Break-Fix or Managed Services for Success in the Long Run?

When you notice a warning light on your car dashboard do you head to the mechanic ASAP, or maybe wait and see how long you can go before you start to hear an odd noise or smell something funny?

The same kinds of choices come up frequently in IT environments, and users will often put up with annoying little things here and there until it turns into a big problem that brings productivity to a halt. Then they call the “IT Guy” to come check it out and get them back on the road. That’s the break-fix model and plenty of businesses are still using it today because when things are chugging along at the office “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, right?“

But is that really the best choice for businesses? What about a proactive approach that plans for the future (since we know these kinds of problems happen all the time!) and avoids them altogether?

Break-Fix Model

IT support used to be pretty straightforward - make sure the computers have anti-virus on them, run updates on a regular basis, and call the “IT guy” when something goes wrong. It was nice because it was pay-as-you-go, and sometimes you could go a really long time without having to touch anything. But many times it was really an illusion, because it meant eventually something big would go wrong and the system could be down for days.

Nowadays, we just don’t see it as an option for businesses that are serious about protecting their livelihoods. With systems as complex as they are now and the dangers of the online world, business owners are really leaving things up to chance with the break-fix model.

Cyberattacks increased by 38% in 2022 and many businesses are still trying to catch up. Increasing consumer demands, a gap in cyber skills, and lack of user education are leaving companies vulnerable, and because the break-fix model is reactive there's are a lot of gaps that won’t get addressed until they’re part of an incident post-mortem.

• It’s Reactive - without prevention and monitoring, there’s no way to catch issues before they become a disaster. Issues go unnoticed until they’re disasters and then it’s a ton of stress for everyone and the realization it could have all been avoided.
• It’s More Costly – Think about the car analogy again. If you keep stretching out your oil changes or your brake pads, you might be saving some money here and there, but that all goes out the window when the engine seizes or you run into your garage door! Without planning and maintenance, the little problems become big ones which are expensive and time-consuming
• It’s Risky - When a business is hit by a ransomware attack, the average downtime is 21 days and can take up to 280 days for full recovery. Very few businesses have the funds to last even 21 days without fulfilling orders or services. 

Managed Services Model

Managed service providers (MSP) take a proactive approach to building a strong IT foundation for business that takes many aspects into account beyond just getting computers up and running. They use the right tools for the job, help organizations implement policies and procedures, encourage education and training, monitor everything, and respond quickly to arrive at the best outcomes.

• Proactive - One of the biggest advantages of an MSP is that they plan out the entire environment with all of the potential pitfalls taken into consideration, then continuously work to bolster and improve that environment, not just in the technical sense, but also by working with the people involved, meaning potential issues never become real issues
• Budget Friendly – organizations can know exactly what their IT outlay will be, avoid surprises by doing the work ahead of time to keep systems running optimally, and maintain high productivity to avoid losses in revenue
• Access to Resources - a good MSP is so much more than helpdesk. If you need to support remote workers, keep up with changes in your industry to maintain a competitive advantage, or find ways to better serve clients an MSP is a complete team of IT professionals to guide you through all of that

So What's the Best Option For Your Business?

With a forward-thinking approach to design and implementation, consistent and reliable upkeep, and the flexibility to adapt, your organization can be confident in its ability to keep running smoothly. If that sounds like what you’re searching for, then it appears you agree managed services is the path forward for you and your org!