10/27/2026
Here is a quick recap of what we talked about on the radio this morning:
Break/fix — support after a problem
- Call a technician when something stops working
- Examples:
- Home: computer won’t start, printer stops working, suspicious pop-up
- Business: shared files unavailable, network down, server problem
- Potential fit: occasional technology use; downtime is manageable
- Trade-offs: costs can be unpredictable; help is needed when things are already disrupted
Managed IT services — ongoing support
- Regular maintenance and monitoring, based on an agreement
- May include:
- Software updates
- Security tools
- Backup monitoring
- Device health checks
- Help desk support
- Ask what the plan includes and what costs extra
- Goal: address some issues earlier, maintain systems, make costs more predictable
- Doesn’t prevent every outage or security incident
How it applies to a business
- Consider how much work stops when technology is unavailable
- Ongoing support may help with:
- Routine maintenance
- Backup oversight
- Security planning
- Technology decisions and growth
- Focus on the business impact of downtime, not just the support fee
Questions to ask about any plan
- What’s included in the monthly fee?
- What work costs extra?
- Are backups included, and are they checked?
- Who responds when there’s a problem, and how quickly?
- Which devices and systems are covered?