Many small and midsize businesses get by without on-staff IT support by relying on outsourced IT operations. One of the most common pricing models is what’s known as “break/fix”, where a technician is dispatched only when a problem arises. These techs usually bill well over $100/hour, plus any cost for hardware. SMB owners tend to just bite the bullet and pay these rates, because in today’s world, if your employee’s computer stops working, they stop working. Overall, these owners feel they’re making the right decision, since a break/fix model still costs them less than a full-time employee.
The problem with this philosophy is that it ignores one of the most important elements of proper IT operations: maintenance. The break/fix tech will notice that your server is junked up with old employees, files, programs, etc., but won’t bother to touch it, since that’s not what you’re paying him for. A break/fix tech might notice that some software is out of license compliancy, but again, falls back to the “not my job!” excuse. In the long run, this “laissez-faire” attitude of network management is bound to create enormous security, logistical, and operational problems. From former (potentially disgruntled) employees still having access to the company network, to out-of-date anti-virus software, to email systems that no longer make any sense, relying on break/fix is bound to create headaches.
Of course, if one steps back and looks at the break/fix model as a whole, it wouldn’t make any sense for a break/fix technician to perform maintenance. They only get paid when something goes wrong. Why would they bother fixing something preemptively? Things take much longer to fix once they’re really broken (which means more billable hours)!
Here at Layered Systems, we don’t think this is a good way to do business. We believe in leveraging technology to help companies compete and succeed, which is impossible to do if your network stability is hanging by a thread. By using the Managed IT Support model, instead of break/fix, we proactively maintain networks, preventing problems from arising in the first place. Our Managed IT Support offers remote support, which allows your employees to reach out for assistance without worrying about costing the company lots of money. Managed IT Support provides a predictable, fixed-cost based on your needs; most of our clients go with an unlimited remote support model. 95% of problems can be handled remotely, which will cost your company far less in both support costs and downtime.
Most importantly, in a Managed IT Support scenario, your network and systems are perpetually kept up-to-date, secure, and clean. As a Managed Service Provider, it’s in our best interest to keep your systems running smoothly, rather than the break/fix guys, who hope something goes wrong. At Layered Systems, we consider our clients our partners. We value long-term relationships, where we can grow together. Technology should never stand in your company’s way; today, technology should be used to help your company succeed. Contact us to learn more about Managed IT Support and the ways we can help you eliminate IT concerns and focus on your business.
