If you’re building a business case for a Managed SOC, here’s how to make it land with your execs. No scare tactics. Just hard ROI, real-world risk, and the right shift in mindset.

Why a Managed SOC should be a board-level priority

The threats are faster, smarter and sneakier. Attackers aren’t just scanning for vulnerabilities. They’re exploiting stretched IT teams, supply chains and human error. And while your firewall might tick the compliance box, it won’t stop a ransomware gang that’s already inside your network. 

A Managed SOC is a force multiplier that turns security from “someone’s part-time job” into a 24/7, expert-led operation.

The ROI of Managed SOC: What you really get

Let’s translate security spend into business impact:

• 24/7 Eyes on Glass

Threats don’t clock off at 5pm. A Managed SOC means round-the-clock monitoring without the cost of hiring three shifts of analysts.

• Incident Response at Speed

Seconds matter. A Managed SOC detects and contains breaches before they cost millions.

• Predictable Costs

No recruitment headaches. No analyst churn. No tech debt. Just a clear monthly cost with measurable value.

• Regulatory Confidence

Demonstrate to stakeholders and auditors that you take data protection seriously. Peace of mind, baked in.

• Focus on What Matters

Let your internal teams get back to driving business value instead of constantly reacting to alerts.

Build vs Buy: What it could cost to go in-house

Sure, you could build it yourself. But here’s an approximation for the next time someone says" “Can’t we just hire someone in-house?”.

That’s £350,000 to £450,000 per year, before you factor in:

• Recruitment and onboarding

• Ongoing training and retention

• Platform licensing and threat intel feeds

• 24/7 rota management and on-call availability

And that’s assuming you can find and keep the talent.

The Managed SOC advantage: Expertise on tap, without the overhead

A Managed SOC gives you enterprise-grade protection without the six-figure salary bill, the staffing headaches or the delay. You get:

• Access to skilled analysts and threat hunters

• Around-the-clock monitoring and response

• Built-in tools, playbooks and threat intelligence

• The ability to scale with your business needs

Buying instead of building could save you hundreds of thousands a year.

What you do with that saving is up to you.

A CHECKLIST FOR THE BOARD FOR BUY-IN

Speak the language of outcomes, not outputs. When presenting to execs, answer these:

✅ What’s the financial risk of a breach in our sector?

Translate threats into potential revenue loss, downtime or customer churn.

✅ How fast can we detect and contain a cyber incident right now?

If it’s more than a few hours, it’s too long.

✅ What would it cost to build this capability internally?

Hint: recruitment, tools, training and 24/7 coverage adds up fast.

✅ How do we demonstrate resilience to customers, partners and regulators?

A Managed SOC proves your commitment with real-time visibility and action.

✅ What’s our current risk exposure?

Frame this in business terms. “X percent of endpoints are unmonitored” or “We’ve had Y high-severity incidents in six months.”

How to make your case

Here’s how to push your proposal over the line:

1. Start with Risk, Not Tech

Paint the picture of what’s at stake in business terms. Use industry examples. Show reputational and financial risk.

2. Map Costs to Outcomes

Don’t just say “X pounds per month”. Say “X gets us 24/7 protection, compliance assurance and faster recovery times.”

3. Use the ‘If Not This, Then What?’ Approach

Make the alternative (doing nothing or hiring in-house) look as risky, costly and unsustainable as it is.

4. Bring in the Experts

Get your SOC provider involved early. They can help run risk assessments and present the data that hits home.

5. Show Scalability

A good Managed SOC scales with your business. That’s long-term value, not short-term patchwork.

Final Word: 

Security shouldn’t be the department of “no”. It should be the team that keeps the lights on and the business moving confidently forward. A Managed SOC helps you get there, fast.

And when the next board meeting rolls around, you’ll have the story, numbers and clarity to justify every penny.