The Real Cost of Cheap IT

The Real Cost of Cheap IT: Why $300/Month Support Can’t Keep Up with Your Business

When shopping for IT services, it’s easy to be drawn to a provider offering support for just $300 a month. After all, why pay more when you can seemingly get “the same thing” for a fraction of the cost? But when your business has, as an example, 25-30 employees relying on technology daily, the reality is clear—you’re not getting the same thing at all.

A cut-rate IT provider might look good on paper, but what they fail to mention are the hidden costs and frustrations that come with that bargain-bin pricing. And those costs? They far outweigh the initial savings.

Let’s break down what a $300/month IT provider really delivers—and why a mature MSP is a better investment for your business.

🚨 The Hidden Costs of Cheap IT Support

A cheap IT provider may promise basic support, but what happens when things go wrong? Here’s where the costs really start to pile up:

1️⃣ Downtime: Every Minute Costs You Money

• The Problem: If an IT issue causes system downtime, your employees are stuck waiting instead of working.
• The Hidden Cost: Let’s say your team of 30 employees experiences one hour of downtime per month due to slow IT response. If their average wage is $25/hour, that’s $750 per hour in lost productivity—and that’s just one incident.
• The Frustration: You call your IT provider, but they don’t answer immediately. When they do, they say they’ll “get to it soon.” Meanwhile, your team is at a standstill.

2️⃣ Security Risks: One Breach Could Cost You Thousands

• The Problem: A budget IT provider doesn’t have the resources to implement real cybersecurity protections.
• The Hidden Cost: A single ransomware attack can cost small businesses $250,000 or more in downtime, lost data, and recovery efforts.
• The Frustration: Your provider says they offer “security,” but when an employee clicks a phishing link, you find out they never set up proper email filtering or security training. Now, your data is at risk, and you’re left scrambling.

3️⃣ Slow Response Times: Time is Money

• The Problem: A one-person IT provider (or a small team) can’t always respond quickly when you need help.
• The Hidden Cost: If it takes them 6 hours to respond to an urgent issue, and your operations slow down or stop, that’s thousands of dollars in lost revenue.
• The Frustration: When you call for support, you go straight to voicemail. You submit a ticket, and hear back hours (or days) later. Meanwhile, your team is stuck waiting for a fix.

4️⃣ Lack of Strategy: No Plan for Growth

• The Problem: Cheap IT services don’t provide strategic IT planning—they only fix things when they break.
• The Hidden Cost: Without guidance, your business falls behind in technology, leading to inefficiencies and lost opportunities to improve workflows.
• The Frustration: Your provider doesn’t check in with you about IT improvements. They don’t suggest better tools or automation. You’re left using outdated systems while competitors move ahead.

5️⃣ Surprise Fees: The “Gotcha” Charges

• The Problem: Many $300/month providers lure you in with low pricing, but they nickel-and-dime you for every little thing.
• The Hidden Cost: You get charged extra for after-hours support, security upgrades, and even basic troubleshooting—quickly inflating the real cost of your IT support.
• The Frustration: That “low-cost” IT solution suddenly costs you thousands in add-ons, but your service quality hasn’t improved.

💡 Why a Mature MSP is Worth the Investment

A professional, operationally mature MSP doesn’t just fix problems—they prevent them from happening in the first place. Here’s how a true IT partner delivers value that far exceeds the cheap break-fix alternative:

📉 Cheap IT = Expensive Headaches

A $300/month IT provider might seem like a bargain, but when you factor in downtime, security risks, slow support, and lack of strategy, the real cost becomes much higher.

A mature MSP gives you:
✅ Fast, reliable IT support
✅ Proactive monitoring to prevent downtime
✅ Enterprise-grade security to protect your data
✅ IT strategy that helps your business grow

At Schilling IT, we help businesses avoid the frustrations of unreliable IT support. Don’t settle for cheap, ineffective IT—invest in a partner that keeps your business running smoothly.

🚀 Want to see the difference a real MSP makes

Let’s Talk.

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