Journal: Windows Updates scheduling

I am wondering what the going consensus is about how to setup an independent computer or computers with regards to Windows Updates. Should they be set to install automatically? I work at a place that provides support for multiple businesses and one of my fellow techs is telling and setting up our clients to not install updates automatically. So, what will happen is that they don't want us out there unless something goes wrong, which could be months are even years before they have a problem and we go to provide service. In that time, they get no updates at all. What is the going wisdom with this type of situation?