US Signal Offers Cost-saving Block Hours for Professional IT Services

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Feb 07, 2017, 07:00 ET

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Feb. 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- US Signal, a Midwest-based IT solutions provider, today announced the availability of "block hours" through its Professional Services division. The enhanced service offering enables US Signal customers to take advantage of IT consulting and advanced technical services in exchange for committing to a block of hours that can be used over the course of a year.

The availability of block hours, pre-paid or billed over 12 months, provides US Signal customers with greater flexibility with budgeting, billing, and service usage. The arrangement functions much like a retainer, with customers signing up for a pre-determined number of hours, offered at a reduced rate, that they can draw from any time during the 12-month contract period.

Hours can be used for pre-planned, complex projects such as database migrations, with a statement of work (SOW) that includes project estimates before work commences. They can also be used for IT support requests and general IT consulting.

Professional services are still available on a by-the-project basis. Both options can be customized to meet customers' specific needs.

Block Hours Meet Customer Needs

According to Adam Kessler, director of professional services at US Signal, the block hour arrangement was implemented to better meet the need of customers.

"We've found that many companies are faced with overworked IT staffs and a lack of specialized expertise in technology areas such as cloud migration and disaster recovery. They're also dealing with tight budgets," Kessler explains. "They know they will likely need to bring in a third-party IT service provider for assistance with some of their more sophisticated projects, but they don't know how much to budget for those services.

"Block hours help with that because they can be purchased upfront at a set price and then used as needed. Because the hours are offered at a discount rate, customers can take advantage of outsourced IT services more cost effectively," Kessler explains.

He adds that customers also benefit from tapping into a level of expertise at US Signal that many IT consulting firms can't offer.

"We have a broad range of knowledge and certifications across our organization," Kessler says. "Our team has worked with IT issues across a variety of situations in just about every major industry vertical. They can draw from their prior experiences, best practices and emerging technologies to address just about any IT challenge. They're ahead of the learning curve and can save customers time and money."

About US Signal

US Signal is a leading IT solutions provider of secure, reliable network, cloud hosting, colocation, data protection and disaster recovery services — all powered by its expansive, robust fiber network. With over 14,000 miles of lit fiber and metro rings in strategic markets, US Signal offers one of the Midwest's largest, fully deployed networks. The company also helps customers optimize their IT resources through the provision of managed services and professional services. For more information, visit: www.ussignal.com.

Media Contact: Carilyn Booker, (616)295-5458

SOURCE US Signal