What to look for in a Houston-area Managed Service Provider
In the Houston area, companies turn to managed service providers (MSPs) for a variety of reasons. You might be experiencing rapid growth, and your existing IT team simply can’t keep up with the expanding number of tasks. Or perhaps you don’t have a dedicated IT team, but instead one savvy person managing all IT-related tasks. This person has become overwhelmed and needs additional support.
Regardless of the reason, when you start evaluating MSPs, the question of cost comes up. How much does an MSP charge and how does that fit with your budget? Here are four common pricing models and what to look for in a partner:
Pricing per device or user. This is a common pricing structure where a company is charged based on the total number of devices or users. The benefit is that you can easily predict monthly costs based on these variables.
Service level agreement-based pricing. Some MSPs will calculate pricing based on your SLA requirements. For example, two customers might have similar networks and servers, but one could have stricter requirements for security and uptime. With this pricing model, the customer with stricter requirements pays a higher-tiered price.
A la carte pricing menu. With this model, the customer selects single services from a menu, each with a set price. This model provides flexibility, but also adds complexity. Customers might become indecisive with so many options and not really understand which services they truly require.
Flat fee pricing model. And finally, there is a value-based (flat fee) pricing model. With this option, you pay a set fee for all services included. The MSP invests time up front in understanding your needs and rolls those needs into a customized monthly service with a fixed cost.
Executive IT Help’s pricing model is simple
A pricing model that is simple and straightforward is often the best option for a company seeking an MSP. Flat fee pricing, where everything required is included in a set month fee, makes forecasting monthly costs much easier.
When shopping for an MSP, it’s important to weigh the costs with the risks. For example, does your provider require you to commit to a contract? If so, this creates more risk than working with a provider that allows for cancellation at any time. So carefully weigh these factors as well.
Do you have questions about the benefits of using an MSP or its pricing? If so, call us at 832-295-1411 or email us today.
