The short answer
Choose a managed IT provider by comparing the written scope against the systems your business actually uses. Ask about support hours, response commitments, security, backups, onboarding, ownership of accounts and exit terms. A polished sales promise is not a substitute for a clear agreement.
1. Define your requirements before requesting quotes
List user and device numbers, locations, cloud services, critical applications, recurring issues and any compliance or recovery needs. Separate day-to-day support from one-off projects. This gives each provider the same basis for a proposal.
2. Check support and escalation
Ask who receives requests, how urgent issues are triaged, which hours are covered and when on-site support is available. Request written response targets and exclusions that match your operating hours. Do not assume a short advertised response time applies to every incident.
3. Ask how security and backups are handled
Clarify responsibilities for multi-factor authentication, device updates, administrator access, email security, backup monitoring and restore testing. Ask what is included in the monthly fee and what requires a separate project.
4. Compare commercial and exit terms
Review onboarding costs, licence ownership, contract length, price reviews and extra charges. Confirm that your business retains control of domains, Microsoft 365, documentation and data. Ask how a future handover would work.
5. Verify fit with your team
Ask for a proposed transition plan and a named point of contact. Check relevant experience, references and how the provider handles specialist applications or vendor coordination. Discuss the first priorities you would tackle together.
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