What Is Co-Managed IT Services, And Why You Should Be Thinking About It Now
Managing the IT infrastructure of an organization is never a one-person job. As such, businesses develop IT teams to handle all IT services. However, more and more companies, especially (small-to-medium-sized businesses, are increasingly choosing to outsource the complete or partial management of their IT infrastructure to reduce costs. What most business owners and managers don't know is that it's possible to strike a balance between internal and external IT teams- this is called co-managed IT services.
In a co-managed IT model, your internal IT team collaborates with an external IT provider to divide roles and responsibilities. The business enjoys the best of both worlds. On the one hand, the internal IT team supports your goals, values, and business model. On the other hand, the external IT firm provides expertise and tools that are challenging and costly to acquire internally.
When Should You Consider Co-Managed IT Services
Comprehensive IT management requires input from various experts, who can be challenging to hire and maintain, especially in an SMB business environment. IT networks and systems, cybersecurity, cloud computing, computer support, software and hardware updates, and compliance are all IT areas that require expertise. It's impossible to expect exemplary results from a small IT department or an individual.
Moreover, as your business grows, your IT needs and resources expand, overwhelming your internal IT department. An overwhelmed team quickly falls behind on interior projects, fails to keep systems updated, and exposes you to security threats. However, your budget constraints remain, making it challenging for you to expand your internal team.
Co-managed IT services take the extra workload from your internal team, allowing them to focus on what they're good at. The new model enables staff supplementation, where you extend your internal team by hiring an IT firm to support ongoing projects and security-specific needs. With IT staff supplementation, you can access external IT support when you need it without extensive recruitment, onboarding, and hiring process.
What Are The Benefits Of Leveraging Co-Managed IT Services As Part of Your Strategy?
Project Planning and Management
Once in a while, you may experience a spike in IT resource demand due to one or several projects in your business. Staff augmentation and supplementation are excellent for projects because they help you access expert help for short-term or specific projects and increase operational capacity while avoiding long-term hiring costs.
You may have an internal IT department skilled at handling your daily IT service needs. However, your internal team may lack the skills or resources for a specific project. Outsourcing your project to an external team skilled at handling projects reduces your internal team's workload and helps you manage business operations professionally. More importantly, strategy implementation is almost instant since you don't have to go through the recruitment and hiring process.
Less Management Responsibility
When you work with a third-party IT firm, you enjoy the benefits of working with experienced professionals who are experts in the type of projects that you need them for without hiring them. Your IT manager has fewer responsibilities and is only responsible for liaising with the external workers and overseeing tasks to ensure they align with your company goals. Planning, organizing, staffing, budgeting, and coordinating external workers are left to the third party.
Security Information & Event Management (SIEM) Implementation & Management
A SIEM platform takes all the data from your IT environment to check for suspicious activity and report it to you. However, managing a SIEM platform is no easy feat. Suppose your internal IT department is in control of your SIEM. In that case, they must integrate the SIEM into existing systems, ensure daily monitoring, maintain hardware and software, organize internal training, and handle incidents.
Usually your internal IT department is often laden with numerous daily activities, and regular security checks become a second priority. Unfortunately, security incidents require daily monitoring to prevent costly outcomes. Outsourcing your SIEM needs to an external party ensures that your business enjoys 24-hour/ surveillance from security experts.
Around-the-Clock Support
One of the most significant advantages of co-managed IT is that you enjoy 24/7 IT support. Your employees may only be sufficient to cover a 9-5 system. The outsourced IT firm fills gaps to keep your IT environment operational and safe. The co-managed IT model also allows fast staff supplementation when an internal worker is on sick leave, vacation, or handling a personal emergency.
Access To Enterprise Tools
When you work with the right managed IT service provider, you can access enterprise tools at a fraction of the cost. Professional MSPs invest in devices large corporations use to achieve control, efficiency, and security. You enjoy agility, flexibility, scale, and efficiency provided by modern tools without making hefty investments in software and hardware.
Compliance
Compliance is a pain point for many businesses unfamiliar with existing cybersecurity regulations or without a large department to oversee IT compliance. For example, if you handle sensitive patient data, your systems and networks need to align with all HIPAA requirements. If you process credit card payments, you need to comply with the PCI DSS. These regulations are broad, complex, and impossible to achieve with an understaffed and unskilled department.
SMBs benefit from outsourcing compliance to experts. You can hire an IT firm that focuses on compliance and audits to ensure that your company is on the right side of the law. Compliance also boosts your cybersecurity and improves your trust with clients.
Retaining Employees
Wouldn't you agree that retaining talented employees is crucial for your business? Your internal staff works best with the right resources and workload. Overwhelming them with work, different projects, insufficient resources, and not investing in their skills is a recipe for disaster. Not to mention that there are only so many skills one worker can learn and be an expert at.
If a worker feels stressed, underpaid, and unable to cope with numerous demands, they become less productive and are likely to quit. Outsourcing some of your IT needs allows the internal department to thrive by focusing on their areas of expertise. The internal team can then collaborate with outsourced workers to follow your IT strategy.
Find The Right IT Partner Today
A co-managed IT model improves your IT services, reduces internal workload, improves operational capacity, and provides access to expertise and staff without costly investments. AlphaRidge handles all your IT supplementation and outsourcing needs. Reach out to us today to discuss how co-managed IT services can work for your organization!
