Why Jones IT is the Best Managed Service Provider for Medium and Large Enterprises
To truly understand a company, you need to know its raison d'être, i.e. the main reason for its existence. The origin story serves as the driving force behind the company; it is the most significant influence that shapes the company’s character, its motivations, and importantly, what you can anticipate from it in both prosperous and challenging times.
In this blog post, we share with you our story and how it has led to a culture and service model that distinguishes us in the crowded Managed IT Services market. We believe that learning about this story will give you a deeper understanding of Jones IT, and provide insights into our values, mission, workplace culture, and, importantly, our service philosophy. Ultimately, we hope that this knowledge will empower you to make informed decisions about working with Jones IT, whether as customers, employees, or partners.
The Jones IT Story
Founded in 2002 by Evan Jones, Jones IT Consulting began its journey amidst the humble confines of a garage. Upon returning to San Francisco, after graduating from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in Information Systems Management, Evan was keen to start his own IT company. However, the seeds for it were sown much earlier, in the early 1990s when he worked with his father, helping local businesses transition from telephone and fax to email.
In the early days, as businesses were just beginning to dip their toes into the internet and email for work, Evan remembers waiting anxiously for calls from clients:
“In the beginning, I anxiously waited for calls from clients— I would be sitting at home not knowing if and when the phone would ring, but was always ready to head onsite if a client needed something.
My whole mentality for growth, which is still how we operate today, and what I learned by watching my dad, was to treat my clients so well and do such a good job that they would refer me to other companies. It’s all about the community. I’ve never cold-called anybody, and even today, 90% of our business is off of referrals.”
Around the time Evan founded Jones IT, he also started a non-profit sports organization called the Bay Area Warriors. Its goal was to get kids exposure to colleges through basketball. Evan has coached and mentored for over a decade, providing everything for the kids through scholarships, some of which were provided by Jones IT clients. Here’s Evan sharing some of the leadership and life lessons he learned from running the non-profit organization:
“I especially learned the importance of team/peer recognition. It’s why we keep our teams smaller at Jones IT. It’s really efficient to have a motivated, tight-knit group of people working towards the same goal. People should be motivated to get to work because your teammates/coworkers are relying on you to get there. I always try to translate my competitive spirit from sports to the business world. I’m not coaching or playing anymore, but I still want to win! That competitive energy helps push us to be one of the largest and highest-rated, independently owned IT firms in the US.”
Our team is our most valuable asset, and the true driving force behind our success. We are committed to cultivating an outstanding workplace environment by meticulously selecting new team members who align with our values. We believe that taking care of our customers starts with taking care of our team. From day one on the job we are thinking about the employee experience. Here’s Evan’s philosophy on team building and leadership, which has been an important influence on our culture:
“I’ve never been a super vocal leader because I prefer to lead by example. I want to be viewed as the hardest-working colleague rather than a boss. I think it’s important to work with someone instead of for someone.
I was consistently the captain on my basketball teams and my claim to fame was always the hustle plays. I hold the record for most charges taken at my high school. I’m never afraid to get my hands dirty. I’ll go under desks, climb ladders, I try to take everything that comes my way in stride. I want people at Jones IT to lead by example too, and I think they do. People work hard here. They put more hours in than we want them to sometimes. There's almost a silent expectation to perform well.”
Our stellar team is complemented by deep industry knowledge and over two decades of experience supporting the IT needs of businesses at various stages of growth. This has enabled us to fine-tune our managed services, making it incredibly flexible and effortlessly scalable, while maintaining exceptional customer experience, which is evidenced by the plethora of rave reviews of our services. Our Managed IT Service provides comprehensive IT solutions, taking end-to-end responsibility of all technological assets, enabling our clients to concentrate on their core competencies without being burdened by the hassles of IT management.
Here’s what makes us stand out in the crowded Managed IT Services Provider (MSP) market…
What Makes Jones IT Your Ideal Managed Service Provider
Here are some of the key features that distinguish Jones IT’s approach from other MSPs:
Unique Pricing Model: All Inclusive Hourly
Most MSPs follow a tiered pricing model, bundling IT support into rigid pricing levels. The lowest tier typically includes basic services like antivirus, network monitoring, and minimal support, while higher tiers add on-site assistance, better SLAs, and more comprehensive IT solutions.
The problem? Tiered packages lack flexibility.
Limited coverage: Budget options often miss essential services, leaving businesses vulnerable.
Unnecessary costs: Higher tiers force businesses to pay for services they may not need.
Lack of customization: IT needs vary widely, but pre-packaged plans don’t adapt to individual business requirements.
At Jones IT, we take a different approach, one that prioritizes transparency, flexibility, and cost efficiency.
A Smarter Alternative: Tiered All-inclusive Hourly Pricing
Instead of bundling services into rigid plans, we offer a straightforward, all-inclusive hourly rate with built-in discounts based on usage. The more IT support you need, the lower your hourly rate, ensuring cost-effective scalability without compromising service quality.
No restrictive tiers - Pay only for what you use, without being locked into unnecessary services.
Simple, all-inclusive pricing - One rate for all IT services, from remote support and troubleshooting to network engineers and system administrators.
Predictable monthly costs - Transparent billing with discounts applied automatically based on usage.
With a fixed minimum monthly commitment, our model is ideal for businesses of all sizes, especially mid-to-large organizations that benefit from significant savings at higher usage levels.
Support & Escalation Process: Team Vs Tiered Support
When outsourcing IT support to an MSP, businesses typically encounter a tiered IT Support model. IT support is structured into escalation tiers, where lower tiers handle basic issues and escalate complex problems to higher tiers. The tiers are organized as follows:
Tier 1: Basic troubleshooting (password resets, software issues, general IT inquiries)
Tier 2: More advanced troubleshooting (network issues, software configuration, remote diagnostics)
Tier 3: Specialized support (server issues, infrastructure maintenance, security management)
Tier 4: Vendor support (direct escalation to software/hardware vendors for proprietary issues)
This traditional tiered support model is very common but is rife with issues, which are especially burdensome for fast paced technology environments. Here are the most pressing issues of the tiered support model:
Slower Resolution for Complex Issues: Issues may take longer to resolve due to multiple escalations.
Lack of Personalization: End users experience inconsistent service as they have to deal with different service agents at different times and support tiers.
Rigid Structure: The tiered support model has strict escalation protocols, which regularly leads to unnecessary delays.
Long Wait Time For Tier 4 Issues: If an issue reaches Tier 4 (vendor level), resolution times are typically protracted due to a lack of follow-ups and ambiguity around ownership of the issue.
At Jones IT, instead of using a tiered approach we utilize a dedicated team of IT professionals. Each client is assigned to a specialized IT Team consisting of IT Consultants, System Engineers, Network Engineers, and Project Management Experts. This support team approach offers the following benefits:
Direct Access to Expertise: Clients can consult specialists (e.g., network engineers for infrastructure issues, system engineers for cloud solutions) without unnecessary escalation.
Faster Problem Resolution: There is no need for multiple escalations as issues go directly to the right expert.
Tailored IT Strategy & Consulting: As the team is closely connected with the business, they are better positioned to provide strategic insights to align IT with business goals.
Better Coordination for Large IT Projects: Project management experts have a deep understanding of the clients’ IT infrastructure resulting in smooth execution of IT deployments, migrations, and system upgrades.
Higher Quality Support: Businesses receive more personalized service from a team they regularly interact with and that understands their environment.
Our specialized IT team support model combined with our unique pricing enables us to offer our clients fast, personalized support and direct access to highly skilled experts at a price that is both cost-effective and scalable.
Support Hours: Extended Business Hours Vs 24/7
Many businesses assume that 24/7 IT support is a must-have, but the reality is that most companies rarely need or fully utilize IT support outside of business hours. The key to extracting the most value is to determine whether your business truly requires 24/7 hands-on support, or if extended business hours with critical service monitoring is the smarter, more cost-effective choice.
24/7 IT support ensures that assistance is available round-the-clock. However, most businesses receive minimal IT requests outside of business hours, making 24/7 support unnecessary. Moreover, round-the-clock support requires additional staffing and resources, increasing service costs.
At Jones IT, we take a practical approach to support hours. We provide 24/7 monitoring for all critical services, ensuring that outages and security threats are addressed immediately. For everyday IT issues, business hours support is often enough, allowing our clients to get the help they need during their active hours without unnecessary costs.
For companies that do need true 24/7 hands-on support, we offer extended business hours support, which covers all US time zones at no extra cost. So our clients pay only for the IT support they actually use.
Service Flexibility: Designed Around Your Needs
At Jones IT, we understand that no two businesses operate the same way, which is why our Managed IT Services are designed to be as flexible as our clients need them to be.
Rather than forcing our clients into a rigid service model, we work with their existing systems and infrastructure, ensuring that our support integrates seamlessly into their existing workflows. Whether they use custom-built software, legacy systems, or a mix of cloud and on-prem solutions, we tailor our approach to fit the client’s unique business environment.
How we make IT work for you:
Adaptive Support: We scale and adjust services based on your evolving business needs, whether you're growing, downsizing, or implementing new technology.
Minimal Disruptions: Our team ensures smooth IT integration, so your employees don’t have to learn unnecessary new applications and processes, allowing them to continue their work without interruptions.
Vendor-Neutral Approach: We work with a wide range of platforms and technologies, so we adapt to your systems rather than requiring you to change them.
Customized Service Packages: No matter the needs of the business, be it full-service IT management, co-managed IT, or just supplemental support, we shape our services around your business goals.
No matter how complex your IT environment is, our goal is always to enhance your operations, improve efficiency, and provide IT solutions that feel like a natural extension of your business and not a roadblock.
Transparency In Services And Billing: No Surprises, Just Clarity
At Jones IT, we believe in complete transparency, both in the services we provide and how we bill for them. With us, you’ll always know what you’re paying for and why, ensuring predictable IT costs with no hidden fees or unexpected charges.
Clear, Real-Time Tracking of Your IT Usage
We provide weekly and monthly reports detailing exactly how our services are being used. These reports break down the hours spent on on-site visits, network engineering & security compliance, emergency support, and project management, all under the same pricing structure at the same rate.
Fair & Predictable Pricing: Pay Only for What You Use
No Escalation Costs or Hidden Costs: Unlike some IT providers who charge extra for advanced services, our pricing remains the same across all service types.
Automatically Applied Discounts: The more IT support you use in a given billing cycle, the lower your hourly rate; no need to negotiate or request discounts.
By tracking your usage through our transparent reports, you’ll always have a clear picture of your monthly IT expenses, helping you budget with confidence. With Jones IT, there’s no fine print, no surprise charges, just straightforward, honest pricing so you can focus on growing your business, not worrying about your IT bill.
Conclusion
In the highly competitive MSP market, Jones IT distinguishes itself through its unique approach to pricing, support, and service delivery. By prioritizing transparency, flexibility, and personalized solutions, Jones IT addresses the common pitfalls of the traditional tiered service models that are rigid, obscure, and impersonal.
Our all-inclusive hourly pricing, dedicated IT teams, practical support hours, and vendor-neutral approach ensure that our clients receive cost-effective, scalable, and tailored IT support. Moreover, our IT service model eliminates the frustrations of hidden fees, delayed resolutions, and one-size-fits-all solutions, allowing companies to focus on what matters the most, enhancing their products and services, and growing their business.
Now that you understand the Jones IT difference, take the next step towards optimizing your IT management and ensuring your business's technological needs are met with expert, reliable support.