As your business’s leader, you recognize the importance of professional IT services to keep your company running smoothly. IT is the backbone of modern business, supporting daily operations, strategic growth, and long-term success. However, deciding on the right solution can feel daunting, especially when choosing between managed IT services and co-managed IT services.
This guide will discuss these two managed IT service models, their main differences, the pros and cons of each, and the questions to ask to help you identify the best option for your business needs.
Key takeaways
|
What are managed IT services?
Managed IT services, also known as fully managed services, involve a dedicated managed IT service company taking complete control over the maintenance and management of your business’s technology. In this model, the outsourced managed services team functions as your complete, external IT department.
Their responsibilities go beyond fixing broken computers. They oversee the entire IT infrastructure, handling everything from daily help desk tickets and round-the-clock monitoring to keeping the technology infrastructure secure and developing an effective IT strategy. With a fully managed model, your company can focus on core business activities without the burden of hiring, training, or managing internal IT staff.
What are co-managed IT services?
Say your business has an existing team that handles daily IT tasks but lacks the time, tools, or specialized support needed for major projects or advanced cybersecurity. In this scenario, you can sign up for co-managed IT services, or co-managed services, with an external IT services firm.
In a co-managed model, the managed services provider doesn’t replace your internal staff but supports them by filling in the gaps. For example, your internal IT team might manage user support and printer issues, while the external provider handles complex network security, server maintenance, remote access, and data backups. This partnership can be customized to fit your specific business objectives.
The co-managed IT services provider often serves as an IT mentor to employees, helping them learn new skills and perform their duties much more efficiently. They also provide the co-managed client access to enterprise-level technology tools, advanced ticketing systems, and detailed documentation platforms that support frequent reporting.
Fully managed vs. co-managed services: A comparison
To help business owners understand and choose the right IT support model for their needs, here’s a breakdown of the key differences between fully managed and co-managed services:
| Managed IT services | Co-managed IT services | |
| The IT department role | The managed IT services provider becomes your entire IT department. | The provider complements your existing in-house IT department. |
| Staffing and resources | The provider gives you access to a complete team of IT professionals. | The co-managed IT services firm supplements your internal resources, filling any skill or resource gaps. |
| Tools and technology | The fully managed IT services company uses its own set of advanced tools to manage your IT infrastructure. | The provider shares its powerful tools and resources with your internal staff, strengthening their capabilities. |
| Scope of services | The managed services provider offers a comprehensive, all-inclusive suite of IT services. | The co-managed services provider offers only the services you need to fill your gaps. |
| Strategic focus | Fully managed IT allows your leadership to pursue goals without any tech distractions. | Co-managed IT enhances your existing IT team, improving team focus on specific projects and strategic initiatives. |
Pros and cons of fully managed IT services
Consider the following pros and cons of managed IT services:
Pros:
- Reduced responsibility: Offload the stress and complexity of IT management.
- Cost efficiency: Avoid high salaries and other expenses of an in-house IT team.
- Access to top talent: Instantly tap into a vast pool of high-level IT professionals without going through the difficulties and costs of hiring them.
- Enhanced security and modernization: Gain peace of mind knowing your network and infrastructure are always updated and protected.
- Strategic alignment: Guarantee your IT management aligns with your broader business objectives.
Cons:
- Less direct control: You have less hands-on control over day-to-day tech operations.
- No constant on-site presence: You won’t have a dedicated IT person just down the hall, though a good provider will be highly responsive to remote requests and may offer on-site support when necessary.
- Higher monthly fee: The flat monthly fee is typically higher than a co-managed services plan.
Pros and cons of co-managed model
A co-managed arrangement offers the following advantages and disadvantages.
Pros:
- Flexible control: You can decide how much control you have over your technology solutions.
- Team augmentation: Continue working with your trusted in-house employees while gaining additional support.
- Access to expertise: Call on highly qualified external expertise during emergencies or for specialized needs.
- Cost-effectiveness: Partnering with a co-managed IT services provider is often more cost-effective than maintaining full-time, highly specialized IT staff.
- Continuous development: Your internal team receives ongoing training and mentorship.
- Enhanced scalability: Adapt to periods of rapid growth with a flexible services arrangement.
Cons:
- Shared responsibility: Your business retains more responsibility for daily IT operations.
- Requires internal discipline: There can be less structure if your internal staff isn’t highly organized and disciplined.
- Combined costs: While the service itself costs less than fully managed IT, you must still account for the overhead of your in-house IT staff’s salaries.
When to choose managed IT services
A fully managed IT services plan is ideal if your company lacks an internal IT department. Building one from scratch is not only expensive and time-consuming but also challenging. These days, it’s not easy to find individuals who possess the wide range of specialized skills required to run a modern, secure network.
By partnering with a managed IT services firm, you gain a dedicated team of IT specialists, including help desk support, cybersecurity experts, and network engineers. This approach ensures you always have qualified professionals available, eliminating concerns about staff vacations or sick leave.
When to choose co-managed IT services
If your internal IT team is already stretched thin, it’s a smart move to choose co-managed services to provide much-needed relief.
This option is also perfect if your existing team lacks specialized cybersecurity knowledge. Protecting your infrastructure from modern cyberthreats requires a distinct skill set, so bringing in a co-managed services partner is crucial for your company’s security.
How to select the right IT service model for your business
To help you choose between fully managed or a co-managed services, you need to ask a few key questions:
How much budget do you have?
Think about your overall spending. Is it cheaper to hire three more full-time IT employees (with benefits, taxes, and vacation time), or is it better to pay predictable monthly costs to an outside firm? In almost every case, partnering with a professional provider delivers better cost efficiency than trying to build a massive internal IT department.
Is your company expanding quickly?
Do you plan to open new offices or hire dozens of new employees this year? An outside provider can scale their services up or down instantly. They can handle the heavy lifting of deploying new computers and setting up new networks during periods of rapid growth, while your internal IT staff focuses on training the new hires.
How much control over IT management are you willing to hand over?
Your comfort level with outside intervention plays a huge part in finding the right IT service model. If you want your in-house employees to retain the final say over your network, a co- managed arrangement lets you decide exactly how much control you keep. However, if you prefer to completely step away from daily IT management and let an external provider handle the tech headaches, a fully managed model is the better choice. It simply depends on whether you want to share the responsibility or completely offload it.
What are your business goals?
At the end of the day, both co-managed and fully managed models play vital roles in the success of small and medium-sized businesses today. Choosing the solution for you comes down to what aligns best with your business goals.
You might realize that your startup needs the complete, hands-off approach of a fully managed plan. Or, you might find that your established enterprise just needs a little extra high-level support to help your dedicated internal team shine. Whichever route you choose, the goal is the same: to turn your technology from a stressful burden into a powerful tool that drives your company forward.
Get IT support arrangement that works for you with PC Pro Group
PC Pro Group understands that choosing the right IT support can feel daunting. Perhaps you’ve worked with providers who made big promises but didn’t deliver when it mattered most. We approach IT differently from everyone else: we build our solutions specifically around you.
We take the time to fully understand your operations, your team, and your vision for the future. Whether you need us to become your dedicated IT department or provide support alongside your in-house team, we have the expertise and flexibility to make it happen. Let’s create a customized IT plan that drives your success. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
