IT company websites all sound alike: “experienced team,” “tailored approach,” “24/7 support.” The differences only show up in the answers to specific questions. Here are twelve we recommend asking any provider — including us.
Accountability
1. What response and resolution times are written into the contract? Not “fast,” but hours: a critical incident gets a 1-hour response and 4-hour resolution; a routine request gets 4 hours and one business day. If there are no numbers in the contract, there are none in practice either.
2. What happens if you breach the SLA? The right answer is a discount or penalty spelled out in the contract. “That never happens” is not an answer.
3. Do you sign an NDA and carry liability insurance? The provider will have access to all of your company’s data. A non-disclosure agreement is the bare minimum.
People
4. Who exactly will be supporting our company? A dedicated engineer who knows your infrastructure, or “whoever is free”? Ask to meet the engineer before you sign.
5. How many companies does that engineer support? If it’s more than 8–10, they physically won’t have time for preventive work — only firefighting.
6. What happens if the engineer gets sick or leaves? There should be documentation that lets another engineer on the team pick up the work within an hour — not “we’ll figure it out.”
Processes
7. How do you learn about problems — from us, or before we notice? Monitoring of servers, network and backups should be automatic and around the clock. If problems are only discovered when employees call, that’s not managed IT — it’s repair.
8. How are backups verified? “Backups are running” isn’t enough. The question is: when did you last restore data from a backup to confirm it actually works? The answer should come with a date and a signed report.
9. What reporting do you provide? A monthly report: which requests came in, which incidents occurred, what was prevented, what is recommended. Without a report, you’re paying for invisible work.
Exit
10. Who owns the passwords, documentation and configurations? You, and only you. Everything should be handed over on first request — both during the engagement and at termination.
11. What are the termination terms? 30 days’ notice and a documentation handover are normal. Early-exit penalties or “holding” access hostage are red flags.
12. Can we speak with two current clients? Not testimonials on a website — an actual phone call. A reputable provider will share contacts; if they won’t, ask why.
Red flags
- A price several times below market — meaning they cut corners on people or preventive maintenance.
- No written audit before work begins — they don’t know what they’re taking on.
- Refusal to put the SLA in the contract.
- Insisting on “their own” equipment and licenses registered to the provider.
- The same manager handles both sales and technical support.
Before you sign
Ask for an infrastructure audit — many companies do the initial assessment free of charge. You’ll get an inventory of your equipment and a list of risks, and the provider will understand the scope. A contract signed without an audit almost always gets renegotiated three months later — and not in your favor.