Managed IT
Should we hire an IT person or use managed IT?
Hire if you need someone on the floor every day for work we cannot replace. Use managed IT if the job is really helpdesk, backups, patching, and Microsoft 365. A lot of offices keep someone and have us take tickets while they look, or after they hire.
Context
A helpdesk or “IT person” ad usually means tickets are piling up while you search. Hiring takes time. If you bring someone in, they still take vacation and sick days, so coverage is part of the plan either way.
A lot of small Canadian teams do not need a full IT department. They need tickets answered, backups that get checked, Microsoft 365 that stays signed in, and someone to call when a PC or POS stops.
Hiring still makes sense for some offices. We will not tell every shop to skip it. The other option is managed IT for the whole job, cover until someone starts, or a team behind the person you keep.
What we do
Write down what the ad is actually asking someone to do. Split everyday helpdesk and security work from a true on site IT manager role.
Book a discovery call and tell us you are hiring, already posted, or covering one busy IT person. We quote after we understand users, sites, and what you need covered.
Pick hire, managed IT, or both. We come on site in Barrington Passage and Southwest Nova Scotia, Calgary, and Fort St. John. Canadian businesses outside those areas can get remote managed IT if it is a fit.
Result
You get a straight answer instead of waiting on applicants while tickets pile up. If a hire is still the right move later, we can cover you so the office is not stuck in the meantime.
Read the full comparison on the hiring vs managed IT page, then book a weekday discovery call at least three days ahead.
How to decide between hiring IT and managed IT
- Write down what the job posting is actually asking someone to do each week.
- Mark which of those tasks are helpdesk, backups, patching, and Microsoft 365 versus true on site management.
- Ask what happens on vacation days, sick days, and during the months the seat is empty.
- Book a discovery call with IT Real Simple and compare hire, managed IT, or a hybrid.
Serves Barrington Passage, NS · South Shore / Southwest Nova Scotia · Calgary, AB · Fort St. John, BC · Canada-wide remote
Updated 2026-08-31
Related answers
How does IT coverage differ between Barrington Passage, Calgary, and Fort St. John?
Barrington Passage is our headquarters and only public storefront, at 3515 Nova Scotia Trunk 3. Calgary and Fort St. John are service areas with remote support and on-site help by appointment, without a public walk-in address. Eligible Canadian businesses can also get remote managed IT.
Can you upgrade our office PCs if we are still on Windows 10?
Yes. We plan Windows 11 business upgrades for Canadian SMBs: hardware checks, a staged rollout, and Microsoft 365 continuity. Work can be remote Canada-wide, with on-site help in Barrington Passage, Calgary, and Fort St. John.
What happens if our retail POS system goes down on a weekend in Shelburne County?
Call 1-877-877-8620 or open a support ticket. We do our best to help on weekends and after hours. We respond as quickly as we can, start with remote support when that restores you fastest, and arrange on-site help in Shelburne County when someone needs to be there.