Is managed IT worth it for a 5-person business?

Usually yes. At 5 staff, you're spending enough on ad-hoc IT support and lost productivity that a fixed monthly fee makes financial sense. You also get security and strategic planning that break-fix can't provide.

Can we try managed IT without a long commitment?

Yes - we offer rolling monthly contracts. Try us for a month. If we're not delivering value, you can leave. We earn your business every month.

What does managed IT actually include?

Unlimited helpdesk support, 24/7 monitoring, automated patching, security management (MFA, EDR, email filtering), backup monitoring, vendor management, and quarterly strategic reviews. See our services page for the full breakdown.

We have an internal IT person - do we still need managed support?

Often yes, as a complement. Your internal person handles day-to-day requests and strategic projects. We provide the 24/7 monitoring, security management, and specialist expertise that one person can't cover alone. This 'co-managed' model is increasingly common.

How do you calculate per-user pricing?

We charge per user (the person, not the device). One fee covers their laptop, phone, email, security, and support. Adding a new starter or removing a leaver adjusts your bill the following month. No per-device counting or device audits.

Break-Fix vs Managed IT: The Real Comparison

Should you call someone when things break, or pay a monthly fee for ongoing support? It's the fundamental question every growing business faces. Both models have a place, but understanding the real costs and trade-offs helps you make the right choice for your business. Here's an honest comparison.

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The Options

A straightforward comparison of your choices

Break-Fix

You call an IT company when something breaks. They fix it, send an invoice. No ongoing relationship or monthly fee.

Advantages

No monthly commitment - you only pay when you need help
Simple to understand - call, fix, pay
Lower cost if you rarely have IT issues
No contractual tie-in

Disadvantages

Unpredictable costs - a bad month can mean a huge bill
Slow response - you're not a priority client, you join the queue
Reactive only - nobody is watching for problems before they happen
No strategic input - nobody is planning your IT roadmap
Incentive misalignment - the provider profits from your problems

Best for: Very small businesses (1-3 people) with simple IT needs and limited budgets, who can tolerate occasional downtime.

Managed IT Support

A fixed monthly fee covers unlimited support, proactive monitoring, security management, and strategic planning. Your outsourced IT department.

Advantages

Predictable monthly cost - budget with confidence
Priority response - you're a contracted client, not a queue number
Proactive monitoring catches issues before they cause downtime
Strategic IT planning aligned with your business goals
Incentive alignment - the provider profits when your systems run smoothly

Disadvantages

Monthly cost even in quiet months
Requires choosing the right provider - a bad MSP is worse than no MSP
Some providers lock you into lengthy contracts

Best for: Businesses with 5+ staff who depend on technology daily, can't afford extended downtime, and want IT that enables growth rather than just fixing problems.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature-by-feature breakdown

Feature	Break-Fix	Managed IT Support
Monthly Cost	£0 (until something breaks)	Fixed per-user fee (typically £50-80/user)
Emergency Costs	£80-150/hour, often with call-out charges	Included - no extra charges
Response Time	Hours to days - you're not a priority	Minutes - contractual SLA
Monitoring	None - you discover problems yourself	24/7 automated monitoring
Security	Basic antivirus at best	Layered security: EDR, MFA, patching, application control
Backup	Your responsibility	Managed, tested, and monitored
Strategic Planning	None	Quarterly reviews and IT roadmap
Vendor Management	You deal with Microsoft, Dell, ISPs yourself	We manage all vendor relationships
True Annual Cost (20-person business)	£8,000-15,000+ (unpredictable)	£12,000-19,000 (predictable, all-inclusive)

Our Verdict

For businesses with 5+ staff, managed IT support almost always delivers better value when you factor in prevented downtime, reduced security incidents, and the hidden cost of staff time spent dealing with IT problems. Break-fix makes sense only for the smallest businesses with genuinely simple needs.

The Hidden Costs of Break-Fix

Break-fix looks cheaper on paper because you only see the direct repair costs. But the real cost includes:

Downtime - Every hour your systems are down costs productivity. A 20-person office losing half a day to a server outage costs roughly £3,000-5,000 in lost productivity.
Staff time - Who in your team is spending time troubleshooting IT issues, calling providers, and managing updates? That's time not spent on revenue-generating work.
Security gaps - Without proactive patching, monitoring, and security management, break-fix businesses are significantly more likely to suffer a breach. The average cost of a UK SMB breach is £8,460 (DCMS 2024).
Opportunity cost - Without strategic IT planning, you miss opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enable growth through technology.

When Managed IT Pays for Itself

Our clients typically see their managed IT investment pay for itself through:

Fewer incidents - Proactive monitoring and maintenance reduces support tickets by 60-70%
Faster resolution - Priority response means minutes of disruption, not hours or days
Better security - Layered security including MFA, EDR, and application control prevents costly breaches
Strategic improvements - We identify opportunities to reduce costs, improve workflows, and eliminate inefficiencies

Choosing the Right Managed Provider

Not all MSPs are created equal. Watch out for:
- Long contract lock-ins (we offer rolling monthly)
- 'Per-device' pricing that penalises growth
- Outsourced helpdesks (we use our own in-house team)
- Hidden charges for 'out of scope' work
- No transparency on what tools they use or what they're actually doing

See our pricing page for transparent, straightforward managed IT pricing.

Common Questions

Answers to questions we hear most often

Ready to Make the Right Choice?

We'll assess your current setup and recommend the best approach for your business - with no obligation.

Get a Free IT Assessment Call 01584 517 234

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Don't just take our word for it.

"Well all I can say is a big shout out to Sam James BSc at Fresh Tech for literally swooping into rescue🦸‍♂️ my computer from being hacked within seconds. Thank goodness I outsource to companies who know what they are doing."

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CAA Administration Services