Managing your company’s IT infrastructure entirely in-house can work well–until it doesn’t. Maybe your internal team is stretched too thin, dealing with endless tickets and reactive issues instead of big-picture strategy. If that’s the case, you may be seeing staff turnover in that department or experiencing delays with projects. Or maybe your business has grown faster than your tech support can keep up, and your team feels like they’re having to reinvent the wheel every other day. It’s a common spot to be in, and there’s a smart middle ground that more businesses are turning to: a co-managed IT model.
We work with organizations that want to keep their trusted in-house staff but recognize that they need more manpower–or specialized expertise–than their existing department can realistically provide.
What is co-managed IT anyway?
Co-managed IT is a flexible arrangement, tailored to your company’s needs, where your internal IT team works together with an external Managed Services Provider (MSP). This allows you to keep your existing IT staff focused on what they do best and offload other responsibilities, whether that’s cybersecurity, infrastructure management, strategic planning, or network monitoring. Co-managed IT isn’t about replacing your team. It’s a collaborative approach that supports them, fills gaps, and gives them time to focus on projects that utilize their strengths.
Steps for a smooth transition
- Start with an honest conversation
Before bringing in an MSP, talk openly with your internal team and ask them:
- What’s eating up most of your time?
- What projects keep getting pushed aside?
- Where do you wish you had more support or expertise?
This creates buy-in from your staff. No one likes a surprise that might feel like a takeover. It also helps define which services your MSP partner should handle.
- Identify your pain points
Many companies move to a co-managed model because of common issues like:
- Reactive fire-fighting instead of proactive strategies
- Lack of capacity for cybersecurity maintenance and monitoring
- Inability to scale efficiently
- Challenges hiring and retaining IT talent
- Find the right partner
A successful co-managed partnership is built on trust and transparency. Look for a Managed Services Provider that:
- Has experience in your industry
- Offers flexible, tailored agreements with clearly defined roles and responsibilities
- Is proactive about sharing tools, documentation, and training
What are the benefits of co-managed IT?
There are many reasons why a hybrid solution can be a win-win for both your business and your IT team. A strong co-managed partnership allows you to leverage your MSP’s experience to address challenges that fall outside your in-house staff’s wheelhouse. In a co-managed model, your firm essentially gets on-demand IT talent, giving you the ability to scale efficiently without hiring new staff. This prevents your IT team from being stretched too thin, without having to expand headcount.
For example, an engineering firm might offload specialized IT tasks to its MSP partner, asking them to handle 24/7 network monitoring, threat detection and security audits, allowing the internal team to focus on design projects and client work. Meanwhile, you get the peace of mind that comes with having extra eyes on your systems, stronger cybersecurity, and access to a deep bench of experts. Or you might utilize your MSP to conduct an audit on your existing systems and create a roadmap to IT maturity. Co-managed IT supplements your existing team with flexible help, leaving you with more bandwidth–without sacrificing control.
At Nessit, we see ourselves as an extension of your team, not a replacement. It’s the best of both worlds–extra support when you need it, without sacrificing control. If you think co-managed IT services could be the right fit for you, we’d love to have a conversation. Get in touch to learn how Nessit can support your in-house team to build a stronger tech foundation for your business.