4 key barriers growing businesses face when acquiring IT expertise and how to overcome them
Managed IT · 15 janv. 2025
The efficiency of your technology infrastructure can be a decisive factor in your company’s success. For growing businesses, managing IT effectively is not just about keeping the lights on — it’s about creating a foundation for growth, ensuring operational continuity and leveraging technology to outpace competitors. But achieving this starts with having the right people to manage day-to-day operations, implement infrastructure and plan for the future.
Building and maintaining IT expertise is not without challenges. Business leaders must address ongoing technical issues, prepare for future demands and balance limited budgets — all while navigating the rapidly evolving technology landscape. Recruiting talent with specialized skills to handle these responsibilities can be costly and resource-intensive.
In this blog, we’ll explore the key barriers businesses may face as they scale and are looking to obtain the right IT expertise to support their needs. We’ll also explore how partnering with a managed IT services provider (MSP) can help overcome these hurdles.
The essential role of IT in SMB success
Effective IT management is vital for maintaining a reliable infrastructure, strengthening cybersecurity and adapting to business needs. Even a minor technology failure can disrupt operations, leading to lost revenue and diminished customer trust. Additionally, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are prime targets for cybercriminals due to perceived vulnerabilities, making cybersecurity even more critical.
As Jean-Marc Dumonceaux, Virtual CIO, TELUS Business explains: “Businesses that invest in advanced technology and proactive IT strategies can outperform competitors by offering superior customer experiences, streamlining operations and rapidly adapting to market changes.”
For SMBs, IT is not just a tool — it’s a competitive advantage. Having the expertise to manage this infrastructure effectively and get a high return on investment is essential for long-term success and growth.
Common IT issues that disrupt small business operations
Before exploring how to overcome barriers, it’s important to understand the common IT challenges SMBs face:
- Data management issues: Without reliable backup systems or recovery plans, businesses risk losing critical data due to hardware failures, cyberattacks or accidental deletion
- Scalability: Outdated systems hinder growth, creating inefficiencies and higher costs while limiting flexibility
- Operational downtime: System outages or poor performance disrupt productivity and revenue opportunities
- Cybersecurity threats: Ransomware, phishing and data breaches compromise sensitive information and intellectual property
- Limited time for technical understanding: Small business owners are focused on running their operations, leaving little time to grasp the complexities of IT. This can result in delayed decisions, underutilized technology, and inadequate solutions for evolving needs
According to the
KPMG 2024 CEO Outlook
, 43% of Canadian CEOs rank operational issues and cybersecurity as the biggest threats to their growth plans. Addressing these challenges requires strategic planning and the right expertise.Read the blog:
Should you outsource IT or manage it in-house? Getting the best ROI for your business
Key barriers SMBs face when building their IT expertise
SMBs often face distinct challenges when it comes to acquiring IT talent:
- Limited budgets and resources: Many SMBs operate on tight budgets, making it difficult to invest in technology or hire full-time IT staff. This often leads to outdated systems and inadequate IT support
- Keeping up with cloud migration and technology shifts: Moving from on-premise systems to the cloud requires planning, training and infrastructure — resources that many SMBs can sometimes lack
- The need for specialized IT knowledge: IT management spans areas like cybersecurity, network management and system integration. Finding professionals with expertise in all these areas can be a significant challenge, especially amid a talent shortage
- Difficulty attracting and retaining top talent: It’s no secret that tech talent is in high demand. According toa recent survey,96% of Canadian SMB leaders are increasing headcount over the next three years and 80% recognize the challenges around recruiting top tech talent as a threat to their business’ success
What SMBs can do to overcome these barriers
Growing businesses don’t have to tackle these barriers alone. By partnering with a managed IT services provider (MSP), SMBs can effectively address the challenges they face in building IT expertise. Here’s how an MSP can help:
- Overcome the skill shortage: The lack of specialized IT talent can be a major obstacle, but a managed IT partner offers access to a team of IT professionals with expertise across various areas such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, network management and system integration. This allows SMBs to tap into the skills they need without the challenges and expense of hiring full-time employees
- Address resource limitations: SMBs with limited budgets can benefit from the cost-effective solutions provided by MSPs. Outsourcing IT needs to an MSP allows businesses to access enterprise-level solutions without the high costs of purchasing it on their own. MSPs can also help prioritize IT investments based on business goals, ensuring resources are used efficiently
- Improve scalability and flexibility: As SMBs grow, so do their IT needs. A managed IT partner can provide scalable solutions, such as cloud services, that grow with the business. With an MSP, businesses can scale their IT infrastructure quickly and cost-effectively, without needing to hire additional IT staff or invest in costly hardware
- Navigate complex technology decisions: Choosing the right technology tools and platforms can be overwhelming. MSPs can provide guidance on selecting and implementing technology that aligns with business needs and future growth. They stay up-to-date with the latest trends and innovations, helping businesses make informed decisions
- Enhance cybersecurity: A managed IT partner helps safeguard businesses against cyber threats with proactive monitoring, risk management and cybersecurity solutions
- Reduce downtime and improve reliability: An MSP can provide monitoring and support to help ensure issues are identified and addressed before they lead to significant downtime. This proactive approach minimizes operational disruptions, allowing SMBs to focus on growth and customer service
Finding the right expertise is crucial for SMBs to stay competitive and support long-term success. While the barriers can be significant, from limited budgets, a shortage of skilled talent, to the complexities of modern technology, partnering with a
managed IT services provider
can help overcome these challenges. By leveraging the expertise and resources of an MSP, SMBs can strengthen their IT infrastructure, improve security and free up internal resources to focus on strategic growth.Connect with a managed IT specialist
to learn how we can help take tech strategy off your to-do list.Auteur:

TELUS Affaires