Why Flat Fee IT Services Are So Popular With Businesses

By Chris A. Harmen

There are countless ways small to medium sized businesses can take care of their IT problems, but not all of them will give a company the sense of security that can be found with flat fee, monthly IT services. While many Internet Technology companies still prefer to offer long-term contracts, retainers or hourly fees, the savviest providers are offering a month-to-month option that covers everything from maintenance to trouble-shooting without tying their customers to a lengthy contract. There are several advantages to this approach that make sense for most small and medium sized businesses.

No Unexpected Fees For IT Services

Why is it that the minute there is an unexpected project or time-sensitive deadline looming, computer systems seem to be prone to crashing? Many business owners discover that they are essentially held hostage by their service providers when they opt for an hourly rate. If the deadline is critical, they often wind up paying excessive overtime hours or having to pay a service fee on top of their retainer in order for the tech team they've contracted with to make the repairs or offer a workable solution. With a fixed fee service, you'll never have to worry about coming up with an additional lump sum at the last minute. All-inclusive pricing is a guarantee that you won't have to pay a large, unexpected bill when you most need repairs or support.

Dedicated Service And Support

Some companies send a different IT specialist every time there is a job to be done. It can be confusing and prevent any real rapport between a company's employees and the specialists who are supposed to be helping them when a network problem arises. With a monthly program, the same computer tech specialist is generally assigned every month so that a real relationship based on trust, results and familiarity can be established rather than a revolving door of unfamiliar faces.

Preventative Maintenance

Just as in football, your best defense is a good offense when you're servicing computer networks. Preventative maintenance reduces down time and is a pro-active way to prevent small problems from morphing into major headaches for your business. Many customers wait until a minor glitch has turned into a systems-wide crash or until they experience a catastrophic loss of data, when it's too late to salvage the situation. Preventative maintenance virtually eliminates this scenario for a more secure environment that can be relied on.

Familiarity With Systems

A month-to-month, flat fee arrangement means your business will benefit from the attention of a computer tech who has an in-depth knowledge of your computer network from top to bottom. The result? A better sense of when your business will need to replace, upgrade or reconfigure its current systems. Because you'll work with the same person every month, you'll also benefit from his or her expertise and be able to rely on them for everything from proper configuration for your needs to appropriate licensing and procurement.

If you're tired of paying unexpected, inflated invoices for IT services or repairs, perhaps it's time to consider a flat fee arrangement that will benefit your company both technically and financially.

VitalTech Solutions offers IT services in Chicago through long-term relationships based on the human touch rather than the bottom line. If your company is experiencing IT difficulties, let VitalTech Solutions introduce you to the future of exceptional service and support through a strategic partnership by visiting vitaltechsolutions.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_A._Harmen