Do I need on-site IT support, or is remote enough?

Modern remote tools genuinely handle most support: software issues, configuration, user problems, patching, and monitoring all happen remotely, which is why the industry moved this direction. If a provider tells you remote covers the majority of tickets, they're being accurate.

But 'majority' isn't 'all.' Hardware dies. Networks need physical installation. Some security incidents require someone standing in your server room. New offices need cabling and Wi-Fi surveys. When those moments come, the difference between a provider with local technicians and one dispatching from two hours away — or trying to talk you through it on the phone — is measured in lost business days.

The practical checklist: confirm on-site support exists, confirm whether it's included in the monthly fee or billed extra, and confirm where technicians are actually based. For Asheville-area businesses, 'local' should mean Buncombe or Henderson County — not a regional office in another state that flies the flag on a landing page.