In today’s increasingly complex technological landscape, it is often impractical for a single person or a small team to master every aspect of IT. While your in-house IT team is invaluable, the variety and complexity of modern IT solutions and the rise in cybercrime can sometimes necessitate additional support.
There is an increasing move towards companies using an approach that leverages the strengths of their internal IT teams with an external service provider to cultivate a symbiotic relationship of collaboration and shared responsibility.
Co-Managed IT Services are an innovative approach that provides your business with access to certified experts who can help tackle your most sophisticated challenges, complement and enhance the capabilities of your internal IT department, and offer the expertise and resources needed to achieve your business goals efficiently and effectively.
Unlike fully outsourced IT services, where all IT operations are handled by an external provider, Co-Managed IT Services foster a partnership between your internal IT team and an external service provider. This collaborative approach enables businesses to maintain control over specific IT functions while also leveraging external expertise and support.
Five key benefits of a Co-Managed IT Service:
Access to expertise
The collaborative approach of Co-Managed IT Services fosters a culture of knowledge sharing and continuous improvement. With access to an extended team of proficient IT experts and specialists, you can bridge the skills gaps within your own IT department. Support your internal team with the necessary expertise and certifications to execute specialised tasks, from Microsoft 365 implementations to complete network redesign and elevate industry compliance standards within your organisation.
Proactive support – scalability and flexibility
A co-managed service gives you access to additional tech resources to alleviate your in-house team’s burden when and where needed and guarantees 24/7 support. By offloading certain IT tasks, your in-house team can focus on strategic initiatives that drive business growth, improving overall efficiency and effectiveness.
Cost-effectiveness
Co-managed IT services give you access to a broad range of specialised skills and certified experts without the expense of maintaining such talent in-house. You can scale your IT support up or down based on your business needs without the costs associated with hiring and training employees, providing the resources necessary to manage your IT environment and support your staff, whether you need a short-term boost or long-term partnership. Co-Managed IT services often include access to advanced tools and technologies that might be too expensive to purchase and maintain independently.
Efficiency – minimised downtime
Imagine the potential growth of your business if technical issues were resolved swiftly and efficiently. Access to expert support and the resources to proactively monitor your IT system can minimise downtime, reducing the associated costs of lost productivity and revenue.
Enhanced security
As cyberattacks become more sophisticated, safeguarding critical systems and infrastructure is essential. Internal IT staff can be overloaded with daily tasks and emergencies, leaving little room for proactive measures. With a co-managed approach, you benefit from advanced security measures and proactive threat management, reducing the risk and potential costs associated with data breaches and cyber-attacks and providing reassurance that your backup and disaster recovery solutions are robust and reliable.
You will benefit from a Co-Managed IT Service if any of the following apply to your organisation:
- You have limited or no IT cover for sickness, out of hours or holidays
- Your IT team are overrun with day-to-day tasks and don’t have the capacity to focus on IT strategy
- Your organisation is missing key IT support tools
- Your internal team has skillset gaps
- You are concerned about your cyber security.
If you are exploring how to enhance your IT capabilities, secure your infrastructure, and achieve your business goals efficiently and effectively without expanding your existing IT department, then a Co-Managed Service could be the answer. Harnessing the strengths of your in-house team with managed services offers the best of both worlds, bridging the gap between your in-house team and the advanced computing solutions required to optimise your IT investments, drive innovation, and achieve sustainable growth in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
Book a discovery call to discuss how a Co-Managed IT Service could work for you.