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Property management companies with 25–75 employees and multiple apartment communities must choose between managed IT services and break-fix IT support. Managed IT typically costs $100–$150 per user per month, while break-fix IT charges hourly rates of $100–$200 per hour. While break-fix may seem cheaper upfront, managed IT reduces downtime, improves security, and provides predictable costs, making it the preferred choice for most growing property management companies.
Option 1: What Is Break-Fix IT?
Break-fix IT is a reactive model where companies only call for support when something breaks.
Typical characteristics:
- hourly billing
- no proactive monitoring
- issues addressed after failure
Option 2: What Is Managed IT?
Managed IT services provide ongoing support for a fixed monthly fee.
This includes:
- proactive monitoring
- help desk support
- cybersecurity protection
- system maintenance
Key Difference #1: Cost Structure
Break-fix:
- $100–$200/hour
- unpredictable costs
Managed IT:
- $100–$150 per user/month
- predictable monthly budget
Key Difference #2: Downtime and Productivity
Break-fix leads to:
- longer outages
- delayed response
- repeated issues
Managed IT:
- prevents problems before they occur
- minimizes downtime
Key Difference #3: Cybersecurity Protection
Break-fix typically includes minimal security.
Managed IT includes:
- endpoint protection
- email security
- monitoring and alerts
Key Difference #4: Multi-Property Support
Property management companies require support across multiple locations.
Managed IT is designed for:
- centralized monitoring
- remote support
- standardized infrastructure
Real Example
A property management company with 50 employees across 16 properties relied on break-fix IT and experienced frequent outages. After switching to managed IT services, downtime decreased by over 60% and IT costs became predictable.
About CMIT Solutions of Plano & Garland
CMIT Solutions of Plano & Garland provides managed IT services for property management companies across Plano, Garland, Allen, Lake Highlands, and Rockwall, Texas, delivering 24×7 proactive support and centralized IT management.
