Understanding What Co-Managed IT Support Is
There are various directions you can go in the world of IT solutions. For one, you can create an IT support team within your own office, with salaried employees dedicated to ensuring cyber security and IT issues are resolved in-house. Alternatively, you can outsource your IT requirements to alleviate in-office pressure, save money and focus more on core business activities. The middle ground between the two? Co-managed IT support.
But how do co-managed IT services and support really work? Why might one choose this approach rather than building a company-centric team or fully outsourcing? This article will explain what a co-managed approach has to offer, ensuring you can properly consider it as a tool for your business.
What are co-managed IT services?
In short, co-managed IT support splits the burden of managing your IT infrastructure with an outsourced service provider. Managed IT refers to outsourcing all maintenance and management of your IT systems, whereas co-managed IT involves outsourcing only some of these tasks. This means you get some supplementary support, such as IT helpdesk assistance, to help maintain your overall infrastructure.
Why choose co-managed IT support?
Picking a co-managed IT solution can do wonders for your business in numerous ways.
Scalability and flexibility
Choosing co-managed support allows your business more flexibility, meaning you can keep things moving even if something has reduced attendance in your office. Plenty of dates throughout the year are highly popular for taking leave, whilst you also can’t predict when people will take time off to be sick. Co-managed IT support ensures your infrastructure can remain up and running, even if your actual workplace lacks the manpower in a pinch. The ability to adapt to demand also means that co-managed support can aid your business while scaling up, whether in a transitional phase of IT helpdesk hiring or on a long-term basis.
High-level technical troubleshooting & consultancy
Your IT support team might be well-versed in your business’s specific requirements but still have some gaps in their technical knowledge. Choosing a co-managed plan could give you the leg up that you need in terms of technical troubleshooting, with dedicated outsourced IT teams being up to date on the latest common issues.
A comprehensive co-managed plan will also help with project management and consultancy, aiding you in projects big and small, ensuring you can take steps in the right direction, without entirely handing over control. The assistance of a second set of dedicated eyes can also illuminate any blind spots in your existing IT infrastructure, pointing you in the direction of innovation and growth.
Saving money
Consider this: the average salary of an IT support team member is over £28,000 a year. Choosing co-managed IT support means you can save some money on a full support team in your office, while still ensuring that the infrastructure is defined by your in-house operatives. The right plan should be offered with a fixed monthly fee, which you can then budget around.
Localised & onsite support
The right co-managed IT support will be able to offer you localised support, creating solutions specific to your local economy, while also being capable of offering physical IT support.
Co-managed IT support is a malleable solution that suits businesses of all shapes and sizes. Working with a reliable provider will ensure that your solution is tailored to your needs, whether lower-level or more comprehensive.
