What's the real cost of that introductory offer?

Sometimes it pays to think twice before accepting an introductory offer for a product or service. 

• What’s included in the price, and what’s not? 
• Will you need to buy another package to provide the functionality the first one doesn’t support? 
• Will you need to pay extra for assistance in setting up your new application? 
• Will ongoing support be available via telephone when you need it, or will you be left trying to contact the supplier via e-mails? 
• What will the price go up to in twelve months’ time, when you’ve become dependent on the product?

Total Cost of Ownership is the term some suppliers will hope you’ve never come across.  It’s the amount you’ll actually wind up paying for the goods or services, once all of the optional (but necessary) extras have been added in.  


Some vendors charge a mandatory annual support cost in addition to the license fee.  Others look to recoup the money they lose on the cut-price license costs by selling you professional services to set up the application to work the way you need it to.


If you’re trying to save money on your IT budget, do your research first before you sign up to an introductory offer.  Make sure you understand just what you’re paying for, and what extra you may have to spend in order to get a system that’s still working for you in two years’ time.