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Information technology management is unquestionably a critical component of a successful business, no matter the size and scope. But exactly how that IT is managed depends on a variety of factors, including the size of your business and the capacities you have to manage technology in-house.
Businesses can go it alone or choose to bring a partner into the mix. But even with outsourcing like that, your company has two options: completely handing things over to the partner, or having your own existing IT team working alongside the partner and sharing responsibilities. Let’s take a closer look at fully managed IT vs. co-managed IT to break it down.
What is Fully Managed IT?
Just as it sounds, fully managed IT services are those that are provided by your outsourced partner completely, with no IT work completed by your own team — if you have one. Your business is trusting the fully managed IT support to take care of all your technology management needs, from setup to cybersecurity to troubleshooting and everything in between.
What is Co-Managed IT?
Think of a co-managed IT support system like a helping hand. You’ve been able to handle many technology tasks with your own team, but the business could really use some added assistance. A co-managed IT team lets your in-house team take control over the most critical tasks while the IT partner fills in any gaps along the way.
Which Businesses Should Go with Fully Managed IT?
Fully managed IT services are ideal for companies with 20 to 100 employees. These companies may be startups or other modest businesses with fairly limited resources when it comes to technology. In such cases, finding a highly reputable outsourced technology management partner to take full responsibility over the IT systems removes a heavy burden.
Let’s go with a startup example — say a new, small marketing agency with 20 employees. That agency could be staffed with brilliant marketing minds and writers, but do they have any IT experts on board? Fully managed IT in this case lets the agency staff strategize ways to get the word out for their clients while their technology management partner develops a technology strategy that aligns with their business goals. A dedicated virtual CIO (vCIO) will provide guidance and help come up with a sound technology management plan. From there, the vCIO and a team of technology experts handles network and device security and problem solving, plus any other tech issues that may arise.
Which Businesses May Best Benefit from Co-Managed IT?
Larger businesses have more resources and are thus more likely to have their own IT department. So, to put a number on this, we’d suggest that businesses with over 100 employees reach out to an outsourced technology management partner to lend their services as a support for the existing IT resources.
For example, a large manufacturer likely has its own in-house IT department to handle most of the technology tasks. But are the tasks too many or do you need a specialized skill set? Are updates and security issues falling through the cracks or getting pushed aside in favor of other technology-related projects? When time and resources are a problem, a co-managed IT partner can step in and offer support to ensure all bases are covered, creating more peace of mind.
In-Depth: Can My Business Afford Outsourced Technology Management?
Elevity’s Approach to Fully Managed and Co-Managed IT
We may be using the term “managed IT” in this blog, but what Elevity does goes beyond that. With us, you’re getting full-on technology management, offering a more holistic program, including strategy for your data, assets, security and more.
In everything we do, we apply our 4S approach: Strategy, Security, Solutions and Support.
4S in Full Technology Management
Strategy: A well-defined and proactive strategy is key in empowering your employees to let the experts deal with the tech while employees focus on achieving your goals.
Security: Protecting your critical data and leaving hackers in the dust, we use a multi-layer approach, all the way from training through Security Incident and Event Management (SIEM).
Solutions: We evaluate what will work best with your small business and offer a comprehensive roadmap focused on your productivity and security, so you can feel confident handing over the reins.
Support: Proactive onsite and remote support is always available. And even if there’s a calamity, we’ll respond with our reliable customer support and resolve the issue quickly.
4S in Co-Managed Technology Services
Strategy: Leverage Elevity’s expertise to supplement your efforts with technology roadmaps and other solutions geared toward achieving your business goals.
Security: Cyberattacks can be costly, and having outsourced cybersecurity experts gives businesses that much more power and resources for a solid cyberattack defense.
Solutions: We’re not just here to sell you any old thing. We’ll help you understand the issues and work alongside you and your IT team to develop technology solutions that work.
Support: Let us handle staff training, compliance or other concerns while your internal team works on the more critical issues. Consider us an expert assistant working by your side.
Elevity’s Non-Traditional Methods
We go about things in a much more robust way than old-school IT management. Our technology management tools and processes hit a more comprehensive level that offers solutions and support for crucial elements of a business’s technology infrastructure.
Our helpful infographic, Traditional IT vs Technology Management, provides a valuable side-by-side comparison. Click the link below to begin accessing your free copy today.
