Modern enterprises face significant challenges in terms of technology. Complex technology stacks, failing integrations, and new cybersecurity threats make it tough for internal teams to keep the ship afloat without help.
Many enterprises turn to managed IT services for assistance. But can an MSP (managed service provider) really help a large company with its own IT staff? What problems does an MSP actually solve for an enterprise?
More importantly, what qualities should you look for in a service provider?
Here’s everything you need to know.
What are enterprise managed services?
“Enterprise managed services” are managed IT services that are tailored to fit the unique needs of enterprises, as opposed to midmarket companies or small businesses.
Larger enterprises typically have their own IT staff and operations. When they bring in a partner to assist, it’s usually in a co-managed services arrangement, with the service provider working alongside the enterprise’s internal IT team.
Service providers who work with enterprises typically have a wide range of expertise and flexibility to fill gaps in the client’s IT capabilities. More on that below (“What types of services are included?”).
Enterprise problems solved by managed services
Enterprises aren’t immune to technology challenges, especially in today’s economic climate. Here are some of the major challenges that the right MSP can solve for an enterprise.
1. Technology staffing challenges
There’s no way around it—you need IT professionals keeping your systems and operations running smoothly.
But it’s getting harder than ever to hire and retain the talent you need.
In our study of IT outsourcing, we found that 42% of companies rated IT staff availability as a top pain point. We also found that solving this problem correlated with 125% profit growth for forward-thinking companies.
While enterprises are better positioned than smaller companies to hire these experts, the labor market is still highly competitive. Enterprises often find that the greater complexity of their IT environments and operations makes it even more challenging to manage their IT needs with internal staff alone. This is why many large companies are turning to managed services.
2. Cybersecurity challenges
According to IBM, the average cost of a data breach is $4.88M, up 10% from last year. High-profile attacks just keep happening, and the larger the enterprise, the more likely they are to be targeted.
Enterprises are more likely to have their own CISO and internal cybersecurity resources to counter these threats. But even internal teams are finding it tough to keep up. Managed services allow an enterprise to extend their cybersecurity capabilities, fill gaps, gain flexibility, and reduce their attack surface while keeping their cybersecurity budget under control.
3. Increasing burden of regulatory compliance
Whether regulatory compliance is mandated, or an enterprise chooses to follow a framework for strategic reasons, it’s getting harder than ever to check this box—let alone keep it checked. From HIPAA compliance to Canada’s new CPCSC program for contractors, enterprises face complexity, ambiguity, and significant workloads in achieving and maintaining compliance.
An expert partner makes all the difference here. The right managed IT provider can help enterprises get a handle on their compliance needs, then build out a roadmap for getting compliant—and staying compliant.
4. Inflation and market headwinds
Inflation has made its mark at all levels of the economy. Enterprises aren’t insulated from the challenging effects of this trend. Shareholders still expect gains, but it’s getting more expensive to operate and deliver value to customers.
Managed services provide a huge advantage here. Enterprises can hire an entire team of IT experts for roughly the cost of one staff hire. It’s a smart way to fill out the capabilities of your IT staff without taking on significant financial burdens.
5. Supply chain challenges
As supply chains continue to present new challenges, enterprises are seeking foolproof ways to manage their supply chain interactions. Robust data integrations are key pieces of the puzzle—yet many managed IT providers can’t assist with these specialized technologies. Forward-thinking enterprises are getting selective and choosing comprehensive service providers who can help with data integration and EDI (more on this below).
6. Increasing competition and customer expectations
Customers and partners expect easy ways of interacting with enterprises. Self-service portals, ecommerce, and total transparency are all part of a great customer experience in 2025. These types of digital transformation initiatives come with new opportunities, risks, and support requirements. Even larger enterprises benefit from engaging a managed service provider for consulting and additional services to round out internal capabilities.
What types of services do enterprises typically need?
When it comes to managed services, enterprises need two big things from IT providers:
- Comprehensive expertise
- Flexibility
Most enterprises are looking for specific types of help to fill out their existing capabilities. To fit the bill, a service provider needs to have deep expertise in everything. They also need to be flexible, willing to leave some responsibilities with the client’s staff—and willing to adapt as the client’s needs evolve.
Most enterprises won’t need every IT service on this list, as they have their own resources. But here’s everything that a high-quality service provider should offer.
Managed IT services
- Managed network services
- Managed server services
- End user support
- Managed cloud services
Managed cybersecurity services
- Cybersecurity service guarantee (free incident remediation, with limits)
- Managed detection and response (MDR)
- Infrastructure and server monitoring (SIEM)
- Security alerting and containment
- Microsoft 365 monitoring
- Dark web monitoring
- Managed patching
- Secure internet gateway
- Phish testing and cybersecurity awareness training
- Regulatory compliance management
- Information security policy library
- Email protection
- Cloud backup
Data integration and EDI
Technology consulting
- vCIO/vCISO consulting
- 3-year technology roadmap for budget planning
- Digital transformation consulting
- AI strategy consulting
Digital transformation services
- Custom software development and support
- Web and mobile application development and support
- Application modernization services
- Database migration services
- Microsoft 365 empowerment and optimization
How are managed services priced?
Unfortunately, not all managed service providers structure their pricing to be friendly to enterprises. Many providers claim to offer all-inclusive services with stable pricing, but when you read the fine print, there’s a lot that’s not included.
The result is fluctuating bills, unplanned capital expenditures, and an unhappy CFO.
Enterprises need to get selective when they look at managed IT services. The right provider should offer truly all-inclusive services—with truly stable monthly pricing.
That’s our model here at Corsica Technologies. We work with you to determine your needs, then give you a 100% stable monthly price that you can count on.
The best part? Your bill doesn’t increase if you consume more service hours. Our goal is to act as a true extension of your team, and this just one more way we achieve that.
How big of a difference does stable pricing make?
Use our FREE Managed IT Services Pricing Calculator to find out.
What to look for in a provider
IT service providers come in all shapes and sizes. Some focus on specific managed services. Some focus on a local market. Some are a fit for small businesses, but not for larger companies.
Enterprises have to get selective. Their technology environments are often more complex, more specialized, and more at risk from cybersecurity breaches. Here’s everything that sets a great provider apart for larger companies.
Easy to work with
Your managed service provider should say YES to your requests. Flexibility and scalability are key, as your needs evolve quickly.
True all-inclusive pricing
You don’t need fluctuating bills. You need stability and dependability. The right IT service provider should make it easy for enterprises to maintain their technology budgets.
Great people + expertise
No one wants to deal with a salty technician who lacks the expertise to solve a complex problem. The best service providers only hire the best people. Enterprises should try to get a sense of the provider’s company culture and level of expertise before moving forward.
Bundled IT services + data security
If you’re going to hire a managed IT provider, they should bundle comprehensive cybersecurity services into their offering. Every IT responsibility is a cybersecurity responsibility, and you want a provider who handles it all, from top to bottom, in an integrated fashion—while still working hand-in-hand with your team.
EDI + data integration
It’s rare to find an MSP who handles EDI and data integration. These disciplines are usually the domain of a different service provider. But enterprises need to make things simple as much as they can. Finding an IT partner who also handles EDI and data integration is a huge win.
Cybersecurity service guarantee
In today’s threat landscape, it isn’t a question of if you’ll be attacked. It’s a question of when. The best managed service providers make life easier for enterprises by offering a cybersecurity service guarantee. This commitment ensures that the provider will offer free incident remediation services, within limits. It’s a crucial checkbox for enterprises who are evaluating managed IT services.
Learn more here: The Corsica Difference.
Moving forward: Finding enterprise-class managed services
Enterprises face significant challenges in terms of technology, but managed IT services can help. The key is to find a provider with comprehensive offerings, true all-inclusive pricing, and a flexible approach to roles and responsibilities. Here at Corsica Technologies, we help enterprises achieve their strategic goals with a tailored approach to IT services. Get in touch today to fill out your capabilities and move forward on your journey.
Ready to explore managed services?
Reach out to schedule a consultation with our technology specialists.
