The Break-Fix Model: An Inefficient Solution to IT Problems

When it comes to managing IT issues, some companies still rely on the older way of doing things. In our industry, we call this the break-fix model. This approach involves waiting for something to break and then paying someone to fix it. While this may seem like a cost-effective solution, it can actually lead to more problems and inefficiencies in the long run.

In this article, we'll explore the break-fix model and why it's an inefficient solution to IT problems. We'll also discuss alternative approaches that can help your business save time, money, and headaches.

What is the Break-Fix Model?

The break-fix model is a reactive approach to IT management. It involves waiting for a problem to occur and then fixing it. This could be anything from a computer crashing to a server going down. Problems are only dealt with as they occur, and proactive maintenance is usually on the back burner. 

Under this model, companies typically do not have a dedicated IT team or service provider. Instead, they rely on outside help when an issue arises. This could be a freelance IT technician or a third-party IT support company.

The Pitfalls of the Break-Fix Model

While the break-fix model may seem like a cost-effective solution, it has several downfalls that can ultimately harm your business.

Important Updates and Maintenance Doesn’t Happen

If someone isn’t running Windows updates, updating antivirus definitions, routinely checking your backups, server logs, and other critical networking equipment, then nobody is. Failing to do these basic tasks will result in problems down the road, including potential cybersecurity issues or outages. You can’t expect your employees to administer this sort of work either; while a user might be able to run a Windows update, they aren’t testing them to make sure they don’t cause an issue, and they probably don’t have the skill or experience to effectively handle something going wrong.

Downtime and Lost Productivity

When an IT issue occurs, it can lead to significant downtime for your business. This means employees are unable to work, resulting in lost productivity and potential revenue. With the break-fix model, you are essentially waiting for something to break before addressing it, which can lead to longer periods of downtime and lost productivity.

Higher Costs

While the break-fix model may seem like a cost-effective solution, it can actually end up costing your business more in the long run. With this approach, you are paying for each individual IT issue as it arises, which can add up quickly. Additionally, the longer an issue goes unresolved, the more expensive it can become to fix.

Reactive Rather Than Proactive

The break-fix model is a reactive approach to IT management. This means you are only addressing issues as they occur, rather than taking proactive measures to prevent them from happening in the first place. This can lead to a cycle of constantly fixing problems rather than preventing them, which can be time-consuming and costly.

While this may seem like a clever solution, it can actually be detrimental to your business. Intentionally breaking something can lead to even more problems and downtime, ultimately costing your business time and money.

A Better Solution: Managed IT Services

Rather than relying on the break-fix model, businesses are turning to managed IT services. In fact, more small and medium-sized businesses have been utilizing managed IT contracts over the last half a decade than otherwise, and this trend has clear benefits that we will address in a moment. This approach involves outsourcing your IT management to a dedicated service provider.

With managed IT services, you have a team of experts proactively monitoring and managing your IT systems. This means they can identify and address potential issues before they become major problems, minimizing downtime and lost productivity. The basic maintenance tasks that prevent so many potential problems are handled. With break/fix, you likely get an IT professional who only has a vague picture of your network, and has to “re-educate” themselves each time they make a service call, while managed IT services contracts allow the IT firm to fully document, label, and make sense of the minutiae.

Benefits of Managed IT Services

There are several benefits to using managed IT services over the break-fix model.

Accountability

Probably the most important benefit, and likely the one that most modern managed IT providers don’t talk about as much; you get a singular entity that is responsible for your network and all of the technology attached to it. You aren’t dealing with a bunch of different vendors or a tech support person who hasn’t seen or touched your IT in 6 months. A good managed IT provider treats your network as if it were their own, and they are accountable for fulfilling the contracted agreement, which typically includes keeping up with maintenance, running updates, keeping track of warranties, product updates, end-of-life dates, network health, and a whole list of other tasks designed to provide stability.

When something goes wrong, in most cases the IT provider would already know (in cases like network or device outage or other issues), and when a user is dealing with an issue, they should be able to get a technician to help them who understands your network and its intricacies.

Cost Savings

While the break-fix model may seem cost-effective, it can actually end up costing your business more in the long run. With managed IT services, you pay a flat monthly fee for all of your IT needs. This means you can budget more effectively and avoid unexpected costs.

Increased Efficiency

With managed IT services, you have a team of experts constantly monitoring and managing your IT systems. This means they can identify and address potential issues before they become major problems, minimizing downtime and lost productivity. This leads to increased efficiency and productivity for your business.

Proactive Approach

Unlike the break-fix model, managed IT services take a proactive approach to IT management. This means potential issues are identified and addressed before they become major problems. This can save your business time, money, and headaches in the long run.

Make Capstone Works Your Managed IT Partner

The break-fix model may seem like a cost-effective solution to IT problems, but it can actually lead to more problems and inefficiencies in the long run. By switching to managed IT services, businesses can save time, money, and headaches by taking a proactive approach to IT management. With a dedicated team of experts constantly monitoring and managing your IT systems, you can minimize downtime and lost productivity, leading to increased efficiency and cost savings for your business. Don't wait for something to break before addressing it—make the switch to managed IT services today.

Give us a call at (512) 343-8891 to get started!

Note that we will even work with businesses that already have an in-house IT department that just needs some help with project work or delegating out the day-to-day maintenance/management tasks.