Ongoing tech support without prepaid hours or a traditional retainer.
Some weeks you may have several things that need attention. Other weeks, you may not need much at all.
That is exactly what Pay As You Go Support is designed for.
Instead of purchasing a block of hours in advance, you pay only for the time actually used. You still have access to ongoing technical support for your business, but without having to predict how many hours you will need from month to month.
Pay As You Go support is $75 per hour, managed through Upwork, and works best for businesses that typically need between 0-5 hours of support per week but do not expect the workload to be consistent.
Flexible Support for an Unpredictable To-Do List
Your tech needs do not always arrive on a convenient schedule.
One month you may need help fixing an automation, updating your CRM, troubleshooting an email marketing issue, or making changes to your website. The next month, everything may be running exactly as it should.
With Pay As You Go, you can send over technical requests as they come up rather than trying to find enough work to justify a monthly retainer or worrying about prepaid hours expiring.
Support may include things such as:
- CRM and email marketing updates
- Workflow and automation setup or troubleshooting
- WordPress updates and technical changes
- Forms, funnels, and landing page support
- Software integrations
- Email authentication and deliverability-related setup
- Google Workspace support
- Technical troubleshooting
- Research and implementation of supported software
- Routine backend tasks
- Other technical requests that fall within Kopf Consulting’s scope
If you have one specific short-term project rather than an ongoing need for support, Temp Tech may be a better fit.
How Pay As You Go Works
1. We Start With a Consultation
All Pay As You Go relationships begin with an introductory consultation.
The goal is not to give you a sales presentation. I want to understand what kind of support you expect to need, the systems you are using, and whether this service makes sense for both of us.
If we agree to move forward, I will send you the information you need for the next step.
2. Your Contract and Payments Are Managed Through Upwork
Pay As You Go clients work with Kopf Consulting through Upwork.
Once we have met and agreed to work together, you will receive instructions for sending the appropriate Upwork offer. Unsolicited Upwork offers received before a consultation are not accepted.
Upwork manages the contract, time tracking, and payment processing for Pay As You Go services.
3. Send Tasks as You Need Them
Once you are onboarded, you can submit technical requests as they come up.
Email is the primary communication method so that task instructions, questions, changes, and approvals are documented in one place.
Meetings are available through Zoom when a conversation makes more sense than an email and must be scheduled in advance.
4. You Pay for the Time Actually Used
There are no prepaid hours to purchase.
Time is tracked through Upwork while I am actively working on your account, including completing tasks, responding to project-related emails, researching your request, troubleshooting, and attending scheduled meetings.
Upwork’s time tracker records hourly work in 10-minute increments and provides work activity through the platform.
5. Keep the Relationship Active With Minimal Monthly Usage
Pay As You Go is intended to provide ongoing access to support, even when your workload fluctuates.
To keep your PAYG account active, there is a minimum usage requirement of 10 minutes per month.
If you do not have a larger task that month, those few minutes can be used for an appropriate routine check, minor update, or other small task.
That means you do not have to invent several hours of work just to maintain access to technical support.
Is Pay As You Go Right for You?
PAYG may be a good fit if:
- You expect to need ongoing technical help but cannot predict exactly how much
- Some months are busier than others
- You generally need fewer than five hours of support per week
- You do not want to purchase hours in advance
- You want an established technical resource you can contact when something comes up
- You are comfortable working through Upwork for time tracking and payment
- Email works well as your primary method of communication
It may not be the best option if you already know you will consistently need several hours of support.
In that case, Flex Support may give you more value by allowing you to purchase a block of hours in advance at a reduced hourly rate.
Pay As You Go vs. Flex Support
Both options provide access to ongoing technical support. The biggest difference is how you pay for the time.
Pay As You Go
- $75 per hour
- Pay only for time used
- No prepaid package
- Managed and billed through Upwork
- Best for inconsistent workloads
- Designed for approximately 0-5 hours per week
- Minimum usage of 10 minutes per month
Flex Support
- Hours are purchased in advance
- Available in 5-, 10-, and 15-hour packages
- Reduced hourly rate based on package size
- Managed directly through Kopf Consulting
- Hours have an expiration period based on the package purchased
- Better suited for businesses that already expect to use several hours of support
The work itself does not suddenly change because you choose one program over the other. The difference is primarily the payment structure and how much support you expect to use.
A Few Things to Know About Upwork
Because Pay As You Go is managed through Upwork, your Upwork account and payment method must remain in good standing.
If Upwork places a hold or restriction on the contract because of a payment issue, I may be unable to continue tracking time until the issue is resolved.
Upwork may also charge its own client fees in addition to Kopf Consulting’s hourly rate. Those fees are determined by Upwork and may change, so please review Upwork’s current terms and pricing directly before choosing PAYG.
If working through Upwork does not appeal to you, Flex Support is the better ongoing-support option.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Pay As You Go cost?
Pay As You Go support is $75 per hour. You are billed only for time actually used.
Do I have to use a certain number of hours every month?
No. You do not have to purchase or use a set number of hours.
There is simply a 10-minute monthly minimum to keep your ongoing PAYG relationship active.
How quickly are tasks completed?
Our standard turnaround time for current-client technical requests is within 48 business hours. Projects with firm deadlines should be submitted at least 48 business hours in advance.
Same-day completion is not guaranteed.
Can I use PAYG for just one project?
PAYG is intended for clients who want an ongoing technical support relationship.
If you only need help with one custom task or a short-term project, Temp Tech is likely the better option.
If your task matches one of our predefined services exactly, you may also want to review Quick Gigs.
How do we communicate?
Email is the primary communication method for questions, task requests, project updates, and approvals.
Meetings are held through Zoom and scheduled in advance.
Kopf Consulting does not use Slack, WhatsApp, Voxer, or other real-time messaging platforms for client communication.
Can I switch between Pay As You Go and Flex Support?
Usually, yes, as long as the requested service has availability.
If you are moving from Flex Support to PAYG, any remaining Flex hours would need to be used or expire according to your existing agreement before the change takes effect.
What if Pay As You Go stops being the right fit?
If your workload grows, decreases, or your needs change, we can determine whether another Kopf Consulting service makes more sense.
You are not expected to stay in a program simply because it was the right choice when you started.
Copyright: Photo by Alejandro Escamilla on Unsplash
Need Ongoing Support Without Predicting Your Hours?
If you want reliable technical support available when you need it, but your workload changes from month to month, Pay As You Go may be the right fit.
Schedule an introductory consultation so we can discuss the systems you use, the type of support you expect to need, and whether PAYG makes sense for your business.