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How to Choose the Right Managed IT Provider

Questions to ask, red flags to avoid, and how LecsIT compares

Questions to Ask Any MSP

Use this checklist when evaluating managed IT providers. The right answers help you avoid surprise bills, poor support, and security gaps.

Support & Response

  • What's your average response time?
  • Do you offer 24/7 support?
  • Will I work with the same technicians?
  • How do I reach support (phone, email, portal)?

Pricing & Contracts

  • What's included in your monthly fee?
  • Are there any hidden fees or charges?
  • What's your contract term?
  • What's your cancellation policy?

Security

  • What security layers do you provide?
  • Do you offer cybersecurity training?
  • What's your data backup policy?
  • Have any of your clients been successfully attacked?

Experience & Fit

  • How long have you been in business?
  • Do you specialize in my industry?
  • Can you provide references?
  • What certifications do your techs hold?
LecsIT technician reviewing an IT proposal with a client
Frustrated office worker with a broken computer

Red Flags to Watch For

  • Vague agreements, surprise auto-renewals, or punitive exit fees that weren’t clearly explained before you signed
  • Vague or inconsistent pricing; reluctance to put scope in writing
  • No local presence or inability to provide on-site support
  • Unwilling to provide references or case studies
  • Using fear tactics in sales instead of clear explanations
  • Promising "free" services that turn out to have hidden costs

LecsIT vs. Typical MSP

Feature Traditional MSP (bad) LecsIT
Do they have a written, guaranteed 3-minute-or-less response time to support calls? Calls back in about an hour (no real guarantee). Written, guaranteed 3-minute-or-less response time.
Do they have a written, guaranteed response time to support tickets you submit? Tickets sit without a guaranteed response window. Written, guaranteed response time for tickets you submit.
Do they provide detailed invoices explaining what you are paying for? Vague invoices that make it hard to understand add-ons. Detailed, easy-to-understand invoices explaining your spend.
Do they have full errors and omissions, liability and workers comp insurance to protect YOU? Limited/unclear coverage or can’t provide proof. Full errors and omissions, liability, and workers comp coverage.
Do they guarantee in writing to complete projects on time and on budget? No written guarantee; projects commonly slip or cost more. Written guarantee to complete projects on time and on budget.
Do they insist on monitoring your network 24/7/365 to PREVENT problems? Mostly reactive monitoring; off-hours coverage gaps. 24/7/365 proactive monitoring designed to prevent issues.
Do they provide a weekly report, so you know for sure that your systems are secure and backed up? No consistent reporting; “we think it’s fine” updates. Weekly report so you always know security and backup status.
Do they provide you with full written network documentation? Documentation is incomplete or depends on one person’s memory. Full written network documentation you can rely on.
Do they have other technicians on staff who are familiar with your network in case your regular guy is sick, on vacation or leaves? Single-technician dependency; urgent knowledge gaps. Other technicians on staff familiar with your network.
Is their “all-inclusive” support plan TRULY all-inclusive, or is there small print? “All-inclusive” has exclusions, small print, and surprise add-ons. Truly all-inclusive support plan—transparent and straightforward.
Do they insist on monitoring onsite AND offsite backups (cloud-based)? Only one backup location is monitored; blind spots remain. Monitoring for onsite and offsite (cloud-based) backups.
Do they insist on doing periodic test restores of your backups to ensure they are working? Backups are never tested—so you don’t know if recovery will work. Periodic test restores so you can trust your backups.
Do they insist on backing up your network BEFORE performing any type of project or upgrade? Upgrades happen without a verified pre-backup. Backups completed before projects and upgrades begin.
Have they provided (do they provide) written disaster recovery plans? No written plan; recovery becomes a scramble. Written disaster recovery plans to guide restoration.
Do their technicians maintain industry certifications and participate in ongoing training? Certifications lapse; training is inconsistent. Ongoing training and maintained industry certifications.
Do they provide cybersecurity training to your employees? No training; phishing and social engineering risk stays high. Cybersecurity training for employees to reduce risk.
Do they provide a comprehensive cybersecurity protection plan? Random tools without a full strategy. A comprehensive cybersecurity protection plan with clear coverage.
Do their technicians arrive on time and dressed properly? Are they always polite and professional? Late arrivals and unprofessional behavior. On-time, properly dressed, polite, and professional technicians.
Do they take time to explain their suggestions in plain English or do they GEEK out on you? Jargon-heavy answers you can’t act on. Plain-English explanations—no jargon, no guessing.
Will they take ownership of dealing with your ISP, phone company and line-of-business applications or are you on your own? You handle it—finger-pointing when issues happen. We take ownership coordinating with your ISP, phone company, and apps.
Your Choice…. Roll the dice and hope the “small print” doesn’t bite you. Choose LecsIT—proactive monitoring, written guarantees, and responsive support.

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