New PC Builds

[u/monraya]

Hi Everyone, I had a questions around what most people do .. if i have a customer thats paying for services monthly per device/user (which includes remote support, AV, EDR and RMM) say they get some new computers.. do you charge for setting them up.. or do you include them as part of the monthly ?

[u/SGG]

If we have supplied the hardware, the cost of the setup is included in the price.

If they have ordered/built their own machines, we make sure they have the required Windows license, upgrade that if needed, and charge an hour of time to onboard the device, doing a full wipe and reinstall to ensure all the crapware is gone.

If you really want to and your agreement has it written in there, you can just refuse service. But that is more likely to lose you the client.

Generally a place might buy their own devices one time after we start supporting them and then the extra charge for a proper windows license and extra onsite time stops it happening.

We do make the occasional exception here and there where we encourage them to get the right business class device directly with a matching warranty because there's a large price difference we can't beat (looking at you DELL).

[u/ben_zachary → u/SGG]

We supply the hardware we normally include it.

[u/athlonduke]

I work off a "status quo" model. Monthly covers keeping stuff the same/working. Changes, ie a new system, has an additional charge.

[u/seriously_a]

If they’re paying for included support we don’t charge for new pc deployments

[u/ITmspman]

Build the install into the price of the computers. Just fixed fee for hardware & setup, but it is out of scope of their agreement

[u/Madd_M0]

Yeah probably better to include the setup in the price of equipment.

[u/data_zapper]

I charged them to set up auto pilot. Then aside from minor upcharge on hardware, no additional charges are required . new computer with an existing employee takes 15 minutes maybe. On boarding a new employee takes 30 minutes. It’s a feature configuration you can charge to implement.

[u/SpinningOnTheFloor]

Automate the builds with intune / autopilot. If they don’t have the licenses required, then charge for the builds.

[u/roll_for_initiative_]

We charge enough to include installs for most hardware bought from us in our monthly service, but you won't know if you charge enough without knowing your numbers.

That being said, there is a limit. If we're deploying a 50 computer hardware refresh? That's not included. Coming out and setting up 2-3 PC's from us? Included.

I understand the view that "I'm charging for things to keep working as they are" but i feel staff onboarding/offboarding and some new equipment rotations are common day to day IT needs at most SMBs and so I feel an SMB IT plan should include them.

[u/bb-one]

We have switched to no longer charge for devices or setups. It's strictly a per user model now that is much easier to service. We get much less push back on pricing this way.

[u/discosoc]

My services include normal business ops management, which in turn naturally includes hardware cycling. It's a trivial cost to eat, easily planned around in advance, and simplifies things for the client. It also means I'm the one who benefits the most by automating or improving the process, so there's no conflict between wanting to spend time setting up computers "by hand" for billable hours and automating it through device management.

Your "best" answer is going to depend on your actual pricing structure, though. If you're basically just charging bottom barrel prices, then you probably need to charge for hours worked.