How Much Does It Usually Cost to Outsource IT Support?

Small businesses face challenges when it comes to making decisions on IT support and maintenance. Many business owners are intertwined between hiring in-house IT experts and outsourcing IT support.

While both options are viable, the benefits of outsourcing your IT support may weigh those of in-house support.

Considering the benefits, many businesses would love to outsource IT support, but the cost factor remains a mystery. So, how much do managed IT services cost? While there’s no direct answer to this question, read on to get you closer to the answer.

Can You Manage Your IT System by Yourself?

This is where most businesses get it wrong. Instead of focusing on building their small businesses, they spend time trying to solve their own IT problems. Well, there’s no denying that you can manage your IT system all by yourself, but what about other important aspects of your business?

These managed IT services come at a much lower price and save a lot of time and effort from your side. An in-house IT team is the best way to keep your business running. This is because there will be someone available to keep IT items such as printers and passwords running.

What About Employing an In-House Team?

As your business grows, you’re going to see the need to have some staff, including an IT team. Keeping an in-house IT team comes with its costs depending on several factors such as location, business, size, and IT need. If you’re running a small business, you get your IT problems sorted with just one IT manager.

But as your business grows, you’ll need to increase the number of your in-house IT experts. Unfortunately, this also means you’ll need to add on the cost of the service.

On the cost of an in-house IT team, you’ll also need to incur the cost of training your IT team. Not to mention the spending on internal hardware replacement and availing funds for any immediate IT needs. Employing an in-house IT team can be a good decision but very expensive for a growing business.

Paying Per Hour for IT Service

If you decide to outsource your IT, you’ll come across those who charge on a per-hour basis. However, hourly payment seems to be the most expensive and poorest choice of IT outsourcing. This is because you’ll be paying per hour without knowing the cost of the final bill.

You may pay less by purchasing 40 hours per month of service. But the managed service provider can go ahead to charge you extra fees besides your already budgeted amount. A pay-as-you-go company might take more time to complete the job depending on the familiarity and experience of the technicians.

An hourly paid technician can also delay your IT support to improve on their weekly home pay. Paying on an ad hoc basis can also leave your IT system poorly attended if the technician is busy and under too much pressure.

Paying Your IT Support Per User

If you want to scale up your business through IT support, the best way to go is to outsource the IT help desk. This is because any reputable managed service providers will charge your business per month format or per user.

Every user in your business setting will be taken care of. The charge will include security monitoring, technical support, and drive space.

If you want to avoid paying extravagant and surprising IT service fees, per user is the way to go. This will also make your business grow tremendously since the service providers will advise management and complimentary services perfect for your business model.

Outsource IT Support on Pre-Pay Time

Paying your managed IT service pre-time means you can purchase a block of time in advance. This comes at a discounted price, unlike the normal hourly rate.

When you purchase upfront in bulk, your provider can allocate a response time for issues you logged. This step involves a small step ahead of pay-as-you-go service.

You’ll also be paying for the time that somebody else can manipulate if they wish. The service providers can also erode your already purchased block of time, forcing you to purchase another once they run out. So, this step is a bit risky and expensive.

Service Providers May Charge You on Flat Fees

Some service providers may charge you at a monthly flat rate. In fact, this is a new trend in IT support, since many businesses have found it suitable and cheap. It’s called unlimited support.

It sounds fantastic but wait until you’re faced with a number of challenges, ranging from poor network to device shutdown. What happens to your business when you’re running low on the network? The productivity will go down.

The cost of unlimited support doesn’t cover your rushed response times, delivery fees, on-site support, and hardware setup. You’ll have to incur these costs separately. The providers might leave you with no penny if you’re not careful.

Third-Party IT Service Providers

You should always have a backup as a business owner, but that doesn’t come easily. If your in-house person is on sick leave or vacation, there will be no one to look after your IT environment. You’ll be putting your business at risk of loss.

The IT service providers will sell you a third-party technology vendor. This will come at a higher price than your real managed service provider would have charged you. To avoid such costs, ensure you compare the price of your provider with other IT providers.

You cannot give your providers the luxury to overcharge you.

Outsource Your IT Support Now

A combination of in-house IT management and a managed service provider can propel your business to greater heights at a low cost. The prices you’ll pay to outsource IT support depends on several factors, including the size of your business and your provider. Consider shopping for different subscription plans.

If you’re still looking for ways to make technology work for your business, don’t leave this site. Find ways to grow your business in this digital world by reading our educative blogs.