How to compare managed IT support proposals
Compare IT support proposals against the same device inventory, service hours, responsibilities and acceptance conditions. A monthly price alone cannot tell you which systems or incidents are covered.
Scope and delivery arrangements are agreed for your project.
Share your requirement and target date so we can agree the next step.
Start with one inventory
List users, computers, servers, network devices, locations and critical applications. Identify who currently owns administrator accounts and supplier contracts. Send a summary for the initial discussion; share credentials only through an agreed secure process.
Separate response from resolution
A response target describes when a request is acknowledged or acted on under the contract. Resolution depends on diagnosis, access, replacement parts and third parties. Ask how priority, working hours and escalation are defined.
- Covered systems and exclusions
- Remote support and on-site visit conditions
- Incident priorities and service hours
- Hardware, licence and project charges
- Reporting, review frequency and handover
Ask what a backup check proves
A successful backup job does not prove that an application can be recovered. Agree which data will be restored, where the test will run, who verifies the result and how the recovery time is recorded. Recovery objectives should reflect business needs.
AWS: plan for disaster recoveryWrite down the exit process
Before signing, establish who owns accounts, how documentation is kept current and what happens at the end of the agreement. Include configuration records, open tickets, licence information and secure access handover. Make cancellation and transition conditions explicit.
Prepare a useful first enquiry
For example: “We have 25 users at one office, recurring Wi-Fi problems and an existing file server. We need weekday support and a review of our backup process.” This is an illustrative brief, not a customer case or a fixed-price offer.