Why we don't provide point-of-care IT support (and why it protects your company)

7 min read · DataRoad

Timely computer assistance This is the model in which the company calls a technician when something breaks, pays for the intervention and that's it. DataRoad doesn't work that way. We only accept customers on a contract basis and only companies with more than 10 employees. It's not a matter of personality: it's the only way to guarantee the level of service we promise — and the way that, in the medium term, protects your company the most.

We explain why, frankly, and we show what changes happen in practice.

What gets lost when you only call someone when they are broken down

The point-based model has an apparent advantage: you only pay when you need to. The problem is all the time between one call and the next.

Without a history, every failure starts from scratch

The new technician doesn’t know that that server already made the same mistake in March, nor that the printer on the second floor is on a different network, nor what the password for the router is. The first 30 or 60 minutes of each intervention are spent figuring out what’s there. And they’re paid for by you.

Without prevention, the problem only appears when the company has already stopped working.

Security updates to install, a disk that is giving signs of failure, a backup that stopped working three weeks ago. No one is looking, because no one is paid to look. The failure always arrives at the worst possible time — and often with data already at risk.

Different coach, different solution

Each visit can bring a new person with their own habits. After two years, the network is a patchwork quilt that no one fully knows. Changing or growing up becomes expensive and risky.

Unpredictable cost and wrong incentive

In the point-based model, the person providing assistance bills more when there are more breakdowns. There is no malice in this — it’s simply how the model works. In a monthly advance contract, the incentive reverses: each breakdown avoided is work that the supplier doesn’t have to do.

Pontual vs. IT Unlimited contract, side by side

If you want to see in detail the difference between our model and a traditional outsourcing approach, we have a dedicated comparison: IT Unlimited vs. the advancement of outsourcing.

Because we only work with companies with more than 10 employees

A company with more than 10 workstations already has what justifies professional management: a server or cloud services, a network with multiple devices, customer data, a real dependency on email and applications. This is where computing stops being “a computer that breaks down” and becomes infrastructure.

Focusing on this profile allows us to maintain processes, tools, and staff at the level required by clients such as hotels, clinics, embassies, and international companies. That is also why we do not subcontract or carry out small isolated jobs: we work directly with the final client, with responsibility over the whole process.

The three IT Unlimited tiers

O IT Unlimited It is a monthly plan with three tiers. All include security — managed firewalls, probes, equipment protection (endpoints), two-factor authentication (2FA/MFA), and alarm monitoring.

• Essential — starting from 10 seats. Remote and telephone support. Site visits are not included and are budgeted separately. Suitable for teams that work mainly in the cloud or in multiple locations.
• Premium — everything that the Essential includes, plus on-site support included in the plan. It’s the level for those who need to maintain an office, server, and physical network.
• Premium 365 — everything that Premium includes, plus coverage for nights, weekends, and holidays. It’s the only tier with 24/7 support and monitoring, designed for hotels, clinics, and operations that don’t stop.

The contract is annual, with automatic renewal, 60 days' notice, and no commitment. The response times and responsibilities are written down — see our terms and conditions. service levels (SLA). And, if one day you decide to leave, there are clear rules for passing through access points and documentation: we explain what you must require in Computer contract: the exit and data clauses that must be required.

A real case: Ventask, with DataRoad since 2016

Ventask has more than 350 locations and has been working with DataRoad since 2016. Under the IT Unlimited contract, we manage the entire network area, corporate firewalls, equipment security, secure remote work solutions, and wireless networks, with proactive monitoring and alerts.

This is the example of what the point-by-point model never manages to deliver: a team that monitors the infrastructure year after year, that knows every piece of equipment and that plans for evolution rather than putting out fires. Read more the case of Ventask.

“But I just need someone from time to time”

We hear this phrase quite often. Usually it means one of two things.

1. The company is still small And computer science is simple. If you have fewer than 10 employees, we are not the right partner for you — and we’d prefer to tell you that now.
2. The company never measured what the breakdowns cost it. Stops, hours lost by the team, data recovered in a hurry. When you add it all up, “from time to time” is often more expensive than a down payment. We show how to calculate it How much does an hour of downtime cost in a 20-station company?.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I pay separately, does DataRoad make an isolated intervention?

No. One-off requests outside of an assistance contract are not within our scope. This includes small, isolated jobs, such as installing a single network point. We only work on contracts directly with the end customer.

What is the duration of the contract?

The IT Unlimited contract is annual, with automatic renewal and 60 days' notice for those who want to leave. There is no commitment.

Does the Essential tier include on-site visits?

No. Essential includes remote and telephone support; on-site travel is budgeted separately. On-site assistance is included from the Premium tier onwards.

How much does IT Unlimited cost?

It depends on the number of workstations, servers, network, and hierarchy. The proposal is finalized after an assessment of your infrastructure, so that the monthly value corresponds to what actually exists.

IT Unlimited proposal closed within 10 working days

We perform the diagnosis of your infrastructure and deliver a proposal with a fixed monthly value, recommended tier, and service levels in writing. For companies with more than 10 seats · support contract · remote and on-site support.