AI is changing business. Large corporations are at an advantage because they have the resources and money to rapidly adopt AI and gain efficiency. SMB’s also have a huge opportunity to gain operational efficiencies and be able to compete on a scale like never before. Unfortunately, many don’t have the technical resources internally to adopt AI in useful ways. This gap will be filled by IT service providers that understand the opportunity AI offers and help their clients look at IT as a Profit Center
Brief History of Automation in the IT Services Industry
Most IT service companies have undergone some transformation over time. Back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s IT guys were rolling around in a van full of computer parts. There was very little remote support, and most things were done onsite. They were mostly just billing hourly for their time as well. See a problem and fix a problem.
As businesses continued to evolve and their IT systems became more complex and needed more maintenance, there was a demand for ongoing services. Many IT service providers pivoted to Managed IT Services with ongoing regular maintenance and support, management of data backups, etc.
A few years later, that software tools for remote monitoring and management started becoming more mainstream. These were quickly adopted by MSPs so that they could deliver more instant support to clients and proactively monitor networks. These RMM tools continued to evolve and soon started offering basic automation for patches and updates.
Automation in 2025
The best IT service providers have been using automation and software to complete routine IT tasks for years. This saves a TON of man hours and allows us to deliver a higher level of IT service at competitive prices. i.t.NOW has had a full-time individual in this position for well over 10 years.
In that time, we have built out literally thousands of automations for our clients to keep their networks up to date and running smoothly. Even better, if we build a new automation for one client that would help others, we apply it to their network as well.
This has allowed us to automate patches and updates, third party software updates, firmware updates, security updates, backups, reporting, and much more. The list is as long as my arm.
Not all IT providers have a resource focused on automation. This is a hidden differentiator that most businesses don’t think about when shopping for IT. It can make a significant impact on the time it takes to do routine IT tasks. Our toolset has evolved over the years, and we can do more every day. SMBs have come to rely on their IT providers for these services.
Uniquely Positioned to Help SMBs Adopt AI
Since many SMBs don’t have internal IT resources they will need a partner to help them do so. MSPs have access to their client’s network and frequently have an intimate understanding of how they operate their business. The best ones are already helping to automate your IT processes and look at IT as a profit center.
This knowledge of your business and computer network makes a managed service provider uniquely qualified to consult on AI adoption. We can discuss your business needs and processes and see where agentic AI can help automate things to save time and money.
Many different businesses have similar workflow for common tasks like accounting, sales and marketing, and other business areas. This means that an AI solution built for one client may be able to be used for others or easily modified to fit individual business needs. MSPs will be able to provide some of these solutions at a much lower cost than a consultant as a result.
A Higher Level of Service
IT providers have evolved over the years from simple break-fix hourly support to advanced managed services. The best ones have not only helped with clients’ functional IT needs, but also strategic and tactical needs. This helps clients enjoy peace of mind and know that their IT provider is aligned with their business goals.
The next evolution is to use technology to transform your business. AI business consulting allows us to do this, enabling innovation, streamlining workflows, and ultimately changing IT from a cost center to a profit center.
This is what i.t.NOW seeks to do for our clients. To be a transformational IT Service Partner that empowers your business and works to improve your processes and save time and money. AI is the technology that will really allow us to do so.
Today is the Day
The most important step a person can take is the first one. Reach out today to sit down with one of our experts and see what areas of your business can benefit from the AI revolution.
