November 16, 2017
Homefield IT
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A 2015 survey reported that 66% of businesses surveyed used an outside IT firm in the previous year. And while there are many different types of managed business IT services, almost all have one thing in common: their outdated payment plan options.
Typically, there are two major service models — managed services providers can either charge by the hour, or they can provide their clients with a more comprehensive plan by creating an all-in-one payment plan to provide consistent and ongoing support. The choice is ultimately up to the customer, but understanding some downfalls of IT services that charge by the hour can help you make an informed decision regarding your need for reliable IT management.
Here are just a few compelling reasons to avoid an IT service that charges by the hour.
Billing Issues Are Common
One of the biggest complaints people make about IT businesses that charge by the hour is that there’s a discrepancy with the end cost. “I don’t remember the technician spending that much time on computer network maintenance…” This occurs because in the end, it’s up to the technician’s discretion when it comes to estimating the amount of time they spend providing a service. They also often include driving time in the final cost. If you want to avoid billing issues, as most businesses do, it’s much more convenient and financially secure to choose an IT service provider that charges an all-in-one fee.
Your Business Could Be Sacrificing Quality
Another major problem with IT services that charge hourly is that their clients often do all they can to avoid calling until the problem has grown so severe that it must be resolved immediately. Businesses are quick to spend money only on what’s essential, which is completely understandable. That being said, if you let an IT issue go on for too long, even if it’s a seemingly unsubstantial problem, it has the potential to spread to other parts of your IT infrastructure and sacrifice the overall quality of service your business aims to provide.
The number of devices that connect to the Internet is expected to rise from about 13 billion to 50 billion by 2020. As our personal and professional lives grow more entangled with the web, our need for fast, on-call IT services will only increase. Ultimately, it’s up to you to make the right decision regarding your business’ IT support needs. For more information about managed business IT services, contact Manhattan Tech Support.
