Are you curious about the average cost of IT support services and if your business can afford to hire a managed services provider? For many businesses, IT support isn’t a service that is used on a daily basis – but when technical support is required, the cost adds up quickly and can use up all of a monthly budget in a matter of a few hours or days.
We’re going to help you determine the average cost of IT support services, how these costs are calculated, and whether your business would benefit more from contracting a managed services provider or paying for support on an as-needed basis. Keep reading to learn more!
What is the Average Cost of IT Support Services?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a single number that can answer the question of average IT support costs. This is generally due to the fact that these costs will vary based on how large the IT firm is, the complexity of your IT system, and how much time technicians spend to correct a problem.
With all of this said, if you happen to hire a computer technician, you may be able to pay as little as $65 per hour; an individual with more experience may charge as much as $100 per hour.
Hiring an individual isn’t always ideal because they may not always be available to help with critical problems.
If you choose to use an IT firm that employs 5-10 people, you can expect to pay approximately $100-150 per hour. Of course, this cost can differ based on your location and the amount of competition within your area.
The average cost to hire an inexperienced in-house technician runs around $40,000 per year; to hire someone with more experience, you might pay around $7,000-10,000 more. These numbers do include the benefits that are commonly given to people in these roles.
Unfortunately, less experienced IT technicians may not be able to solve all of your technology problems while technicians with more experience may not be able to completely justify their costs – especially if your IT system is relatively simple and rarely has problems.
Both inexperienced and experienced IT support technicians will occasionally require vacations, time off, or sick leave. If you happen to hire only one technician, it is entirely possible for IT problems to arise while they’re away, forcing you to contract out for the needed support.
Choosing an IT Support Contract vs. Paying As You Go
The good news about paying for IT support services as you go is the fact that most support calls only take a few minutes to solve. The bad news is that most technicians or IT companies charge for a minimum number of hours – typically 1-2 hours.
On the very low end, you may be paying an average total of $170; on the high end, you may receive a $300 invoice for a task that only took half an hour. When other issues arise, you will have to call another professional for technical support, have them return, and pay for their services once again.
Technical support professionals that earn an hourly rate provided directly by their clients may have less incentive to correct IT problems quickly because their money is made by the hour. This could lead to IT problems that are never completely addressed and the need for recurring calls for help.
Oppositely, choosing to outsource your IT system to a managed services provider may only cost $100-300 per month. A managed services provider will provide their client with certain agreed-upon services, often inclusive of network monitoring, software updates, hardware upgrades, print management, data storage, and other services.
Being that managed service companies usually provide around-the-clock monitoring and 24/7 support, the $40,000-$50,000 you’ll spend per year will average out to a far lower hourly cost.
Some managed services providers offer flat-rate pricing based on a company’s chosen service tier; other providers base their billing on the total number of users per month.
Our Services & Pricing
At iTernal Networks, we offer a wide range of support for any size business as well as flexible options to fit your budget. Our list of managed services includes backup & disaster recovery, network, security, help desk, mobile device management, and print management. I
One of the biggest benefits of choosing to use our services is the low price point and the fact that we bill a flat rate each month. You’ll know exactly how much you owe each month – no guesswork, no complicated billing, and no surprises!
In addition to our standard monthly managed services plans, we have other technical services that allow you to get the most out of your monthly plan while incorporating other solutions that meet your needs.
With our affordable managed service plans and IT support services, you’ll find that iTernal Networks is an ideal solution to all of your technical needs. Our experienced team is always available to answer questions, offer support, and solve your most complicated IT problems.
If you would like to get a better idea of what the average cost of IT support services would be for your specific business and how much a contracted managed services provider can save you, give iTernal Networks a call today!
We’d be happy to discuss what your monthly bill might cost as well as what types of services you can expect to be included!
