Your business has begun to expand. Sales are up, new locations added, and there are now more helpdesk tickets than ever before. As your business scales, your technology needs grow more complex. Suddenly, your IT generalist who has seen your business through until now is overwhelmed and swiftly burning out. The natural reaction is often to hire more internal staff.
If, like many organizations, you’ve hit a “staffing ceiling” where the budget for a new full-time employee simply doesn’t match up with revenue growth, you may need to consider another option.
Maybe you’ve already put together a pro-con list to weigh up the benefits of hiring internally or partnering with co-managed IT services. We’ll outline the true costs of each approach: a Managed Service Provider (MSP) or expanding your internal team. This gives you all the information you’ll need to make the decision that is right for your business.
What Co-Managed IT Services Really Mean
Outsourcing your IT doesn’t mean that you need to say goodbye to the internal team that you’ve worked with for years. Co-managed IT services are designed to act as support for your existing staff, not a replacement.
In a co-managed model, an external MSP partners with your internal IT department. You share the responsibilities based on your specific needs and strengths.
Your internal team might handle daily user support and institutional knowledge, while the MSP handles backend infrastructure, security monitoring, and patching. This collaborative approach ensures your internal team isn’t bogged down by mundane maintenance, while the MSP ensures the lights stay on and the data stays secure.
The True Cost of Adding In-House IT Staff
When considering the cost of a new hire, your first thought is most likely the salary. However, there are many more elements to consider.
Direct Employment Costs
If you want to hire a qualified professional (and you do), then you need to consider payroll taxes, health insurance, retirement contributions, and other benefits.
Additionally, recruitment isn’t free. The average cost of an entry-level tech hire is between $8,000–$12,000. You are responsible for advertising costs, recruiter fees, and the internal cost of hours spent interviewing candidates. Once hired, you’ll also need to account for training expenses for your specific systems.
Indirect and Hidden Costs
The costs don’t stop there. There is a low productivity period while they learn about your environment. You also face the standard operational risks of vacation and sick leave. You are paying for that time, yet your IT coverage drops.
Then there is every recruiter’s nightmare: turnover. If that employee leaves after a year, your investment in their institutional knowledge walks out the door, and the cycle begins again.
How Co-Managed IT Services Reduce Overall Costs
Implementing co-managed IT services often proves to be the more financially wise choice as it smooths variable costs into predictable operational expenses.
Access to Specialized Expertise Without Full Salaries
No matter their training or experience, a single IT generalist cannot be an expert in everything. To cover cybersecurity, cloud architecture, and compliance, you might need three different specialists.
With co-managed IT services, you gain access to a whole team of experts.
Predictable Monthly Costs
With co-managed IT services, budgeting becomes a lot easier. Instead of unforeseen overtime costs or emergency contractor fees when a server crashes, you have a flat, predictable monthly rate.
This allows you to know exactly what your IT support will cost next quarter, no matter how many helpdesk tickets are submitted.
Reduced Tool and Platform Expenses
If the thought of taking out more licensing fees is giving you budget-anxiety, then consider an MSP. An MSP spreads the cost of enterprise-grade monitoring, ticketing, and security tools across its client base.
By partnering with them, you often gain access to a sophisticated technology stack, including remote monitoring and management (RMM) software and advanced cybersecurity tools, at a fraction of the cost of buying them yourself.
How Onboard IT Delivers Cost-Effective Co-Managed IT Services
At Onboard IT, we build flexible service models that work side-by-side with your staff so that you only pay for the support that fits your team’s needs. We provide transparent pricing and measurable outcomes, so you can see for yourself the benefit of co-managed IT services.
Whether you need us to handle the night shift monitoring or take over complicated security compliance, we’re here to help you get the most out of your IT.
Get the Most Out of Your IT Budget with Co-Managed IT Services
If you want a partner that will help you build a resilient, cost-effective IT strategy, then reach out to our team at Onboard IT today.
With Onboard IT, you’ll get the specialized expertise you need, with 24/7 network monitoring services that bring peace of mind. Your cybersecurity will be stronger than ever, and your internal team can get the support they deserve.
If your internal team is on the verge of burnout, and you’re ready to get expert support, then reach out to Onboard IT today to get your free consultation.
