And will the costs be monthly or ad hoc?

Let’s take a look at IT costs. Almost every office where people work on computers needs help with technology, but that looks different for each office.

Your IT support may come in the form of an outsourced IT company that handles everything, an in-house IT support team, an IT consultant that helps when needed, or a mix of all three.

Here are some numbers and important considerations.

Different types of IT support costs

If calculated hourly, IT support costs range from $90-$300 per hour

If calculated per person per month, IT support costs range from $35-$250 per employee per month

All IT companies operate differently, with the field evolving since the 1980s until today. Many IT support companies are moving to a monthly support model where they reserve their services for clients who pay a monthly subscription rate. However, you can still find IT professionals who will offer service on an hourly basis.

It’s important to consider everything that’s included, and not included in your IT support quote.

On blog post about IT cost, person with black hair typing on calculator on grey background

What to look for in a quote for IT support services

Is the pricing transparent and easy to understand? Better yet, does the IT company openly advertise their prices?

Does your quote include email/Office 365, help desk, and all other services you need such as data security and backups?

Look for your monthly costs, your annual costs, and any other capital costs (computers, servers, networking equipment) that may appear every few years

What will be the onboarding costs for the IT company to get you set up on their systems?

Will there be extra costs such as help desk use overages?

Does the IT support company offer extra features you can choose to add on top such as phones, cabling, security cameras, administrative and/or communications support?

Important calculations and considerations when looking at IT support providers

Where is the company located? How do they operate? Who is the CEO and what is their experience?

Consider how the help desk is run: does this match your needs? Will you have coverage 365 days/year?

Compare the cost of your IT support against the hiring and retention costs of a CIO or team of IT employees

If you get detailed quotes with clear pricing from IT support companies, you can make a decision about how to get the best value on IT support for your office.