IT departments are involved and can be challenging to understand. Large corporations often have their own internal IT department, but many smaller companies utilize Managed IT Services, which are outsourced.

It makes sense to use an external provider if you do not need a tech on-site every day to fix problems. But it is becoming more and more common that companies are taking a hybrid approach to IT departments. These are known as Co-Managed IT Services.

What is a Co-Managed IT Service?

Co-Managed IT is when a company has one or several IT staff members on-site and uses external services in conjunction with these employees. The on-site staff might interact daily with the external contractor, or they may only contact them when there is a problem that is too complex for them to solve in-house. Essentially, a co-managed IT service creates a partnership between internal and external IT departments.

Benefits of Co-Managed IT Services

You may wonder why a firm would not just choose one or the other for IT Services. However, there are several benefits to taking a combined approach.

Internal Knowledge

If you work in a specialized industry, it would be helpful to have someone on-site that understands its ins and outs. Many IT staff members have worked within a specific industry for years to know how to handle different systems and how networks need to be set up to facilitate the business.

Increased Bandwidth

These on-site IT reps can be beneficial, but they may not handle all IT requests on their own. By utilizing a co-managed IT service, they can receive external help without requiring the company to hire an entire on-site staff. This means your internal IT workers do not have to manage multiple employees and instead enlist the managed IT service's help.

Collaboration

Sometimes it can be advantageous to have multiple points of view regarding making updates or changes to your network. Your internal crew and third-party service can work together to develop different ideas that might end up working better for the company as a whole. Collaborative efforts can go a long way in setting up a safe, secure, and efficient network.

Secondary Support

If you have a small IT team, they might get busy during certain parts of the day or the month, making it more challenging to use their help for smaller IT problems.

When this happens, it can be beneficial to have an external IT team that can help with minor issues. This allows your in-house team to focus on significant fixes and updates while other employees can receive assistance for run-of-the-mill errors.

Flexibility

With a co-managed IT service, you aren’t confined to one IT solution. You have the flexibility to build your on-site team while still getting the expertise of outside professionals. For small and mid-sized companies, a co-managed team can provide a myriad of benefits.