If you’re running a small business, chances are you’ve had a moment where your IT caused more stress than it should. Maybe your emails stopped working. Maybe a printer refused to cooperate. Or maybe you just wanted someone to “sort it out” without spending hours on the phone with a call centre.
That’s where a Managed Service Provider, or MSP comes in.
So, what actually is an MSP?
In simple terms, a Managed Service Provider (or MSP for short) is a company, like us, that looks after your IT so you don’t have to stress about it. We’re the people working quietly in the background to keep your computers, emails, and systems running smoothly.
If something goes wrong, we’re there to fix it. But even better, we try to stop things from going wrong in the first place by keeping everything updated, secure, and working as it should.
Most small businesses don’t need a full-time IT person sitting in the office, but you do need someone who knows what they’re doing when tech starts acting up. Or better yet, someone who can help make sure it doesn’t.
That’s where we come in. We’re like your friendly IT partner, always there when you need us, always working behind the scenes to keep things ticking over, and never drowning you in jargon.
What does a typical MSP look after?
Every MSP is a bit different, but here’s what we take care of for most clients:
- Ongoing IT support – When something goes wrong, we’re on it. Remote or onsite*, depending on what you need.
- Cybersecurity – Antivirus, email filtering, backups… basically, making sure your business is protected from today’s risks.
- Updates and maintenance – We keep your computers up to date and running smoothly without disrupting your workday.
- Cloud tools – We help manage things like Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint, and other tools you might already be using.
- Advice you can actually use – We’ll guide you on tech decisions without baffling you with jargon.
Why might your business need one?
Most of the time, we’re called in after something’s already gone wrong. A failed backup. A virus. A system crash. But the truth is, having someone managing your IT properly means those problems are less likely in the first place.
Here are a few signs you might benefit from working with an MSP:
- You’re spending more time fixing tech than running your business.
- You’ve had a few “close calls” with data loss or suspicious emails.
- Your current IT setup hasn’t really been reviewed in years.
- You’re not sure if you’re doing enough to stay secure and compliant.
What Does It Cost?
An MSP typically offers two main pricing options: fixed-cost and ad-hoc support. With a fixed-cost model, you pay a set monthly fee that covers ongoing support, monitoring, maintenance, and often cybersecurity, making your IT costs predictable and easier to budget for. On the other hand, ad-hoc support is pay-as-you-go, where you’re charged only when you need help. This can work for very small businesses or one-off issues, but it often leads to reactive rather than proactive IT, and costs can quickly add up if problems become frequent.
Fixed Cost
Upsides:
- Predictable monthly cost – easy to budget for
- Proactive support – problems are spotted and fixed early
- Often includes security, backups, and regular maintenance
- Less downtime and disruption for your business
Downsides:
- You pay the same even if you don’t need much support that month
- May feel unnecessary for very small businesses with minimal IT needs
Ad-Hoc
Upsides:
- No regular fees – only pay when you need something
- Can be ideal for very small businesses or one-off problems
Downsides:
- Can become expensive if problems crop up often
- Usually reactive – issues are fixed after something breaks
- No ongoing monitoring or maintenance included
- Higher risk of downtime, data loss, or missed updates
In a nutshell
You didn’t start your business to become an IT manager. But with the way modern businesses rely on technology, you can’t afford for things to keep breaking or security to be an afterthought.
A good MSP gives you peace of mind, practical support, and a setup that just works, so you can get on with what you’re good at.
Want to chat?
We offer a no-pressure, free quote with no obligation, just a quick look at what your business needs and how we can help. No jargon, no upselling, and no hard sell, just clear, honest advice and pricing if you decide to move forward.
If you would like to find out how Bee Squared can help you and your business grow, contact us on 0333 00 22 586 or admin@beesquared.co.uk or you can use our contact form below.
