Growing businesses rely on comprehensive, strategic IT services to keep efficiency up and compete in their markets. However, a small in-house IT department alone can find it challenging to meet the demand of a rapidly growing business, especially when both daily tasks and long-term strategy need constant attention.
Partnering with a professional Managed Service Provider (MSP) to supplement your IT department is an excellent way to enhance the productivity of your in-house team, reduce costs, minimize downtime, and ensure a long-term IT strategy that aligns with your business goals.
Here are six advantages of extending your IT department through partnering with an MSP for co-managed IT services.
1. A Team of Experts at Your Fingertips
Your in-house IT department, though undoubtedly valuable, will always have some limitations due to the size of your team, business hours, etc.
An MSP can help fill those limitations. When you partner with a managed service provider, you receive the resources of a company entirely dedicated to IT and the expertise of a whole team of seasoned technology professionals.
That means that if there are problems beyond your scope, questions regarding IT strategy, or simply more work than your team can currently take on, you have a partner to help take on the load.
You can rely on an MSP’s IT experts to help expand the scope and abilities of your in-house IT department by looking after daily maintenance tasks, providing 24/7 monitoring and help desk support, and working with you towards a long-term IT strategy through expert IT support services.
2. Increased Cost Efficiency
MSPs exist and are becoming increasingly popular because they can add greater value to your business IT at a lower cost than the full price of employing additional in-house staff.
When you need greater IT resources, an MSP is a more cost-effective solution because you get the added resources of a large team without the overhead costs that come with hiring a full-time salaried employee.
3. Tailored Project Consulting Services
An MSP is a perfect solution when you need extra support to get a new IT project off the ground, or if you find yourself swamped in the middle of a project and need additional resources.
An MSP that offers project management and project consulting services as part of a co-managed package can help you oversee and develop your project from its inception, or simply give you the extra manpower needed to complete the task.
4. Help with Daily Tasks and Support Requests
When working in combination with your in-house support team, MSPs can help complete daily support requests you just don’t have time for.
Whether you need help-desk services or IT support for your employees, MSPs can work under the coordination of your in-house IT department to take care of these essential (but time-consuming) tasks. This frees up your team to focus on more specialized tasks, strategic planning, and projects aimed at enhancing business growth.
One thing that an MSP may not have is the knowledge of your specific organization’s inner workings, tailored software, and unique processes.
That’s why the hybrid option of using co-managed services to combine expert support with the knowledge and expertise of your internal staff is such an attractive solution. A mixture of internal and external IT resources provides you with both the on-site, specialist support of your own IT department and the vast resources and supplemental aid of an MSP.
5. Aid in Updating Your IT Strategy
It can be challenging for a limited in-house team to focus on both daily tasks and strategic planning while also keeping up with the latest IT innovations and technologies. MSPs have particular knowledge regarding the new developments in the industry, and they know how to deploy such expertise to help you meet your business goals.
Additionally, they are comfortable with working in different industries and sectors, which offers you an experienced opinion from technicians with a breadth and depth of knowledge in combining IT strategy with business goals.
When you need help updating your IT strategy for long-term growth and success, a virtual Chief Information Officer (vCIO) can offer invaluable insights and help you create and implement a concrete plan. This service is not always included in an MSP’s basic package, but it is well worth investing additional resources in the long run.
6. A Chance for a Trial Run
Partnering with an MSP can be a significant (but very worthwhile) investment. That’s why many businesses use a hybrid IT solution as an opportunity to effectively test out an MSP’s services before deciding to expand those services further.
This solution represents a low risk to you because if the company you partner with doesn’t live up to its promises, you still have your own department to rely on. But if everything goes well, you can feel confident in investing even more fully in your IT knowing that it will expand your future growth.
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If you’re looking for an MSP to provide additional support to your IT department, contact us today to find out more about how we can help!
