Has your business experienced technical issues at crucial moments and been short of in-house IT support? Or have you received an uptick in business only to find that your IT infrastructure can't scale quickly enough to meet demand? Do you have technology projects that are either stalled or yet to get off the ground? If so, co-managed IT support is something you need to learn more about.
What is co-managed IT?
Co-managed IT is outsourced support that works in partnership with your in-house IT department. It is distinct from fully-managed IT, which replaces an internal IT department rather than augmenting an existing team.
Co-managed IT solutions address the common pain point among CEOs, CIOs, COOs and IT Managers that most IT teams are severely understaffed but lack the budget for new — and pricey — IT hires. These in-house teams spend much of their time putting out daily fires instead of learning the latest skills needed for airtight cybersecurity and seamless growth. A co-managed IT partner provides your IT team — and your entire organization — with the resources needed to get that competitive edge.
Though some businesses use a co-managed solution in short-term cases or on a project-by-project basis, developing a flexible, ongoing outsourced IT partnership can reap greater benefits. Over time, a co-managed IT partner can complement the work of your trusted staff members and eventually become a trusted and invaluable extension of your team.
What is included in co-managed IT services?
Co-managed IT services allow businesses to access the skills of experts who are constantly up-to-date on the latest news and techniques, complete with access to the latest tools. By opting to outsource IT support, you can leverage the knowledge, tools and experience needed to drive your business forward without taking on expensive new hires.
A co-managed IT service can also serve as your front line should a security breach or data loss occur. With access to, and cutting-edge knowledge of, cybersecurity policies and protocols, outsourced IT experts can give you peace of mind that your data is backed up and secure. They can also put business continuity protocols in place so your organization can react and recover quickly in the event of a breach or disaster.
You should seek an IT partner who is happy to share what they know by upskilling your in-house team and empowering your IT leaders with ongoing training and workshops that increase their skills, experience and usefulness to your team. That way, the workload on your in-house team will decrease, allowing them to focus on internal ways to grow your business using technology.
To find out more about what is included in co-managed IT services, and how they can help your business, download our free guide.
Once you are up to speed on all the ways we can help, you can book a consultation with Continuous Networks to see how co-managed IT can work for your business.
What are the benefits of an external IT provider?
How do higher productivity, more effective workflows, a results-focused approach, and deep access to resources sound? Not too bad, right?
The need for co-managed IT does not indicate a lazy internal IT department, but rather an overstretched one. By augmenting and complementing your in-house talent, you can make them — and, by extension, your entire company — stronger. Resources are increased while knowledge gaps are reduced, allowing your business to iterate and improve at speeds you likely never dreamed possible.
As well as saving you from investing in expensive in-house hires and reducing costly downtime, outsourcing IT services can eliminate several sticky pain points. Having a trusted expert by your side reduces the risk of making bad IT hiring decisions or investments. A seamless IT service helps to provide a consistent, professional appearance to your clients and industry. And your risk of cyber threats, data loss or compliance breaches will be significantly reduced, resulting in decreased stress and improved quality of life for everyone involved.
These points, when paired with flexible arrangements and no long-term contracts, mean improved overall ROI. And that's something every business owner, IT Manager, and C-suite executive can benefit from.
Why choose Continuous Networks?
At Continuous Networks, co-managed IT is our specialty.
We primarily work with clients on a co-managed basis, with many of them staying with us for years, allowing us to become an important part of their IT strategy.
With over 20 years experience serving clients in New York and New Jersey, we've honed our process to include and excel in everything regional companies need for co-management — forming vastly different relationships from what you might get with project-based or fully-managed IT providers.
We are also compliance experts well-versed in the state and federal laws and regulations.
Sound like something that could work for your business? We've recently launched a new guide — The CEO and IT Manager's Guide To Co-managed IT — which provides a deep dive into our services. Click HERE for the free download.
If you'd prefer to chat with one of our friendly humans, schedule a Continuous THREAT CHECK to discover how your business technology could benefit from Continuous improvements.
