With the financial pressures COVID-19 lockdowns are creating for businesses, it is no surprise many are exploring options that can “save on IT expenses.” And many are debating between break/fix vs. managed services models of IT services in efforts to reduce monthly expenses. But is break/fix really the cost-saving alternative that you think it is?
As an IT professional services company, we know all too well the realities of the break/fix model. The perceived ‘savings’ evaporate as soon as reacting to a problem causes costly downtime, and IT systems start falling generations behind.
In this article, we are comparing break/fix vs. managed services. Find out how the “reactive vs. proactive” debate becomes completely moot when it comes to real-world operations.
Differences between break/fix vs. managed services
What is the “Break/Fix” model of IT services? This is the traditional approach to IT, where businesses get in touch with a managed IT services provider when their IT systems are experiencing an issue. Some businesses may not opt to have any IT monitoring, while others invest in basic maintenance plans that give them some tech support tokens.
Under the managed IT services model, an expert third-party like NUMENTIS in Oakville & GTA is trusted to manage, maintain, and upgrade the business’s IT systems. Contracts vary in scope, but a business always has the peace of mind that an expert IT team is looking after its systems.
On-demand expense vs. monthly charges
With break/fix, the biggest attraction is not having to commit to a monthly overhead for IT services. A business will pay when it needs IT support. However, this ‘on-demand, one-time’ expense depends on the scale of the problem that has surfaced and the urgency of the repair required.
On the other hand, the flat-rate monthly fee for regular IT monitoring is substantially lower than the cost of a repair. It typically covers software patches, updates, 24/7 monitoring, tech support, and regular backups – a proactive approach that can prevent a problem from occurring in the first place.
Reacting to downtime vs. 24/7 monitoring
Since break/fix reacts to issues, there is a chance of greater downtime. Without a service level agreement (SLA) in place, an IT provider in Oakville & GTA will not provide guaranteed response times, responding instead on a case by case basis.
Conversely, managed IT comprehensively details what is monitored, the IT company’s responsibilities, guaranteed response times, and accountability. We offer 24/7 monitoring of the network, cloud services, cybersecurity, resource allocation, and more, which minimizes the risk of downtime.
Did you know the average data breach in Canada costs $6.35 million! The longer you wait to address it, the greater the losses can be.
Informal ‘IT person’ vs. Professional IT management
Companies that opt for break/fix tend to adopt an informal approach to IT. The ‘team’ comprises of the informally designated ‘IT person.’ Naturally, there is no planned skill development, upgrade trajectory, or contingency plan in place. All of these mean the business is unable to take advantage of modern technologies and faces a huge IT bill when it decides to upgrade from legacy systems.
Professional IT management helps businesses plan an IT trajectory, predict budgets, meet industry standards, and comply with contractual, regulatory obligations. Being proactive about growth allows businesses to take full advantage of cutting-edge technologies and maximize productivity.
Choose IT professional services in Oakville & GTA
We are strong believers that working with a professional IT company protects businesses from data breaches and operational deficiencies. We see our work as not just helping operations run smoothly but as protecting the integrity of the very business itself. Speak to a representative today and learn more about our flexible, affordable IT services.
