Most small and medium-sized businesses
(SMBs) have some relationship with an outside IT services provider that they
call on to help keep their internal IT operations running smoothly. In fact,
according to a survey conducted by CompTIA, more than two-thirds of companies
have such a partner. In many cases, the way businesses make use of their IT
services vendor is counterproductive.
That's because many SMBs operate in
break-fix mode; the only time they call in their IT services partner is when
their network or a server or a storage array breaks down. It may seem the most
cost-effective way of doing things. After all, you only pay for service calls
made. The opposite is true, however. Waiting until something breaks to call in
your IT services vendor to fix it likely costs you far more than you may be
aware.
Problems with the Break-Fix Approach
The primary issue with break-fix is that
it is reactive rather than proactive. By definition, nothing happens until
something breaks, and you have to make a call for help: "Our network has
been down for two hours, and we haven't been able to get it running again.
Please send someone over to get it back up."
What SMBs often fail to take into account
is that even before they make that call for help, they have already lost a
substantial amount of money. According to IDC, the cost of IT downtime for
small businesses is between $137 and $427 per minute. So, when something breaks
in a company's IT operations, the cost to get it fixed is far more than just
the fee the IT services provider will charge.
Think about that fee and what it means to
your IT service partner. They only get paid when you have problems, so they
have little incentive to suggest proactive ways you can avoid problems in the
future. Plus, once they are called in, the more time and resources (in parts
and labor) they expend in getting you back online, the greater their fee is
likely to be.
In other words, with the break-fix approach,
the incentives you set up for your IT services provider run directly counter to
the interests of your business.
The Alternative to Break-Fix: Managed IT
Services
A much better option than the break-fix
approach is to partner with a managed IT services provider or MSP. By doing so,
you'll move from a reactive to a proactive stance that will result in fewer
problems, less downtime, and an overall reduction in costs.
Employing a top-flight MSP realigns the
incentives in the relationship in your favor. Rather than being paid for
problem resolution on a per-issue basis, the MSP contracts with you to provide
24/7/365 support for your IT operations. Because they are continuously
monitoring your network, servers, and storage, a good MSP will often detect potential
problems long before they result in a complete breakdown. In fact, in many
cases MSPs can identify and correct issues before the client is even aware of
them.
The MSP takes on the responsibility for
keeping your IT shop running smoothly. Since you are paying a set monthly
amount rather than a per-incident fee, it's in the MSP's interest to ensure
that as few incidents as possible occur. Therefore, they are likely to be very
diligent about suggesting operational improvements and best practices, as well
as technology upgrades, that will minimize the amount of downtime you
experience.
If your company has been operating in
break-fix mode, now would be an excellent time to consider how a top-notch MSP
can reduce both your downtime and your maintenance costs.
by:
Regards,
Robert Blake
Bit by Bit Computer Consultants
721 N Fielder Rd. #B
Arlington, Texas 76012
Direct 817.505.1257
Mobile 972.365.7010
Robert Blake
Bit by Bit Computer Consultants
721 N Fielder Rd. #B
Arlington, Texas 76012
Direct 817.505.1257
Mobile 972.365.7010
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