SureTel
Resources · Managed IT
How to Compare Managed IT Quotes
Line up the scope of each quote first — the totals only mean something once they cover the same things.
In short
Compare scope first, then price
To compare managed IT quotes fairly, match the scope before comparing the totals. Count the same users, devices, servers, sites and Microsoft 365 accounts in each quote, then check what is included, what is a separate module, what is once-off and what is excluded. A lower monthly figure can cover less. Response times, security services, backup and exit terms should be compared like for like too.
- Use the same counts for users, devices, servers, sites and Microsoft 365 accounts.
- Separate licences, modules, onboarding, projects, onsite work and travel.
- Read response, resolution and onsite arrival as three different things.
- Check assumptions, exclusions and how the agreement ends.
Step 1
Match the scope in every quote
Give every provider the same numbers. If a quote uses different counts, ask them to restate it.
Users
The number of named people who will log support requests. Clarify how part-time staff and joiners are counted.
Primary devices
Whether each user's main laptop or desktop is included, and whether additional devices per user cost extra.
Shared endpoints
Reception PCs, warehouse terminals and boardroom machines used by several people are often priced separately.
Servers and infrastructure
Physical or cloud servers, storage, firewalls, switches and Wi-Fi access points, each listed with how they are covered.
Sites
Every office or branch, because each one affects network scope and onsite visits.
Microsoft 365 accounts
Active staff mailboxes plus shared, service and admin accounts, so tenant management is priced on the same base.
Step 2
Separate the cost lines
Lay each quote out with the same lines so nothing is hidden inside a single total.
- Licences
- Microsoft 365 and other software licences, usually billed separately from the managed service.
- Modules
- Optional services such as Microsoft 365 management or backup, with what each covers and how it is charged.
- Onboarding
- The once-off cost of documenting your environment, deploying agents and taking over support.
- Projects and remediation
- Fixing inherited problems, migrations and new deployments, which are usually quoted separately.
- Onsite work and travel
- Hourly rate, minimum charge, travel charges and whether travel time is billed on top.
- Hardware
- Replacement laptops, firewalls and other equipment, normally bought separately from the service.
Step 3
Terms that sound alike but are not
Quotes often use these terms loosely. Ask each provider what they mean in their agreement.
| Term | What it means | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Response time | How quickly a ticket is acknowledged and work starts. | Is it measured in business hours? Which priorities have targets? |
| Resolution time | How long it takes to fix the problem. | Is any resolution time committed, or only response? |
| Onsite arrival | How quickly someone is physically on site. | Is there an arrival commitment, and what does a visit cost? |
| EDR | Software on each device that detects and can contain threats. | Who reviews alerts, and during which hours? |
| SOC / MDR | A staffed team watching and responding to security alerts. | Is it included or a separate service? What hours does it cover? |
| Backup | Copies of specified data that can be restored. | Which workloads, what retention, and how are restores tested? |
| Disaster recovery | A wider plan to restore systems and operations after a major outage. | Is it in scope at all? What priorities and targets are agreed? |
Step 4
Assumptions, exclusions and exit
- Every quote lists its assumptions, such as the state of existing systems.
- Exclusions are written down rather than implied.
- Minimum monthly charges and contract term are clear.
- How price changes are handled during the term is stated.
- How extra work is approved before it is billed is explained.
- Support hours and public-holiday cover are stated.
- Notice period and what is handed back at exit are described.
- Ownership of admin accounts and documentation stays with the business.
Example
How a SureTel quote is structured
A brief example of how one provider sets out its pricing. The Managed IT pricing page holds the current detail.
Base price
From R500 per managed user per month excl. VAT, on a 12-month agreement, covering one primary device per managed user.
Minimum
The normal minimum for the base service is R7,500 per month. Smaller agreements need management approval.
Added separately
Microsoft 365 management, managed backup, servers, network equipment, onsite work and projects, each chosen and quoted on its own.
Support terms
Remote-first, Monday to Friday 08:00–17:00 excluding public holidays. Initial response targets are for acknowledgement and triage, not guaranteed fix times.
Keep reading
Related guides and services
Managed IT pricing
SureTel's published base price and module categories.
What is a managed service provider?
What a managed service normally covers each month.
Microsoft 365 management vs backup
Why tenant management, backup and licences are separate lines.
How to change IT providers
Plan the handover once you have chosen a quote.
Managed IT services
What is included in SureTel's base service.
IT Health & Risk Assessment
A free, qualified review that informs an accurate quote.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Why do managed IT quotes vary so much?
Because they rarely cover the same scope. One quote may include servers, Microsoft 365 administration and backup; another may cover only user support on primary laptops. Some include onboarding in the monthly fee and others charge it once-off. Match the scope before comparing prices.
Should we choose the lowest price per user?
Only once you know it covers the same things. A lower per-user figure can exclude modules, devices or onsite work that another quote includes, or carry a higher minimum monthly charge.
What is the difference between response time and resolution time?
Response time is how quickly the provider acknowledges and starts working on a ticket. Resolution time is how long it takes to fix. Onsite arrival time is a third measure. Many agreements commit only to response targets, so read which one is being promised.
Is EDR the same as a security operations centre?
No. Endpoint detection and response (EDR) is software on each device that detects and can contain threats. A security operations centre (SOC) or managed detection and response (MDR) service adds people watching and acting on alerts, sometimes around the clock. Check which one is quoted.
Is backup the same as disaster recovery?
No. Backup keeps copies of specified data so it can be restored. Disaster recovery is a wider plan for restoring systems and operations after a major outage, with agreed priorities. A quote that includes backup does not automatically include disaster recovery.
What does SureTel's Managed IT cost?
SureTel's Managed IT starts from R500 per managed user per month excl. VAT on a 12-month agreement, with a normal minimum of R7,500 per month for the base service. Smaller agreements need management approval. Modules such as Microsoft 365 management and backup, onboarding, onsite work and projects are added separately.
Get a quote built on your actual scope
Request a free, qualified IT Health & Risk Assessment: normally 2–4 hours, remote-first, ending in a readout of findings and priorities. SureTel reviews your request and contacts you to arrange a time. It is not free remediation, penetration testing or unrestricted scanning.