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According to a study conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 20% of small American businesses fail within the first year of operation; 30% within the second year; and 50% after five years. There are many factors contributing to this, but perhaps the most important is incorrect implementation, use, and maintenance of technology.

That’s why IT support for small businesses has never been more critical. In this article, we discuss the average cost of IT support services for small business owners, in addition to the benefits of partnering with highly experienced support companies for your technical support needs.

 

Get Competitive IT Support Pricing From a Trusted Provider Bring reliable, cost-effective IT support to your business with AT-NET. Learn More

 

The Average Cost of IT Support Services for Small to Medium-Sized Businesses

In contrast to large enterprises, small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) often lack the financial flexibility to maintain a full-time support team for their day-to-day IT needs.

As a result, several SMBs are outsourcing their support services to third-party providers to save money without sacrificing quality.

If you’re considering outsourcing your own IT needs, then you may be wondering what the average cost of working with a managed service provider (MSP) is. The short answer is that monthly IT support contract pricing ranges from $100 to $250 per person per month.

It’s important to recognize, however, that this number is merely an average. Another way to frame IT support contract prices is in terms of percentage. In other words, what percentage of your total revenue should go towards IT support?

Consider that the average technology budget for small businesses (those earning less than $50 million in annual revenue) is around 7%. While some of this cost will be allocated to infrastructure and overhead, a substantial portion is dedicated towards continual maintenance and support.

Of course, to fully appreciate the cost of IT support, we need to understand how IT support contract pricing is structured.

 

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Pricing Structure for IT Support Services

• Per-Device Pricing

Per-device pricing represents one of the simplest and most predictable models, making it a popular choice among small businesses.

In this model, you are charged a fixed, monthly fee based on the number of supported devices, such as desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

Note that this model can become increasingly complex if your business operates using a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) or work-from-home framework.

 

• Per-User Pricing

Similar to the previous model, per user pricing is based on the number of employees eligible for IT support within your company. Small businesses enjoy this pricing structure because it’s fair, predictable, and transparent.

Compared to per device pricing, this model allows a single user to use multiple devices without incurring extra fees. Combined with a monthly flat rate, it stands out as the leading option for SMBs.

 

• Tiered Pricing

Tiered pricing lets users choose from a handful of packages, starting from the very basic to the most advanced. In this model, the price is a function of the level of service one requires.

The advantage of this model is that, as your needs and budget change, it’s easy to switch from one tier to another. That said, the packages themselves can often feel restrictive, offering either too many services or too few.

 

• Break-Fix Pricing

“Break-fix” refers to a style of pricing where organizations simply contact an MSP when they’re in need of technical services, for which they’re charged an hourly rate. In this model, the average cost for IT support per hour ranges from $50 to $300, depending on the type of service.

This model is most commonly used to bolster IT services among businesses who already have at least some in-house support. For small businesses lacking any IT specialists whatsoever, this approach is not recommended.

 

Expert Tip: Note that other pricing models do exist, such as value-based pricing, monitoring-only pricing, and à-la-carte pricing. To learn more about pricing structures, check out our comprehensive guide to managed IT services pricing.

 

Are IT Support Services Necessary?

While IT support services aren’t strictly necessary, they are truly invaluable to your business. For example, consider that the average cost of downtime is an incredible $5,600 per minute, an amount that very quickly exceeds the average cost of IT support services.

For a comparatively small investment, you can effectively protect your organization against both financial and reputational ruin by keeping your operations running securely and smoothly. Other benefits to using IT support services include:

• Round-the-clock monitoring
• Improved workflow efficiencies
• Increased productivity and innovation
• Better adherence to regulatory compliance
• Access to a high level of technical expertise and experience

 

Interested in learning more about IT support costs? Check out these blogs: Your Complete Guide to Managed IT Pricing How to Choose a Managed IT Services Company Managed Services vs. Professional Services: What’s the Difference?

 

Get Customized Cost-Effective IT Support Pricing With AT-NET

Now that you understand the cost of IT support for small business owners, the value should be readily clear.

As technology plays an increasingly important role in the workplace, having access to dependable IT support is critical. Small business IT support pricing offers round-the-clock, affordable access to these and other services.

Looking for competitive rates from an experienced MSP? With AT-NET, you get predictable and comprehensive pricing for as little as $45 per month. Our per-user pricing model allows each employee to benefit from our entire range of IT support services, including:

• Cybersecurity services
• 24/7/365 remote monitoring
• Network security and support
• IT support and helpdesk services
• IT consulting and strategy development
• Managed backups, Disaster Recovery (DR) and Business Continuity Planning (BCP)

With rapid response times of 60 seconds or less, our team of specialists is committed to keeping your operations running smooth. Contact us today to get competitive IT support costs for your small business.

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