support.
FAQ
How do I know if my business has outgrown its internal IT department?
If tickets are taking too long to resolve, projects keep getting delayed, and your team struggles to keep up with your IT demands, it might be time to consider additional IT support.
Does outsourcing my IT mean getting rid of my internal team?
Not at all. Co-managed IT allows an MSP to work alongside your existing IT department as an extension of your team. Your internal employees can continue doing what they do best, while being supported by an MSP with more resources and areas of expertise.
What does an MSP handle for my business?
An MSP can handle everything from your day-to-day IT support to cybersecurity, cloud services, and business continuity. There’s a strong chance that whatever your business needs regarding IT support, an MSP can most likely provide an answer.
Can an MSP provide IT support outside of normal business hours?
Yes. Many MSPs offer 24/7/365 support, so businesses are never left waiting when a problem happens outside of normal business hours. That means you won’t have to worry about critical systems going down overnight, the weekend, or during a holiday.
What is the difference between reactive and proactive IT support?
Reactive IT is when you fix issues only when they happen, while proactive IT works to keep issues from happening in the first place through continuous monitoring and maintenance. Many small teams get trapped in reactive IT support due to a lack of resources, while larger MSPs build their support model’s around proactive support.
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About The 20 MSP
As a leading provider of managed IT services, The 20 MSP serves thousands of businesses nationwide, providing each one with white-glove service, secure and streamlined IT infrastructure, and 24/7/365 dedicated IT support. We believe in building lasting relationships with clients founded on trust, communication, and the delivery of high-value services for a fair and predictable price. Our clients’ success is our success, and we are committed to helping each and every organization we serve leverage technology to secure a competitive advantage and achieve new growth.
