The break-fix model feels simple: something breaks, you call someone, you pay to fix it. No ongoing contracts, no monthly fees.
But here’s what that model doesn’t show you.
The hidden costs of downtime
The average cost of IT downtime for a small business is $427 per minute. When your server goes down on a Tuesday morning, you’re not just paying the technician — you’re paying in lost productivity, missed sales, and frustrated customers.
A proactive MSP catches failing hardware before it fails. A break-fix shop shows up after it already cost you.
Emergency rates vs. managed rates
Break-fix technicians charge premium rates for urgent work — often 2-3x their standard rate. Managed IT spreads that cost into a predictable monthly fee that’s almost always lower than the sum of your emergency calls.
Security gaps you don’t know about
Break-fix IT is reactive by definition. Nobody is monitoring your systems at 2am when ransomware starts encrypting your files. By the time you call Monday morning, it’s too late.
The math
Take your last 12 months of IT invoices. Add up every emergency call, every after-hours visit, every “quick fix” that turned into a day-long project. Compare that to a flat monthly managed IT rate.
Most businesses are shocked by the number.
Ready to switch to proactive IT? Talk to NEBIS — we’ll show you exactly what managed IT would cost for your business.