One of the great challenges of remote work is that at-home employees are quite likely to encounter technical problems they can’t resolve themselves. They need responsive IT support to remain productive, but only the largest organizations are likely to have the resources necessary to provide around-the-clock remote support for scattered workforces.
For many organizations, co-managed IT support services provide an essential lifeline.
In co-managed IT arrangements, a managed services provider (MSP) will supplement your own IT staff in an arrangement that is more like a partnership than an outsourcing arrangement. According to one recent study, nearly 60 percent of IT channel respondents reported that the adoption of co-managed IT services has increased since 2020.
Like conventional MSP models, co-managed services provide additional manpower and expertise to help customers address their IT requirements. Unlike other models, however, the co-managed approach will give you a much greater degree of control. Your own IT team maintains full oversight of the arrangement, directing external staff on whatever tasks are necessary to meet your particular needs.
Experience Matters
The model can be particularly effective for remote support. In most cases, MSPs have been providing remote network support to customers for years. As a result, they have a deep understanding of distributed networks and have already invested in leading-edge remote monitoring and management tools.
In addition, MSPs can provide your remote workforce with on-call expertise on the deployment and use of cloud, collaboration and other emerging technologies. They will also provide after-hours support, conduct proactive maintenance, troubleshoot network access issues, apply patches and install security updates.
Most organizations are clamoring for such assistance because they simply aren’t equipped to meet the needs of large numbers of remote workers. In most organizations, IT support processes were designed for onsite employees using company-owned equipment that is generally consistent in terms of manufacturer, operating system and installed applications.
In a work-from-home environment, IT must support a wide range of user-owned devices that probably don’t meet corporate standards. Help desk staff may have to spend considerable time getting familiar with operating system versions, patch levels and other details before even attempting to troubleshoot problems.
Boosting Morale
Such challenges are taking their toll. In a recent HP study, 83 percent of organizations say supporting remote and hybrid operations is creating a burden for their IT staff. Meanwhile, a Wakefield Research study found that 97 percent of IT pros say they are experiencing burnout, with 70 percent reporting they are likely to look for another job in the next 12 months. Most say they are considering leaving the industry entirely.
Offloading remote support to an MSP can provide an immediate morale boost for stressed-out internal IT staff. It will relieve them of many time-intensive troubleshooting tasks and allow them to apply their time and talents in more rewarding ways while helping the company operate more effectively and efficiently.
Remote and hybrid work are here to stay, but the challenges of providing tech support across widely dispersed locations is frustrating for both remote employees and resource-strapped IT teams. A co-managed IT services engagement is a cost-efficient way to access the manpower and skillsets needed, without relinquishing control of critical technology assets. Contact us here for a free consultation to see if a co-managed services arrangement is right for your organization.
