When your business runs on technology (and whose doesn’t?) you need to be confident that your IT team has the expertise and bandwidth to do everything that needs to be done. Whether you have an internal IT manager and staff, or someone “good with technology” overseeing IT, there can come a time when you’re not convinced that what they can provide is enough.
This puts your organization in a precarious position because when the balls start to drop, you’re going to suffer the impact. Impacts like downtime, employee and customer frustration, loss of competitive advantage, and even cyber-attacks.
The good news is that you don’t need to suffer. You have options that will pull in all the IT and cybersecurity management services that your business needs to survive and thrive.
The option that you choose depends on the size of your business, the level of internal IT resources you have, and your preference for whether you want to hold on to none or part of the responsibility for hiring and training IT personnel or not.
See where you fit in as we explain the differences between all-inclusive and partial managed IT services.
All-Inclusive Managed IT Services
What this is:
All of your IT and cybersecurity management services are provided by an outsourced company. You get access to a whole IT department of expertise plus the services of a Virtual Chief Information Officer (vCIO) to guide you through the process of creating an IT strategy that allows you to plan and budget for the future.
Who this is for:
This situation is great for small to medium-sized companies that have sophisticated technology needs or want to make sure that they’re leveraging technology in all the best possible ways. This type of outsourcing completely removes the burden of having to hire, train and manage IT staff.
Co-Managed IT Services – IT Infrastructure
What this is:
Management and maintenance of your IT infrastructure (onsite or in the cloud) is handled by an outsourced company. The outsourced company understands both your IT environment and your business, and frees up your internal staff to work with users and projects that support your business goals.
Who this is for:
This situation is best for organizations that have internal staff but need to fill gaps in IT expertise. They prefer that their onsite staff be available to work with users and special projects.
Co-Managed IT Services – Service Desk
What this is:
Service or help desk services are provided by an outsourced company. While the outsourced company takes care of Level I requests and fixes, the internal team manages infrastructure and the overall IT function of the business including IT strategy.
Who this is for:
This situation works best for medium to large businesses that have highly skilled IT staff who can bring more value to the organization by pursuing higher level activities but want a fast response time for user issues.
Co-Managed Cybersecurity Services
What this is:
All of your cybersecurity services are provided by an outsourced company. By augmenting your internal or small outsourced IT team, you get all of the services needed to set up a strong cyber defense, including guidance for cybersecurity strategy and regulatory compliance.
Related: 5 Signs That It’s Time to Outsource Cybersecurity
Who this is for:
This situation works best for large companies that have a strong IT management team but need a higher level of cybersecurity. Additionally, small and medium-sized companies that already outsource IT but have sophisticated needs for compliance will benefit from outsourced cybersecurity services.
Relationship Management a Must
Whatever direction you go –all-inclusive or partial IT and cybersecurity services – you should expect the vendor to dedicate the resources that are needed to understand your business and the requirements of your unique IT environment.
Open communication will be vital to developing and maintaining your relationship. Lack of an account manager dedicated to your business would be a red flag that you might not get the level of collaboration that you need to be successful.
Outsourced Managed IT Services for Small Businesses
Bellwether has been helping New Orleans businesses leverage technology for business growth and security for more than 40 years. Contact us to schedule a free IT assessment. We’ll help you identify gaps that are slowing you down or increasing your cyber risk, and help you explore which outsourced IT option makes sense for your unique situation.
