How Co-Managed IT Services Delivered $150,000 in Annual Savings for a Manufacturing Company

Cambridge Air Solutions is a leader in industrial HVAC systems, specializing in semi-custom solutions for large-scale, high-bay facilities such as warehouses, manufacturing plants, and industrial operations. With over 40,000 installations across 2.5 billion square feet of space, their solutions deliver 20 to 70% energy savings in certain applications.

Before partnering with Pearl Solutions Group, Cambridge’s IT support was spread across multiple vendors, which added complexity to managing day-to-day operations. With a limited IT team supporting more than 125 users across two locations, their IT leaders were looking for deeper M365 expertise and a partner who could help them co-manage the helpdesk function more effectively.

In January 2024, Cambridge partnered with Pearl to implement co-managed IT support. Within 12 months, they achieved $150,000 in annual IT savings while improving security posture and operational efficiency.

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The Challenge: When IT Support Becomes Fragmented

Cambridge faced challenges common to organizations with lean IT teams and growth ambitions.

According to their Director of IT Solutions, Becky Patel: “We wanted to consolidate our IT support and needed expertise in M365.”

The specific issues included:

• IT support spread across multiple vendors
• Need for deeper M365 expertise
• Limited internal IT resources managing 125+ users across two locations
• Need for a partner to help co-manage the helpdesk function

These challenges aren’t unique to Cambridge. Organizations with lean IT teams often struggle to balance day-to-day support with strategic initiatives, particularly when technology expertise needs exceed internal capacity.

Understanding Co-Managed IT Support

Co-managed IT differs from traditional managed services. Instead of replacing your IT team, a co-managed model extends it, providing additional capacity, specialized expertise, and structured support while your internal team maintains strategic control.

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The Pearl Solution: Six Key Components

Beginning in January 2024, Pearl Solutions Group introduced a co-managed support model for Cambridge. The approach included six core elements:

1. Multi-Tiered Co-Managed Helpdesk with Transparent Ticketing Access

We provided Cambridge full visibility into the ticketing system, allowing seamless co-management of issues. This transparency eliminated the “black box” problem common with traditional vendor relationships.

2. Structured Workflows Using the RACI Framework

The RACI framework (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) is a responsibility assignment matrix used in project management to clarify roles and eliminate confusion.

In IT support environments, RACI helps define:

• Who executes specific tasks (Responsible)
• Who has final approval authority (Accountable)
• Who provides input (Consulted)
• Who needs status updates (Informed)

For co-managed IT partnerships, this framework prevents the coordination problems that arise when internal and external teams work together. Pearl implemented RACI-based workflows with weekly alignment meetings to ensure both teams stayed synchronized.

3. M365 License Review

Pearl conducted a comprehensive review of Cambridge’s Microsoft 365 licenses, identifying opportunities to reduce unnecessary costs.

Microsoft 365 licensing is complex, with multiple tiers (E1, E3, E5, Business Basic, Business Standard) and numerous add-ons. Industry data shows that 56% of enterprise M365 licenses are inactive, underutilized, or oversized. Organizations often purchase premium licenses for all users when many only need basic functionality.

A typical M365 optimization review examines:

• License assignment vs. actual feature usage
• Opportunities to downgrade oversized licenses
• Unused add-ons (Power BI Pro, Visio, Project)
• Inactive or duplicate licenses

For Cambridge, this review identified significant cost reduction opportunities without impacting user productivity.

4. Standardized Security Settings

Pearl standardized security configurations across:

• Microsoft 365
• DUO multi-factor authentication
• Active Directory

Standardization improves security posture while reducing management complexity. Instead of managing multiple configurations across different systems, a unified approach makes it easier to enforce policies and respond to threats.

5. Consistent Asset Tagging

Pearl implemented consistent asset tagging for improved device management. Proper asset management provides visibility into hardware inventory, software deployment, and lifecycle planning—essential for organizations managing IT across multiple locations.

6. Data Center Migration

Early in the engagement, Pearl completed a cost-saving data center migration. This strategic infrastructure change delivered operational cost savings while improving system reliability.

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The Results: Measurable Impact Within 12 Months

Within the first year, Pearl’s proactive approach delivered measurable results for Cambridge:

• $150,000 in annual IT savings from license optimization and operational efficiencies.
• Seamless IT collaboration with transparency into tickets, clear workflows, and ongoing weekly alignment.
• Improved security posture with standardized policies and proactive monitoring.
• Operational cost savings through a strategic data center migration.
• Cambridge’s lean IT team freed up to focus on strategic projects that support business growth.

According to Becky Patel, Director of IT Solutions at Cambridge Air Solutions: “We wanted to consolidate our IT support and needed expertise in M365, and Pearl delivered beyond our expectations. They provided us with full visibility to their ticketing system, allowing seamless co-management of issues. Our account managers’ commitment to continuous improvement and proactive approach has led to a $150,000 annual savings for our IT department. Pearl’s customizable, best-practice-driven approach makes them a top-tier partner that truly adapts to our business needs.”

Understanding Co-Managed IT Service Costs

Organizations evaluating co-managed IT services often ask about cost structures and ROI potential.

Industry research shows that companies adopting managed services experience average cost savings of 25%, with some achieving reductions of 40 to 60%. A CompTIA survey found that 50% of businesses partnering with an MSP experienced annual IT savings between 1 to 24%, 33% saved 25 to 49%, and 13% achieved savings exceeding 50%.

The value proposition extends beyond cost reduction:

• Access to specialized expertise without full-time hiring costs
• Scalable support that adjusts to business needs
• Predictable monthly costs vs. variable vendor bills
• Enterprise-grade tools and security at a fraction of in-house implementation costs

For Cambridge, the $150,000 in annual savings came through co-managed support that provided both cost efficiency and operational improvement.

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Cambridge’s Next Steps: vCISO Program

Cambridge is now advancing through Pearl’s vCISO program, which includes compliance readiness, vulnerability scanning, and penetration testing. This initiative strengthens their long-term security and ensures IT resilience as their business continues to scale.

The partnership continues to evolve, with Pearl serving as both a trusted advisor and an extension of Cambridge’s IT team.

Key Takeaways for IT Leaders

Organizations evaluating co-managed IT services can learn from Cambridge’s experience:

1. Transparency enables collaboration: Full visibility into ticketing and workflows is essential for effective co-managed partnerships
2. M365 optimization delivers measurable savings: Industry data shows most organizations have 20-30% savings available through license right-sizing
3. Process frameworks prevent coordination problems: RACI or similar methodologies clarify responsibilities when internal and external teams work together
4. Security and cost reduction aren’t mutually exclusive: Standardization improves both outcomes
5. Proactive account management drives continuous improvement: Regular reviews identify new opportunities as the partnership matures

Cambridge’s $150,000 in annual savings resulted from systematic improvements across multiple areas—transparent co-managed support, M365 optimization, security standardization, and proactive account management.

Is Co-Managed IT Right for Your Organization?

Co-managed IT works best when:

• You have an internal IT team that needs extension, not replacement
• Your organization is growing but IT headcount isn’t keeping pace
• You’re paying for IT capabilities you’re not fully utilizing
• You need specialized expertise (M365, security, compliance) that’s expensive to hire full-time
• You want predictable IT costs instead of variable vendor bills

If these conditions describe your situation, a co-managed approach could deliver similar results to what Cambridge achieved.

Partner with Pearl Solutions Group for Co-Managed IT

For more than 30 years, Pearl Solutions Group has delivered secure, reliable IT solutions that help organizations protect data, empower people, and simplify technology. We specialize in managed and co-managed IT services, cybersecurity, and compliance readiness.

Our approach is defined by proactive support and lasting partnerships. We don’t just provide IT services—we give clients confidence that their systems are secure, their teams supported, and their business prepared for what’s next.

Ready to explore how co-managed IT can reduce costs and improve efficiency for your organization?

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