How to Choose an IT Support Company: The 10-Question Scorecard

The fastest way to choose an IT support company is to ask every candidate the same ten questions and score the answers. Most buying guides give you vague advice ("check their reviews!"). This one gives you a scorecard: ten questions, what a good answer sounds like, what a bad one sounds like, and the red flags that should end a conversation on the spot. It's the test we're happy to sit ourselves.

The 10-question scorecard

Score each answer 0 (bad), 1 (acceptable) or 2 (good). Anything under 12/20, keep looking.

1. "What will it cost per user per month — and is that on your website?"

Good: a number, in writing, ideally published publicly. Bad: "it depends - let's book a discovery call." Pricing that hides until a sales call usually means pricing that flexes based on what they think you'll pay. (Ours is published: £35 / £55 / £75.)

2. "What exactly is included — and what costs extra?"

Good: a written inclusion list covering helpdesk, patching, security tooling, backups and on-site visits. Bad: a vague "fully managed" with surcharges lurking for out-of-hours, visits, or anything labelled "project". Two providers quoting £50/user can be selling completely different products.

3. "Are Microsoft licences marked up?"

Good: Microsoft's list price, itemised, and someone actively right-sizing them. Bad: £2–£5/user/month markup for processing a renewal. On 20 staff that's up to £1,200/year for admin you could do in an afternoon.

4. "What security is included on the base plan?"

Good: MFA enforcement, endpoint protection, patching and email filtering as standard — security as a component, not an upsell. Bad: security sold as a separate "cyber package" on top of a plan that leaves you exposed by default.

5. "Will you help us get Cyber Essentials?"

Good: yes, with a clear path and price. Bad: blank looks. Cyber Essentials is increasingly required in supply chains and tenders — a provider who can't get you there will cost you contracts.

6. "What documentation do we get, and do we keep it if we leave?"

Good: documented network, devices, licences and configs, owned by you. Bad: "we keep records internally" — that's how businesses get held hostage at exit. The answer to this question tells you what leaving them will feel like.

7. "What's the contract term and notice period?"

Good: clear terms with a genuine trial or exit route - you should be able to leave a provider that stops performing. Bad: 36-month lock-ins with 90-day notice windows and auto-renewal traps. Confidence in service shows up as short exit routes. (Ours: cancel with 30 days notice anytime in your first three months.)

8. "Who actually answers when we call?"

Good: an engineer, or a short route to one. UK-based, named people. Bad: a ticket-logging layer that "escalates" everything, offshore scripts, or a helpdesk that's really a voicemail.

9. "Do you support Macs, iPhones and Android properly — or just Windows?"

Good: all platforms managed through something like Microsoft Intune, including personal devices used for work (BYOD). Bad: "we're a Windows shop" in a world where half your team lives on their phone.

10. "Can you show us what proactive work looks like?"

Good: patching reports, monitoring dashboards, quarterly reviews — evidence they prevent problems. Bad: purely reactive break-fix wearing a "managed" badge. If they only appear when something's broken, you're paying for downtime.

Instant red flags — end the conversation

• Won't give any pricing without a sales meeting
• No mention of security until you raise it
• Can't name their notice period without checking
• "Documentation is internal"
• Trash-talks your current provider before understanding your setup
• No answer to "what happens if we want to leave?"

How the market prices, for context

UK managed IT support in 2026 typically runs £40–£150 per user per month depending on what's included; most small businesses land between £60–£80. Cheaper exists - including our £35 entry plan - but judge any price against the inclusion list from question 2, not the headline. The most expensive provider is the cheap one who leaves you unpatched, unbacked-up and uninsurable.

Put us through the scorecard

Genuinely - book a free consultation and ask us all ten. You'll get straight answers, our published pricing, and a free Microsoft 365 security audit that's yours to keep regardless. If we score badly, you've lost half an hour and gained a checklist.