Businesses of every size prioritize being efficient operationally. However, not every company has the equipment to attain efficiency. A small business might have a modest IT budget. As a result, they often neglect crucial network management and updates, leaving them vulnerable to costly outages or data breaches. Fortunately, they can find the solution by turning to managed IT services.

Break-Fix vs. Managed IT Services

When business owners face IT issues, they typically have two choices for addressing problems and getting their systems functioning again.
1) Break-Fix Services generally mean a consulting IT technician will travel to a business to make a diagnosis and implement a solution on an as-needed basis. Fees will be based on an hourly rate for each job.
2) Managed IT Services, in contrast, provide an ongoing relationship between the client and the service provider. Based on a service agreement, the provider will handle certain aspects of a company’s IT infrastructure for a monthly service fee.
Break-Fix Services provides assistance only when there is a problem. This may result in declining performance of both hardware and software. You are waiting for problems to arise, instead of performing regular preventative maintenance. This can lead to significantly decreased reliability and costly downtime.

Managed IT Services Gaining Traction

Managed IT Services have had a growth rate of more than 10% the past three years. Although Break-Fix Services do not charge a monthly fee, using this type of service provider will decrease the probability that your business will get high-quality, reliable, and efficient assistance.
The Break-Fix approach means the more serious the IT issues are, the more money the provider will make. The incentive for using dependable solutions is missing because Break-Fix Services providers earn a fee for every service call. Moreover, being paid by the hour may result in slower services.
All of the above means that Break-Fix is less reliable and more expensive. In contrast, Managed IT Services are incentivized to provide longer-lasting solutions at less cost.
Alpha Engineering Business Support
Choosing an expert computer technology-support provider is an important decision for your business. Alpha Engineering Associates has been a trusted partner of many companies in the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis areas since 1990. For affordable client-focused network consulting services and solutions, please call Alpha Engineering Associates today at (410) 295-9500.