Not every IT support situation is as black and white as in-house or outsourced. You might be trying to decide how much of your own time and resources you want to put into IT and whether you need a partner that can provide additional support.
If you want the best of both worlds—access to a team of experts but a more hands-on role in the management of your IT services—co-managed IT might be exactly what you need.
What Do We Mean by Co-Managed IT?
The name really says it all: this is when two groups or parties have a say in IT management. But let’s get into the nitty-gritty. Who are these two parties, and who’s responsible for what?
Co-managed IT typically involves an in-house team of IT professionals, like your own employees or contractors, and a managed service provider (MSP), like a third-party IT services company. The in-house team is usually responsible for daily operations and maintenance while the MSP handles more complex services like system monitoring, data backup, and disaster recovery.
When these two teams work together, they can create a powerful IT support strategy that meets all of your organization’s needs.
Why Businesses Switch Over to Co-Managed IT: The Benefits
There are pros and cons to everything but with co-managed IT, you do get the benefits of both types of IT support without many of the drawbacks.
Constant Monitoring
For starters, you don’t have to rely solely on in-house staff and the overhead costs associated with that approach. Plus, when an MSP is involved, you know your data is monitored and secure even when your personnel is off the clock.
Latest Technology
You get access to the latest technology without having to invest in new hardware and software. And because service requests are often addressed quickly and accurately, your team can stay focused on their tasks instead of getting bogged down with tech issues.
Employee Training
Your employees are your biggest liability when it comes to cybersecurity because people are bound to make mistakes. IBM estimates that 95% of data breaches are caused by human error so employees can either be your biggest security risk or your biggest asset. With this service, you can ensure employees are well-trained in best practices and given the tools they need to stay safe online.
The bottom line is that co-managed IT offers a great balance of cost savings without sacrificing quality service or cutting corners when it comes to security. It’s the perfect fit for businesses that need a partner to help fill in the gaps and increase their overall efficiency.
Would Co-Managed IT Work for You? How to Find Out
Nobody likes to hear this but the answer does come down to this: it depends! Here are some questions to ask yourself so that you can find out if this type of managed IT would be a good move for your business:
- How much IT expertise do you already have in-house?
- Are your current internal systems up to date and secure?
- Do you need access to the latest technology but don’t want to make a large upfront investment?
- Are you a small to medium-sized business that needs more support but still wants to be in control?
- Do you have remote workers that need to be monitored and managed securely?
- Are you worried about cybersecurity threats but don’t have the resources to handle advanced security?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, co-managed IT might be a great solution for your business. Ultimately, it all comes down to finding the right balance between saving money and getting quality service.
Just the Right Amount of IT Support With Forum Info-Tech
Technology and business—one can’t succeed without the other. But it can be hard to find the time or resources to become an IT expert, so let Forum Info-Tech take care of it for you. Your data is your most important investment and we can handle the heavy lifting while you focus on running your business.
Our co-managed IT solutions are tailored to fit any budget and our team of certified professionals is always ready to answer your questions.
Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation today, and let us get to work protecting your data from potential cyber threats, optimizing your systems for maximum efficiency, and ensuring that everything runs smoothly.
