If something goes wrong with your business’s devices or network, you need to have a professional fix them right away. Break-fix IT is usually what many small businesses choose, although this method isn’t the best fit for everyone.
Break-fix IT Model is unique because you only receive service when something goes wrong. In most cases, you’ll need service before it reaches that point. In this article, we’ll cover why break-fix IT might not be the best option for you.
1. You Need Proactive IT
First of all, most businesses benefit more from having proactive IT services. Having a managed IT provider gives you access to the IT you need anytime. Since you can’t know for sure when something can go wrong with your computers, it’s best to have a team available.
Plus, proactive IT allows you to stop issues before they start. You won’t have to worry about problems because the team takes care of them immediately. Break-fix IT won’t do this for you- they only appear when something’s already broken.
Managed service providers even handle system updates, installs, and network maintenance so you can focus on other areas of your business that need you more. Break-fix IT teams won’t manage those for you.
Overall, having proactive IT is best. You’ll have a constant system and device coverage, so you won’t have to worry about something breaking. And, even if they do, someone will already be on the scene to fix it.
2. You Don’t Want Unanticipated Costs
Next, break-fix IT isn’t for you if you don’t want unpredictable costs. It’s a lot harder to create a budget for break-fix IT because you won’t need these services unless something goes wrong- which you don’t want to happen in the first place.
Break-fix IT professionals won’t charge you a monthly fee; they only charge when they have to make repairs. However, this makes IT a lot harder to set a budget for.
With a managed service, your business will have a monthly bill that’s always the same price. It’s much more predictable, and you receive standard and emergency technical support coverage. You can easily factor the cost into your budget since it should always be the same.
If you have an emergency and use break-fix IT, it might cost more than expected. You’ll want to use other services if your budget can’t handle unpredictable expenses.
3. You Need an IT Strategy
Break-fix teams don’t offer long-term strategies. If you want strategic IT support, break-fix IT isn’t for you. A good IT strategy involves how technology works to help you meet your business goals. Having the support you need is essential, and professionals can manage these tasks for you over the long term.
You won’t want to keep bringing the break-fix team to repair the same issues repeatedly. Consistent IT maintenance means you won’t get a charge whenever something needs fixing. Plus, the pros will handle it without you having to ask them first.
Without a strategy, you never know when your business’s website will crash. In an emergency, you’ll want help immediately. While break-fix IT would sound good in an emergency, you won’t know how long it’ll take for the team to arrive. Many other businesses might have a crisis that called in before you.
When you have an IT team in place already, you’ll receive help when you need it. They’ll have an IT strategy to keep things running smoothly and are always available to assist in emergencies.
4. You Want Consistent Productivity
Break-fix IT can’t offer you consistent productivity as managed support does. When your network goes down, your productivity suffers. You’ll have to wait for the break-fix technician to arrive, become familiar with your system, then complete the repair. It doesn’t help that you might receive a different person each time there’s an emergency.
During this time, your business can’t be very productive. You won’t be able to interact with customers or provide them with your services. Plus, you continue losing money until the system’s back up and running. Depending on what went wrong, your workers might lose access to communication too.
You don’t want to waste time while your business is on pause. Instead, you should choose a managed team to provide consistent productivity. They’re already on the scene when something goes wrong, so you won’t have to wait nearly as long for things to return to normal.
In short, you won’t want break-fix IT if you don’t want to harm your brand’s productivity. It can sometimes take hours to get a system back to where it was, especially if you don’t receive a quick response.
5. You Want System Monitoring
Lastly, break-fix IT isn’t for anyone who also wants system monitoring. Other IT technicians provide monitoring, allowing them to stop problems before they start. Break-fix IT doesn’t offer to monitor your systems. Instead, break-fix IT focuses on problems after they arise.
Managed services track your network performance and perform routine updates, allowing them to catch problems before they become an emergency. So, having system monitoring should give you more peace of mind knowing IT has your back.
You should view break-fix IT as a short-term solution- the pros only arrive when there’s something wrong. However, managed IT is a long-term solution. You’ll have constant system monitoring and reliable support whenever you require it.
System monitoring is essential for the success of your business. You’ll want to ensure you include space for it in your budget. Without it, your company is sure to run into issues down the line.
Break-Fix IT Isn’t for Everyone
IT support is essential for any company. It ensures you remain productive and allows for communication. Break-fix IT is popular, but it doesn’t offer proactive services. Today, your business is a complicated network of computers, routers, platforms, and cloud services. If one thing goes wrong, a chain reaction can occur!
You’ll want to have someone already familiar with your networks there to help. Break-fix IT isn’t for those who want long-term solutions for technical issues.
