The process of hiring or changing IT providers can be a difficult one, with a lot of unknowns related to prices and services. At Capital Network Solutions (CNS), one of the first questions we invariably receive from potential customers is:
There is no simple answer to this question. As with buying a car, there are many variables and add-ons to consider when pricing IT plans. In this article, we will shed some light on a murky situation by looking at the various costs and services that come with outsourcing your IT department.
At CNS, we have 30 years of experience providing managed IT services and security solutions to businesses throughout the Sacramento area and across the western United States. We have a unique insight into industry-standard IT costs, as well as the services and support you should expect to receive for your money.
Most small and medium-sized businesses lack the resources to staff their own IT departments. At the same time, putting your entire business environment in the hands of a single employee with limited skills and extensive legacy knowledge also presents a dicey situation.
Essentially an outsourced IT department, a managed service provider takes responsibility for your online environment. Instead of paying out-of-pocket for a break/fix service every time something goes wrong, a managed IT services provider monitors your system comprehensively and deals with problems proactively.
Different tiers of services, support and software get supplied for a monthly fee, maximizing uptime and productivity while allowing you to focus on your core business goals. Not only does a managed IT services plan provide a comprehensive IT solution that mitigates risks of internal and external threats, but the flat monthly fees also make it easier to budget for IT-related costs.
However, every business has slightly different needs, which is why there are different types of managed IT subscription plans on the market, usually with customization options to ensure an ideal fit for your organization.
When it comes to managed IT support, one size does not fit all. The goal should not be to cram your organization into a glass slipper, but rather to find a managed services plan that makes the most sense for your business needs.
Here are some questions that every business should ask itself before signing up for a managed IT services plan:
The answers to these questions will help determine which type of managed IT subscription plans, if any, works best for your business.
You should also insist on transparency from any managed service provider that you consider. For example, here are some questions you should ask your potential managed service provider:
Most managed IT services plans fall into one of two buckets: partially managed or fully managed.
Think of it as the difference between an a la carte menu and an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Of course, not every managed service provider perfectly fits this two-tier mold. For example, some providers may include unlimited help desk support while charging an hourly rate for onsite support.
In general, though, there is one main difference between the a la carte costs of most partially managed plans and the all-you-can-eat fees of most fully managed plans. That difference is the price of help desk support.
Both types of plans tend to include these services:
While businesses on partially managed plans pay by the hour for support, an all-you-can-eat plan includes free help desk support for the following issues:
In addition to everything listed above, some services may require an additional charge, even for businesses on a fully managed IT services plan. These include such servi
ces as:
Most small and medium-sized businesses cannot justify the cost of hiring an IT professional to maintain their network security and provide help desk support. Full-time IT professionals usually make $40,000 to $60,000 per year, with an additional 10 percent going toward payroll taxes and benefits.
By contrast, the average all-you-can-eat managed IT services plan costs less than $30,000 a year.
For that money, you get a fully staffed and trained IT department.
Additionally, when your business goes through a significant upgrade or inevitably stumbles upon an unsolvable problem, you will incur additional costs by contracting with an outside IT services provider.
In other words, subscribing to a managed IT services plan ultimately reduces out-of-pocket expenses, expands security and support and cuts out the middlemen.
At Capital Network Solutions, these are the first things we do when a new client signs up for one of our managed IT services plans:
Call Capital Network Solutions at (916) 366-6566 to set up a free consultation. Whether you sign up for one of our managed IT services plans or not, we can answer your questions and help guide you through the process.
By Daniel Barnes|2020-03-19T09:49:06-07:00March 1st, 2020|IT Support and Managed Services|Comments Off on How Much Do Managed IT Services Cost in 2020?