Cut Through the Confusion - A Simple IT Support Checklist for Small Businesses

If you run a small business, you don’t have time to wade through pages of technical jargon or spend weeks trying to decode IT contracts. You just want to know: what am I getting, how much will it cost, and will it actually work?

The problem is, many Managed Service Providers (MSPs) don’t make that easy. Some hide costs in the fine print. Others talk in circles with “premium packages” and “managed services” that sound impressive but mean very little in practice. Worse still, a lot over-promise during the sales pitch — and under-deliver once you’re signed up.

That’s why we’ve put together a simple, practical checklist to help you compare providers fairly.

The Pricing Question: How Are Costs Calculated?

One of the trickiest parts of choosing an MSP is understanding how you’ll actually be billed. Different providers use different models, and unless you ask directly, you may not realise what you’re committing to. Here are the most common setups:

• Per User: You pay a fixed monthly fee for each employee. Simple to understand, but costs can jump as your team grows.
• Consumption: You pay only for what you use (e.g. support tickets, callouts). Sounds fair, but it could be unpredictable.
• Flat Fee: A set monthly cost that covers agreed services. Great for predictability, but only if you’re clear on what’s included and what isn’t.

Knowing how you’ll be charged is just as important as knowing what you’re getting.

What to Look Out For

Here are a few essentials to check before you sign anything:

• Is onboarding and a proper health check included, or extra?
• Do you get a dedicated account manager or just a call centre?
• Are out-of-hours and weekend emergencies covered, or chargeable?
• Is backup, email protection, and cybersecurity training standard, or an add-on?
• What’s the average response time?

Without a checklist, it’s almost impossible to compare apples with apples.

Save Time, Avoid Headaches

We know you’ve got a business to run, and IT contracts shouldn’t take weeks to figure out. That’s why we’ve created a straightforward IT Support Supplier Comparison Checklist.

It breaks everything down into plain English so you can see at a glance:

• What’s included
• What’s extra
• How costs are calculated

👉 Download our checklist to save time, avoid hidden costs, and make the right call for your business.