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PRE-PAID PACKAGE MODEL As the perception of support has moved away from ‘break-fix’ only, to a model that incorporates ever more complex projects and change requests, the way these services are supplied had to be adjusted. As such, pre-paid packages were introduced to allow organisations to buy a set number of support days to cover off all requirements. With this approach, companies can enlist a support provider to cover both proactive improvements and reactive break-fix work. In essence, this works in a similar way to your mobile phone contract. You estimate the minutes and data you’ll use each month and buy a package to match. Then, if you are nearing your contract limit, you have the option to buy extra minutes (or days, in the case of support). If you have a good support partner (unlike mobile phone contracts) you’ll also have the option to roll over unused time into the next contract period.
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This remains a very popular offering, and for good reason. But the dual-purpose approach is not perfect for everyone as it includes complications that suit some more than others – such as the need to play the gatekeeper role.
The gatekeeper role Pre-paid contracts normally come with inbuilt checks that require IT managers to approve work that will likely eat up more time than initially expected. Although designed to protect the organisation, this creates a gatekeeper role that leaves IT managers with the responsibility of deciding what projects get prioritised over others.
