Many businesses are starting to realize the importance of technology – from their enterprise systems to their computers to their mobile devices and everything in between. You need technology to run your business on a day-to-day basis, and when technology goes down, you’re left with a myriad of costs associated with:
Downtime is simply too expensive for businesses to risk nowadays. The break/fix model wherein you call a computer repair shop when something goes wrong, and they come into your office and fix it, isn’t proactive or preventative enough to keep you operating efficiently in today’s hyper-competitive market.
Back in the 1990s, it made sense to call the tech guy down the road when a computer broke or your dial-up internet was going too slowly. But technology has changed, and in turn, the way we manage technology has changed. A computer repair shop almost RELIES on your technology failures to make a living, whereas under the managed services model, an MSP relies on their ability to keep you up and running to maintain their client base. Essentially, an MSP takes over your infrastructure – handling the proactive monitoring, regular maintenance, and ongoing support.
How does this differ from the break/fix support that computer repair shops offer? There’s nothing break/fix about it. Instead, they take a preventative approach to helping you avoid issues from happening in the first place. This means they monitor the network, implement comprehensive cybersecurity solutions, and keep you up-to-date in terms of patches, bug fixes, and other important factors. An MSP takes care of all types of functions, including but not limited to:
● Workstations and/or devices
● Hardware and/or software updates
● Maintenance on servers
● Networking equipment
● And much more
MSPs vs. Computer Repair Shops: Automation…
One of the biggest areas we see a HUGE difference between MSPs and computer repair shops is automation – the future of business and technology as we know it. An MSP is already on the forefront of automation – making sure critical aspects of your infrastructure are handled in an automated manner:
Because they’re able to automate a lot of the important day-to-day tasks, they’re freed up to help you look at technology in a strategic manner – aligning your infrastructure with your organizational goals. In many cases, this means helping YOU automate time-consuming, manual tasks within your business. A computer repair shop, on the other hand, simply doesn’t embrace automation whatsoever.
MSPs vs. Computer Repair Shops: Cybersecurity…
Another area we see a HUGE difference between MSPs and computer repair shops is cybersecurity. An MSP tends to have extensive training and expertise in this area. They have a proactive nature to their business, which lends itself to the way they handle cybercrime. They implement a range of comprehensive cybersecurity solutions, such as:
They also typically offer employee cybersecurity awareness training – one of the most critical services for businesses nowadays. After all, your first line of defense is your employees who need to know how to detect and respond to phishing attacks, malicious websites, and other threats. A computer repair shop, on the other hand, typically doesn’t offer much in terms of cybersecurity other than the basics: anti-virus software, firewalls, and anti-spam filtering.
A Computer Repair Shop May SEEM More Affordable, But Remember, An MSP SAVES You Money in the Long-Run in Terms of Significantly Less Downtime, Greater Efficiency, and Of Course, the Ability to Automate Manual Tasks. Call Nexgentec at (352) 234-8648.
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