In general, the benefits of outsourcing specific services are plenty. Of course, IT services are some of the most commonly outsourced across the business world. This is because the process of managing your entire IT infrastructure can be time-consuming and complex.
Therefore, most businesses choose an MSP to handle it all for them – or to provide assistance in certain areas. The question is, how much do managed IT services cost?
It’s hard to provide accurate figures as most MSPs guard their prices. We’ll explain why this is done, along with everything else you should know about the cost of managed IT services.
Why do MSPs Guard Their Pricing?
It’s simply a means of staying competitive within the industry. There are only a handful of fully-managed mature MSPs out there, and the truth is that the costs don’t vary a great deal between them.
The problem is that smaller companies will start offering managed IT services alongside their existing services. As a result, they can afford to offer cheaper prices that undercut the true MSPs out there.
By guarding their prices, the mature MSPs ensure that potential clients aren’t put off by seeing such a big price difference between their services and the smaller MSPs around.
Thus, it encourages prospects to inquire about the services, where they quickly learn that far more is on offer from an experienced managed IT service provider, making the costs more worthwhile.
How do MSPs Charge Businesses?
Contrary to what you might believe, an MSP doesn’t charge a flat monthly rate. Instead, they will charge you per person, per month.
This means that the number of people using your IT network will factor into the overall monthly price. The more people an MSP has to look after, the more expensive it will be. This is typically because it means they have to handle a much larger and more extensive IT infrastructure.
How Should You Choose an MSP?
Choosing your managed IT services provider is all about understanding what you get for the monthly fee. How deep are the services provided? What will the company do for you?
Ideally, you want a provider that goes above and beyond, offering 24/7 support across the board. If two companies have similar prices, comparing the features and services is the best way to distinguish which one is worth your money.
If the prices are guarded – which they will be in a lot of cases – you need to book a consultation or submit quote requests. This means the company will contact you, listen to your needs, and provide a quote per person, per month. From here, you can compare all the quotes you get, identifying the best value-for-money MSP.
As a rough generalization, it can be said that the cost of managed IT services per person, per month, ranges between $75 – $300. It largely depends on the provider, but do your research to understand if you’re being ripped off, or if the quote is consistent with similar MSPs in the industry.
