Having the right IT support is critical to your organization because without it, your business may be prone to inefficiencies and downtime, become vulnerable to cyberattacks, and miss out on growth opportunities. But first, you need to know which type of IT support to get.
There are two types of business IT support to choose from: proactive and reactive. Proactive IT support seeks to prevent issues from happening in the first place, while reactive IT support deals with issues after they have already occurred. In this blog post, we'll help you understand the fundamental differences between the two so you can make an informed decision about which one best meets your organization’s needs.
What is proactive IT support?
Proactive IT support involves constant monitoring and maintenance of IT systems to prevent potential problems, and it typically involves regular system checks, updates, and software patches. Ultimately, the goal of proactive support is to prevent IT issues from happening in the first place.
Proactive IT support can be likened to preventive medicine. Just like taking preventive measures to maintain good health, proactive IT support helps maintain the health and efficiency of IT systems. This approach can help prevent significant problems that can lead to system downtime, data loss, and security breaches.
A major benefit of proactive IT support is that it can save your business money in the long run. That's because being able to identify and fix problems before they turn into even bigger problems enables you to avoid expensive downtime and repairs down the line. Proactive IT support can also improve system performance, increasing efficiency and driving higher revenue.
What is reactive IT support?
Reactive IT support involves addressing IT issues only when they occur. This type of support is often offered on an as-needed basis, in which an IT support team is called in to remedy problems after they have already occurred.
Reactive IT support can be likened to treating an illness after symptoms appear. This approach can lead to longer recovery periods and potentially more severe health concerns. Similarly, reactive IT support can lead to longer downtime events and more significant IT issues.
However, reactive support is not without some merits. One of its main benefits is quick problem resolution: since reactive IT support technicians are usually available 24/7 to address concerns, they can efficiently deal with a situation no matter the time of day. In addition, there are cases where reactive responses are unavoidable, such as when a business suffers a data breach. For this reason, it may be essential for you to have a plan in place to efficiently fix any issue when it arises.
What are the considerations when choosing between proactive and reactive IT support?
When deciding between the two types of IT support, businesses should consider several factors, including their budget, the size and complexity of their IT systems, and their business objectives.
Larger businesses with more resources and highly complex IT systems may require proactive IT support to prevent major issues from occurring. Smaller businesses with limited budgets, on the other hand, may choose to have reactive support because they seldom encounter major IT concerns and have a much smaller IT infrastructure. They may also partner with a managed IT services provider (MSP) to enjoy the benefits of proactive support at a fraction of the cost.
In some cases, a combination of both proactive and reactive IT support may be the best approach. For example, businesses may choose to implement proactive IT support for critical systems and reactive support for less critical ones.
Overall, both approaches have their benefits and drawbacks, and your specific circumstances will dictate which is the best choice for your organization.
Whatever kind of support you decide on, it's important to invest in quality IT support services. By having an experienced and adept MSP like Online Computers by your side, you can effectively implement proactive and reactive measures to keep your business protected. Contact us today for a consultation.
