Between rising costs, tighter regulations, and technological advancements, IT management is more complicated than ever. To cope with the increasing pressure, Canadian businesses are turning to managed service providers (MSPs). These third-party experts monitor, maintain, and optimize the IT environment, allowing the company to focus on growth.
But there are several models available, and it’s crucial to choose the right one. Should you fully outsource your digital infrastructure? Or is it best to hedge your bets with a co-managed approach?
What Are Co-Managed IT Services?
Benefits
- Less expensive than fully outsourced services
- Provides additional oversight and control
- Allows your existing team to focus on critical projects
- Access to a larger pool of expertise
Disadvantages
- Responsibilities can become muddy or confusing
- You still need to be involved in IT management to some extent
What is Fully Outsourced IT?
Fully outsourced IT is when an MSP takes responsibility for nearly all aspects of the digital infrastructure, replacing the function of an in-house team entirely. Depending on the specific package chosen, this can include support, optimization, vendor coordination, security, procurement, maintenance, and long-term planning.
Benefits
- IT management is their concern, not yours
- Clear accountability and escalation procedures
- Highly scalable
Disadvantages
- Less direct control
- Higher cost than co-managed services
Choosing the Right Approach
When choosing between fully outsourced IT or co-managed support, here are some important questions to ask:
Do you already have an in-house team?
If internal IT staff are already present, then adopting a co-managed model might be more efficient than firing all the employees you already have.
Note that your pre-existing team also has strong familiarity with your infrastructure, which an outsider would need time to develop.
If you don’t have in-house staff, and you’re considering outsourcing, then fully managed services are likely the best choice.
Are recurring issues pulling your staff away from strategic work?
If your team spends more time dealing with unexpected outages than they do contributing to business growth, you need outside help. How much depends on how severe the issue is. Particularly bad cases may require fully managed services for at least a brief time, until the situation is back under control.
What’s your budget?
Is the business currently experiencing rapid growth?
What are your security and compliance needs?
Give Your Team the Support They Need to Thrive
For most Canadian businesses, the question is no longer whether outsourcing is the right choice. It’s how much should be outsourced. By shifting between cooperative and fully managed IT, you can adjust external services to the exact level you need at a given moment, gaining all the benefits without wasting money. This flexibility is invaluable for small and growing businesses.
Finding the right IT support is often a challenge, especially if your team works from multiple locations. Fortunately, this is yet another problem that outsourcing can solve. Learn how by reading this article.
FAQs
What’s the Difference Between Co-Managed Information Technology Services, and Fully Outsourced IT?
Co-managed information technology (IT) services are when you hire a third party to assist your existing in-house team with digital management tasks. Fully outsourced IT (also known as fully managed services) is when the MSP takes over everything.
What are the Benefits of Co-Managed IT?
Co-managed IT bridges the gap between your existing capacity and your digital needs. It provides just enough support and expertise to maintain steady growth, while still maintaining control.