Businesses in Tampa have a big decision to make when it comes to addressing their IT needs: should they choose break/fix IT support or managed IT services?
Break/fix IT support is exactly what it sounds like. If something goes wrong with your company’s technology, you call a technician and they come over to the site in order to fix the issue. After they’ve rendered their services, they bill you for their time, expertise, and the materials they used. This type of support is reactive, meaning that you only reach out to your IT provider when there’s a problem.
Managed IT services, on the other hand, is a proactive approach to IT support. For a fixed monthly fee, a managed IT services provider (MSP) maintains and continuously monitors your company’s IT infrastructure to keep it operating at peak performance.
So, which type of IT support should Tampa businesses choose? We believe that the answer is clear: managed IT services. MSPs provide numerous benefits that break/fix IT support can’t match.
Minimized downtime and other IT issues
Since MSPs provide proactive support, they can prevent issues from escalating or happening in the first place. Not only that, you can expect efficient IT systems because they regularly maintain, update, and streamline these to ensure optimal performance. They also install the latest updates and plug security gaps. Such proactive measures allow you to avoid extended periods of downtime and other costly IT disruptions, enabling you to improve employee productivity.
Guaranteed service levels
MSPs provide a service level agreement (SLA), which is a contract that contains the following information:
- Type of IT support: remote support, on-site assistance, or both
- Response and resolution times
- Availability: 24/7 or within office hours
- Corresponding rebates or penalties if they cannot meet their committed service levels
- Contingency plans
Most break/fix providers do not offer SLAs, so you won’t know how easy you’ll be able to contact a break/fix technician and how fast they’ll be to resolve your IT problems. You may end up waiting for a long time just to get a status update.
Predictable and scalable IT costs
When you use break/fix support services, you won’t know how much you’ll have to pay until the technician has billed you at the end. This amount can vary wildly, depending on their expertise, familiarity with your IT systems, and the number of hours they spend fixing the problem. They usually charge $80–145 per hour — this excludes rush fees and after-hours or weekend support for emergencies.
The problem with this pricing model is that break/fix IT support companies earn income when you have IT issues, which may lead them to:
- Intentionally take a long time to resolve the problem so they can charge more
- Offer only temporary solutions rather than address the root issue to leave a recurring problem that needs constant fixing
In contrast, since MSPs charge a flat monthly fee, you can better budget for your IT expenses. At the same time, the fixed rate gives the MSP more incentive to provide faster service and long-lasting repairs.
The amount of the fixed fee depends on the types of IT services provided, number of devices supported, and guaranteed service levels. This means you can get only the services you need without paying more than is necessary. If your business suddenly downsizes and you’ll need fewer devices to support, the fee will also go down. During peak seasons, you can also easily add more IT services to meet the increased demand.
Leverage managed IT services today to unleash the full potential of your business.
