There's a hidden cost in your business that you've probably never measured: the time lost to IT problems. We're not talking about major crises — we're talking about those half-hours that disappear every day. The PC that takes 10 minutes to start. The printer that won't work. The file that won't open. The VPN that disconnects.
Added together, these minutes become hours. Hours become days. Days become money.
The Surprising Statistic
According to research by Evolent IT confirmed by IDC studies, the average worker loses 22 minutes per day to minor technical problems.
22 minutes × 220 working days = 80 hours per year per person. If your business has 5 people, that's 400 hours of lost productivity every year — just from minor technical problems that could be prevented or resolved in minutes with the right support.
The Real Problem: Time Spent Looking for Solutions
Lost time isn't just in the moment the system isn't working. It's in the process of fixing it:
- The employee tries to fix it themselves (20 min)
- Asks colleagues (15 min of collective distraction)
- Searches Google (20 min of useless results)
- Eventually calls someone — who arrives the next day
In the meantime, the problem has remained unresolved for hours or days. The entire team has been disrupted. The client hasn't got their answer.
The Most Common IT Problems in SMEs
| Problem | Average frequency | Time lost |
|---|---|---|
| Slow / unresponsive PC | 3–4 times/month | 45 min each time |
| Email not working | 2–3 times/month | 30 min each time |
| Printer problems | 2–3 times/month | 25 min each time |
| VPN / remote connection issues | 1–2 times/month | 60 min each time |
| Corrupted or lost files | 1–2 times/month | 2–4 hours each time |
Many of these problems are preventable with correct configurations, planned updates and active monitoring.
Reactive vs Proactive Support: The Real Cost Difference
Many businesses think: "I'll call the technician only when needed, so I spend less." In reality, it's the opposite.
❌ Reactive support (emergency call)
- Wait: 24–48 hours average
- Cost: €80–150/hour
- Meanwhile: productivity stopped
- Result: problem fixed, but damage done
✅ Proactive support (monthly plan)
- Response: within a few hours
- Cost: fixed monthly, predictable
- Meanwhile: problems caught before they appear
- Result: fewer interruptions, more continuity
The Bespoke Plan: Pay Only for What You Actually Use
There's no one-size-fits-all solution. A freelancer has different needs from a business with 10 workstations.
| Plan | Profile | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| Personal €29/mo | Freelancers, professionals | €348/yr |
| Business €49/mo | SMEs up to 10 people | €588/yr |
| Custom | Specific needs, multiple users | Quote on request |
A single emergency call-out already costs €150–300. An annual plan covers many interventions and prevents most of them entirely. The maths is straightforward.
How Much Is an Hour of Your Time Worth?
If it's worth €50, and you lose 80 hours a year to IT problems, you're losing €4,000 in productive value. A monthly support plan from €29 costs €348 per year. The difference speaks for itself.