The main difference between reactive IT support and managed IT is the responsibility agreed between support requests. To compare them fairly, list the work your business needs, identify who owns it today and then compare the full costs of the proposed arrangements.
A monthly fee is meaningful only when you understand its scope. An hourly invoice is meaningful only when you understand what work it covers and what remains your responsibility.
Establish who does the work between problems
A reactive arrangement may focus on requested repairs or individual tasks. A managed arrangement establishes continuing responsibilities, which should be described in its agreement. Providers and contracts vary, so ask about the actual offer.
List support, account changes, maintenance, security, backups, vendor coordination and technology planning. Mark who handles each activity now, whether it is regularly performed and whether you have agreed expectations.
This shows whether you are comparing two ways of buying the same work or proposals covering substantially different responsibilities.
Build the comparison from your own records
Start with a representative period of support invoices, subscriptions, project spending and equipment purchases. Separate one-time changes from recurring expenses.
Include internal time spent coordinating technology issues where you can reasonably estimate it. Keep estimates distinct from recorded costs, and avoid presenting every interruption as a precisely measured loss.
For each proposed arrangement, list the recurring fee, known additional costs and assumptions. Use the same users, locations and technology needs in both comparisons. Do not count a cost as eliminated unless the proposal actually covers it.
Look at boundaries and changes
Ask how each arrangement handles new employees, another office, a migration or a requirement from a customer. Establish how work is authorized, how costs are communicated and who remains responsible through completion.
Review support arrangements, project boundaries, licensing, transition assistance and contractual terms. A monthly service should not be assumed to include every project, subscription or advanced requirement.
ProIncident's pricing reflects the locations, people, managed technology and complexity involved. Fully Managed IT engagements start at $2,500/month. The actual proposal should make the agreed responsibility clear.
Evaluate the working relationship
Think about how you want technology decisions to be handled. Do you want to organize each task yourself, or an ongoing team that knows the environment and stays involved as needs change?
Ask how the provider coordinates other vendors, explains recurring issues and brings future decisions to your attention. A useful conversation should connect the service model to how your business works.
ProIncident focuses on recurring Fully Managed IT relationships. Cybersecurity and baseline AI governance are included in the standard managed service; projects are for active managed clients.
Frequently asked questions
Is managed IT always less expensive?
No universal saving can be established without the scope and costs. An ongoing relationship may cover work that the current arrangement leaves with your business.
At what company size should we switch?
There is no automatic threshold. Consider the technology responsibilities, your ability to manage them and the relationship you need. ProIncident serves Houston-area businesses with 10–150 users.
Does ProIncident also offer break-fix support?
ProIncident is focused on recurring managed relationships. Project services support that continuing client relationship.
Compare what the business needs looked after
Look beyond the next repair and discuss what the business needs looked after throughout the year. That is the starting point for an ongoing managed relationship.