When you need IT help, it’s typically no secret that you need it. The C-level knows it. The IT people know it. Now, if you could only get everyone on the same page about bringing in co-managed IT services.
As a leader in your company, you understand that everything will go better if there’s buy-in from those involved. The problem could be that your IT manager thinks the solution to all your IT problems is hiring more people, while you know that outsourcing is the answer.
So how do you get everyone on the same page? Let’s take a look.
- Change the Way You Talk About the Problem
- Cover All Your IT Bases with Co-Managed IT Services
- Filling Every IT Department Role
Change the Way You Talk About the Problem
The first step is to think about how you’re talking about the problem. Do your conversations revolve around IT tasks that need to get done? Or are they about what you want technology to do for the business?
Start talking about the role you want technology to play in meeting your strategic goals. Then, weave in discussions about how your IT manager (and internal team if you have one) can be more successful when IT has a higher purpose.
When you get to the point where you can ask, “What needs to change to make this reality?” you can introduce the idea of a new approach to IT and cybersecurity management -- one that covers all the bases.
Talking about the desire for a new approach removes the need for your people to come up with all the answers themselves. It also makes the whole initiative less threatening, which is needed to take people out of defensive mode and stir up a spirit of cooperation. Then you describe what the new approach looks like.
🔎 Related: 3 Ways Co-Managed IT Services Help IT Departments Be More Successful
Cover All Your IT Bases with Co-Managed IT Services
You’ve already talked about your desire for IT to be strategic, which is what managed IT services is all about. It’s about using IT as a propeller to fuel your business success. The path to this outcome includes proactive and reactive components, IT strategy, and continuous improvement with security intertwined through everything.
Here’s what that looks like:
- Proactive IT Management – Monitors the health of your network and prevents issues from becoming big problems.
- Reactive IT – Fast response to support requests for individuals and widespread issues.
- IT Strategy – Executive-level guidance for planning and budgeting for IT needs.
- IT Projects – Planning and implementation of IT improvements.
- Cybersecurity Management – All of the activities necessary to identify, protect, detect, respond and recover from cyber threats.
Filling Every IT Department Role
When it comes down to it, your new approach to IT requires the services of a whole IT department. If you sense some discomfort from your internal IT staff when you start talking about all of the areas of IT that need to be filled, don’t worry. The discomfort likely comes from the realization that they can’t do everything themselves.
This is where you take the burden off your IT manager as you ask – Where do you see yourself fitting in here?
Remember the point of changing your approach to IT? It’s so your company and your internal IT people can become more successful. Partnering with a co-managed IT service provider will do just that.
Co-managed IT services is the recipe for a win-win-win scenario
- Your company gets an IT department that can cover all the bases.
- Your internal IT people get to do what they do best.
- Executives can use technology to move the business forward.
🔎 Related: Co-Managed IT: Who Does What?
Time for an Introduction?
Here at Accent, we act as the co-managed IT partner for companies just like yours. Introduce us to your IT manager, and we can all sit down and discuss what co-managed IT services might look like for your company.
We’ll learn about your strengths and challenges and explore how we can fill in all the gaps so you can get the business results you envision. Schedule a time to chat today!
