A reactive approach to IT support can be costly and time-consuming. This is especially true for SMBs, which don’t usually have the resources to employ a full-time IT resource or spend a lot of money outsourcing IT. When there is a problem, the costs associated with solving IT issues can spiral out of control.
So…what are the actual costs of managing and maintaining your IT?
Think about…
• The salary of a full-time IT professional
• Capital investment in network monitoring tools
• Valuable time wasted when hassling with IT issues
• Paying overpriced break-fix support costs
• Lost productivity due to network downtime (Basic formula: Net income / 250 yearly productive days = Cost of downtime per day)
What if you had more time to focus on your business with peace of mind that your technology is working…for less than it costs to do it yourself? Managed IT support helps companies maintain predictable IT costs by offering fixed pricing for ongoing support of the systems that businesses need to remain productive – desktops, servers, email.
How Managed IT Support Reduces IT Costs, and How to Restore Peace of Mind
1.Rather than employ a full-time IT employee to provide the skills and resources of just one person, businesses can leverage managed IT support and gain access to a team of professionals certified in many different technologies. Also, the hidden costs of hiring someone full-time can equate to almost double the employee’s salary.
2.Network monitoring tools minimize downtime by recognizing issues before they become problems. When issues escalate without proper attention is when they become costly. With managed IT support, you benefit from the tools as part of the service and eliminate the capital investment.
3.A fully functional help desk allows end users to report problems and have them resolved as they happen. This eliminates valuable time spent troubleshooting issues and allows you to focus your efforts on what matters most…your business.
4.Calling an IT technician when problems arise results in paying high premiums for service. Managed services are available for a fixed, monthly price, which helps SMBs maintain predictable IT spend.
5.When your network goes down, revenue-generating activities come to a halt. Many studies illustrate the effects of downtime on small business. For long-term downtime, The University of Texas has found that only 6% of companies survive a catastrophic data loss, and Gartner estimates that only 35% of SMBs have a comprehensive disaster recovery plan. With someone managing and monitoring your technology, your infrastructure is inherently stronger. Also, your provider should offer affordable disaster recovery options.
Holly, thank you for your terrific article. Our company provides both break/fix and managed services for customers, and it truly makes sense to have monitoring and maintenance for computer systems because down time is frustrating and expensive. We have found that offering monitoring and maintenance based on a customer’s size and needs can be affordable and a benefit to their technology ROI. The monthly fixed cost helps with budgeting, and the ongoing support offered provides true technology peace of mind!