Does your small business use the proactive or reactive approach to IT support? Many small businesses have taken the reactive approach as the default method. However, a number of smaller companies have started adopting the proactive approach. And according to LA IT support experts, they are really reaping the benefits.
Reactive vs. Proactive
Reactive IT support takes the approach of fixing things only after they are broken. That’s why it’s also known as the “break-fix” approach.
You walk in on Monday morning and find a server has been down since Saturday. You call for your external IT support company to fix it. The result is operational downtime that could last hours or days. The fix is likely to be expensive, and you are losing productivity waiting for the repair to occur.
Proactive IT support works a bit differently. This approach begins with monitoring everything 24/7. The monitoring alerts immediately if anything goes wrong.
That same server goes down on Saturday. An alert gets sent to the 24/7 help desk. The trained technicians start troubleshooting the problem immediately. They are able to implement the fix within 45 minutes of the initial alert. You walk in on Monday morning to a server that is up and running. The only way you know there was a problem is because you receive a report about the fixed problem.
The Benefits of the Proactive Approach
According to LA IT support experts, companies that adopt the proactive approach reap many benefits over those who continue with the reactive approach. This is what your company would get with this approach:
- Your entire IT infrastructure gets monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. You never walk into the office on Monday to find your main server offline.
- Problems get immediate attention, no matter what time it is. If a problem occurs, someone is working on it within minutes of the alert. Advanced support is available when needed.
- Software updates happen. With the reactive approach, many systems don’t get updates until something breaks. Updates happen during the cleanup after the fix. With the proactive approach, such updates occur automatically.
- Your internal IT staff isn’t running around fixing broken stuff. They have time to focus on projects that add value to your business.
- Budgeting is much simpler. You pay a fixed cost each month instead of shelling out thousands when you have to have an emergency fix on your main server.
You can get this level of LA IT support with the help of a managed service provider. Contact us at Advanced Networks to learn more.
