In a fast-paced business environment, the smallest of IT complications can result in a huge blow to business. Niggly IT issues such as overloaded networks and failing printers can lead to frustrated staff, reduced output and unsatisfied clientele.
We see a lot of businesses taking a reactive stance in maintaining their IT. Whilst the break-fix approach might save your IT provider or IT department a few hours of work each week, this approach often results in a significant amount more hours lost, and money spent when systems completely fail down the track.
In this article, we’re going to talk about the differences between proactive and reactive support, and why the proactive approach is so vital to the smooth running of your business.
The Difference Between Proactive and Reactive IT Support
As the name suggests, a reactive IT support approach involves reacting to issues after they have happened. For example, you are experiencing backup issues and so call for assistance to rectify the issue. In the time it takes for the issue to be fixed, your business suffers from a disruption to business continuity.
In contrast, a proactive IT support approach stays one step ahead by consistently maintaining IT systems and having warnings in place for any potential issues about to arise. Prevention rather than cure, if you like. When regular maintenance and servicing is in place, the downtime that businesses face due to technological issues can be majorly reduced.
Business computer systems, printers and internet connections are three of the main culprits when it comes to technical reasons for downtime. A Microsoft survey once revealed that it can take an individual up to 30 minutes to settle back into a task at hand after a disruption or distraction. So, you can imagine the long-term consequences of constant IT disturbances for a business caused by a lack of proactivity in IT support.
Read on to find out what proactive IT support involves, and how it can help your business stay on its feet.
What Does Proactive IT Support Look Like?
Proactive IT Support is a range of ongoing servicing, monitoring and optimising processes in place to ensure the smooth running of your IT infrastructure. To give you an idea, here are some of the things a proactive approach to your IT would include:
- Patch management
- Updates
- Antivirus
- Licensing
- Monitoring end user work stations and servers
- Setting thresholds
- System optimisation
- General ongoing maintenance
IT proactivity sees the tackling of recurring reactive issues by implementing long-term solutions rather than quick fixes. And the constant system scanning that is a part of proactive IT management allows for any dangers to be fixed (remotely and without disturbance to staff) before they have an opportunity to wreak and havoc!
In a nutshell, proactive IT support increases productivity and reduces downtime and the need for nasty IT surprises. Outsourced proactive IT support is normally charged at a fixed monthly fee, which results in simpler business budgeting too.
Final Words
As you can see the effective planning ahead that is provided by proactive IT support is a lot more beneficial for business than the last-minute chaos associated with reactive IT support.
As businesses become increasingly reliant on IT for output, there is a significant rise in businesses changing over to proactive IT support, with the reactive method becoming a thing of the past. Apart from saving businesses time and money, proactive IT support provides a stress-free environment for a business, knowing they are technologically ready for anything.
If you are already with outsourced IT service provider, contact them and talk to them to find out what is being done, in terms of proactivity. If you need any assistance, or if you are looking for an IT company to ensure the smooth running of your business IT infrastructure, check out our IT support service.
