What is Co-Managed IT? Can Your Business Benefit from Co-Managed IT?

When it comes to managing your business’s IT infrastructure, there are several options available. One is fully managed IT, where an IT service provider takes care of all aspects of your IT needs, from monitoring and maintenance to troubleshooting and problem resolution. Another option is co-managed IT.

Co-managed IT provides supplemental support to your internal IT department. It isn’t meant to replace your in-house IT staff but rather augment their efforts and fill in the gaps. A co-managed IT service provider can help your internal IT team with monitoring, maintenance and troubleshooting so that they can focus on more important projects without worrying about missing a critical patch or incident alert.

In this blog, we’ll explain how co-managed IT can benefit your business and highlight a few signs that might indicate your business needs it.  Additionally, we dig into four myths about Co-Managed IT to reduce Co-managed IT hesitation.

Why your business might need co-managed IT

A few signs might indicate that your business needs co-managed IT:

Overwhelmed in-house IT staff

Your internal IT team is the backbone of your organization and plays a crucial role in the smooth running of your business. However, if you notice your IT staff is constantly overworked and needs help keeping up with the constant demands of your organization, then co-managed IT services may be just what you need. Co-managed IT will help alleviate the pressure on your internal IT team and enable them to focus on more critical tasks.Extensive downtime and disruptions

Downtime and disruptions can be costly for any business and can cause great stress for your internal IT team. If your organization experiences a lot of downtime and interruptions, then your internal IT team may need a helping hand to cope.

An IT service provider can help by monitoring your systems and proactively identifying and addressing potential issues. This will help your IT team and save your business from the adverse effects of extended downtime and disruptions.

Missed project deadlines

Your internal IT team is vital to completing your organization’s projects. If your IT team consistently misses project deadlines, it might be a sign that they need additional support.

Partnering with an IT service provider can help your internal IT team stay on track by providing the necessary resources and tools. This will help your IT team complete projects on time and help your organization achieve its business objectives.

Lack of adequate tools and resources

Your internal IT team plays a vital role in keeping your organization’s IT systems running smoothly. If your internal IT team is struggling without adequate tools and resources, consider co-managed IT.

An IT service provider can provide your internal IT team with the tools and resources they need to be more effective. This will allow your IT team to work more efficiently, enabling your organization to run smoothly.

As a business owner, you may feel that you need to choose between relying on your in-house IT staff or outsourcing technology management to an IT service provider. There is, however, a third option: co-managed IT. This approach combines the advantages and convenience of in-house IT with competent, specialized support from outsourced specialists.

It’s a “best of both worlds” approach that can help your business leverage an external IT service provider to fill IT gaps without sourcing, training and retaining qualified, expensive talent.

However, misconceptions about co-managed IT can make it difficult to make informed decisions.

Myth #1: My business won’t be able to afford co-managed IT.One of the biggest misconceptions about co-managed IT is that it’s too expensive. Co-managed IT is a cost-effective option since you can reduce costs by sharing the workload without sacrificing quality. Additionally, the cost of downtime due to internal IT resources dealing with unexpected issues or disruptions can be much higher than the cost of co-managed IT.Myth #2: My business isn’t big enough to need outsourced co-managed IT.Many business owners believe that only large enterprises benefit from outsourced IT services. However, businesses of all sizes can benefit from co-managed IT. Co-managed service providers can customize services to fill identified gaps and meet specific business goals. Plus, even relatively smaller businesses are not immune to cyberattacks, making the advanced security solutions provided by an IT service provider even more necessary.Myth #3: An outsourced IT specialist is less vested in my business’s success than my internal staff.

This is not true. A good IT service provider will strive to provide co-managed IT services that align with business goals and outcomes. Careful vetting will help ensure they are committed to your business and its success. In a co-managed model, the IT service provider becomes an extension of the organization’s team, but the internal team controls the relationship. This ensures that the IT service provider is aligned with your business goals and objectives and is working to help your business succeed.Myth #4: My internal IT staff will lose their jobs.Co-managed services are brought in to supplement existing resources, not replace them. In a co-managed model, internal IT workers and external IT providers each have distinct roles and responsibilities that complement each other. They work closely together toward common business goals and objectives. There will be no layoffs of internal IT staff, but they will have the opportunity to work alongside highly skilled and experienced IT professionals to help your business succeed.

By now, you probably have a clear idea that co-managed IT is a good option for businesses looking to bridge the gap between in-house and outsourced IT. However, it’s important to remember that not all IT service providers are created equal. Choosing the right partner can make a massive difference in the success of your co-managed IT strategy. That’s why it’s crucial to partner with an experienced provider who understands the unique needs of your business.

As an experienced IT service provider, we understand the importance of a reliable and efficient IT infrastructure for businesses. We offer various services, including fully managed and co-managed IT, to help organizations like yours reduce downtime, improve internal IT processes and drive growth.

If you need clarification on whether co-managed IT is the right fit for your business, we’re here to help. We’ll work with you to understand how it can benefit your organization. We offer tools and resources to help your internal IT team become more effective, and our team is dedicated to providing the support you need to succeed.