Most repair shops operate on a project-by-project basis, leaving revenue unpredictable and customers shopping around for the cheapest fix. Ongoing support packages flip that model—you get recurring revenue, deeper client relationships, and a steady pipeline of work. Here's how to build packages that actually sell.
Why Packages Beat One-Off Repairs
Fixed monthly fees create predictability for both you and your clients. Instead of waiting for a disaster to call, businesses budget for IT support upfront and treat it as essential infrastructure. You also reduce churn—a customer locked into a 12-month agreement doesn't jump to a competitor over a single expensive repair.
From a practical standpoint, packages let you batch work. Monitoring software alerts, patches, and preventive maintenance fit naturally into scheduled blocks rather than emergency scrambles. That efficiency directly improves your margins.
Tiered Package Structure That Works
Start with three tiers. Most repair shops find this sweet spot:
- Basic ($150–$300/month): Remote monitoring, 24-hour response time for non-critical issues, one site visit per quarter for hardware checks, software updates
- Standard ($400–$800/month): Everything in Basic plus onsite support within 4 hours, unlimited site visits, antivirus/malware protection management, backup system oversight
- Premium ($1,200–$2,500/month): Everything in Standard plus dedicated on-call technician during business hours, quarterly security audits, network optimization, priority same-day response
Anchor the tiers to something your customers understand: number of devices, response time, or total hours of labor included. A dental office with 8 computers and 3 printers has different needs than a 25-person accounting firm.
What to Include (and What to Charge Separately)
Always include:
- Regular software patching and OS updates
- Remote monitoring and basic troubleshooting
- Virus and malware scanning
- Performance optimization
Charge separately (important for margins):
- Hardware replacement (CPU, RAM, drives, etc.)
- Server upgrades or migrations
- Network infrastructure changes
- Compliance work (HIPAA, PCI-DSS audits)
This keeps your package pricing competitive while protecting against scope creep. A client on a Premium plan still pays for a new server, but they get priority scheduling and cost discounts.
Pricing Reality Check
Your hourly labor rate matters here. If you bill at $100–$150 per hour for break-fix work, a Basic package should feel like a slight discount (maybe 15–20% below à la carte rates) in exchange for predictability. Calculate backward: if a client typically needs 8 hours of support monthly, your rate should reflect that saved overhead.
Factor in your software costs too. Monitoring tools, backup platforms, and remote access software run $20–$100 per client per month depending on what you choose. Subtract that from your package price to find your real margin.
Selling Packages to Skeptical Customers
Most small business owners hesitate—they've never paid a monthly fee for IT support and aren't sure they need it. Start with a 60-day trial at 30% off, or bundle the first month free with a one-year agreement. Frame it around downtime cost: "One hour of network downtime costs you roughly $X in productivity. This package prevents that."
Highlight specific pain points. For retail shops: "We'll ensure your POS system never goes down during peak hours." For law firms: "Backup redundancy means you're never at risk of losing client files."
Getting Found and Booking Clients
When you're ready to formalize your packages and scale, listing on Mercoly helps you get discovered by business owners actively searching for managed IT support in your area—plus you can showcase each tier, pricing, and what's included right on your profile. This reduces sales friction and attracts leads already convinced they need ongoing support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Should I offer monthly or annual contracts? Offer both—annual plans lock in better rates for the client (10–15% discount), which improves your retention and cash flow. Most clients will choose monthly until they trust you for a few billing cycles.
Q: What if a package client has a major hardware failure? That's not included, but it's an upsell opportunity. Offer discounted emergency parts and labor (15–20% off your standard rate) since they're already paying you monthly and you know their systems inside out.
Q: How do I handle clients who barely use their allocation? That's fine—unused hours don't roll over. Include language in your contract that the package covers up to X hours monthly, and hours beyond that are billed separately at standard rates.
Start building your first package this week, price it based on your labor costs, and test it with two clients before rolling it out broadly.