One of the difficulties of controlling the IT budget is projecting exactly how much it will cost to keep the network up and running in the coming year. To get a handle on IT expenses, many Minneapolis-based businesses retain the services of a company that provides IT consulting benefits in Minneapolis. Often, businesses find that the solution for controlling IT costs is less complicated than they expected; it lies within turning variable IT costs into flat rate costs.
Achieving Flat Rate Costs
Achieving flat rate IT costs often involves outsourcing. To ensure that costs remain fixed, it is advisable for companies to receive services on a hosted model, in which a provider of IT consulting benefits in Minneapolis owns and maintains the resources; as opposed to receiving services on a managed model, in which the customer owns the resources and pays to have them maintained. Below are four services whose costs can be flat rated via hosted outsourcing.
1. Server Virtualization
Server virtualization can be quite costly if implemented on premises. Implementing server virtualization on a hosted model, on the other hand, eliminates most hardware and software expenses associated with the virtualization process. Instead of buying new hardware and software, and maintaining the system, the customer pays a monthly fee to a service provider.
2. Telecommunication Solutions
A business telephone system can be implemented on a hosted model as well. Instead of paying for the hardware and software that comprise the system, the customer can rent them from the service provider, with the price for maintaining the assets added to the monthly fee. With a hosted system, you can say goodbye to the fluctuating cost of maintenance and upgrades.
3. Desktop Management
Sluggish applications, problems that occur after hours and are not addressed until the next business day, lack of remote access to desktops; these are just some of the problems that create desktop related expenses. Having a third party manage and maintain your business’ desktops for a monthly fee is the best way to plan desktop expense for the year ahead.
4. Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an indispensable service for businesses that need their website to achieve a high Search Engine Results Position (SERP). Because SEO is an ongoing service and not a one-time fix, it can be difficult to predict its cost when the service is performed in house. Forming a contract with an IT provider can make the cost of SEO easy to predict.
Contact Us Today
A provider of IT consulting benefits in Minneapolis, Stratosphere Networks makes the cost of server virtualization, telecommunications solutions, desktop management, and SEO easy to predict. By providing these services via contract, we help companies predict how much they will cost annually. For more information, call us today at (877) 950-1999, or use our contact form.
