IT support for micro businesses: what a small team needs
What IT a micro business really needs, from email and backups to security basics, and when it's worth paying for IT support. For teams of 1 to 10.
By the TechQuotes team · Updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 min read
Most Irish businesses are micro businesses, with fewer than 10 people. You probably don't have an IT department, and you don't need one. But even a small team relies on email, a few laptops and some online software every day, and losing any of them costs money. This guide covers the IT a micro or small business needs, and when it's worth paying for help.
The essentials
- Business email on your own domain (you@yourbusiness.ie), through Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, rather than a free personal account. See getting a .ie domain.
- Two-step login (MFA) on email, banking and anything holding customer data. It stops most break-ins that use stolen passwords.
- Automatic backups of your laptops and your Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace data, kept separately and tested now and then.
- Updates switched on for computers, phones, the broadband router and your website.
- A password manager, so nobody reuses or shares passwords.
- A separate guest Wi-Fi network, so customers and visitors aren't on the same network as your files.
- A simple list of what you have: devices, accounts, software licences, renewal dates and who has admin access.
Do it yourself, or get help?
| Task | Fine to do yourself | Worth getting help |
|---|---|---|
| Email and accounts | Day-to-day admin in Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace | Moving from another provider, or setting up your domain |
| Backups | Turning on built-in backup | Checking a backup actually restores |
| Security | Two-step login and updates | Managing devices, email security, or after a scare |
| New laptops | One or two | Setting up several the same way |
| Problems | Quick fixes | Anything that stops work for more than an hour |
What it costs
- Pay as you go: you pay per job or by the hour, with no monthly fee. It suits teams whose IT rarely goes wrong.
- Managed IT support: often €30 to €90 per user per month in Ireland, depending on what's included. For a team of four, that's roughly €120 to €360 a month.
- Software: Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace is charged per user per month, on top of support. Check the current prices on their Irish websites.
- One-off projects: such as setting up a new office, Wi-Fi or moving your email, quoted separately.
Some managed service providers have a minimum number of users, so ask whether they work with businesses your size.
Signs you've outgrown doing it yourself
- You spend hours a month fixing IT instead of running the business.
- Nobody is sure who has the admin passwords.
- A scam email or fake invoice has nearly caught someone out.
- You're hiring, and setting up each new starter takes days.
- A customer or tender asks about your cyber security.
Getting quotes
Describe your team size, the devices and software you use, and what has been going wrong. Ask each provider what's included, how quickly they respond and who owns the accounts. Our guide on how to choose an IT support company lists the questions to ask, and IT support for small businesses compares managed support with pay as you go.
Post a free request for IT support and compare quotes from IT professionals in your county or across Ireland.