Fixed Prices: Yes or No For Ongoing Computer Maintenance?

By: Joshua Feinberg

Fixed prices are often attractive to clients, but are they sustainable for the profitability of your computer business? When we start looking at fixed prices and ongoing computer maintenance the answer is, "maybe."

If you offer a fixed price for ongoing maintenance you would typically have sold them a network already and now you are taking care of it for x number of dollars per month. Your first instinct would be to also say you are offering this fixed price "subject to these restrictions." But, if you have just one paragraph let alone pages of "subject to" restrictions, this is a major turn off for any client.

So how do you protect yourself with fixed prices? You create a fixed price agreement that has a very tight scope to begin with. Rather than provide blanket coverage and then slowly take the blanket away with restrictions; give them only as much blanket as you have accounted for in your fixed price. The psychology changes: You are not taking away, now you are giving.

The other issue you must be concerned with when using fixed price agreements, is to maintain control of all moves, adds, and changes. You don't want the self pronounced computer guru at the company to start mucking around with your system. If they do, your fixed price will include the time it takes for you set things right again. To avoid this, you need to train the internal guru so he/she knows her limitations and knows when to call you.

Bottom Line on Fixed Prices
Fixed price maintenance contracts can be done. Your challenge when using them, is to make sure you have covered off as many contingencies as you can up front. This way you don't end up having to set up restrictions later on or risk losing your shirt. Fixed price contracts are an attractive selling feature but the onus is on you to do everything you can to make sure the time you are spending is adequately compensated.

Copyright MMI-MMVII, Computer Consulting 101. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
Joshua Feinberg, co-owner of Computer Consulting 101, gets computer consulting businesses more steady high-paying clients. Now you can too with your free access pass to proven computer consulting secrets at http://www.Computer-Consulting-101.com

Tags: business, sales, fixed price

Print |

Ezine Ready |

Please Rate this Article

Recent Sales Articles

Any Occassion Marquees By: Jenny Pilley - If you tune into any American film on TV or in the cinema and there is a wedding scene during the course of the movie then you can guarantee that there will be a marquee in the shot. Why?
Tags:
Unique Marquee Hire By: Jenny Pilley - If you have an upcoming event and want a little something different in order to make you stand out from the crowd, then choosing marquees hire is probably one of the best decisions you will ever make!
Tags:
Tips To Write Successful Ads and Sales Letters By: Gursarbpreet - "The more things change, the more they stay the same". That saying couldn't be more true, especially when it comes to writing ads and sales letters. The same things that worked fifty years ago, continue to work today. Yes, times and technology has changed, but people haven't.
Tags:
Use A Sales Letter before You Cold Call By: gajender - Remember the numbers game. Well this is the thought behind sending out sales letters. The hope is that with every hundred or so letters a few sales will result.
Tags:
Learn To Write An Order-Pulling Sales Letter By: $kamal - Ready to put your Web pages up? Ready to sell a lot more products and services? If you're not getting the sales, you want you may want to think "makeover." Whether you're just starting or doing a web makeover, you need to Power Write your sales letters.
Tags:
Why Southwestern Turquoise Jewelry By: Double Dee Deals - Southwestern Turquoise Jewelry is much love in the world because of its unique appearance and rich history. Additional to this, it is also very reasonably priced. Antique Southwestern Turquoise Jewelry used all kinds of materials from wood stones and other materials.
Tags:
The Solid Oak Furniture Can Transform A Drab Room By: mannchauhan - It does not matter if you live in a quaint cottage or a modern apartment. Your interior surroundings can reflect a perfectly classic style that is guaranteed to take your breath away.
Tags:
Guide for the Master Reseller By: mandeepp kaur - Imagine the situation. You just purchased resell rights to an awesome package of digital products that includes e-books, a set of PLR articles and a tool set for web masters.
Tags:
To Produce , Irresistible Copy In Your Sales Letter! By: Bhupinderpal Singh - You must know who your audience is and target them like a laser. Know what their problems are…and deliver a clear, concise solution to that segment of the population. Don’t have your solution suitable for accountants and mortgage bankers!” Fool me once… shame on you.
Tags:
To Produce Compelling, Irresistible Copy In Your Sales Letter! By: Bhupinderpal Singh - You must know who your audience is and target them like a laser. Know what their problems are…and deliver a clear, concise solution to that segment of the population. Don’t have your solution suitable for accountants and mortgage bankers!” Fool me once… shame on you.
Tags:

Comments

Search Ebay

Still can't find what you are looking for? Search for it!

ArticleSnatch Authors:

Member Login Sign Up Submit Articles FAQ Submission Guidelines Top Authors

For Publishers:

For Everyone:

Blog About Us Link to Us Contact Us New Stuff Link Directory Privacy Policy Sitemap Resources

Our Sites:

Free Magazines Book Your Hotel Stay Free MySpace Tools Massive Video Collection

Stay and Watch a Video:

Click here to submit your free, permanent ads to TheFreeAdForum.com!

Submit Your link to the Open Link Directory Project

Copyright 2005-2008 MJE Sales, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Proud member of the ArticleCkr Search Network Search Network!
ArticleSnatch.com is free for both publishers and authors to use and is supported entirely from advertising revenue.
Use of our service is protected by our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.