It shouldn’t be hard to work out how much outsourced IT costs. Yet, IT providers don’t always talk about the numbers as plainly as they could. The complicated jargon and befuddling number-crunching can be off-putting for companies considering an external support team.
At Microbyte, we understand that you can’t weigh up IT support (Learn More about our London office) options without a basic handle on the figures. Yes, there are lots of factors, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t at least know what ballpark you’re in.
One of the most common questions we receive from potential customers is the cost of our support services. Outsourcing your IT services is the first step to empowering your business, especially small businesses, to focus on its strengths and digital transformation.
Paying an expert does more than save money, time and hassle, it helps you scale quicker. And not only that, a team of experts can be cheaper than you think.
This article is an attempt to eradicate the mystery surrounding the price of IT support, especially remote support and unlimited remote support options. We will detail the many options available and crunch the numbers for you.
How much does Outsourced IT Support cost?
While prices can vary wildly, the average cost of outsourced IT support is £25-35 per month, per user.
Outsourcing IT Support
IT support, or an IT helpdesk, offers the basic aspects of an IT package. This is generally used as a solution for businesses that keep their IT in-house. IT support involves hiring trained staff who can solve issues as they arise. For SMEs with a small in-house IT team, outsourced IT support helps small issues with a high operational impact get fixed in no time. You don’t want a staff member unable to work because they’re waiting their turn in the IT queue. Outsourced IT support means they’ll speak to an engineer straight away.
Here’s our breakdown of the cost of outsourced IT support:
- The average user will create one ticket per month
- That ticket will take about 20 minutes to complete
- A good engineer is billed at £65ph
- We need 20 minutes of that engineer’s time
- 20mins x £65ph = £22
- £22 + 10% management time + tools = £24.20
- Totalling around £25 per month, per user
Considering a more comprehensive solution for your IT needs? Ask yourself the following questions:
- Does your in-house IT team handle the ongoing care and development of your systems?
- Are your IT standards documented and reviewed on a regular basis?
- Are you comfortable your data is safe and backed up?
- Do you hire a team who manage the continuous improvement of your IT services?
- Do you have the knowledge and expertise needed to get issues rectified quickly?
- Is your organisation familiar with the latest IT technology improvements?
If you answered ‘no’ to any of the questions above, then a Managed Service Provider might be the best way for you to optimise your IT.
How much does an Outsourced Managed Service Provider cost?
An Outsourced Managed Service Provider costs £50-75 per month, per user on average.
A Managed IT Service is the complete management of your IT systems and sometimes telecoms to outsourced specialists. This service consists of far more than fixing computer problems. Unless you have a substantial in-house team, your business should be looking for a Managed Service Provider (MSP).
The support service offered by an MSP is more expensive for a good reason. Not only is there much more involved than IT support, but your MSP will also be much more involved with your business. They’ll be building a partnership with you to ensure your IT is always working for your business as it grows.
Here’s what you get from a full Managed Services offering:
- The cost of the helpdesk (broken down under IT support above) = £25 per month, per user
- Monitoring of updates, back-ups and security = £1 per month, per user
- Standards engineers (network administrators) who check operations and implement changes = £5 per month, per user
- An IT director who manages the client, their IT management, budget and future strategy. This can be quite an involved role and will depend on the activity and involvement of the client = £16 per month, per user
- Tools for smooth support services, including cyber protection = £10 per month, per user
So, for an extra £32 per month, per user, you have the total security and reassurance that your IT is taken care of – both now, and in the future.
Overview of Outsourced Cost of Outsourced IT Costs
IT support = £25-35 per month, per user
Managed services = £50-£75 per month, per user
There you have it. In numbers. We hope this has cleared up some of the most common questions surrounding IT services. It’s important to remember: time costs money, and good engineers are hard to come by. We must keep everything in perspective, too. When you can end up paying upwards of £50 per month, per user for software, you want experts to help you make the right decisions and invest wisely.
Ultimately, as with anything, you get what you pay for, so pay for the best you can afford. The right outsourced IT service provider will care about your business goals as much as you do.
