WhitePaper: Exploring the Benefits of a Co-Managed IT Solution

Exploring the Benefits of a Co-Managed IT Solution

No matter the size of your business, it can’t exist without technology. If you’re an SME owner, it’s normal to shy away from the costs that come with hosting a fully-comprehensive in-house IT team. But you can’t shy away from the responsibilities that come with protecting your servers and your customers’ data. One way to achieve large corporation-style IT support on a small budget is to use a co-managed IT solution. You’ll still manage some of your IT functions in-house, but an external team will provide you with support. If you’re not sure whether the co-managed approach is right for you, it’s time to learn more about the benefits. You can increase productivity Have you ever found yourself facing the frustrations that come with network downtime outside of normal business hours? When your IT support team works on a 9 to 5 schedule, getting a hold of them when you’re working tirelessly to hit a tight deadline can feel impossible. In contrast, a lot of co-managed IT providers offer round-the-clock support. Being able to access your IT support team on a 24/7 basis comes with lots of perks. For example, if some of your team work remotely, they may do some of their work after hours. If they encounter a problem during non-office hours, they’ll have to delay their work. By using a co-managed IT solution, you ensure they have support no matter what time of day it is. As a result, they can return to work faster. Reducing your costs According to some estimates, IT spending is set to total $3.79 trillion in 2019. If you play a part in determining your business’s budget, you’re likely more than aware of how expensive IT can be. Unfortunately, as technology changes, your responsibilities go up. This means that IT spending isn’t something you can cut back on too much, otherwise, you may invite security risks into your business. “…IT spending is set to total $3.79 trillion in 2019.” – Gartner 3 | Exploring the Benefits of a Co-Managed IT Solution When you use a co-managed IT solution, you get all the security perks for a fraction of the price. By outsourcing, you no longer need to finance the overheads that come with having full-time staff. Additionally, you don’t need to shoulder the additional costs of hiring them, such as healthcare and other benefits. With such excellent cost reductions, co-managed IT is a great way to save money. Ample amounts of security In a lot of business areas, cost-cutting is synonymous with reducing quality. If you save money by outsourcing your IT to a co-managed solution provider, you’re getting high-quality security in return. Cybercrime costs businesses a lot of money. In 2019 alone, cyberattacks were set to result in $2-trillion worth of losses. If you don’t want your organization to become a part of those statistics, you need to provide it with plenty of protection. When you use a co-managed IT service, you’re gaining round-the-clock security. Depending on the type of services you choose, this means that someone is always looking out for potential attacks and vulnerabilities. As a result, there’s a reduced chance of cybercriminals successfully launching an attack against your business while you sleep. Rapid incident response plans When your IT infrastructure is central to your business’s success, the last thing you need is expensive downtime. As data downtime costs around $9,000 per incident, you can’t afford to be without an effective response plan. Your co-managed IT support team can help you create an incident response plan. By examining the circumstances unique to your business, they’ll increase the likelihood of your plan being effective. Additionally, they’ll make sure the plan unfolds seamlessly so you can reduce the likelihood of facing significant costs when a disaster hits. “In 2019 alone, cyberattacks were set to result in $2-trillion worth of losses.” – CPO Magazine 4 | Exploring the Benefits of a Co-Managed IT Solution Patch management that frees your time How much software does your organization depend on? The chances are, you can’t get throughout the day without a dozen or so programs. In order for each program to function securely, they require updates. All software programs are released with vulnerabilities, but it isn’t until they’re running that the vulnerabilities become clear. When the vulnerabilities are known, the software provider releases patches. Those patches come in the form of updates. If you don’t manage them, you may be providing cyberattackers with a port of entry. When you use a co-managed IT solution, they’ll provide patch management. If someone else is overseeing your patches for you, you have more time to attend to other areas of your business. Additionally, you won’t need to worry about missing important security updates that keep your network safe. Using the cloud in a compliant manner With most businesses using cloud technology in some way or another, virtual data storage isn’t unusual. However, every time you embrace a new cloud platform, you need to make sure you’re compliant. As the rules surrounding compliance change, you need to check your usage to make sure you’re not in breach of any new laws. 5 | Exploring the Benefits of a Co-Managed IT Solution When IT isn’t your primary job, staying up-to-date with compliance legislation isn’t always feasible. If you use a co-managed service, your service provider can achieve all this for you. As a result, you will be able to avoid data losses and fines that could seriously hurt your bottom line. A flexible IT solution Finally, turning to a co-managed service rather than doing everything in house means you’re embracing a flexible IT solution. You can increase and decrease the amount of support you have without having to go through an arduous hiring process. Depending on the organization you use, you may be able to increase your usage with short notice. When you use co-managed IT services, you’re achieving top-notch tech support without the hefty price tag. Now all you need to do is find the right service provider for your organization. Contact Us 2026 East Phelps Springfield, MO 65802 (417) 831-1700 sales@pcnetinc.com