Business technology has become very complex, which has triggered the need for companies to have an in-house team of information technology (IT) professionals. These experts are tasked with managing various day-to-day operations such as maintaining specialized software and hardware. However, they may have some shortcomings in their expertise, skill sets, and availability. Therefore, it becomes a challenge for you to grow, scale, and meet your customers’ expectations and needs.

In such situations, the right course of action to take would be outsourcing your IT services to a third party known as a managed service provider (MSP). Working with an MSP is referred to as co-managed IT services, which help fill gaps with your in-house IT experts and any budget constraints. Here are just some of the ways your business can benefit from co-managed IT services:

1. On-Demand IT Expertise

Right after starting your business, you’ll only need one or two staff with general IT knowledge to run your IT department. But as your business grows, so do its IT needs, which will only become more complex as time passes. Therefore, your current IT professionals may be specialized in one area, such as general system administration, but less capable of tackling project management or network security tasks. Assigning your in-house IT experts with additional responsibilities they’re not well versed in might cause them to make mistakes that in the long run will negatively affect your company.

If your IT department lacks the technical expertise your enterprise needs, outsourcing some of your IT tasks to a company such as TCG Managed IT is advised. This approach gives you access to highly skilled professionals who aren’t in your in-house IT department. These seasoned experts can help you quickly resolve any specific problem your business might be experiencing. For example, a cybersecurity professional can give you advice on preventing cyberattacks and assist your business in coming up with a suitable IT strategy.

2. Round-The-Clock Support

Your business should at all times have a team of IT experts on standby in case any issue arises regardless of the time of day. While many companies often overlook this, you don’t want to make such a mistake as this might significantly impact your firm’s productivity.

This is because with 24/7 support, any unexpected circumstances such as overnight firmware or software updates can quickly be carried out. You can avoid the situation where the updates will take place during the day, meaning your staff won't be able to do anything on their computers, thereby reducing their productivity. You also get to ensure that your systems are continually updated with the newest security patches, reducing your company’s exposure to cyberattacks.

Thanks to co-managed IT services, your internal IT staff don’t have to overwork themselves by not taking off days or working overtime just to resolve IT problems that suddenly come up. This makes them more productive and also more fulfilled working in your organization.

3. Lower Labor Costs

If your company doesn’t have the budget for hiring an in-house team of IT experts, co-managed IT services are a great solution to consider. You don’t have to deal with expenses such as finding and training new employees. Despite the lower costs, you still get to have access to a team of specialized IT professionals.

With co-managed IT services, your existing in-house team of IT experts can address a considerable chunk of your IT needs. Only when they experience some challenges will they seek help from the IT managed service provider. This strategy will be way cheaper for your business than hiring new permanent staff. You can channel the money saved from the lower labor costs to other areas of your business that need additional financing so you can attain your set business targets.

4. Concentrate On Your Company’s Main Objectives

Your company’s expansion would result in the increase of your IT needs. Because of this, your internal IT staff can only manage handling this bigger workload up to a certain point. With IT constantly and quickly evolving, the members of your in-house team might start to feel overwhelmed if there’s not enough of them to take on all the tasks at hand. Due to this, it’ll become a lot harder for them to meet your company’s specific needs.

Should that happen, you might be forced to assign some of the tasks to other employees who don’t work in the IT department. This move may leave some aspects of your business unattended and ultimately lead to other problems in the long run.

Thankfully, co-managed IT services help companies address that issue. The MSP will assist you with your specific IT needs so your staff members get to focus on the job they were hired to do as well as their core objectives.

5. Access To Hi-Tech Equipment At Reduced Costs

When expanding your company’s IT resources, you’ll need to face some additional costs such as those involving software, remodeling, and equipment. All of those tend to be expensive, but fortunately, co-managed IT services provide you with an excellent and more budget-friendly alternative. This is because the MSP already has the equipment needed to ensure that everything in the IT department is running smoothly.

Although you won’t have much control over the MSP’s IT infrastructure, you also aren’t responsible for managing it. This shows why the co-managed IT services approach is a more cost-effective and simpler solution for your business.

6. Improved Workplace Culture

Managing an entire team of employees is challenging, and over time, you might find yourself feeling drained. This is because you have to spend a lot of time and effort in attending to your staff members’ needs. If you get burned out doing that, you might end up neglecting your team, which would result in a stressful workplace.

By opting for co-managed IT services, you get to address that issue by optimizing the workplace structure and environment to avoid negatively impacting your staff’s productivity. This is achieved because the MSP takes some of your in-house IT experts’ burden by handling the most important issues and repetitive tasks. Thanks to this, your internal staff can shift their focus to their main duties, and this would ultimately boost their morale and productivity.

Takeaway

In today’s technology-driven society, business growth is greatly dependent on IT services. However, not all companies can afford to have a large team of IT experts who can meet their ever-increasing needs. That’s where co-managed IT services come in. With them, your in-house IT team can work with an IT MSP to ensure that you attain your set business goals in a cost-efficient manner.