Ever feared that your MSP charges you more than they should?

In today’s ever-digitizing business landscape, the bulk of organizations have introduced, to a certain degree, information technology (IT) solutions for support to ensure their daily or infrequent technical issues are solved quickly and effectively. Whether an outage, password change, VPN misconnection, cyber-attack, or any other probable technicality that can impact a business thoughtfully is managed and fixed by Managed Service Providers (MSPs), making it crucial to choose one with great expertise and a portfolio of satisfied customers. Managing a business boils down to striking a balance between its necessities and how much you pay for someone to take care of it. Among the most commonly outsourced jobs is, as expected, for IT support operations, making them the cornerstone of an enterprise’s healthy functioning.

Suppose you were to invest in avant-garde, sophisticated tech solutions and tools, IT staff training, infrastructure, and so on, all needed to secure your business from the dangers abounding in today’s digitized realm. In that case, you’d probably spend a fortune. However, this financial constraint doesn't mean that you should pay over the odds for the services offered by an MSP, just like how your possible lack of skill to fix your AC leaks doesn’t mean a blue-collar worker should rip you off.

Without MSPs, many SMS can’t function. But what if something tells you the price paid could be unjustifiably exorbitant? Here are the main factors that determine MSP prices so you can know for a fact if you’re dealing with a reliable and trustworthy supplier of IT support who prioritizes fair pricing.

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Data amount managed

Some businesses tend to take data backups for granted, similar to how smartphone users avoid backing up their data on communication platforms. Not long ago, about 9 in 10 organizations admitted using backups to safeguard their databases, while a modest 16% would do it for their SaaS data security. There are industries and environments where companies must keep these backups for decades to respect the laws, regulations, guidelines, etc. And clearly, data backup shouldn’t be taken lightly regardless of the sector you activate in, for you may never know when you need some proof of service.

The price for backup and data storage can differ considerably from supplier to supplier, ranging from a three-digit figure to a four-digit figure. The same principle applies to the number and number of databases and content, which determines how much you’ll be charged, with the price rising proportionally with quantity.

Keep in mind that you get what you pay for regarding data storage, so if a lighter price tag lures you, it’s essential to consider whether you want to pay the price through inferior security features, less maintenance, and poorly trained staff. Resting assured that your IT needs are covered implies partnering up with a great MPS that can offer round-the-clock support regardless of the hour or day of the year, strategic IT planning and consultancy, 24/7 CS, first-rate tech tools, and a host of other excellent benefits.

From onsite support to scaling IT solutions, virtual CIOs, and prompt IT helpdesk, the exemplary MSP’s contributions can secure your organization’s competitive advantage and the chance of a larger share of the pie in an overcrowded market.

User and workstation number

Naturally, the higher the number of employees, the more computers an employed MSP handles, so the pricier the fee. The number of users supported and the workstations managed justifiably determines the amount of money directed toward your MSP provider. The fees also differ depending on the services enjoyed, such as the setup of an online voice internet protocol or software updates.

Moreover, some providers may charge a flat fee when setting up new workstations and installations. Outlays per user may differ greatly and range from a two-digit to three-digit price, depending on multiple factors. These costs may be covered in the form of recurrent monthly fees or one-time payments, and the price grows depending on the support needed. More devices are included in such plans, like tablets, phablets, smartphones, and so on, all the more since the popularity of the BYOD culture keeps rising.

With 90% of Americans possessing a mobile, many of whom adhered to BYOD, companies have the opportunity to reduce or even eliminate expenses associated with training. Thus, a big part of the savings gets redirected to MSPs’ offerings – or, at least, they should. The trend’s rise furthers the security risks on BYOD devices, but cybersecurity risks have long been threatening businesses’ stability – it’s just now that they can fortify their strongholds at maximum.

Preferably, you’ll evaluate the number of workstations and users the eyed MSP would have on hand and choose if fees will recur monthly or be covered upfront.

Emerging needs and updates

You’ll have more factors to weigh in when assessing your MSP’s price, but generally, these two elements and the emerging, yet unpreventable needs incurred in your business rank the highest. You’ll have to think of the service you may need from IT support providers depending on the given industry and regulations, among other considerations. For instance, your accounting may need protection from data loss, theft, manipulation, and so on. Or your employees’ devices must be protected from phishing scams and other malware. Data from Insurance Business Mag discloses that small enterprises are at an explicitly high risk of falling victim to cyber breaches and other crisis types, and those staying complacent only run the risk of collapsing.

Most businesses own several devices and are tempted to believe the small size of their organization innately protects them from cyber-attackers' eyes. In fact, many such organizations live to learn that the truth is quite the opposite.

Endnote

Bearing the risk in mind, ensure you’re partnering up with dependable and proficient managed service providers who can protect your business against today’s abundance of risks and overcome tomorrow’s cybersecurity challenges. As tech progresses, cyber-attackers and online threats can only strengthen, meaning that MSPs must be one step ahead at all times and costs.