Month: April 2026

How to Choose an IT Support Company

Posted on by Jake Boase

Choosing an IT support company is one of the more important decisions a business makes, because the right partner keeps you running and the wrong one costs you time, money and sleep. Here is a practical checklist of what to look for, and the questions to ask before you sign anything.

How to choose an IT support company

Knowing how to choose an IT support company comes down to a few essentials: proactive monitoring, clear response times, security built in and honest, jargon-free advice. The NCSC small business guide is worth reading alongside this.

How to choose an IT support company, shown by a business team meeting

Start with what you actually need

Before comparing providers, get clear on your situation: how many staff and devices, what software you rely on, whether you have servers or are fully cloud, your security and compliance needs, and where your current pain points are. A good provider will ask these questions too. If you are not sure, a free IT assessment will map it out.

What to look for in an IT support company

  • Proactive, not just reactive: they should monitor and maintain your systems to prevent problems, not only fix them after they break.
  • Clear response times: written service levels so you know how quickly you will get help.
  • Security built in: cyber security, patching, backups and disaster recovery as standard, not costly extras.
  • Local and reachable: a provider who knows your area and answers the phone when you call.
  • Plain English: advice without jargon, and reporting you can actually understand.
  • Room to grow with you: support that scales as your business changes.

Questions to ask before you sign

  • What are your guaranteed response and resolution times?
  • Is support proactive, and what do you monitor?
  • What is included in the monthly fee, and what costs extra?
  • How do you handle cyber security and backups?
  • Can you share references or reviews from similar businesses?
  • What is the contract length and notice period?
  • What happens to my data and systems if we ever leave?

Red flags to avoid

Be wary of providers who only appear when things break, who cannot give clear response times, who lock you into long contracts with painful exit terms, or who talk in jargon to avoid straight answers. Vague pricing and no references are warning signs too. The switching process should be smooth, and if you are leaving a provider now, our guide on managed IT support shows what good looks like.

Do not just chase the lowest price

The cheapest quote often hides thin cover, slow response or extras that are billed separately. Look at the whole package: response times, what is included, security, and whether you trust the team. Reliable IT that prevents downtime is worth far more than a low headline fee, as anyone who has lost a day to an outage will tell you.

How ATS Connection can help

We provide proactive, fully managed IT support for businesses across West Sussex, including our Chichester IT support,, with clear response times, security built in and honest, jargon-free advice. Talk to us, or get a quote. Call 01903 255 159.

Frequently asked questions

How do I choose the right IT support company?

Start by defining your needs, then compare providers on proactive monitoring, guaranteed response times, built-in security, local reachability and clear pricing, and check references before you sign.

What questions should I ask an IT support provider?

Ask about guaranteed response times, what is included in the fee, how they handle security and backups, contract length and notice, references, and what happens to your data if you leave.

How much should IT support cost?

It is usually a predictable monthly fee based on the number of users and what is included. Focus on value and cover rather than the lowest headline price, as cheap quotes often hide gaps.

What is the difference between proactive and reactive IT support?

Reactive support only fixes issues after they happen. Proactive support monitors and maintains your systems to prevent problems in the first place, which means less downtime.

How long should an IT support contract be?

Look for reasonable contract lengths and fair notice periods. Be cautious of long lock-ins with difficult exit terms, and always check what happens to your systems and data if you leave.

Cyber Essentials: The Complete Guide for UK Business

Posted on by Jake Boase

Cyber Essentials is a UK government backed certification scheme that shows your business has the basic controls in place to defend against the most common cyber attacks. It is affordable, quick to achieve with the right help, and increasingly expected by customers and required to win certain contracts. This guide explains what it is, the five controls, the two levels, and how to get certified.

In short, Cyber Essentials is a government backed certification that proves your business has the basic controls in place to stop the most common cyber attacks. You can read the official scheme detail on the NCSC Cyber Essentials pages.

Cyber Essentials certification for UK businesses

What is Cyber Essentials?

Backed by the National Cyber Security Centre, Cyber Essentials sets out a baseline of security controls that stop the large majority of everyday cyber attacks. Certifying proves to customers, insurers and partners that you take security seriously, and it is often a condition of working with government and larger organisations.

The five controls

  • Firewalls: secure your internet connection so only trusted traffic gets in.
  • Secure configuration: set up devices and software safely, removing default passwords and unused features.
  • User access control: give people only the access they need, and protect admin accounts.
  • Malware protection: defend against viruses and other malicious software.
  • Security update management: keep operating systems and applications patched and up to date.

None of these are exotic. They are the fundamentals that, done consistently, close the doors most attackers walk through.

Cyber Essentials versus Cyber Essentials Plus

There are two levels. Cyber Essentials is a verified self-assessment: you complete a questionnaire about your controls, which is reviewed and certified. Cyber Essentials Plus covers the same five controls but adds a hands-on technical audit by an assessor, who tests your systems to confirm the controls really work. Plus carries more weight and is often required for higher-value or public sector contracts.

Why bother getting certified?

  • Win more business: many contracts, especially public sector, require it.
  • Reduce your risk: the controls block the most common attacks.
  • Reassure customers: it is visible proof you protect their data.
  • Support insurance: some cyber insurance policies expect it and it can improve terms.
  • Build good habits: it puts a security baseline in place you can build on.

How to get Cyber Essentials certified

  • Review your current setup against the five controls and find the gaps.
  • Fix the gaps, such as enabling firewalls, tightening access, and getting patching under control.
  • Complete the assessment, the questionnaire for Cyber Essentials or the audit for Plus.
  • Certify and maintain it, renewing each year and keeping the controls in place day to day.

Most businesses get there faster and more cheaply with an IT partner who knows the scheme, closes the gaps for you and handles the paperwork. Our free cyber security audit is a simple way to see where you stand before you start.

How ATS Connection can help

We guide West Sussex businesses through Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus, from the initial gap review to certification, and keep the controls in place afterwards as part of your managed IT support. Get a quote or call 01903 255 159.

Frequently asked questions

What is Cyber Essentials?

It is a UK government backed certification, supported by the National Cyber Security Centre, that shows your business has five basic security controls in place to defend against common cyber attacks.

What is the difference between Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus?

Cyber Essentials is a verified self-assessment questionnaire. Cyber Essentials Plus covers the same controls but adds a hands-on technical audit by an assessor who tests that the controls actually work.

How much does Cyber Essentials cost?

The certification itself starts from a modest fee for the base level, with Cyber Essentials Plus costing more due to the audit. The main cost is usually the work to close any gaps first.

How long does Cyber Essentials take?

With the right help, many businesses achieve base Cyber Essentials within a few weeks, depending on how much needs fixing. Cyber Essentials Plus takes a little longer because of the audit.

Do I need Cyber Essentials?

If you handle customer data, want to reassure clients, or bid for contracts, especially public sector work, it is well worth having, and it is often a formal requirement.