Break-fix IT support is the simplest support model there is: when something breaks, an engineer comes out and fixes it. There is no monthly retainer for that site, and you pay for the work that is done. It sounds old-fashioned next to fully managed services, but for remote offices, branches, data centre racks and MSPs covering sites outside their own area, it is often the most practical option.
How break-fix works
- A fault is reported by a user, a monitoring alert or the vendor.
- Remote diagnosis narrows the problem down and, where possible, a replacement part is ordered under warranty or from stock.
- An engineer is dispatched to site with a clear brief, access details and the part.
- The fix is carried out: swap the failed disk, PSU, switch, firewall or laptop component, then test with the remote team.
- Close-out: a short report with photos, serial numbers in and out, and anything else spotted on site.
Break-fix vs managed services
Managed services aim to prevent problems through monitoring, patching and proactive maintenance, for a fixed monthly fee. Break-fix reacts to problems as they happen. They are not really competitors: most organisations use both. Your MSP or internal team manages systems remotely, and break-fix engineers provide the hands on site when hardware needs touching.
| Break-fix | Managed services | |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | A fault or failure | Ongoing, proactive |
| Cost model | Per visit or per job | Monthly fee |
| Best for | Hardware faults, remote sites, overflow | Day-to-day IT for a whole organisation |
| Who is on site | Engineer dispatched when needed | Often remote only |
When break-fix makes sense
- Sites without IT staff: branches, shops, warehouses, small offices and overseas locations.
- Data centre racks: where a vendor ships a replacement part and someone needs to fit it. See smart hands vs remote hands for what data centre staff will and will not do.
- MSPs whose customers have offices outside their engineers’ normal travel area.
- Vendors and OEMs who need an engineer to carry out warranty swaps on their behalf.
- Peaks in demand when your own team is stretched.
Where break-fix can go wrong
The biggest risks are slow dispatch, an engineer who arrives without the right part or access, and no record of what was done. Avoid them by agreeing a standard brief, confirming site access before the engineer travels, shipping parts to site in advance, and asking for the same report format on every job. A clear work order template solves most of these problems.
Questions to ask a break-fix provider
- Which locations can you cover, and how quickly can you usually get someone there?
- How are engineers vetted and matched to the job?
- Will I get photos and a written report for every visit?
- Can you work under my brand for my clients?
- Can you cover planned work such as IMAC as well as faults?
Simplify Networks provides IMAC and break-fix engineers across the UK and worldwide, coordinated from one London contact, with white-label options for MSPs.
Need a break-fix engineer on site?
Tell us where the fault is and what has failed. We will brief and dispatch a vetted engineer.