MANAGED SERVICE FAQ
What is an MSP (Managed Service Provider)?
An MSP (Managed service provider) is an outsourced Information Technology (IT) company that designs, implements and supports your computers, server(s), network equipment, applications and processes that your business uses every day. An MSP is more than help desk support. An MSP is your technology partner, providing proactive support, strategic guidance and day-to-day management your organization needs to stay productive and protected.
How much do Managed IT Services through Top Speed cost?
We offer three plan levels for our managed services. Basic which has an average price of $36 per device per month. Plus which has an average price of $180 per user per month (per user means we cover all devices used by each person). Complete which has an average price of $220 per user per month and includes all onsite labor in the monthly price.
What's included in our Managed IT Services?
Depending on the level selected our Managed IT Services include: 24/7 monitoring, network management, endpoint protection, patching, backups, security oversight, email security, Microsoft 365 license management, network security, strategic acquisition planning, remote, in-shop, onsite labor, and Virtual CIO.
What is the difference between Managed IT Services and break / fix IT support?
The difference comes down to proactive vs. reactive.
Break/Fix IT support means you call someone when something stops working. They fix the issue, send a bill, and leave. There’s usually no ongoing monitoring, long-term planning, or preventive strategy. If your server crashes, email goes down, or someone clicks a malicious link, that’s when support begins.
Managed IT Services, on the other hand, are designed to prevent those problems from happening in the first place.
With Managed IT, your systems are continuously monitored, maintained, updated, and secured. Backups are verified. Security settings are properly configured. Hardware is replaced before failure. Updates are deployed strategically. Instead of waiting for downtime, we work to eliminate it.
Break/Fix focuses on repairing damage.
Managed IT focuses on reducing risk, preventing downtime, and aligning technology with your business goals.
For most growing businesses, the question isn’t just “Who fixes things when they break?” it’s “Who is actively protecting our systems and planning ahead so they don’t break in the first place?”
When should a business hire a Managed Service Provider?
A business should hire a Managed IT Service Provider when technology becomes critical to daily operations but there’s no proactive plan in place to manage it.
If you’re experiencing frequent IT issues, slow response times, cybersecurity concerns, unreliable backups, or growing reliance on Microsoft 365 and cloud applications, it’s time to consider managed IT services. Many small and mid-sized businesses also make the switch when they outgrow break/fix support or cannot justify hiring full-time internal IT staff.
The best time to hire a Managed IT provider isn’t after a major outage or cyberattack, it’s before one happens. Proactive monitoring, security management, and strategic IT planning help reduce downtime, control costs, and protect your business as it grows.
Are Managed IT Services worth the cost?
For most small and mid-sized businesses, Managed IT Services are worth the cost because they reduce downtime, improve cybersecurity, and provide predictable monthly IT expenses.
Instead of paying unpredictable break/fix bills after something fails, managed IT services provide proactive monitoring, regular maintenance, security management, backup oversight, and strategic IT planning. This helps prevent costly outages, ransomware incidents, and productivity loss that can far exceed the monthly service fee.
When you compare the cost of managed IT support to hiring full-time internal IT staff, including salary, benefits, and training, many businesses find they gain access to an entire team of IT professionals at a lower overall cost. The real value isn’t just technical support; it’s risk reduction, business continuity, and technology that supports growth instead of disrupting it.
Can Managed IT Services reduce downtime?
Yes. Managed IT Services are specifically designed to reduce business downtime through proactive monitoring, maintenance, and support.
Instead of waiting for systems to fail, a Managed IT provider continuously monitors servers, networks, and devices to detect issues early. Regular updates, patch management, hardware lifecycle planning, and backup verification help prevent outages before they disrupt operations.
For small and mid-sized businesses, downtime can mean lost revenue, reduced productivity, and damaged customer trust. Managed IT services minimize that risk by addressing small problems before they become major failures, keeping your systems stable, secure, and running efficiently.
How do Managed IT Services improve cybersecurity?
Managed IT Services improve cybersecurity by providing proactive protection, continuous monitoring, and layered security controls that most small and mid-sized businesses cannot manage on their own.
Instead of relying on basic antivirus software, a Managed IT provider implements a multi-layered cybersecurity strategy that may include firewall management, endpoint protection, email security, multi-factor authentication (MFA), patch management, secure Microsoft 365 configuration, and regular backup testing. Systems are monitored 24/7 to detect suspicious activity before it becomes a data breach or ransomware incident.
For growing businesses, cybersecurity is no longer optional. Managed IT Services reduce risk by securing networks, protecting sensitive data, and ensuring your business is prepared to respond quickly if a threat occurs, helping prevent costly downtime, compliance issues, and reputational damage.
Do Managed IT Services save money compared to internal IT staff?
For many small and mid-sized businesses, Managed IT Services are more cost-effective than hiring full-time in-house IT staff.
An internal IT employee typically requires salary, benefits, ongoing training, and tools, and still represents just one person’s skill set. In contrast, a Managed IT provider gives your business access to an entire team of IT professionals for a predictable monthly cost. That team covers help desk support, cybersecurity, network management, cloud services, backup monitoring, and strategic IT planning.
Beyond payroll savings, managed IT services also help reduce costly downtime, prevent cybersecurity incidents, and extend the life of hardware through proactive maintenance. When you factor in risk reduction and productivity gains, many businesses find that outsourcing IT support delivers stronger value and more comprehensive coverage than relying on a single in-house technician.
Do Managed IT Services include cybersecurity?
Yes. Most modern Managed IT Services include cybersecurity as a core part of the service, not an optional add-on.
A Managed IT provider helps protect your business with layered security measures such as firewall management, endpoint protection, email security, multi-factor authentication (MFA), patch management, and secure configuration of platforms like Microsoft 365. Many providers also include 24/7 monitoring, threat detection, and regular backup testing to reduce the risk of ransomware and data breaches.
For small and mid-sized businesses, cybersecurity is no longer separate from IT support. Managed IT services combine proactive technology management with ongoing security oversight to help prevent downtime, protect sensitive data, and keep your business compliant and operational.
Do MSPs protect against Ransomware?
Yes. A Managed Service Provider (MSP) helps protect your business against ransomware through a layered cybersecurity strategy.
An MSP reduces ransomware risk with proactive monitoring, advanced endpoint protection, email filtering, firewall management, patch management, and multi-factor authentication (MFA). Since many ransomware attacks begin with phishing emails or unpatched software, continuous updates and security monitoring are critical.
In addition to prevention, Managed IT Services also focus on recovery. Secure, regularly tested backups, including Microsoft 365, cloud, and on-premise data, ensure your business can restore operations quickly if an attack occurs. While no solution can guarantee 100% prevention, partnering with an MSP significantly lowers your risk and minimizes downtime from ransomware threats.
Do you provide backup and disaster recovery?
Yes. Our Managed IT Services include comprehensive backup and disaster recovery solutions to keep your business data safe and minimize downtime.
We protect critical business information across Microsoft 365, cloud applications, and on-premise systems, ensuring that emails, files, and databases are backed up regularly and securely. In the event of accidental deletion, hardware failure, ransomware, or other disasters, our disaster recovery protocols allow your business to restore systems quickly and continue operations with minimal disruption.
For small and mid-sized businesses, reliable backup and disaster recovery is essential for business continuity, data protection, and regulatory compliance. Partnering with a Managed IT provider ensures your backups are monitored, tested, and ready when you need them most.
How do you secure Microsoft 365?
We secure Microsoft 365 by implementing a multi-layered approach that protects your emails, files, and collaboration tools from modern cyber threats.
Our Managed IT Services include advanced email filtering, multi-factor authentication (MFA), conditional access policies, and secure configuration of all Microsoft 365 applications. We continuously monitor for suspicious activity, apply timely updates and patches, and enforce best practices to prevent unauthorized access, phishing attacks, and data leaks.
For small and mid-sized businesses, securing Microsoft 365 is critical because it often contains sensitive company and client information. By partnering with a Managed IT provider, you ensure your environment is safe, compliant, and continuously protected without relying solely on default security settings.
What size businesses benefit most from Managed IT?
Small to mid-sized businesses benefit the most from Managed IT Services, especially those with 4 to 100 employees who rely on technology for daily operations.
These businesses often don’t have the budget or resources to maintain a full in-house IT team but still need reliable networks, secure Microsoft 365 environments, cloud applications, and backup solutions. Managed IT Services provide access to a full team of IT professionals, 24/7 monitoring, proactive maintenance, and cybersecurity, all for a predictable monthly cost.
Partnering with an MSP helps growing businesses reduce downtime, protect sensitive data, and scale technology as they expand, making it an essential investment for companies that want to focus on growth instead of IT headaches.
Do you offer industry specific IT services?
Yes we provide industry-specific IT services tailored to the unique technology needs of businesses in healthcare, accounting, construction, legal, architecture, and more.
Each industry faces different compliance requirements, software demands, and cybersecurity risks. For example, medical offices require HIPAA-compliant solutions, accounting firms need secure handling of sensitive financial data, and construction companies rely on remote access to job site technology and project management tools. Our Managed IT Services are designed to address these specific challenges while keeping your systems secure, reliable, and fully supported.
By offering industry-focused IT solutions, we help businesses improve productivity, maintain compliance, and reduce downtime while ensuring technology aligns with the unique workflows of each profession.
How quickly do you respond to support requests?
At Top Speed Computer Services, we prioritize fast, reliable IT support for small and mid-sized businesses. Our team responds to support requests as quickly as possible during business hours with our managed service clients always receiving a priority response.
With Managed IT Services, we often resolve issues proactively before they disrupt your business, thanks to continuous monitoring and automated alerts. This approach helps reduce downtime, minimize lost productivity, and keep your systems running smoothly.
Whether it’s a network outage, Microsoft 365 issue, or cybersecurity concern, our rapid response ensures your business stays secure, operational, and connected, so you can focus on growth instead of IT problems.
What happens if there's a data breach?
If your business experiences a data breach, a Managed IT Service Provider (MSP) takes immediate action to contain the threat, secure your systems, and protect sensitive information.
Our response includes identifying the source of the breach, isolating affected devices or accounts, and restoring systems from secure backups. We also guide businesses through password resets, access audits, and any required regulatory notifications, helping reduce legal and financial risks.
Partnering with an MSP ensures your business has a predefined incident response plan, minimizing downtime, protecting customer data, and maintaining trust. Proactive monitoring and cybersecurity measures also reduce the likelihood of a breach occurring in the first place.
How do we switch from our current IT provider to Top Speed?
Switching your IT support to Top Speed Computer Services is simple, seamless, and designed to minimize disruption to your business operations.
Our process begins with a comprehensive assessment of your current technology, systems, and IT contracts. We then develop a tailored migration plan, including transferring servers, networks, backups, Microsoft 365 accounts, cloud applications, and security settings. Our team handles the technical work, schedules updates strategically, and ensures all systems remain secure and operational during the transition.
With Top Speed as your Managed IT Service provider, your business benefits from proactive 24/7 monitoring, IT support, cybersecurity protection, and predictable IT costs, all without the stress of managing the migration yourself. Switching is fast, safe, and positions your business for reliable, scalable IT support moving forward.
Do you offer Managed IT Services specifically for Attorneys?
Yes Top Speed provides IT services specifically tailored for law firms and legal professionals including eDiscovery.
We understand that attorneys and legal staff handle highly sensitive client information and must comply with strict data privacy and security regulations, including ABA and state bar requirements. Our Managed IT Services for law firms include secure email and document management, encrypted communications, data backup and disaster recovery, and proactive cybersecurity monitoring.
By partnering with Top Speed, law firms benefit from reliable, compliant, and secure technology, minimizing downtime and protecting client data so attorneys can focus on practice and casework, not IT issues.
Do you offer Managed IT Services specifically for Accountants and CPAs?
Yes Top Speed provides IT services specifically designed for accounting firms and CPAs.
Accounting professionals manage highly sensitive financial data, tax records, and client information that must remain secure and compliant. Our Managed IT Services for accountants include secure network management, encrypted email, Microsoft 365 security, advanced cybersecurity protection, and reliable backup and disaster recovery solutions. We also support industry-specific software to ensure smooth performance during critical tax and reporting seasons.
By partnering with Top Speed, accounting firms gain secure, reliable, and scalable IT support that reduces downtime, protects client data, and allows CPAs to focus on serving clients instead of troubleshooting technology.
Do you offer Managed IT Services specifically for Medical Offices?
Yes Top Speed provides IT services specifically tailored for medical offices, clinics, and healthcare providers.
We understand that medical practices handle sensitive patient information and must comply with HIPAA and other healthcare regulations. Our Managed IT Services for medical offices include secure electronic health record (EHR) management, encrypted communications, network security, regular backups, and proactive monitoring to prevent downtime and data breaches.
Partnering with Top Speed ensures your medical office has reliable, secure, and compliant technology, allowing staff to focus on patient care while we handle IT support, cybersecurity, and system maintenance.
Do you offer Managed IT Services specifically for Architects and Engineers?
Yes Top Speed provides IT services tailored to the needs of architects, engineers, and design professionals.
These industries rely on high-performance workstations, CAD and rendering software, large file storage, and cloud collaboration tools. Our Managed IT Services include network optimization, secure file management, Microsoft 365 and cloud support, backup and disaster recovery, and cybersecurity protection to keep your projects on schedule and your data safe.
By partnering with Top Speed, architects and engineers benefit from reliable, scalable, and secure IT solutions that support creative workflows, protect sensitive designs, and minimize downtime so your team can focus on delivering projects, not troubleshooting technology.
We also have our own line of rendering computers built specifically for CAD, Revit, Lumion, etc applications.