Is Managed IT Worth It for Surveying Companies?

For most 20–70 person surveying companies, managed IT is worth the investment when it improves system performance, reduces inefficiencies, and lowers business risk.

While managed IT typically costs $120–$150 per user per month, the real question is not the cost — but whether the business gains more in productivity, reliability, and security than it spends.

However, the real value of managed IT is not just in managing technology — it is in using technology strategically to support business growth, profitability, and risk reduction.

At Netcare, this includes not only supporting the installation, configuration, performance, and optimisation of systems that run tools like 12d Model, Civil 3D, Bluebeam, DRAINS, and 12d Synergy, but also working with clients through regular strategy discussions to ensure technology is aligned with how the business operates and where it is going.

Many surveying companies already have some level of IT support, which leads to questions like:

• “We already have IT — why change?”
• “Can we manage this internally?”
• “Is it worth the cost?”

These questions usually arise when:

• systems are “working”, but not efficiently
• issues are tolerated rather than solved
• IT is seen as a cost rather than a business enabler

In many cases, the issue is not whether the business has IT support — it is whether that support is helping the business operate more effectively.

Managed IT delivers the most value when it solves real operational problems and supports better business performance.

1. When Survey Software Performance Is Slowing the Team Down

If systems running tools like 12d Model, Civil 3D, or DRAINS are slow or inconsistent:

• staff lose productive hours
• project timelines are impacted
• frustration increases across technical teams

Even small improvements in performance can deliver significant value.

2. When Onboarding New Staff Takes Too Long

Surveying environments require complex setup across multiple systems.

Without structured onboarding:

• new hires take longer to become productive
• existing staff are pulled into setup and troubleshooting
• inconsistent user environments create delays and confusion

Faster onboarding means faster return on new hires and less disruption to existing teams.

3. When Systems Are Inconsistent Across the Business

Different setups across users lead to:

• inconsistent outputs
• troubleshooting time
• inefficiencies across projects

Standardisation improves reliability, reduces wasted time, and makes the environment easier to support and improve.

4. When Project Data Is Difficult to Manage

If project data is:

• hard to find
• duplicated
• inconsistently structured
• difficult to access across teams

this increases both inefficiency and risk.

A structured approach, such as a Common Data Environment (CDE), significantly improves this.

5. When Cybersecurity Risk Is Increasing

Surveying companies manage valuable project, infrastructure, and client data.

Without proper protection, businesses are exposed to:

• ransomware attacks
• data breaches
• unauthorised access to sensitive information
• loss of critical project data

Managed IT includes layered cybersecurity protections that reduce these risks and improve resilience.

6. When IT Support Is Reactive, Not Improving Anything

If your current provider:

• fixes issues as they arise
• doesn’t improve systems over time
• doesn’t standardise environments
• doesn’t help leadership think strategically about technology

you are unlikely to be getting full value from IT.

Instead of focusing only on cost, surveying companies should evaluate IT based on how well it supports the business.

1. Productivity

Are systems fast, stable, and reliable across the environment that supports tools like 12d Model, Civil 3D, and Bluebeam?

2. Efficiency

How much time is lost to:

• slow systems
• poor onboarding
• data management issues
• inconsistent user setups

3. Risk

How well is your business protected against:

• cyber threats
• data loss
• project disruption

4. Strategic Alignment

Is technology aligned with:

• your growth plans
• the type of projects you are taking on
• how your teams operate in the field and office

Regular strategy discussions help ensure IT evolves with the business — rather than falling behind it.

Managed IT delivers the most value when it supports both day-to-day operations and long-term business direction.

Growth

A structured and well-aligned IT environment allows surveying companies to take on more projects, support more staff, and scale without increasing operational complexity.

Profitability

Improved performance, faster onboarding, and better system alignment reduce inefficiencies and increase team productivity.

Risk Reduction

Cybersecurity, structured data management, and proactive oversight reduce exposure to:

• ransomware
• data breaches
• costly project errors

Importantly, these outcomes are strongest when IT is actively aligned to business priorities, not just maintained.

A surveying company had IT support in place, but experienced:

• slow performance in systems running 12d Model and Civil 3D
• inconsistent user setups
• inefficient onboarding
• limited cybersecurity protections

After moving to a structured managed IT approach, the business improved system performance, reduced onboarding time, strengthened security, and created a more consistent working environment.

The result was not just better IT support, but a more reliable platform for project delivery and business growth.

Managed IT may be less suitable for:

• very small businesses with simple requirements
• companies with minimal reliance on specialised software
• organisations willing to accept inefficiencies and risk

However, for most growing surveying companies, the benefits outweigh the cost when technology plays an important role in project delivery and business performance.

Surveying companies work with Netcare because we go beyond traditional IT support.

• Experience supporting surveying and AEC environments
• Strong understanding of the systems and infrastructure required to run tools like 12d Model, Civil 3D, Bluebeam, DRAINS, and 12d Synergy effectively
• Strong onboarding and system standardisation
• Built-in cybersecurity protections aligned with Microsoft 365
• Structured onboarding through the First 90 Days process
• Ongoing technical alignment and strategy reviews
• Regular business strategy discussions to help clients use technology to support growth, efficiency, and risk reduction

Rather than simply managing IT, Netcare helps surveying companies use technology as a lever to improve business performance.

If you’re reviewing your current IT setup or planning improvements, we are ready to discuss your requirements and explore the options with you.

Call us now on (02) 9114 9920 or reach out on-line via our Contact form