Posted on March 14, 2025March 14, 2025

If your internal IT team is overwhelmed, there’s no time to waste. Whether they’re swamped with too many tickets or struggling to keep up with larger initiatives, your organizational efficiency and security are at risk when your IT department can’t keep up. One solution many companies turn to in this situation is co-managed IT services—a partnership where businesses retain their in-house IT team while adding a Managed Service Provider (MSP) to work alongside them. But before signing on the dotted line, you must consider one extremely important question: 

What makes a good co-managed IT partner?

Not all IT providers know how to work alongside an internal team. And the wrong partner can cause added confusion, disrupt your workflow, or leave you overwhelmed trying to manage all the egos in the room.

As someone who has partnered with a wide variety of businesses, RTS has seen what works and where partnerships fall apart. So, to give you some guidance, in this blog, we’ll cover:

• The most common challenges businesses face with co-managed IT.

• What a great co-managed IT partner really looks like.

• Red flags to watch out for before signing an agreement.

• How to ensure a smooth, productive partnership between your IT team and your MSP.

Hopefully, with this guide, you’ll be able to identify a solid partner, and put your IT department in a better position to meet your needs.

What Is Co-Managed IT?

Unlike fully managed services, where an MSP takes over everything, co-managed services are a partnership. It’s a hybrid approach to IT management where your internal IT team collaborates with an external Managed Service Provider (MSP) to share responsibilities, resources, and expertise. Essentially, your business will retain some control and responsibility while gaining access to the specialized tools, knowledge, and support of an MSP.

When Do You Need Co-Managed Services?

Businesses typically turn to co-managed IT when:

Your Internal IT Team is Stretched Too Thin

Essentially, there’s too much work and not enough time. This typically happens when you hit 100+ employees but don’t have enough IT staff to handle the increase in the amount of users. Common indicators of an overwhelmed IT team include slow response times, unresolved tickets, increased downtime, security vulnerabilities, and compliance risks.

You Have Skill Gaps

Even though you have experts of your own on staff, certain scenarios may call for added expertise and professional consulting in cybersecurity, cloud management, or other areas. Specialized knowledge can be crucial for protecting against new and evolving threats, managing complex cloud migrations, or ensuring compliance with ever-changing regulations like HIPAA or GDPR.

You Want to Improve Your IT Strategy

If you need an expertly devised long-term roadmap, not just a few quick fixes, the right MSP partner can help bring some strategic expertise to the conversation and assist you in aligning your technological goals with your overall business strategy.

Essentially, this setup is for companies that need more support, better strategy, and a way to scale IT operations efficiently.

Key Benefits of Co-Managed IT

Some of the major benefits of a co-managed solution are:

Collaborative Partnership

In the right scenario, co-managed IT fosters a collaborative synergy, where your in-house team and the MSP complement each other’s strengths to multiply your capabilities. It allows your internal IT staff to focus on what they do best, while the MSP provides you with additional bandwidth, specialized skills, and proactive support. The result is a stronger, more agile IT ecosystem for your business without the burden of constant hiring and training.

Flexible Support

With co-managed services, you can also customize your IT support by deciding which functions you’ll handle internally and which to delegate to the MSP. This means you get targeted assistance exactly where it’s needed, ensuring added efficiency without unnecessary spending.

Scalability & Expertise

As the demands on your internal staff fluctuate, you can also scale your level of support quickly, ensuring that you have the right skill sets at the right time. This is particularly useful for handling complex projects and implementing new technologies without overwhelming your internal IT staff.

Cost-Effective & Efficient

By leveraging an MSP’s expertise and resources, you can also reduce all those overhead costs associated with hiring, training, and retaining more IT staff. This improves your overall IT efficiency and security while optimizing your IT spending.

Common Pitfalls in Co-Managed IT Partnerships

If done right, co-managed IT can transform your business. But not every partnership runs smoothly. Here are the biggest reasons why, from what we’ve seen, co-managed IT partnerships fail due to:

Unclear Responsibilities

If there’s no clear division of responsibilities, things fall through the cracks. Your internal IT department assumes the MSP will handle something, while the MSP assumes IT has it covered.

Miscommunication

Even if you solve the above, these responsibilities need to be clear to every person within the structure of your organization—not just IT staff. If, for example, end users don’t know whether to go to internal IT or the MSP for help with a ticket, it can create a frustrating situation full of delays and lost productivity.

A Lack of Collaboration

With multiple teams involved, everyone needs to have a good working relationship to ensure they can get on the same page and work for the ultimate goals of your business. When internal IT, leadership, and the MSP aren’t on the same page, problems get exacerbated due to misalignment and mismanagement.

The Fear Factor: “Are They After My Job?”

Over the years, we’ve witnessed many business owners not take the time to explain why, suddenly, outside support is being brought in. They assume their IT department will be thanking their lucky stars, but in some cases, this just isn’t true. If they haven’t been consulted or, at the very least, notified, internal IT staff can see an MSP as a threat rather than a resource.

If you don’t address these fears, internal resistance can make collaboration difficult. If IT staff sees the MSP as competition rather than support, they may push back against the partnership, making everybody’s jobs more difficult.

What A Well-Structured Partnership Looks Like

A successful co-managed IT relationship doesn’t just happen, it’s built on clarity, communication, and a shared mission. Here are five key hallmarks of a great co-managed IT partnership:

Clear Role Definitions

Everyone knows who handles what. Ideal setups divide responsibilities effectively—your internal IT team might handle help desk services, while the MSP focuses on IT infrastructure management, cybersecurity, or strategic planning. A great MSP should help you leverage your existing internal resources while providing additional support where you need it most.

Seamless Communication and Collaboration

Regular updates, shared workflows, and clear escalation paths can ensure your internal IT and the MSP work as one team. Without structured communication, things fall through the cracks.

A Streamlined Ticketing and Support System

End users should have a simple, straightforward way to submit tickets, whether handled internally or by the MSP.

No Competition, Just Support

A good co-managed IT partner doesn’t undermine your internal team; it empowers them to focus on what they do best.

What to Look for in a Co-Managed IT Partner

Not all MSPs are created equal. A co-managed IT partner isn’t just there to take tickets; they should seamlessly integrate with your internal IT team and bring real value to your business.

Here’s how to identify a great co-managed IT partner:

Clear Communication & Transparency

They can detail expectations upfront, define responsibilities, and have a plan to ensure smooth collaboration between your internal IT team and MSP staff.

A True Partnership Mindset

They have a plan for how best to support your IT team, not compete with them. A strong MSP enhances your IT operations without making internal staff feel like they’re being replaced.

Strategic Thinking, Not Just Support

Your MSP shouldn’t just be there to put out fires. A great co-managed IT provider can offer you tailored solutions that align with your long-term business goals.

Flexible & Customizable Services

Every business has specific needs. A strong MSP can offer tailored service models, providing everything from onsite support to remote IT management based on your specific requirements.

A Proven Track Record

An experienced MSP can show you case studies, testimonials, or references from businesses with which they have successfully formed a co-managed IT partnership before.

Does your internal IT department need some support?

Services like co-managed partnerships can hurt more than they help if you have a provider who can’t seamlessly integrate themselves into your current setup. With extensive experience in forming harmonious co-managed partnerships, RTS has the background and expertise to quickly alleviate IT overload.

If you’re considering co-managed IT services and want a partner who will enhance, not replace, your IT team, reach out today to see how our experience with co-managed IT can give your business a boost.

Contact Krister Dunn at kristerd@reliabletechnology.co to get the conversation started.