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Rethinking Managed IT Services
Why We Moved Beyond the “Good, Better, Best” Package Model
After 30 years delivering IT services for SMBs, SSR Total IT has introduced a new way to approach the typical managed services model. Here’s why the standard package approach falls short, and how a horizontal service catalog can increase the quality of the services you receive and save you money at the same time.
If you’ve shopped for managed IT services recently, you’ve probably seen the same structure at almost every provider: a bronze, silver, and gold package. Pick your tier. Sign the contract. Done.
As a business leader trying to get the most out of your IT investment, the standard package model has a fundamental flaw: you’re paying for services you may not need, and possibly missing ones you do.
Like most bundled subscriptions, tiered IT packages often include services organizations rarely use. Studies of enterprise software subscriptions have found companies wasting up to 30% of their spend on unused tools, a reminder that bundled models rarely match real operational needs. Think of it like a cable bundle or streaming subscription — you’re subscribed to (and pay for!) dozens of channels or features, but you only watch a handful.
"We've been in this business for 30 years. Our approach has always been to do what the client actually needs. The horizontal catalog is our way of building that philosophy into a scalable, repeatable model."
The Problem with Tiered Packages
The “good, better, best” model wasn’t built around industry best practices. It was built around price points. The entry-level package typically includes help desk support, basic monitoring, and patching on a loose schedule. Upgrade to the middle tier and you get faster response times and more frequent patches. The premium tier adds more features still.
The issue is that most clients, regardless of industry, end up selecting the middle package. It feels safe and balanced. But it’s still a bundle, and bundles are inherently incapable of addressing the varying needs of different businesses, industries, and processes. A 15-person accounting firm has very different IT needs than a 15-person logistics company. A flat package can’t serve both well.
For organizations with existing in-house IT, the mismatch is even sharper. Some providers try to address this with a “co-managed” bucket added to their standard tiers, but it’s still an afterthought within a package model.
A Different Model: The Horizontal Service Catalog
Rather than stacking services into tiers, SSR’s horizontal catalog treats each service as a standalone, best-practice-driven offering. Endpoint security. Email filtering. User onboarding. Backup and recovery. Patching. Help desk. Each one is defined, documented, and delivered at the same high standard, whether you’re a client with five users or five hundred.
You choose the services your business actually needs. You pay a flat, predictable, and completely transparent fee. And as your needs change, you can add or remove services without changing your entire engagement structure.
Every service in the catalog includes a defined onboarding process, a documented run process for ongoing delivery, an offboarding process, and reporting. Our goal is for there to be no ambiguity about what you’re getting, how it’s being delivered, and what you are paying per service.
Built on SSR’s Three Pillars: Enable, Secure, Automate
Every service in SSR’s catalog maps to one of three strategic pillars that reflect how IT actually creates business value.
- Enable – Providing tools and systems that help employees work efficiently.
- Secure – Protecting business data, networks, and users from cyber threats.
- Automate – Reducing manual processes and improving operational efficiency.
Better Data Leads to Better Decisions
One bonus of this model of IT service delivery is the visibility it creates. Because SSR tracks delivery and activity per service, clients have insight into how their IT environment is actually being used.
Take help desk support: SSR can show you exactly which requests your team generates most frequently. That data might reveal software that needs replacing, a process that’s creating confusion, or a training opportunity. In a traditional bundled model, that granular insight is unattainable.
What This Looks Like in Practice
When in my previous role, I transitioned an in-house IT department to SSR to gain a one-stop shop with a wider breadth of capabilities. After moving to DCA Manufacturing, I changed our IT service from an IT provider operating under a standard packaged-based model to SSR, where our services are tailored to our needs. We gained more control over costs and a higher level of service.
Is This Model Right for Your Business?
The horizontal catalog works especially well for organizations that:
- Already have some internal IT capability and don’t want to pay for a full-stack managed service.
- Are in a growth phase and need services to scale with them rather than forcing a package upgrade.
- Have had a frustrating experience with bundled IT contracts that didn’t deliver clear value.
- Want transparency into exactly what they’re receiving and what it costs.
SSR piloted this model in late 2024 and has since moved both new and existing clients to the catalog. The response has been consistent: clients appreciate the ability to tailor their services to their needs and the full transparency of pricing. Feedback also shows that an unintended, but welcome benefit is a clearer understanding of SSR capabilities and offerings.
Curious what your IT stack would look like under a horizontal model? Let’s talk.