IT Support
How to choose an IT support company
The right partner saves you money and headaches; the wrong one quietly costs you both. Here's what to look for, the questions worth asking, and the red flags to watch.
Choosing an IT support company is a long-term relationship, not a one-off purchase — you're trusting them with the systems your business runs on. The good news is that the things that separate a great provider from a poor one are mostly knowable up front, if you ask the right questions. Here's what actually matters.
Do they pick up the phone?
When something's wrong, you want a real person who knows your setup — not a ticket dropped into a queue and a wait. Ask how support actually works: who answers, how fast they respond, and whether you get the same engineers who know your business. A helpdesk measured on fixing things rather than closing tickets is the one you want.
Proactive or just reactive?
A good provider works to stop problems before they happen — monitoring, patching, tested backups running quietly in the background. Ask what they do between the calls. If the answer is 'we fix things when you ring', you've found a break-fix shop dressed up as managed support, and you'll carry the downtime they don't prevent.
One team, or finger-pointing?
If your phones, IT, security and connectivity come from one accountable provider, there's no blame-shifting when something needs sorting. Spread across three suppliers and you'll spend your time refereeing between them. Ask how much they can take on under one roof — it's the difference between one number to call and a committee.
Local, and in it for the long term
A provider on your doorstep can be on site when it matters and actually knows the area. And longevity says something — a company that's supported local businesses for years (Cobalt since 2001) has the stability and track record a faceless national reseller can't match. Ask for references from businesses like yours, and talk to them.
Clear pricing, no jargon
You should understand what you're paying for and what's included, in plain English. Watch for vague packages, baffling jargon, and 'extras' that turn out to be the basics. A provider who explains things clearly and prices them up front before you commit is showing you how they'll treat you as a client.
FAQs
Common questions
What questions should I ask an IT support company?
How does support actually work and who answers? What do you do proactively between issues? How much can you take on under one roof? Can I speak to clients like us? And: can you explain your pricing plainly? The answers tell you most of what you need to know.
What are the red flags?
A purely reactive 'we fix it when you call' model, vague or jargon-heavy pricing, basics charged as extras, no proactive monitoring or backup testing, and no willingness to give references. Any of these is a reason to look harder before committing.
Does it matter if they're local?
It helps. A local provider can be on site when it really matters, knows the area, and tends to be in it for the long term. Combined with the depth to support everything under one roof, that's a strong position — which is exactly what we aim to offer from Exeter.
#WEARECOBALT
Ready when you are.
Tell us what's slowing your business down. We'll tell you exactly how we'd fix it — plainly, with no obligation.