Managed IT for Chicago and the northwest suburbs, from a team that has done it since 1994.
Help desk, security, backups, Microsoft 365, and compliance for businesses in Chicago, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, and across Chicagoland. Plans start at $75 per user per month.
Managed IT for Chicago firms, with a live person answering 24/7.
A live person answers 24/7; after hours we open a ticket and contact our after-hours support. Plans start at $75 per user per month. Email-only users cost less. Free assessment.
- Managed IT, help desk, security and backups from one team
- Family-run since 1994, Hoffman Estates office
- One-year agreement with a 90-day opt-out
Rated 4.9 out of 5 on Google.
▶Watch: Is your IT holding your business back?Managed IT in Chicago, answered directly
By Joe Engelking, CEO. Updated October 2026.
What does a managed IT provider do for a Chicago business?
A managed IT provider runs your technology for a monthly fee: the help desk your staff calls, 24/7 monitoring, security, backups, Microsoft 365, and planning. The goal is that problems are found and fixed before they stop your team from working. With LME, every client works with a dedicated team that already knows their setup.
How much does managed IT cost in Chicago?
Most Chicago-area providers price per user or per device each month. Fully managed plans are commonly quoted at about $100 to $250 per user per month. LME Services plans start at $75 per user per month, and email-only users who have no computer cost less. The exact price depends on your users, devices, and security needs.
Do you support businesses in the northwest suburbs?
Yes. Our office is at 1265 Freeman Road in Hoffman Estates, and we have supported businesses in Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, and across the northwest suburbs since 1994. We come on site when remote help is not enough.
Can you support a business in downtown Chicago?
Yes. Most support is handled remotely, which is the fastest way to fix a problem, and we send someone on site when a problem needs hands on equipment. Clients include firms in Chicago as well as in the suburbs.
| Topic | LME Services | Large national provider | One-person IT shop | In-house hire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who you reach | A dedicated team that knows your setup | Often a shared queue | The owner, when available | One person |
| Coverage | Help desk, 24/7 monitoring, security, backup, Microsoft 365 | Broad, often tiered | Limited after hours | Business hours; gaps when out |
| Price basis | From $75 per user per month | Varies, often per user or per device | Hourly or a retainer | Salary and benefits |
| Contract | One year, 90-day opt-out | Varies, often longer terms | Varies | Employment |
Verizon’s 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report found ransomware in 88% of breaches at small businesses, compared with 39% at large organizations.
Source: Verizon 2025 DBIRChicago and the northwest suburbs
Our office is at 1265 Freeman Road in Hoffman Estates, and we have supported businesses across the northwest suburbs and Chicago since 1994. Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Arlington Heights, and Elk Grove Village are minutes from our team, and we work with Chicago businesses the same way: remote help first, on site when it is needed.
- Schaumburg: cybersecurity
- Hoffman Estates: cybersecurity
- Arlington Heights: cybersecurity
- Elk Grove Village: cybersecurity
- Chicago cybersecurity
What is included
- IT help desk for your staff, remote and on site
- Cybersecurity, endpoint protection, and managed firewalls
- Backup and disaster recovery with tested restores
- Microsoft 365 support and cloud migration
- Managed network and Wi-Fi support
- HIPAA, SOC 2, and ISO compliance
- Co-managed IT alongside your own staff
- Business phone systems
Industries we support
Taking over after a provider fails midstream
Prairie Contractors in Frankfort, Illinois brought us in after an outsourced technician failed partway through moving them to Office 365. Nothing had been migrated and they had lost access to all of their old email.
We stepped in, ran the full migration properly, and set up Office 365 the right way. Then we put our managed IT approach in place: RMM automations, backups, security, and help desk. Thinking about switching IT providers?
Joe Engelking, CEO
“When Joe assigned Ivan as our lead, we felt like we finally had IT solved. Ivan has been with us 24×7 and the team behind him makes sure nothing falls through the cracks.”
David Schuelke, CEO, Spring Bank Wisconsin
“They deliver on a wide breadth of IT services and ensure everything works correctly. With the personal touch of a small team, LME communicates efficiently and is instantly responsive by email or phone.”
George Dades, Accountant/Partner, James G. Dades & Co.
More questions about managed IT in Chicago
A managed IT provider runs your technology for a monthly fee: the help desk your staff calls, 24/7 monitoring, security, backups, Microsoft 365, and planning. The goal is that problems are found and fixed before they stop your team from working. With LME, every client works with a dedicated team that already knows their setup.
Most Chicago-area providers price per user or per device each month. Fully managed plans are commonly quoted at about $100 to $250 per user per month. LME Services plans start at $75 per user per month, and email-only users who have no computer cost less. The exact price depends on your users, devices, and security needs.
Yes. Our office is at 1265 Freeman Road in Hoffman Estates, and we have supported businesses in Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, and across the northwest suburbs since 1994. We come on site when remote help is not enough.
Yes. Most support is handled remotely, which is the fastest way to fix a problem, and we send someone on site when a problem needs hands on equipment. Clients include firms in Chicago as well as in the suburbs.
Our agreement is one year with a 90-day opt-out.
Start with a free assessment. We learn how many people you have and what systems you use, review your security and backups, and send a written quote. Then we onboard your staff so they know exactly how to reach us.
Law firms, accounting and financial services firms, manufacturers, healthcare practices, non-profits, and business services companies across Chicagoland. We also support dispensaries and contractors.
One person covers one schedule and one set of skills. A managed team gives you a help desk, security monitoring, backups, and specialists for projects, and support continues when someone is out. Companies that already have IT staff can add us alongside them through co-managed IT.
Layers: multi-factor sign-in, endpoint protection watched around the clock, patching, email filtering, staff training, and backups that are tested so you can actually restore. The IT assessment shows which layers you are missing.
Yes. We help prepare policies, controls, and evidence for HIPAA, SOC 2, and ISO. For SOC 2, an independent CPA firm performs the attestation, and we get you ready for it.
Your competitors are already using AI. Every week you wait, they pull further ahead.
While your team spends hours on email, quotes, scheduling and follow-up, the business down the street is letting AI handle the busywork. The AI Quick-Win Assessment shows you where AI will pay off in your business, which tools are safe for your data, and what to switch on first.
Example only: 5 hours a week for 48 weeks at $40 an hour. Your results depend on your team, tasks and tools. We estimate the numbers with you and never guarantee savings.
A 45-minute conversation about where your hours and dollars go: email, quotes, scheduling, follow-up and reporting.
A short report with quick wins ranked by impact and effort, real tool prices, estimated hours saved and the risks to avoid.
A 30-minute review call and a four-day starting plan, about 10 to 15 minutes a day. We can set it up for you or train your team.
Questions about your IT? Call 847-496-5196 or get a free IT assessment.