With the prevalence of IT in every facet of business life, IT services are a must-have for companies of any size. Gone are the days of having to hire in-house IT professionals to deal with your computer needs, though. What kind of IT consulting rates can a small or medium-sized business expect?
With the infrastructure offered by IT becoming more and more popular, partially thanks to the pandemic, the managed IT services industry has grown at an exponential rate. This also means there are more options than ever.
Before you make the leap and hire an IT consulting service, you should understand the rates.
Does One Consultant Size Fit All?
The first consideration is the size of both the consulting company and your own business.
Naturally, a company with international reach and multiple levels of IT and security requirements will have steeper costs for its IT services. You can expect that kind of contract to stretch into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
If you’re a medium-sized business or smaller, you’ll be looking at hourly rates, for example. They won’t break the bank either, usually charging somewhere between $50 and $200 for a premium service.
The price range can get wild in how different it is, so be careful to select a service known for reliable and professional work.
Hourly isn’t the only way to set up the rates. There are a few payment models that MSPs will offer.
The Structures of IT Consulting Rates
Although hourly is the most common, you can also opt for a monthly fixed fee.
An MSP operating on a fixed monthly fee model will structure its pricing around the number of employees in your company. Will you need to draw from the expertise of your IT consultants regularly? Then it’s the perfect model for you.
Expect around $100-$200 per user under this payment scheme.
You can also hire an MSP through reserved blocks of time. Tasks that have an exact time allocated are perfect for this payment method. It benefits you because you’ll receive reduced rates by being specific about the time taken.
The other important part of the rates arrangement is what the consultant will cover. If you have any special needs, be sure to talk it over with the IT consultants you have in mind. Each service will offer different levels of support, and more outlandish requirements may not be covered.
Never Skimp on Your IT
Technology and computers have proved to be an invaluable life force for a lot of businesses. Even if it’s not the focal point of your business, IT consulting rates are very affordable for the crucial service they offer.
Making sure that you have a specialist on call for the job will save you time and money in the long run.
On that note, another way you can save time and money is by reading more of our articles. Business news makes a regular appearance on the blog, including more tips that could help you in the future!