If you run a small business in Toronto, you’ve likely heard both terms—IT services and IT consulting—used as if they were the same thing. They’re related, but they solve different problems. Here’s a plain-English breakdown.
IT Services: Day-to-Day Operations
Think of IT services as everything required to keep your tech running:
- Helpdesk and troubleshooting
- Device setup and patching
- Backups and recovery testing
- Email and access management
- Endpoint protection and monitoring
When you choose IT services: you want stability, quick fixes, and predictable support.
IT Consulting: Strategy and Change
IT consulting focuses on decisions and direction:
- Technology roadmaps and budgeting
- Security posture reviews and policies
- Cloud migration planning and vendor selection
- Compliance and risk reduction (identity, data access)
- Process improvements and governance
When you choose IT consulting: you’re planning growth, reducing risk, or evaluating new tools.
Where They Overlap
A strong partner will blend both: services to operate reliably, consulting to improve and scale safely.
How to Decide What You Need
- Struggling with tickets and downtime? Start with services.
- Unsure what to buy next year or how to secure your data? Add consulting.
- Most Toronto SMBs need a baseline of services plus targeted consulting each quarter.
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