As businesses shift their focus to target online customers, the reliance on online businesses and technical support has grown more than ever. In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that a business’s success is directly tied to how reliable their IT department is.
Seeing the responsibility that IT providers carry, they emerge as a backbone behind any business in today’s world. If your IT-department is untrustworthy, that’s a red flag that needs addressing immediately?
But how do you know if your IT provider is unreliable? Simple – does your IT service provider only function when your business goes through a problem? If you find yourself nodding, it’s a wake-up call you need to analyze why you need to be on high alert.
Read on, as we discover how the break/fix model is holding your business back and how you can give your business the fighting chance it needs.
Understanding The Break/Fix Model
Before delving into the risks of Break/Fix models, let’s establish a baseline understanding of what a break/fix it service model is.
As its name suggests, the break/fix model is pretty self-explanatory. When something in your I.T. infrastructure “breaks” (stops functioning), your IT service provider shows up to fix the problem. Think of a break/fix model as an appliance repair person who only responds to the situation when any appliance stops working.
Until a problem occurs, you sort of forget they are a part of your business’s ecosystem and when something crashes, you call and ask them to fix the issue. Break/fix IT service providers usually revolve around these types of emergency calls and the associated on-site visits.
They bill you for the new components they need to fix your system and the time spent to fix the problem during their visit. While a break/fix model does solve the problem, there’s little room for innovation or strategy in helping your business’s infrastructure grow/remain stable.
The Problem With The Break/Fix Approach
The break/fix models bring an entirely transactional approach to network, hardware, and software services. This means that your organization gets just enough attention needed to keep things functioning.
Many businesses find this approach fair – why pay for IT services when everything is working? After all, you don’t pay for water when the faucet isn’t running.
This approach is designed to make businesses believe that they’re actually saving costs by not having to pay for an IT service provider to manage their systems until a problem occurs. And that’s where the problem becomes.
When a problem hits and you wait on your IT service provider to fix it, your business has to pay the price due to downtime. During this time, your customers won’t be able to interact with your business and your prospects won’t get to know that you exist.
In a sea of competitors, your customers will ditch your business just because there are other options readily available to serve them.
So in short, this reactive approach means your business can only address IT problems after they happen, leading to higher costs in the long run.
How The Break/Fix Model Is Holding Your Business Back
Adhering to the break/fix model comes with some significant downsides, especially for the businesses that rely heavily on technology. Here are some major ways through which the break/fix model holds your business back:
Unpredictable Costs
While a break/fix model may seem convenient and budget-friendly, costs can quickly pile up when an unexpected problem occurs. Since a break/fix service provider doesn’t intervene until the problem results in downtime, it can lead to higher downtime and more costs.
Managed service providers like IT For Less charge you a fixed, affordable monthly fee, allowing your business to steer free from expensive IT surprises.
Downtime Risks
When a business sticks with a break/fix model, they also have to deal with the time it takes to spot the problem, call a technician, and wait for them to fix it. Unfortunately, the costs keep increasing significantly with every minute of downtime, putting them at a risk of losing significant capital.
Limited Support
The scope of break/fix models constrains them from providing the round-the clock help needed for a business to spot any problems before they occur. MSPs, on the other hand offer vigilant monitoring and support, making them a reliable and a proactive alternative.
No Future Planning
Ongoing maintenance and strategic IT planning are unheard concepts for the break/fix model service providers. Seeing the importance of future-proofing your business, MSPs like IT For Less help your business stay prepared for the future by ensuring their technology can handle growth and new challenges.
Cybersecurity Issues
As technology evolves, so do the growing threats from hackers and other cybercriminals. If your business is vulnerable to a cyberattack, a break/fix model won’t function until after the attacker compromises and harms your business.
This evolving threat warrants constant monitoring and proactive measures to keep your business’s IT infrastructure secure from any cyberattacks.
Will Choosing A Managed Service Provider Cost Me More?
The reason why many businesses still adhere to a break/fix model is a common misconception that a managed service provider brings the expensive costs their business can’t afford.
A report by CompTIA concluded that businesses using MSP service providers save an average of 25-30% on IT costs compared to the traditional break/fix support.
I.T. For Less – The Managed Service Provider Your Business Needs
Seeing the importance of proactive measures, choosing a managed service provider appears as a sound solution. But, here’s the problem – with so many options to choose from, how do you find a managed service provider that helps you cut costs, reduce stress, and downtime?
Say no more – you just stumbled across one! With over two decades of helping businesses solidify their IT infrastructure, we at IT For Less aim to be your dedicated partner. With our approach of less costs, less stress, and less downtime, our team of experts adheres to an approach that offers:
- Proactive Maintenance
- Predictable Pricing
- Comprehensive Support
- A holistic growth approach
Ready to say goodbye to unexpected IT surprises and extensive downtimes? Schedule a free consultation today and take the first step towards a stronger I.T. For less!
Final Words
The break/fix model has served its purposes but is rapidly losing relevance in today’s IT landscape. Businesses today need increasingly proactive, scalable, and dependable IT solutions, making MSPs like I.T. For Less to be the go-to choice.
So, are you ready to make the switch? Let’s talk – schedule your free consultation and we’ll help you make your IT more functional and reliable.