The problem with the break/fix IT model

The break/fix mindset is reactive by design. Something goes wrong, someone reports it, someone fixes it, and the ticket is closed. Until it happens again (and again). It’s a frustrating IT support loop that never truly ends.

This type of support model keeps IT teams busy, but not exactly productive. Instead of projects or changes that improve efficiency, security, or the user experience, their time is taken up by fixing the same issues on repeat. It’s like constantly paintingover a crack in a wall instead of making the wall stronger.

Chronic break/fix cycles waste time, frustrate end users, and cause cost IT costs to spiral. Every repeat issue quietly drains productivity, team morale, and confidence. It’s a lose-lose situation.

Why managed services need to go further

The move to managed IT services was meant to break the cycle - a proactive model that makes IT more resilient, efficient, and secure. But most MSPs still measure success by the same old metrics: ticket response times, resolution rates, closed cases.

That’s not progress. That’s maintenance.

Managed services should help businesses get more out of their IT. They should move the needle through insight, user experience, and collaboration. Yet most of the time they focus on reacting quickly.

But a quick response doesn’t mean a good user experience. And uptime doesn’t mean more productive. It just means a system is running. Technical metrics only look at numbers, not how an IT service feels or the value it creates.

Continuous improvement changes everything

In a continuous improvement model, every issue, interaction, and request becomes a source of learning.
Patterns are spotted, processes refined, and risks aren’t allowed to become real problems. Over time, IT stops being a background function and starts becoming a driver of progress.

Unlock the break/fix support mode, continuous improvement uses insights and puts people at the centre - combining user feedback, performance data, and experience metrics to make IT better every month. It’s smarter, simpler, and infinitely more valuable.

People are the real measure of success

When IT works for people, everything else follows. Collaboration feels easier. Better decisions are made. Processes simplify the flow of work instead of slowing it down.

And that’s the shift we believe in - where managed services focus on how technology feels for the people using it, not just whether it’s functioning.

A better way forward

At 848Group, we’ve taken that idea and built it into our value chain-led managed service model. It’s continuous improvement approach built around how your business actually creates and delivers value - connecting people, processes, and platforms, end to end. By understanding every link in your value chain, we deliver IT services that make your whole business stronger.

It’s not about fixing what’s broken. It’s about understanding why things happen, addressing risks before they bite, and viewing improvement as an ongoing process delivered through day-to-day IT support.

Because IT should do more than keep things running. It should empower teams and deliver measurable value.

Want to learn more about value chain-led IT? Read more here – or book a free consultation to see what continuous improvement could help your business achieve.

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