Published · 4 min read
Why a monthly plan at all
Paying per job suits a business where something breaks twice a year. An office that cannot afford downtime, or that calls a technician every week, finds the monthly plan cheaper because it includes unlimited small faults and comes with the monitoring that prevents the big ones.
But a plan is worth nothing if its terms are not written down. The provider who says do not worry, we will respond, without writing within how many minutes, responds when they can.
The eight clauses that must be in writing
- 1
First response time
Within how many minutes a human replies to you, and through which channel. Not as soon as possible, but a number.
- 2
Time to reach the site
Within how many hours an engineer arrives when a visit is needed, and whether that includes the weekend.
- 3
Exactly what the subscription covers
Number of devices, users and branches, whether onsite visits are included or charged, and what counts as a project outside the contract.
- 4
What it does not cover
Spare parts, new devices and licences are usually outside the subscription. That must be written so the invoice does not surprise you.
- 5
A report after every job
What broke, what was done and what to watch. Without reports you do not know what you paid for and cannot change provider smoothly.
- 6
Who owns the passwords and the documentation
Router, email and domain passwords and the network map belong to you, and are handed over in writing at the start of the contract and at its end.
- 7
Remote access
When connecting to your machines is allowed, with whose permission, and how it is logged. Your customers' data is your responsibility under the Personal Data Protection Law.
- 8
Contract length and the way out
A monthly contract cancelled with one month's notice keeps the provider on their toes. A two-year contract with an exit penalty puts you in that position instead.
Questions that separate a good provider from a salesman
Ask for an example of a real job report for another customer with the name hidden. Ask to call the support number now and time how long the reply takes. Ask how many customers each engineer has, because an engineer serving eighty companies will not reach you today.
And ask about specialities: someone who understands POS does not necessarily understand networks or Microsoft 365. A small honest provider says we refer that to a partner; a salesman says we do everything.
What should happen in the first month
A full inventory of your devices and licences, documentation of the network, backups set up, passwords handed over in writing, and a review of existing problems with a priority list. If the first month passes with none of this, the contract is just a phone number.
Per job versus a plan: a simple sum
Count how many times you needed support in the last six months, what you paid and how many hours work stopped. If the total is more than half a yearly subscription, the plan already pays for itself before counting prevention. If it is far less, stay on per-job work with a provider you know, and there is nothing wrong with that.
When to call us
If you are comparing offers now, send them to us and we will tell you honestly what they are missing, even if they are not ours. And if you want to see how we work before any contract, the free IT health check for new clients gives you a written report on your current setup with no commitment.
Common questions
Do I need a contract at all for a company of five?
Not necessarily. Per-job work with a trusted provider is enough if faults are rare. What you definitely need, contract or not, is a working backup and your passwords written down in your own hands.
What is the difference between monthly support and fully managed?
Monthly support responds to faults and visits you regularly. Fully managed runs IT as a department: new staff setup, licences, monitoring and purchase planning. The second is for anyone who does not want to think about IT at all.
Can I change provider without losing the documentation?
Yes, if the contract states that the documentation and passwords belong to you. Ask for them in writing at signing, not at exit.
Related services
The 5 minute reply, onsite visits and a report after every job are the basis of remote and onsite IT support in Madinah, and you can compare the managed IT support plans before you decide. Buying devices and licences within a contract is covered by IT hardware supply in Madinah.