Published 2019-03-15 by TechNet New England
When we founded TechNet New England, we kept hearing the same thing from small business owners: "We don't really need IT support. We just call someone when something breaks."
That approach might feel like it saves money. In reality, it is one of the most expensive ways to handle technology.
The Break-Fix Trap
Break-fix IT means you wait until something fails, then scramble to get it repaired. The problems with this approach are significant:
- Downtime while you wait for a technician to diagnose and fix the issue
- Emergency service rates that are significantly higher than regular maintenance
- Lost productivity across your entire team while systems are down
- No one monitoring for security threats between incidents
- No strategic planning for technology upgrades or replacements
A single day of downtime can cost a small business thousands of dollars in lost revenue and productivity. And that does not account for the damage to customer relationships when you cannot respond to inquiries or fulfill orders.
What Managed IT Actually Means
Managed IT services flip the model. Instead of reacting to problems, a managed service provider (MSP) works to prevent them. This includes:
- 24/7 monitoring of your network, servers, and critical systems
- Proactive maintenance including patches, updates, and security configurations
- Help desk support for your team when they have day-to-day questions or issues
- Security management including antivirus, firewall, and threat detection
- Backup and disaster recovery so your data is protected if something goes wrong
- Technology planning to align your IT investments with your business goals
The Real Cost Comparison
Most small businesses spend between $100 and $250 per user per month on managed IT services. That covers everything listed above. Compare that to the cost of a single server failure, ransomware attack, or extended network outage, and the math becomes clear.
The average cost of downtime for a small business is estimated at $8,000 to $25,000 per hour, depending on the industry. One bad incident without proper support can cost more than years of managed IT service.
You Would Not Skip Insurance
Think about it this way: you carry insurance on your building, your vehicles, and your employees. You do not wait until there is a fire to call someone about fire protection. Technology deserves the same proactive approach.
Your business depends on its technology more than ever. Email, files, customer databases, phone systems, accounting software: if any of these go down, your business slows down or stops entirely.
Getting Started
If you have been handling IT on your own or using break-fix support, the transition to managed services is straightforward. A good MSP will assess your current environment, identify risks, and build a plan that fits your budget and priorities.
At TechNet New England, we work exclusively with small businesses and nonprofits in the greater Boston area. We understand the constraints you face, and we build solutions that make sense for your size and budget. Reach out to us if you want to learn more about what managed IT could look like for your organization.