Updated: Tuesday, 24 September 2019
If computers worked exactly as we wanted them to 100% of the time, we wouldn’t need to be having this conversation – but then, that’s not how things work, is it? The truth is that despite our best efforts, computers and IT do break down from time to time. And when this happens, the consequences depend entirely on how vital the thing is that’s broken, and how long it takes to fix. Continue reading to learn how to choose between break fix vs managed services.
As a business owner you have a couple of choices when it comes to maintaining your IT systems; you can:
- employ someone to manage your IT full time (usually only for large corporations where a lot of computers and hardware are around, and where it’s vital that uptime is close to 100%)
- engage the services of a managed IT partner who is on call to service your IT but does not work in house, usually on retainer
- operate on a break-fix model which is when you wait for something to break, and then you shop around for an IT professional to come and fix your items
So, the big question remains (unless you’re a big company where it’s important to have someone in house) do you choose break-fix or managed IT? We wanted to go through some of the pros and cons of each in the hopes that it helps you to make your own mind up.
And if you already know that you want managed IT services, then please feel free to give us a call on (07) 3062 6932 for a discussion about the level of service you’re after and how we can help or read more about Managed IT Services vs Break Fix Model.
Break-Fix
Break Fix Cons
There are a range of cons associated with the break-fix model:
- Cost – when you use the break-fix model as the solution to your IT problems you will find yourself paying a range of prices and you’ll often be at the mercy of the seriousness of your situation and the whims of the IT professional fixing it.
- Short-term solution – break-fix often just sees a professional fixing the issue as it stands, without addressing any possible longer-term issues that may be causing you problems.
- Extended downtime – break-fix means that you need to source someone to fix your website and then wait for them to be available to fix your site. This can result in extended downtime which may be problematic for your website.
- Threats to your business – while your IT systems are down or compromised you may be under threat from other attacks – especially if the threat comes from Malware or another type of attack threat.
Break Fix Pros
There are but a couple of pros to the break-fix model:
- You don’t have to pay a monthly fee or service charge – and hey, if you’re a business with limited IT in place this model may work for you. After all, there’s little point paying a retainer if you’re operating with two computers. But if you rely on technology for uptime and your website, then the break-fix model does become more of a gamble.
- You’ve got more control over what gets fixed and upgraded, and when you want to engage services.
Managed Services
Managed Services Pros
- Constant monitoring – when you have a managed services team working with you, you can be assured of constant monitoring that catches things before they become issues.
- Preventative service – if uptime is important for your business, then the preventative service of managed services can be hugely important. A managed IT service provider will be monitoring your systems and will act before problems occur; things like updates will be taken care of before you ever have to think of them!
- Regular updates – speaking of updates, your managed IT service provider will keep your computers and systems up to date with the latest virus protection services.
- Regular costs – your managed IT service provider will be someone you pay monthly or quarterly for their services which means no nasty surprises and no extra money to pay when something does go wrong.
- Ongoing support – Got questions? The managed services team can provide answers when you need them and help with any issues you may have.
Managed Services Cons
- They have control over your systems – you do have to put a lot of trust in your managed service provider because they’ll have access to your system and will be responsible for its upkeep. But you will have a contract that outlines what can and cannot be done without authorisation – so rest easy knowing that there won’t be data breaches from your IT service people!
- Contracts – when you work with a managed service provider you will likely need to sign a contract – but many don’t require this. Think about break-fix though in contrast, while you don’t have a contract you also don’t have a promise that they’ll fix what you’ve asked.
Contact Us Today
Ultimately, the decision about whether to go with break-fix or managed IT is up to you – and it’s something to consider based on price, commitment and with some thought about how important your technology is to the success of your business.
Got questions about managed IT services? At Connected Platforms we assist businesses just like yours with their managed IT – and we’re always happy to discuss what we can provide. Call us now on (07) 3062 6932 or get in touch online for a callback.
