IT Support Contracts in Burwell

What the Contract Covers

An IT support contract gives you phone and remote support during office hours, with updates, backup monitoring and security checks handled on a regular basis rather than as an afterthought. It is billed per computer per month - not per user - so the cost is predictable and easy to budget. We cover Windows PCs, laptops and Microsoft 365. We do not cover Apple devices.

Our two plans are Business Essentials, where on-site visits are charged separately, and Business Premium, where on-site labour and call-outs are included in the monthly price. Prices, plan details and a block-time option for businesses that prefer not to commit monthly are all set out further down this page.

Aftercare and Maintenance - Keeping Problems from Coming Back

Most IT problems that disrupt small businesses are not one-off events. A machine that crashes once will often crash again if the underlying cause is not found and fixed. A Microsoft 365 account that gets compromised points to a gap in security settings that will affect other accounts too. Good aftercare is about following through properly after a problem, not just getting things working again and moving on.

What Should Happen After a Support Call

After any support incident, a few things are worth confirming before you consider the matter closed. Ask your IT provider what caused the problem, whether it is likely to recur, and what - if anything - needs to change to prevent it. A provider who cannot answer those three questions has fixed the symptom, not the problem.

For example, if a machine was slow because updates had been left pending for months, the fix is not just running the updates - it is making sure updates are applied automatically and monitored going forward. Under our support contracts, software updates and backup status are checked as a standard part of the service, so this kind of drift does not build up quietly.

Simple Maintenance That Prevents the Next Problem

There are things your team can do day-to-day that make a real difference to how reliably office IT runs. None of these require technical knowledge.

• Shut down properly at the end of the day. Leaving machines on sleep or hibernate for days at a time means Windows updates do not apply fully and small software errors accumulate. A proper shutdown and restart clears these.
• Do not ignore low disk space warnings. When a Windows machine's hard drive fills up, performance drops sharply and some applications stop working. If you see a warning, report it rather than dismiss it.
• Keep passwords secure and do not share them. A shared Microsoft 365 password is a security gap. If a staff member leaves, their account should be disabled promptly - not left active.
• Report unusual behaviour early. A machine that is running warm, making unfamiliar sounds, losing network connection intermittently or showing odd error messages is telling you something. Reporting it early almost always results in a cheaper, simpler fix than waiting for a full failure.
• Do not install software without checking first. Unapproved software is one of the most common routes for malware. If someone in your team needs a new application, a quick check with your IT provider before installing takes two minutes and can prevent a serious problem.

Backup - the One Thing Businesses Underestimate

A properly maintained backup is the difference between a bad day and a catastrophic one when something goes wrong. The common failure is not the absence of any backup at all - it is a backup that has not been checked, has stopped working quietly, or does not include the files that matter most. Under our contracts, backup status is monitored as standard. If a backup fails or falls behind, it is worth catching it before you need to rely on it.

If you are not currently on a contract and you are unsure whether your backups are working, that is worth checking before anything else. It is a simple thing to verify and the consequences of not knowing are serious.

Security - What Ongoing Maintenance Looks Like

Security on a Windows network is not something you set once and forget. Microsoft 365 security settings need to be reviewed as Microsoft updates its defaults and as threats change. Machines that fall behind on updates become vulnerable. Staff accounts that are not managed properly - old accounts left active, weak passwords unchanged - are a consistent source of problems.

Good aftercare means this is reviewed regularly, not only when something goes wrong. Our support contracts include security monitoring as part of the ongoing service.

Plan Prices

Business Essentials (excluding VAT, per computer per month): one computer £36; two to three £31.20 each; four to nine £25.20 each; ten to seventeen £22.20 each; eighteen or more £21.60 each. On-site visits charged at £60 call-out plus labour.

Business Premium (excluding VAT, per computer per month, on-site included): one computer £54; two to three £42 each; four to six £38.60 each; seven to nine £33.80 each; ten to twelve £31.20 each; thirteen to fifteen £28.40 each; sixteen to nineteen £25.40 each; twenty or more £24.40 each.

Block-Time Support

If you prefer not to commit to a monthly contract, block-time support is available: four hours for £312, eight hours for £592 or sixteen hours for £1,123 (all excluding VAT).

Managed Email

A managed email service is available separately, priced on request. If your business email needs better reliability or management, ask about this when you call.

Speak to Us About Your Systems

We support businesses in Burwell and the surrounding area from our base in Bury St Edmunds. If you want to put better aftercare in place - or check that what you already have is actually working - call us and we will talk through your setup.