How Is Your Tech Working?

We are a strong proponent of proactive, managed IT (as opposed to waiting to fix a computer when it breaks). It simply offers the best bang for the buck for most Oneonta businesses. We also recognize that IT budgets are especially tight, and a big part of that is due to the pandemic. With everything being as it is, the nominal cost of maintaining computer equipment almost always costs less than having to deal with downtime and emergency support calls.

The Need for Reliable Technology

As we all continue to adjust and make the best out of the world today, it’s causing people to re-evaluate their relationships with their technology. A constant refrain continues to grow in intensity, "My computer (or internet, printer, etc.) isn't working. I can't get anything done…" While it is not uncommon for people to find workarounds to their technology problems in their personal lives, this must change when working professionally. Just getting by is no longer a viable option. Everything is a crunch now, and it’s all about producing more with less.

Whether your workforce is back in the office or at home, their technology has to be reliable. If there is a problem, you need to be able to call upon someone who can fix your computer if it breaks, but more importantly, it’s best to stay ahead of the game and prevent issues if possible.

Who to Call When You Need Computer Support

If you don’t have an IT agreement (or even if you do, but they just aren’t pulling their weight the way you need them to), Directive is happy to provide hourly technical support as needed. This might be to wrap up an unfinished IT project, or to finally stop some annoying issue that’s happening on your laptop, or to investigate random network problems.

Essentially, if it has something to do with your computers or technology, we can help.

We advertise our services as being proactive and managed. That’s because for the majority of our clients, we establish a long-term relationship with them. We spend a considerable amount of time understanding their needs and technology requirements, and helping them meet them. Most long-term engagements become budgetable IT agreements where we handle all their support needs for a flat, monthly rate.

While it is true we're waiting for break/fix IT services to go away, we wouldn't describe break-fix support as bad per se, just inefficient for most businesses in the long run. The reason is that with the break-fix method, there is a certain level of uncertainty inherent with the system. This can be problematic as uncertainty can stifle a business' ability to grow, decreasing its revenue. Issues can come back, or lead to larger problems, and without having a history of logs and documentation, it can be difficult to make educated decisions on when to pay for support versus when to just replace the device. 

Again, it also makes it harder to prevent problems before they happen.

Most businesses will often have some form of technology infrastructure consisting of many computers, servers, routers and access points, printers, and specialized hardware. On top of that, you’ll have operating systems, software, security policies, and other non-physical pieces that need to be kept working. There is a level of complexity required to maintain this technology. Yes, break/fit can be an effective form of tech support to solve an immediate problem; however, it doesn't scale well and can quickly cause IT costs to spiral out of control.

Break/fix IT treats each component and each problem as a separate entity, as opposed to the completely holistic approach as with managed IT. Due to this, the break/fix strategy will ultimately cost your business more time and money, as you're continually hunting and pecking for individual solutions. Unless you are able to have an all-encompassing solution, you might find yourself calling the computer repair guy back repeatedly. 

We don’t want to dissuade a business from calling us and having an immediate problem fixed. Our techs are great at dealing with complex issues and we have a lot of experience. If your business is suffering from any kind of technology issue, don’t hesitate to call us at 607.433.2200 and we’ll work with you.

Is Managed IT for Me?

Yes, if you own a small or medium-sized business, and you aren’t looking to hire a full-time IT person, then we can say, unconditionally, managed IT is for you and your business (that said, even businesses that already have internal IT resources can benefit). Some benefits managed IT brings your business are:

• Fewer unexpected costs - Managed IT provides services for a fixed monthly fee, eliminating the surprises which can break the bank. Moreover, by preventing problems before they happen via monitoring and maintenance, managed IT increases your uptime and productivity.
• It allows you to focus on your business - Many business owners often wear many hats, including IT support. If you are splitting some of your time to figure out issues, it’s taking away time from running your business. When you outsource your IT, you can focus on making money and growing your operations.
• Peace of mind - Ultimately managed IT provides your business the peace of mind to know that when your team turns on their computer, it will start up, and they will be able to work.

As you can see, there are considerable benefits for a business to invest in managed IT. However, if you’re an individual user seeking to ensure you can keep working while at home or a parent preparing your students for remote learning, a managed IT solution won’t be a good fit. It simply won’t be able to scale down enough to make financial sense for your household even though the flat-rate monthly fee is a great benefit for businesses. As an individual or parent, you will be better served with traditional pay-as-you-go tech support.

Are You Remote Ready?

Whether you’re working from home or in the office, you can’t afford to have your technology not perform at optimal levels. Fortunately, with Directive at your side, you don’t have to worry about your technology failing. Call 607.433.2200 today and schedule a free IT assessment.