Would you include this in your MSP SLA?

[thecomputerguy]

Client who is on a $900 p/m MSP plan purchased a new domain and needed identical emails to their current domain setup, then forwarded from their old emails to their new emails for a year or so.

It's spelled out pretty clearly in my SLA that MSP is in place to "Maintain your current configuration". I declare that "Projects are billed separately" and once completed "Are afterwards included into your MSP Umbrella"

This is in place so that I don't end up in a position where a client goes onto MSP then decides to replace all of their computers and server while only paying a monthly MSP charge of $900 (Hardware or licensing is never included).

This is a REALLY good client so I could honestly go either way, I'm just asking the question for personal knowledge on what others do.

Essentially this is, adding a new domain, adding said domain into O365, setting up email accounts, using migration wiz to move the emails into the new mailboxes, then setup forwarding.

At the very least I will be charging for the MigWiz Licenses.

 

[Mike McCall]

If it's outside the scope of the agreement (a project) bill it separately. If they want you to manage it after setup make it an add-on fee to the existing plan.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Yeah, bill for a migration then it becomes part of the maintenance plan.

 

[SAFCasper]

Yep, our contracts are the same. Maintenance and support included. Projects billed separately.

However - Nothings ever set in stone. I'll occasionally let small projects slide for good clients to keep them sweet. But that's my decision to make because I want to.. never because the client demands it.

 

[NJW]

This is a REALLY good client so I could honestly go either way, I'm just asking the question for personal knowledge on what others do.

ALWAYS bill, even if the invoice shows a discretionary 100% (or some other figure) discount. Make sure that the client understands that the discount is not a blanket reduction for the future and that your work has a commercial value.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Yeah, always bill. If you want to roll it into the agreement because you feel the PR is worth more than the money, you STILL NEED TO BILL.

That discount means nothing if it's not on paper!

 

[Fred Claus]

It should be stated in the SLA what is covered in the MSP contract. Anything outside that will be billed at the then current rate. If this client wants new emails set up, that's not covered under the original SLA so you need to bill them accordingly. I would not start doing favors, or they will expect it every time.

I had a client one time that I built a website for. It was a membership based site so I told them once the site went live, I would service their members and help them get online for 30 days per the contract. After 30 days I would bill on a per instance basis, and it spelled out what I would bill. Wouldn't you know, 90 days later, I get them asking me to help someone get online that didn't even attempt to during the first 30 days. When I billed them for it, they questioned me. I pointed them to the contract terms and said it's 90 days out, and your contract has expired. They never asked me to do it again.

You start doing favors for clients, they will just keep asking you for them and you will never have time for paying customers. Bill them for your time. I'm sure they would have no problem billing you for their time right?

 

[TurricanII]

Is there any reason you have to set up new mailbox and migrate? Can you not just add the domain, then the new email address as an additional email address and then set it as the primary reply to?