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When Break-Fix no longer fixes the problems

In business as with life, growth is painful. When a business experiences a period of growth there are naturally some pains to be incurred. Small businesses traditionally have allied themselves with partners who are capable of solving their internal business pains when it comes to I.T.. The I.T. partnership almost always starts off with the outdated break-fix delivery model, which is perfect when you have less than 5 employees. But as the business grows, its needs change and the I.T. partner must evolve to deliver true business value through I.T..

Break-fix is simply putting Band-Aids on a particular situation just to keep you moving along. The underlying issues remain untreated and will continue to resurface.

Your current provider may have the capabilities to deliver true business value through I.T., but may not be aware of the current pains you are facing (one of the major flaws of the break-fix model). It may require more communication with your I.T. provider to help them understand the business pains you are facing. Here are a few signs that you may need to adjust your approach to I.T. services for your organization:

  1. You are constantly having to engage your I.T. provider for recurring issues
  2. Your I.T. provider does not proactively look for ways to help you enable your business through technology
  3. Your I.T. provider does not offer managed services, an indication that level of service may be beyond the capabilities of the firm
  4. Your I.T. provider’s access to vendors that can help grow your business is limited
  5. Your I.T. provider does not confidently convey their vision for growing along with your business

Technology has become a critical enabler of businesses large and small. If your I.T. provider can’t adequately serve your business needs, it may be time to re-evaluate the relationship. 

 

Ryan Lakin