The Problems with Pay-As-You-Go IT Support

The IT industry has come a long way over the last few decades. Many companies offer pay-as-you-go support for small businesses that will encounter glitches in their system. They offer immediate solutions: just call the company, they fix the problem, and you pay the bill. This no-strings-attached setup is also attractive, especially if the business owner can’t afford a subscription or regular fees.

However, there can be some problems with this kind of IT support. So to prevent any problems, you should be careful with the following points:

Erratic invoicing will cost a lot

The biggest problem with the pay-as-you-go system is that many clients think that they are saving money. However, if you calculate the cost of the individual services, you will be surprised to know that it’s actually higher than hiring a long-term IT team.

Although the initial cost will be small, a major glitch will send the invoices ballooning. It will pile up and you’ll soon have to pay a hefty price for a service with no continuous monitoring unless you pay more.

It might be better to outsource your IT to a third-party with a contract in place. This way, you have full control over your expenses and you’ll know that you’re getting the most out of every dollar spent.

The pay-as-you-go scheme can get expensive really fast

The pay-as-you-go system prides on its 24/7 on-call technicians that will assist you with any IT problem. Sure thing, this is convenient, but the cost can get expensive really fast. Some of these service providers will try to upsell you to a costly service with add-ons your business doesn’t really need.

And since pay-as-you-go services only deal with the problems you report, other system glitches may not be seen. This will lead to repetitive calls, which will pile up on the invoicing department. In just a few months, you’ll be slapped with large expenses for IT support alone.

Hourly IT support can be poor

Hourly IT support usually isn’t great. Not only does it milk money from your company, but it also allows the pay-as-you-go IT provider to slack around. Since the setup is hourly, they can take as much time as they wish to deal with the problem.

But if you use monthly IT support at a fixed contract price, the provider has the liability to perform well within a specific timeframe. If you really want to foster the interests of your company, you should avoid hourly IT support, especially if you operating a massive IT infrastructure.

Final words

The pay-as-you-go system is convenient and imbibes a sense of cost-efficiency. However, when glitches occur repeatedly, you will realize that it costs you more money than what you expect. In the long run, you’re better off outsourcing your IT entirely into a trustworthy third-party company. This way, you can uphold accountability while getting the best value for every dollar spent.

Getting the right help for your IT is important. However, the fees shouldn’t cost a fortune.