Regardless of the sector you operate in or the size of your business organization, you can’t succeed without leveraging the power of information technology (IT). It refers to the use of computers and innovative tools to create, store, retrieve and share company data. This helps increase operational efficiencies by automating tasks within an organization.

Unfortunately, developing and managing IT strategies in an organization isn’t easy, especially for non-technological experts. Therefore, business owners and executives are turning to co-managed IT services for support. Such companies offer effective solutions to complex IT problems.

This simple guide answers some of your questions, including what co-managed IT is, whether it’s right for you, and how to find the best provider.

An Overview of Co-Managed IT

Co-managed IT is a model that allows companies to work with both internal IT teams and outside experts. It allows business owners to decide which IT services to keep in-house and which ones to outsource. The primary objective of opting to co-managed IT is to create a system where a managed service provider enhances, supports, and supplements the in-house IT team.

Companies may choose to partner with co-managed IT services for various reasons. One of them is the presence of a knowledge gap. Even if a company has experienced IT staff, some complex issues may require the assistance of an expert. In such a situation, a third-party provider with specialized skills may be called upon to provide solutions.

Another common reason why many businesses work with co-managed IT services is the size of the internal IT team. If there’s a new project or some employees are on leave, a company may choose to hire new staff. Yet recruiting and onboarding new employees can be costly and time-consuming. For that reason, many enterprises consider supplementing their internal team with a co-managed IT firm. You can partner with a company like GoComputek or any other similar firm to learn more about co-managed IT services.

Is Co-Managed IT Right for Your Business

To decide whether hiring a co-managed IT provider is right for you, you’ll need to know its pros and cons. By analyzing all the aspects of co-managed IT services, you’ll be able to make an informed decision.

Pros of Finding Co-Managed IT Service for Your Company

There are several benefits of partnering with a co-managed IT provider. They include the following:

1. Helps Companies Save Money

You know how important saving money can be beneficial to your business organization. It helps enhance your cash flow and profitability. The savings can be more when you compare the cost of hiring a co-managed IT provider and employing an additional in-house internal team.

As noted earlier, recruiting new staff members comes with extra costs. Apart from the money you’ll spend during the recruitment process, you’ll incur additional costs for training. Furthermore, you’ll have to pay internal IT staff monthly salaries.

Co-managed IT services come with their own employees and you won’t spend the company’s money on recruitment. And because you’ll pay them on a project completion basis, you can save huge sums of money in the long run.

Apart from the staff, the contracted co-managed IT service will come with some of its work tools and equipment. So, you won’t have to purchase all the items required in your IT department. This also means great savings.

2. Enhances Cybersecurity

For the last few years, cyberattacks have continued to hurt the growth and success of many businesses. When your firm becomes a target of online attackers, you can lose critical data necessary for your daily operations. Besides, it may hurt your company’s reputation since many clients will avoid engaging with your brand if they notice their data is at risk of cyber criminals.

Your internal team can monitor and update your networks to safeguard your business against online attacks. But with additional assistance from a co-managed IT service, you can be guaranteed to find effective measures for your cybersecurity strategy.

3. Provides 24/7 Support

You’ll need to have an effective IT system to serve your customers. That means your IT infrastructure should remain operational at all times. But some business owners don’t realize how beneficial it can be to have an active IT expert round the clock. They’ll help deal with technical glitches and other unforeseen problems.

When you work with an internal team alone, you might be unable to deal with some IT problems. Your employees will want to take breaks at some point, which may risk your business.

Co-managed IT companies, on the other hand, provide services 24/4. They employ several team members who work in shifts to serve all their clients. Apart from ensuring your systems are up to date, the right provider will offer 24/7 technical support to help deal with technical glitches and downtimes.

4. Offers Scalable Solutions

Any positive change in your company may mean adding additional employees and new tools. And that means extra costs. You could avoid that by working with a co-managed IT provider. It’ll allow you to scale up quickly without any additional resources.

5. Helps Adopt the Latest Technology Quickly

You must use modern technology to run your business for success. But as a business owner who isn’t experienced in technology, you might not be able to know which technology is trending in your sector. Even if you’re knowledgeable in technology, you might lack enough time for implementation.

Co-managed IT companies are technology experts. They’ll advise and guide you to ensure you adopt the latest technologies quickly. This ensures your business remains on top of technology.

Cons of Co-Managed IT Services

Although there are several benefits of partnering with a co-managed IT provider, it also has its other side of the coin. Some of the advantages of this model include the following:

1. May Lead to Conflicts Between In-House and the Co-Managed IT Staff

It’s natural for existing employees to worry when they see new members getting hired for the same positions. And that may also happen when your internal IT team notices you want to onboard a new team. They’ll develop a feeling that you want to replace them. And because no one loves losing their job, there may be friction between the two teams. You can address that problem by educating your internal team on why you’re seeking outside assistance.

2. May Affect Your End Users’ Work Processes

The hired co-managed IT provider will likely advise you on new policies you can implement to improve operational efficiencies. And that may even mean changing the structure of the IT department, which requires internal staff to adjust to new processes. This may affect end users’ work processes.

3. Huge Upfront Costs

Although partnering with a co-managed IT service has a long-term cost-saving, it requires a huge initial capital outlay. But you can minimize your onboarding expense by setting a budget and sticking to it. The best provider should provide detailed information before onboarding to help you plan for the budget.

As you’ve seen, hiring a co-managed IT provider has more benefits than disadvantages. So, co-managed IT services can be great solutions for businesses that want to work with an internal IT team but need supplemental assistance in a particular tech area.

Finding the Right CO-Managed IT service

With thousands of co-managed IT services, deciding which is right for your business organization can be challenging. But there are some tips you can adopt to simplify the process. They include the following.

• Define Your Needs

One of the most important steps when searching for a co-managed IT provider is to evaluate your needs. You need to decide which services to keep in-house and which ones to outsource. That way, you can find a company with the services you want.

• Read Online Reviews

Reading online reviews can be another great strategy for hiring the best provider. You’ll likely see many comments online about a particular company. Reading them will help you to know what other clients think about them.

Many positive reviews indicate that most other business owners were satisfied with the services or work of the firm in question. And that can be a good provider you can consider hiring. Avoid partnering with a company with many negative reviews. That might be a sign of low-quality services.

• Select A Company with Proper Credentials

Before you begin your search for a co-managed IT service, you must remember that not all those claiming to offer such services are genuine. And with the increased number of scammers online, you must be very careful in your hiring process. That’s why you need to find a firm with proper credentials.

For instance, the co-managed IT company you want to hire should be licensed. This shows that it has legally been established and allowed to offer IT services to clients. Prior to signing a deal with any provider, ask them to produce all the necessary licenses and permits.

In addition to that, ensure you hire an experienced co-managed IT company. A firm that has remained in the sector for many years will likely offer quality services. Strive to hire the most experienced co-managed IT provider in the region.

Takeaway

Investing in IT is one of the most effective approaches to growing your business. You’ll have to partner with a co-managed IT provider to make things even better. This way, you can save money, enhance online security, adopt to latest technologies, and get scalable IT solutions, among other benefits. Make sure you find the best co-managed IT firm.