Is In-House IT Costing Your Business More Than It Should?

For many small businesses, outsourcing has become a practical way to manage growing technology demands.

As your business grows, so do the demands on your computers, network, software, and security. At some point, many business owners begin asking the same question: Is it better to hire an in-house IT employee or outsource IT support?

While having someone on staff may seem like the right solution initially, it's important to look at the full picture, from costs to support levels. 

Looking Beyond Salary

Hiring in-house support involves much more than paying a salary. Benefits, ongoing training, software, equipment, and certifications add to overall costs.

An in-house IT employee can only handle so much, and they're not always available when every issue arises. For many businesses, these hidden costs aren't obvious until they begin affecting productivity.

What IT Outsourcing Offers

IT outsourcing gives your business access to a team of experienced specialists, rather than relying on one individual. Instead of reacting when something breaks, your technology is monitored regularly to help identify potential problems or threats before reaching your team.

What’s handled by outsourced IT? 

• Routine maintenance
• Software updates
• Security patches
• Helpdesk support 
• …and more! 

Together, these services help keep your systems running smoothly and reduce unexpected downtime.

Learn more in our latest article. 

When Local Support Makes a Difference

Many technology issues can be resolved remotely, but there are times when having someone nearby matters. Hardware failures, network installations, and office equipment problems often require an on-site visit.

Working with a local provider means having a team that understands your business and unique technology needs. Having a local relationship can mean faster service times and less downtime for your team. 

Finding the Right Fit

For many small and growing companies, outsourcing provides the flexibility, expertise, and ongoing support needed without the expense of building an in-house IT department.

If you're considering IT outsourcing in Ann Arbor or the surrounding Southeast Michigan areas, we can help you evaluate your current technology and recommend a solution that fits your business. 

Call 877-815-6974 or contact us to schedule a conversation.

5 Reasons Small Businesses Are Outsourcing IT

Small business owners are busy with the day-to-day operations of running a business. This often means that technology support becomes an afterthought.

In-house IT might be on the plate of one employee, or maybe it’s something that’s briefly touched on when there’s time to spare. IT outsourcing is changing that reality for many businesses. 

Outsourcing has become the new standard. With persistent cybersecurity threats and evolving technological needs, outsourcing means less downtime, fewer breaches, and greater productivity. 

Here are five reasons why small businesses are outsourcing their technology needs: 

1.        The cost is more predictable than in-house IT.  

Emergency repairs, unexpected hardware failures, and unplanned downtime all come with unpredictable costs. IT outsourcing usually follows a flat or flexible monthly plan agreed upon at the time of signing. 

No surprises and no scrambling for your technology budget. 

2.        You’ll have a full IT team, not just one person.  

One in-house individual can only handle so much, and their scope may be limited. 

Outsourced IT gives access to a wide range of specialists: network engineers, security analysts, and help desk technicians, all available without the cost of keeping them on the payroll full-time.  

3.        Problems get caught before they become crises.  

Skipped patches, old hardware, and security gaps left unmonitored can build up and cause costly downtime, security risks, and performance issues. Proactive managed support tracks systems continuously and addresses issues early. 

4.        Cybersecurity gets the attention it needs.  

For small businesses managing their IT, security often falls to the side. Outsourced providers keep security tools updated, monitor for threats, strengthen your defenses, and respond quickly when issues arise. 

5.        Growth becomes easier to manage.  

Hiring new staff, moving to a new location, or upgrading infrastructure goes more smoothly when a knowledgeable team knows your setup. 

Learn more in our latest article.

The Bigger Picture  

Outsourcing allows small businesses to proactively manage technology needs with an experienced team, with predictable costs that fit your budget. 

Ready to see what it looks like in practice? 

NSG has provided IT outsourcing in Ann Arbor and the surrounding Southeast Michigan area for 25 years. Call 877-815-6974 or visit the contact page to get started.

Beyond the Website: IT and Email Security

Websites don't exist in isolation. Email systems, user accounts, and internal IT all play a role in a
company's overall security posture.

Many businesses come to us after experiencing (or very narrowly avoiding) phishing attacks, compromised email accounts, or suspicious login activity. These threats are no longer limited to large enterprises; small businesses are often targeted precisely because they tend to have fewer defenses in place.

We offer layered security solutions that actively monitor Microsoft 365 accounts for unusual behavior and signs of compromise, shutting down threats before they turn into real damage.

Security Awareness Training That Actually Works

Technology alone isn't enough. Employees are often the first line of defense — and, unfortunately, the most common entry point for attackers. That's why we also offer security awareness training programs that include:

• Short monthly video training sessions

• Follow up quizzes to reinforce key concepts

• Simulated phishing campaigns to test real world awareness

• Reporting that shows who completed training and how users responded

Clients often tell us they immediately see the value in this approach. Others only realize how important it is after experiencing a security incident. Either way, awareness and preparation can dramatically reduce risk.

Learn more in our latest article.

Your One-Stop-Shop for Tech Support in Ann Arbor

Whether you're unhappy with your current website, concerned about hosting reliability, or worried about security threats, working with a single partner who understands the whole picture can make a huge difference.

Our goal is simple: build websites that look good, work reliably, and are backed by the technical expertise needed to support your business as it grows.

If you'd like to learn more about Ann Arbor tech support, explore examples of our work, or talk through your options, we're always happy to have a conversation. Call 877-815-6974 or submit an online contact form to get started!

When Your Website Feels Like a Mess

A common theme we hear from new clients is that their website feels disorganized, outdated, or difficult
to manage. In many cases, businesses inherit a site that has been patched together over time by multiple developers, making even simple changes frustrating.

When that happens, and especially when a site is 5 or more years old, starting fresh can be the most effective solution.

Rather than forcing fixes onto a shaky foundation, we recommend rebuilding the site with a clear structure, modern design, and long-term maintainability in mind. The goal isn't just to make the site look better (though that can be part of it), it's to make it WORK better.

Custom Website Design Built for Security and Control

Our core team has been designing and hosting websites since the mid 1990s. Over the years, we've seen trends come and go, and we've also seen what tends to break, get hacked, or become unmanageable.

That experience led us to develop our own custom content management system (CMS).

Unlike off the shelf platforms that are frequent targets for automated attacks, our CMS is designed with security in mind, while still giving clients the ability to update their own content. You can make changes to text, images, and pages without worrying that a routine update will open the door to vulnerabilities.

Just as important, you're not left on your own. When something needs to be adjusted or improved, our team is here to help.

Learn more in our latest article.

Your One-Stop-Shop for Tech Support in Ann Arbor

Whether you're unhappy with your current website, concerned about hosting reliability, or worried about security threats, working with a single partner who understands the whole picture can make a huge difference.

Our goal is simple: build websites that look good, work reliably, and are backed by the technical expertise needed to support your business as it grows.

If you'd like to learn more about Ann Arbor tech support, explore examples of our work, or talk through your options, we're always happy to have a conversation. Call 877-815-6974 or submit an online contact form to get started!

Protect Your Business Data

What’s the best way to protect your business data?

For small businesses, losing data can mean lost revenue, damaged reputation, or operational chaos. To safeguard your data:

• Create Independent Backups: Store copies of your data outside your primary cloud provider, such as on another cloud platform or local storage like external drives.
• Enable Protective Features: Use tools like AWS Backup or OneDrive’s versioning, but ensure they’re properly configured.
• Diversify Storage: Don’t rely on a single provider. Spread your data across multiple platforms or maintain offline backups.
• Test Recovery Plans: Regularly verify that your backups work to avoid surprises during a crisis.

Learn more in our latest article.

Get Expert IT Support in Ann Arbor

Navigating cloud services and backup strategies can be complex, especially for small businesses with limited IT resources. If you’re concerned about protecting your data, consult a qualified IT service and support company. 

At NSG, we specialize in helping small businesses secure their data with tailored backup solutions, cloud management, and recovery planning. Don’t leave your business vulnerable—partner with experts to ensure your data is safe and recoverable, no matter what.

If you’re an Ann Arbor business, get started with IT support services today. Call (877) 815-6974 or submit a contact form here.

Redundancy vs Backups: Understanding the Difference

Do you know the difference between a redundancy and a backup for your data?

Cloud services like AWS and OneDrive use redundancy to keep your data accessible, even if a server fails. For example, AWS S3 stores data across multiple locations, boasting 99.999999999% durability. OneDrive offers similar protections with geo-redundant storage. However, redundancy doesn’t protect against:

• Accidental deletions by you or your team.
• Cyberattacks, like ransomware, that can corrupt or delete data across all replicas.
• Account issues, such as suspensions due to policy violations or payment disputes, which could lock you out of your data entirely.
• System errors or bugs on the provider’s end, which, while rare, have led to data loss for some users.

True backups, on the other hand, are separate, point-in-time copies of your data that allow recovery after such incidents. Many cloud services don’t automatically provide comprehensive backups, and features like OneDrive’s 30-day Files Restore or AWS’s versioning require setup and may have limitations.

Learn more in our latest article.

Get Expert IT Support in Ann Arbor

Navigating cloud services and backup strategies can be complex, especially for small businesses with limited IT resources. If you’re concerned about protecting your data, consult a qualified IT service and support company. 

At NSG, we specialize in helping small businesses secure their data with tailored backup solutions, cloud management, and recovery planning. Don’t leave your business vulnerable—partner with experts to ensure your data is safe and recoverable, no matter what.

If you’re an Ann Arbor business, get started with IT support services today. Call (877) 815-6974 or submit a contact form here.

IT Hiring vs Outsourcing

Unsure whether it’s better to hire an IT crew or outsource?

Consider what it would cost to hire someone fulltime.  The more experience they have, the more you are going to pay.  Even so, a typical IT person has maybe worked at 4-5 different companies, and thus has experience with a limited number of systems.  

Now consider an IT support company that has been around for 20 years, and has a diversified staff that has worked with hundreds of different customers supporting dozens of different systems.

Also keep in mind that good people are hard to find – trust me, I’ve looked.  Most IT people today are highly segmented.  “What do you know about servers?”  “Uh, not much, I’m the desktop guy.”  “Well, what do you know about the network?  We need to make some changes to the firewall?”  “Uh, not much – better call the network guy.”  Weak!

As a small business, you need support for all of that stuff (desktops, servers, and networking), and you don’t want to have to go out and hire 3 different people to get it.  Worse, a lot of inexperienced IT support people have only a limited understanding of network and computer security and disaster recovery.  In this day and age that is a huge liability, not only for them, but for any business that hires them.  

Outsource Ann Arbor IT Solutions

Focus on your core business and leave the IT to the experts.  At Network Services Group, we’d love to have a chance to work with you and your company and help you experience the positive side of what technology has to offer. If you’re tired of searching for IT solutions near Ann Arbor, call (877) 815-6974 or submit a contact form here.

The Benefits of Outsourcing IT Support

Does your small business have access to IT services?

At Network Services Group, we work with a lot of small businesses, helping them with their computer and network support needs.  For most of them, it makes more sense to bring us in and outsource their IT rather than hire their own in-house IT person.  

The benefits of outsourcing your IT support include:

• More resources (access to the entire NSG team versus just one person)
• More knowledge and experience (20 years supporting small business networks and computers)
• Remote monitoring and maintenance
• Less expensive as compared to the cost of hiring a fulltime employee
• You control costs (select pay as you go or full managed services)

As a small business, hiring an in-house IT support person with limited experience and knowledge of security could be a huge mistake.  By outsourcing with the right company, you save money and gain access to a team with a broader array of knowledge and experience.

Protect Your Small Business with Ann Arbor IT Solutions

Focus on your core business and leave the IT to the experts.  At Network Services Group, we’d love to have a chance to work with you and your company and help you experience the positive side of what technology has to offer. If you’re tired of searching for IT solutions near Ann Arbor, call (877) 815-6974 or submit a contact form here.

Cybersecurity for Small Businesses

Is your small business protected from ransomware?

Yes, you want to have good backups and antivirus software, but that by itself isn’t enough.  There are effective and cost-effective steps that a small business can take to up their level of security and protection, including:

• Download NSG’s security baseline for small businesses
• Backups, backups, backups!
• User training and awareness
• Password policies
• Multifactor Authentication
• Security software that is regularly updated and monitored
• DNS filtering
• Next generation firewall
• Patching policy
• Network monitoring
• Auditing and logging software
• Regular security reviews

Secure Your Business with an Ann Arbor Computer Service

Ready to secure your business?

Network Services Group is an Ann Arbor computer service that can help you defend your small business from and cyberattacks. Contact NSG today to discuss how you can take your cybersecurity to the next level.

Network Services for Cybersecurity

Are you up to date on best cybersecurity practice?

Cybersecurity is serious business.  Hackers, scammers, and ransomware are everywhere, and it seems like you can’t go more than a few days without hearing about some business being the victim of ransomware.  It almost seems like cybersecurity is a fulltime job and many industries have specific security requirements that would be difficult or impossible for a small business to meet.

What can you do to protect yourself as a small business?  The answer is to work with a qualified and knowledgeable network service and support company to take your cyber security to the next level.

Support Your Business with Computer Service in Ann Arbor

Ready to secure your business?

Network Services Group is an Ann Arbor computer service that can help you defend your small business from and cyberattacks. Contact NSG today to discuss how you can take your cybersecurity to the next level.

Work With the Right Guys — Get the Right Results!

If your company doesn’t have IT support, it’s only a matter of time before you find yourself in a bit of a mess. Like this client: one of their core servers was still running Windows Server 2003 (long since unsupported), and they had inadequate backups and antivirus protection. It was critical to their security that they upgrade, but they were hesitant to proceed — not because of the cost, but because a past IT project had turned into a disaster of downtime, crashes, and endless bugs. 

They weren’t eager to go through that again!

After we started working with them, they began to realize that things were going to be different this time and we were able to upgrade their server and protect their network.

Smooth transitions don't happen by accident, and we take great care to properly plan out projects like this, and equal care in the implementation and follow up. The end result is a smooth transition, happy client, and comments like this:

"Ross has been doing great. You found a lot of talent in that fella and things have been going smoother than I'm used to. Then again, you run a tight ship sir. I shouldn't be surprised. "

What can we say? Work with the right guys, and you'll get the right results.

Learn more on our website!

All IT Companies are Not Created Equal!

One of our recent projects was for a long-time customer — large enough to have their own IT staff. They were upgrading an old server running some line of business software to a newer version of Windows Server. It contained a large amount of data and was critical in their day-to-day operations. It was a big enough project that they were planning on logging off on Friday afternoon and being down all weekend.

NSG had them up and running by mid-Saturday morning, along with a heartfelt thank you.

There’s nothing unusual about an IT team doing server migrations. Or calling in outside support for their own IT staff for larger projects. 

That doesn’t mean all IT companies are created equal. If you’re working with someone less experienced or less skilled, your mileage may vary. 

What can NSG help you with today? 

Visit our website to learn more!

'Tis The Season for Giving!

Network Services Group and our sister company, Michigan SEO Group, feel honored and privileged to serve our clients. Doing so has made it possible for us to be able to give back to the community. Each month we make a charitable contribution to at least one organization that makes a difference in their community. 

We’ve shared information about some of our favorite charities on our website. Each has given so much in their own unique way. If one of our favorites inspires you to give, we thank you! If you have time or money to donate, we encourage you to reach out to a cause that feels right to you. Organizations like these appreciate every bit of help!  

NSG and MSG wish you a safe and joyous holiday season!

Support for Small Businesses

As a small business, you need support for all of that stuff (desktops, servers, and networking), and you don’t want to have to go out and hire 3 different people to get it.   

Worse, a lot of inexperienced IT support people have only a limited understanding of network and computer security and disaster recovery.  In this day and age that is a huge liability, not only for them, but for any business that hires them.  

Cybersecurity is and will be one of the biggest issues in the years to come.  Companies that don’t have their security dialed in face the prospect of losing valuable time, data, and money.  

As a small business, hiring an in-house IT support person with limited experience and knowledge of security could be a huge mistake.  By outsourcing with the right company, you save money and gain access to a team with a broader arrange of knowledge and experience.

For more information on IT outsourcing, check out our website!

Providing Security and IT Support in Ann Arbor

It’s all over the news: “Shark Tank” host Barbara Corcoran lost nearly $400,000 in a recent email scam. 

You don’t have to be a millionaire investor to be targeted by cyber-attacks like this! In fact, some 43 percent of cyber-attacks target small businesses.

Luckily, NSG has network security and email solutions suited for small business. If you need IT support in Ann Arbor and Southeast Michigan or are tired of spam and phishing, we’ve got your back!

Read more about Corcoran and what you can do to protectyour business from cyber-attacks!

Complete Computer Solutions & Network Consulting Ann Arbor

Welcome to Network Services Group! From start to finish, we provide businesses throughout Ann Arbor and southeast Michigan with comprehensive custom computer and networking solutions. From routine maintenance to critical data recovery to large-scale network installations, we are happy to help your business stay up to date with the latest hardware and software requirements.

Our services include:

Remote Access / VPN / Terminal Services

Data Backup Solutions

Computer Repair and Maintenance

Web Hosting and Website Design

Network installation and security

…and much more.

CLICK HERE to learn more about our Network Consulting services and how we can help keep your business up and running.