Choosing an IT Partner

MSP, consultancy, or both?

Managed Service Providers (MSPs) handle ongoing IT operations: helpdesk, monitoring, patching, and day-to-day support. IT consultancies scope and deliver projects: migrating to a new platform, rolling out SSO, or setting up device management.

Some companies do both. Some only do one. The distinction matters because an MSP that takes on a complex project may not have the engineering depth to deliver it well. And a consultancy that does not offer ongoing support may leave you with a well-designed system and nobody to maintain it.

Start by asking yourself: do I need a specific problem solved (project), or do I need someone to run my IT ongoing (managed services)? If the answer is both, look for a partner that structures those as separate, clearly scoped engagements.

Why most IT providers look the same

Most MSPs follow the same playbook: heavy Microsoft stack, templated configurations, same setup for every client. It works well enough for basic email and file storage. But if you need Apple device management, a proper identity platform, or security tooling beyond Defender, they are out of their depth.

A good IT partner starts with your problem, not their preferred vendor. The software stack should be tailored to your business, your compliance requirements, and the platforms your team actually uses.

Volobyte runs IT for businesses. We have worked alongside internal IT teams at large organisations, which means we build proper software stacks: tailored, not forced Microsoft, with bespoke configurations for your exact needs. Where most organisations share similar requirements, we use proven baseline templates, but every deployment is adapted to your business. Nothing is forced. Nothing is bundled for our convenience.

The compliance litmus test

A simple test: ask any potential partner about the compliance frameworks that apply to your business. Their answer tells you whether they are keeping up.

Contracts, lock-in, and exit terms

Contract terms vary. Some partners offer month-to-month, others require annual or multi-year commitments. Neither is inherently wrong, but you should understand exactly what you are signing up for. Ask: what is the minimum term? What is the notice period? What happens if the relationship is not working?

Data ownership: Your configurations, documentation, and runbooks should belong to you. If the partner built it on your systems, you should be able to walk away with everything.

Transition support: A good partner will help you transition to someone else, even if they lose the business. That tells you everything about their confidence in their own work.

Volobyte offers flexible terms. Most engagements start month-to-month after an initial scoped phase, with longer commitments available when they make sense for both sides. Your documentation is yours regardless of contract length.

SLAs: what to actually look for

Response time vs resolution time: Response time is how fast they acknowledge the issue. Resolution time is how fast they fix it. Most SLAs only guarantee response time. Ask for both.

Priority levels: P1 (business down), P2 (degraded), P3 (inconvenience), P4 (request). Check what each level actually commits to and what the escalation path looks like.

Business hours as a starting point: Most companies start with business-hours support, which covers the majority of day-to-day needs. If you have infrastructure that needs to stay online outside working hours, or teams in multiple time zones, ask about extended or 24/7 options and what they cost.

Custom over templated: A good SLA is scoped to your business, not a one-size-fits-all document.

Volobyte builds custom SLAs for every client. We scope response and resolution targets to your actual needs. Most of our clients operate within business hours, and their SLAs reflect that.

Size matters (but not how you think)

Large IT consultancies have deep benches and can handle complex, multi-country deployments. But for most growing companies, they are expensive, slow, and you will rarely speak to a senior engineer. Your project will be staffed by junior consultants following a playbook.

Smaller, specialist consultancies often deliver faster, cheaper, and with more direct access to experienced engineers. The trade-off is less geographic coverage and smaller teams for very large projects.

The right size depends on your needs. If you need someone to deploy Okta for 200 people and manage your Mac fleet, a specialist will outperform a generalist. If you need a global SAP migration across 15 countries, you need a larger firm. We are a specialist consultancy, so we are biased, but we are also honest about when a larger firm is the better fit.

We work with companies at every stage, from early teams formalising their IT for the first time to established businesses replacing an underperforming provider.