Whether you’re a small business with five employees or a large corporation with 5,000, keeping the technology you use to run your business operating effectively is important to your bottom line.
Companies rely on computers, wireless networks, and cloud applications for just about everything they do, and if any of those moving parts breaks down, it means costly downtime and a business that’s effectively shut down for the most part.
An hour of downtime can cost a business $10,000 or more.
Downtime means that your business isn’t operating effectively, and you’re losing money due to losses of productivity and missed customer opportunities. Each minute that goes by mean more dollars going down the drain.
The cost of downtime isn’t something that business always consider when they’re deciding how to handle the management of their technology, and it ends up costing them quite a bit of money if they choose poorly.
How Do You Handle Your Tech Maintenance?
Do you just call an I.T. provider when something breaks (i.e. break/fix)? Or do you subscribe to a monthly managed I.T. services plan that proactively monitors and manages your technology?
With one option, you may think you’re saving money by only paying for services when you need them, but the break/fix mentality often leads to extended downtime, shorter equipment lifespans, and more frustration due to unexpected breakdowns or malware infections.
The second option, having your technology regularly managed, maintained, and secured, is actually the one that saves you money and reduces the chance of security incidents and unexpected downtime.
What Are the Cost-Saving Advantages of Managed I.T. Services?
Break/fix is reactive and managed I.T. service is proactive.
If you’re being only reactive about your car maintenance, that means you don’t bother doing regular maintenance (oil changes, brake pads, tires, etc..), which is going to lead to a major breakdown that’s going to be costly. If you’re being proactive about your car maintenance, you are much less likely of being stranded in the middle of nowhere or getting hit with unexpected and costly repairs.
The same is true of servicing and maintaining your computers and other technology. Treat your tech right with proactive service and it will run effectively and save you money in the long run with fewer repair costs and much less downtime.
If you’re a small business concerned about your bottom line, here are the cost saving advantages of signing up for managed I.T. services.
Cost Savings Over Break/Fix
If your computer crashes suddenly and you can’t get it back up, you’ll have to pay more for emergency repair costs than you would have for proactive management that would keep the crash from happening in the first place.
The estimated cost of each unmanaged business computer is $5,000 per year.
Why so high?
Because there are multiple costs involved when your computers aren’t properly maintained. These include:
- Cost of emergency repairs
- Downtime costs
- Costs of removing malware/viruses
- Costs of loss business during downtime
With managed I.T. services, your PCs are being monitored for any signs of issues that need to be addressed so they can be taken care of before they result in downtime or an expensive repair.
Reduces Risk of a Data Breach or Malware/Ransomware Infection
When you have a plan that includes managed security, that ensures that your network and PCs are being monitored for any signs of intrusion. All security patches and updates are also taken care of for you to make sure there are no software or operating system vulnerabilities left unchecked.
Small businesses suffering a major data breach often end up never recovering and having to close down due to all the costs involved, especially loss of customer trust and reputation.
Improves Computer Performance
It’s common for unmanaged computers to slow down over the years, much to the frustration of the user. When PCs slow down, so does your productivity.
Sluggish computers are often the result of not being properly cleaned or maintained regularly. A big part of managed I.T. services is to keep your PC running efficiently by ensuring regular maintenance is done to the hard drive.
Increases Equipment Lifespan
A car that’s not maintained properly is going to have a shorter usable life than one that is taken to the mechanic for servicing regularly. Similarly, an unmanaged computer will have to be replaced sooner than one that’s been properly taken care of.
Managed I.T. services increase the usable lifespan of your technology, meaning you get more years of use for better ROI, and can space out replacement cycles over longer timeframes.
Helps Your Business Grow
When you have an ongoing relationship with a technology provider like Texas I.T. Pros, it’s like having your own technology advisor by your side. They’re familiar with your operations and equipment, so they can provide guidance on how you can use technology to both streamline and grow your company.
If you’re just calling a provider every now and then when something breaks and you don’t really have a relationship with them, you’ll be lacking that type of expert guidance that can make all the difference to your business in the future.
Learn More About Our Customized Managed Services Plans
Texas I.T. Pros offers tailored managed I.T. solutions that save your company money and give you the exact level of service you need.
Contact us today to get started! Call 940-239-6500 or contact us online.