Phone support, particularly at the beginning of the life of a network consulting business has to be a source of profit. There must be both benefits to you and your business and benefits to your client. No matter what, you should not feel guilty about charging regular, top rates for phone support.
Phone Support: If You Didn’t Provide it, What Would Clients Do?
If you did not offer phone support at all, your clients would have to call an independent phone support service. This type of phone support service usually charges $2.99 or even $3.99 per minute, which for a 15-minute phone support call would be $45 to $60. And the phone support would not even be as thorough or as personal as what you could provide.
Your Phone Support
You will be better skilled than the typical independent phone support person to provide your clients with service. You know the account and understand the needs of each and every client you serve. You also are well-versed in each client’s bizarre configurations, systems, workarounds and business issues. Because you have a full view of the business, you can provide a total solution to the problems presented during phone support.
What Should Your Hourly Rate Be for Phone Support?
Your hourly rate for phone support should definitely be between $75 and $125, and you should implement a 15-minute minimum to protect yourself. This means you can easily figure out billing and discourage incessant, unimportant phone support requests from clients. Your phone support for small problems would cost from $19 to $31 per call, assuming each one is approximately 15 minutes. The cost and the value of the phone support you are providing to clients in comparison to their alternatives should eliminate your feelings of guilt about offering it at top billing rates.
The Main Idea About Phone Support
When you think about phone support, think of it in regards to the value your client is getting, particularly in comparison to the other alternatives available. If you get any resistance about phone support charges from clients, inform them of how expensive it could be not to use your expertise.
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
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