Co-Managed IT Services From Palindrome. Make You The Hero
A co-managed IT service is a model that allows your business to create a plan for the IT services to keep in-house and which ones to delegate to an IT partner. It provides you with a unique opportunity to pair the convenience of an external IT management system with the in-house team for enhanced efficiency.
With co-managed services, you can select the resources your business needs when you need them. Working with a co-managed IT service provider presents you with the opportunity to create a partnership that supplements, supports, and enhances the existing internal team.
How Co-Managed IT Works
Your business requires an additional workforce or help from external IT management services. Sometimes, outsourcing some IT functions does not entirely make business sense. This is where the co-managed IT services come in handy. With a co-managed approach to IT functions, you:
- Critically evaluate the needs, resources, skills, and abilities of your existing IT team.
- Determine the additional services and resources to meet the organizational or departmental needs within your company
- Create a partnership with a third-party organization to supplement those needs and bridge the existing gaps.
The co-management model looks different for each business. For example, your company may rely on the input of the internal IT department team for helpdesk support but depend on an external partner for security and large-scale strategies. Co-managed services offer flexibility that helps you scale your business. As your business needs or resources change, so does your co-managed IT service model.
How Your Company Benefits from Co-Managed IT Services?
Your in-house IT team is more concerned with the basics of everyday processes and tends to neglect the strategic concerns of the business. While the team is excellent in what it does, it requires additional support and workload ability. Partnering with a co-managed IT service provider comes with the following benefits:
A Cost-Effective Approach to IT Functions
Partnering with co-managed IT service providers saves you the expense of hiring multiple employees and providing them with benefits. An MSP only charges you a monthly fee and provides the resources you need to run your IT department effectively. An MSP also comes with the expertise you need, saving you from the costs of meeting the training costs of your team.
As a small business, you may lack the resources to hire an entire IT department and acquire the high-tech equipment required to run your IT functions. In most cases, the cloud service an MSP provides is the most significant value you will derive from the services, helping you save on equipment. Through the partnership, you pay a monthly fee to use the MSP’s infrastructure instead of buying cables, routers, and all the expensive servers your business needs.
Cloud services have, over time, proven to be more straightforward and more effective than in-house networks. While your partner may impose limitations on your co-managed cloud account, you enjoy lower costs of managing your business platforms and enjoy high-quality technology.
More Room for Negotiations
When you buy a cloud account from a cloud service provider, you get a ready-made product that provides little room for customization. While you will have options, there will be very little room to make any changes. You will probably have only a limited number of pre-made plans to choose from. The case is different when you partner with a co-managed service provider.
MSPs provide a custom-tailored plan for each company they partner with. You will agree on the terms of services and end up with much of the benefits of a standard cloud plan. You also pay a cheaper rate out of the possibilities of haggling.
IT Coverage After-Hours
Your business runs even after you leave the office for home. One of the biggest advantages of using co-managed IT services is getting round-the-cloud support for your IT services. You can contact your IT partner after-hours, as MSPs don’t just operate 9-5.
The team also comes in handy to cover vacation times and sick days for your internal team. This gives you and your internal team time off without fear that the systems will stop functioning as they should.
Retain Control Over Your IT Operations
Working with a co-managed service provider allows your team to have more control of all administrative access. They also have access to tools and services provided by your IT partner. All you need is to identify the operations you want to restructure with third-party input and leave the rest under the control of your internal team.
As opposed to hiring a new employee, co-managed services absolve you of the responsibility of training or supervising a third-party expert. This also translates to fewer responsibilities for your team to manage while keeping operations running smoothly. You will have unlimited access to professionals with extensive expertise to help you create and implement long and short-term IT strategies to propel your business forth.
Increased Security for Your Business Systems
Your co-managed IT service provider plays a crucial role in bolstering your cybersecurity posture. They have the best tools and processes which they can implement for security information and event monitoring (SIEM), vulnerability management, endpoint protection, and mobile device management.
How to Choose a Co-managed IT Service Provider for Your Business?
One of the significant considerations to make when choosing a co-managed service is their service model. It’s critical to audit your existing operations, resources, and skills to determine the gaps that you want the IT partner to bridge. What services does the company bring to the table, and what are their time commitments? Research your options adequately and carefully while considering their experience, your budget, and the flexibility the partnership offers.
Working with the right co-management partner will go a long way to transform your existing team. They will bring the much-desired changes by supporting your internal IT team, resolving tickets faster, and meeting your unique project and business IT needs. A reliable MSP also brings to the table the right resources and technologies to help you keep up with the changing market trends.
Palindrome Consulting is ready to step in as your trusted co-managed IT service provider. We have been working with businesses in South Florida for many years, providing various IT support services. Contact us today to book a free consultation to learn how we can support your business.