Why an IT Retainer Relationship Just Makes Sense

For small business owners, setting up a retainer relationship is a smart way to make sure your business has the IT services and support it needs, whether you have in-house IT support or not. With a retainer in place, your business receives the benefit of an entire team’s skills and know-how at a fraction of the cost that it would take to hire up additional personnel. It also means that when you need IT help, you receive it quickly; reducing downtime and increasing confidence that your IT needs are always taken care of.

At Tech To U, we’ve adopted a best practice of creating retainer solutions based on an assessment of your IT needs. Whether you need to fully outsource your IT function, or simply fill specific skill gaps – Tech To U dedicates team members to meet needs specifically tailored for your business.

With a retained team in place you’re always covered. They work in the background as you carry out day to day business duties and you contact them whenever you require support. This allows you to focus on running your business rather than worrying about IT.

When you setup a retainer with a provider who dedicates resources to your business you benefit from continuity in two ways:

If you choose to setup a retainer with an IT provider, you should ensure there is flexibility in the contract to scale support levels up or down with limited or no “penalties”, especially early in a business relationship. Your situation can change and you don’t want to be handcuffed with a restrictive contract.

If you’re comfortable with your provider, signing longer term contracts can offer you benefits such rate discounts or include additional services at no charge. Your provider benefits because certainty from longer term agreements allows them to properly allocate resources and make hiring decisions because of committed contracts.

If you’re entering into negotiations with your IT provider, keep in mind that you both stand to benefit from structuring a retainer agreement of 12 months, or longer. Find an arrangement that allocates an appropriate level of support at a fair price and you’ve set yourself up for long term IT success.

If you would like to talk more about the benefits of having a retainer and how you can improve cost savings, please don’t hesitate to contact us.