There are many factors that contribute to the success of your business, but your IT environment is one of the most important. It gives you and your employees the tools necessary for efficiency and productivity. So when your infrastructure experiences downtime, it’s usually a pretty big deal. With the help of a third-party provider, you can get your network back up and running. But should you use managed IT or a break/fix solution?
Managed IT Services vs Break/Fix
Before we dive into the managed IT services vs break/fix argument, let’s first define what these services are. Basically, break/fix and managed IT services are both resources you can use to maintain the functionality of your IT environment. However, the way each of these services achieves that goal is quite different. It essentially boils down to reactive vs proactive support.
What Is Break/Fix?
To give you an idea of how this service model works, imagine you’re working on a project and suddenly you run into an issue with your computer. With a break/fix provider, you would call on them to resolve the issue. If they’re available, you have to wait for them to come up with a solution.
Break/fix services refer to calling on a professional IT company when something breaks or when an upgrade is needed. In the past, this was the most common solution for solving IT problems. While it may sound like a reasonable approach, it’s not an ideal answer, because you’re reactively responding to issues rather than proactively preventing them. On top of that, these vendors may charge you an hourly rate that’s anywhere from $75 to $150 per appointment.
What Is Managed IT Support?
In contrast to break/fix, there’s the proactive approach of the managed services model. In this model, you partner with a managed services provider (MSP) that offers ongoing IT support. With this type of service, you have technicians who are actively taking preventive measures to minimize downtime. This means there’s no waiting around for solutions, because issues that could lead to downtime are resolved before they can impact your work.
With an MSP, you get more than just support. These vendors offer a variety of services that can include everything from cloud migration to business phone solutions. By partnering with a provider, you get access to all of these services for one low, predictable price. Since managed services are designed to meet all of your IT needs, this presents greater value than the break/fix model.
Benefits of Managed IT Support
Your IT infrastructure is a complex network that includes several systems. It requires a lot of work and attention to keep everything running smoothly. Managed services take the burden of overseeing your IT environment off of your shoulders. With the help of technicians who specialize in this area, you can optimize your network to fit the specific needs of your business.
Here are a few other ways you can benefit from managed services:
- Lower Costs: When it comes down to it, an outsourced IT staff can do everything an internal department does. From troubleshooting to cybersecurity, you get the support you need without having to hire employees or pay for each individual service when you use it.
- Business Continuity: Natural disasters, hardware failure, and other incidents are inevitable. However, an MSP can help you be prepared. With services like disaster recovery, you can get your business back up and running like nothing happened.
- Increased Productivity: Technology is meant to work for you, not against you. An MSP can help you shape your IT to benefit your organization. As a result, your employees can be more productive than ever before.
Experience the Benefits of Managed IT
Net3 IT is a managed services provider that has helped numerous clients in the Knoxville, Tennessee area. We offer a comprehensive list of services to help you overcome your IT challenges. With our proactive approach, you can rest easy knowing your network is dependable day and night.
Contact us today to learn more.
