🧭 Buying guide
12 questions to ask before you sign with an IT provider
Twelve questions to ask before you sign with an IT support company. By the Foxcomm team, October 7, 2026.
⚡ The 30-second version
Before you talk to providers, write down what you need: people and devices, the systems you rely on, when your team works, and any rules you must follow.
• Ask each provider the same twelve questions
• Get the answers in writing
• A provider offering a 24/7 help desk should explain exactly how after-hours support works
📝 Start with what you need
Before you talk to providers, write down what you need: how many people and devices, which systems you rely on, when your team works, and any rules you must follow, such as NYDFS Part 500 or HIPAA. A short list makes quotes much easier to compare.
Then ask each provider the questions below. The answers, and how clearly they are given, tell you a lot.
🎧 Service and support
1. When is the help desk available, and who answers after hours?
2. How do you measure response and resolution, and can you share the numbers?
3. Will we get a named contact, or a different person each time?
4. When do you come on site, and is that included in the price?
A provider that offers a 24/7 help desk should be able to explain exactly how after-hours support works and who performs it.
🔒 Security and compliance
5. Which security tools and backups are included, and which cost extra?
6. How do you protect your own systems and access to our data?
7. Have you supported firms with the rules we follow, and what is your role compared with ours?
8. What happens if there is a security incident, and who does what?
Be cautious of any provider that promises to make you compliant. Compliance remains the responsibility of your business, and a good provider will explain which technical controls it supports.
🚫 Be wary of “we’ll make you compliant”
Compliance remains the responsibility of your business. A good provider will explain which technical controls it supports.
• Ask what their role is compared with yours
• Ask what happens, and who does what, if there is a security incident
📑 Contracts and costs
9. What exactly is in the monthly fee, and what is billed separately?
10. What are the onboarding costs and how long does onboarding take?
11. How long is the contract, how does renewal work and how do we leave?
12. If we leave, do we keep our passwords, documentation and data?
Ask for these answers in writing. Good providers are happy to be specific.
🚩 Red flags and next steps
• Vague answers about what is included
• No clear description of after-hours support
• Pressure to sign quickly
• Reluctance to let you keep control of your admin accounts and documentation
• Guarantees about security or compliance outcomes
If you would like to compare notes, Foxcomm offers a free IT and security audit, and our team in New York is happy to answer these twelve questions about our own service.
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