As a business owner, you’ve surely been frustrated when trying to find out how much a service costs. We’ve all been there. With managed IT services, there are many reasons why it takes a conversation to get an accurate quote. To fully grasp why managed service providers (MSPs) are hesitant to offer upfront pricing, it helps to know the different types of MSPs.
MSPs are not equal
Trunk Slammers – These MSPs are very small operations. Usually, they consist of consultants who went out on their own. With the availability of tools and cloud services, they may appear larger than they are. Trunk Slammers are often technically skilled but may get easily overwhelmed with in-depth business needs.
Value MSPs – These are larger, more mature versions of the Trunk Slammer. They tend to focus on systems admin and hourly options. While larger, Value MSPs don’t have well-developed processes. Ultimately, we don’t suggest them for business consulting.
Bolt-on MSPs – These are large groups that specialize in adjacent tech. (Think telecommunications or copier rental services.) Bolt-ons tend to offer MSP services as value-added resellers. They also focus on building recurring revenue streams. They aren’t equipped to manage full tech solutions like a Mature MSP is.
Mature MSPs – Mature MSPs involve more skilled employees and have many years of operations. They have established procedures. Plus, they have set departments like consulting, security, compliance and project management. Their main focus is consulting and a monthly billable service model.
Mature MSPs typically don’t share their prices due to the other types of vendors. Instead, they’ll take the time to understand your business and tech goals. Their price will reflect both their expertise and your unique situation.
Managed IT services pricing doesn’t always indicate value
Because of their size and lack of admin overhead, Trunk Slammers and Value MSPs will often have lower prices than Mature MSPs. However, they can quickly get in over their heads with complex solutions. They get overwhelmed due to the lack of staff.
Bolt-on MSPs typically offer a competitive price to start the relationship. But, they quickly introduce add-ons that drive up the contract pricing. Their main downfalls are in the consulting arena due to their lack of MSP-specific focus.
SecureTech is local to the San Antonio, TX area and is a Mature MSP. With a variety of management, emergency maintenance, compliance, and consulting services, our expert team can support your business in whatever way needed. For more information, give us a call today.