How SMEs Can Address the IT Skills Gap With Co-Managed Solutions

Co-managed IT allows organizations to determine which managed IT solutions to handle in-house and which to outsource. A third-party firm provides up-to-date services while the business continues to benefit from the convenience of in-house staff. So, how can co-managed IT be the solution to the IT skills gap?

According to a 2017 survey, approximately 75% of IT teams report talent shortages. Most firms don’t have a problem hiring low-level IT staff, but finding specialized IT skills is becoming more challenging every year.

Training or hiring IT staff can be time-consuming and expensive. The existing skills shortage means the organization will overwork the few employees with the right qualifications.

A co-managed IT solution offers the organization an option to partner with an external provider. If there is a rise in demand, the business can rely on a co-managed IT provider and save time.

The knowledge gap can also be challenging for businesses working on a new IT roadmap. Emerging technologies may demand skills beyond the capacity of the in-house IT team. It may overwhelm staff who are already occupied with the day-to-day running of the business.

The organization can benefit by working with an MSP with professionals to fill the skills gap. By partnering with a co-managed service, SMEs can avoid technical bottlenecks that may delay a product launch.

MSPs not only retain specialized IT professionals, but they also have enterprise tools that are not typically available to SMEs. By working with an MSP, small businesses can access a wide range of tools at a fraction of the cost.

Amongst other services, a co-managed IT partner can provide Smart AI network monitoring and database management. Leading corporations develop such tools in-house, but SMEs can now access them through a co-managed partnership.

Frequent network downtimes can be devastating for small businesses. Statistics suggest that 50% of customers will abandon the service if they wait more than five minutes.

As such, SMEs should plan ahead to deal with outages as quickly as possible. A co-managed service like ManagePoint can provide round-the-clock support.

Even if the organization has in-house skills, the MSP can cover vacations and sick days. That way, the business can provide reliable services to customers.

In another skills-gap survey, 35% of respondents cited cybersecurity as their chief IT shortage concern. With increasing cybersecurity incidents, many small businesses are vulnerable to attacks.

Partnering with a co-managed IT service is one of the best solutions for small organizations. Businesses can delegate critical functions such as endpoint protection, mobile device management, and event monitoring. MSPs offer enterprise-level tools and specialized skills to secure the firm’s network and customer information.

Partnering with an MSP involves more than just piling up services to outsource. It is a mutually beneficial relationship that facilitates business growth for small businesses. If you need a dedicated IT partner with years of experience, contact ManagePoint for more information today.