So you’ve been using your break/fix contractor for years. For the most part, it has been a good arrangement, and the contractor has been able to fix issues to keep your networking devices running smoothly. But you’ve been hearing more and more about the benefits of a Managed Services solution, and it’s peaked your interest. It’s not that you have anything against the IT contractor, but business is business, and Managed Services brings much more to the table. If you’re thinking about making the jump from break/fix to Managed Services, here are a few compelling ideas to consider.
The ultimate break/fix nightmare
Your business is running smoothly. Profits and staff productivity have been up, and you haven’t had a single IT expense in months. Times are good. Since everything is running so smoothly, you kick back in your leather chair and start watching your favorite show, MythBusters (the older ones with Kari, Grant, and Tori).
But then the BIG ONE hits. Your servers crash. No, not just one – all of them! Your business comes to a grinding halt. None of your staff can work. You call your go-to break/fix IT provider, but he’s overloaded with work and can’t make it out to your offices till next week. Next week?! In a panic, you call the first IT contractor you find on Google. Thankfully he’s available. But since you need this work done immediately, he charges an unbelievable fee for a last minute fix. You have no other choice, you hire the contractor. You’re left hoping that he fixes everything properly and that none of your crucial data is lost in the process.
This is the precarious nature of break/fix IT services. And while this is a worst case scenario, situations like this can and have happened. So let’s look at the reasons why it pays to hire a Managed Services Provider (MSP) instead.
MSPs prevent problems. Break/fix profit from them.
Think about the relationship dynamics of Managed Services compared to break/fix. If you’re a business owner who currently uses a break/fix contractor, when your IT goes down your contractor gains profit. Your problem equals his reward.
How motivated do you think he is to do an effective job of fixing your issue? If that problem pops up again later, it equals more reward for him. Now that’s not to say all break/fix contractors aren’t fixing your IT to the best of their abilities. But think about the basic mindset of a break/fix contractor: problem=profit.
The MSP system works differently. You pay a set fee every month to your IT provider. So the reward for the MSP comes every month. If something covered under the agreement goes wrong during that month, you don’t pay any extra. Yet it costs the MSP more money, and therefore affects their profit margin. Because of this, the MSP is rewarded for taking preventative measures to ensure your IT is working as effectively as possible, always. This philosophy creates a more balanced relationship between you and your IT company; they share your desire to have a fully functional network at all times.
That’s not to say problems won’t happen with an MSP. We are talking about electronic devices, after all! But when they do, they’ll end up costing the MSP provider, and they certainly don’t want that. So for an MSP, the basic mindset is: healthy IT=profit.
MSPs extinguish budget surprises.
Everyone likes surprises, except when it comes to losing money. And when you have a break/fix IT service provider, big surprises can and do happen – and not the good ones, either, unless they decide to throw you a birthday party….
An MSP is working to prevent problems from happening in the first place. You pay a monthly flat fee, so you always know what you’re paying. You can plan and predict your budget accordingly.
With break/fix, it’s true that some months you won’t have any IT expenses from your contractor, which is great. But other months, you could have bills that are astronomical. So you never know just what you’ll be paying for your IT budget in any given month. And if you don’t have that money set aside, then what? You may have to take funds from a really important project to fix a problem that may have been avoided in the first place under the ever-watchful eye of a Managed Services Provider.
MSPs might just make you happier.
Yes, as silly and simple as it sounds, with an MSP you’ll probably be happier. The main reason is you won’t have to deal with the frustration of unexpected IT problems eating away at your budget and the downtime that comes with it. Your IT will run more smoothly (which will create a foundation for your business to do the same) and your budget will be predictable. As an example, EIT Networks offers unlimited remote support, which means that virtually any software-related problem can be fixed in a very timely manner and is covered under the service agreement. In the olden days of IT support, even small issues could cost you money, which meant that many people suffered through nagging troubles rather than call the helpdesk. With EIT’s Managed Services, however, you can call at the first sign of an issue before it becomes a huge headache.
Another reason why you may be happier is that you’re more likely to have a fruitful relationship with your MSP provider since you both have the same goal: effective, smooth running IT for your business. What business owner doesn’t like the sound of that? This type of relationship truly is symbiotic.
