Managed IT Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to the questions business owners ask us most: what managed IT costs, how fast we respond, how cyber security and SMB1001 work, and what switching to SEQ IT involves.
- 300+ businesses supported
- No lock-in contracts
- Australian-based team
Response in business hours to critical issues such as systems down or a security incident.
Businesses supported
Typical cost per user per month
Response to critical issues, business hours
Achieved through CyberCert
Find your answer by topic
Managed IT support
What it is, what it costs and how it compares with paying by the hour.
Support and service areas
Response times, support hours, onsite visits and where we work.
Cyber security
The threats small businesses face and the controls that stop them.
SMB1001 and compliance
Certification, ISO 27001, the Privacy Act and GRC.
Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and AI
Choosing a platform, migrations, Copilot, Gemini and safe AI use.
Working with SEQ IT
Getting started, contracts, switching providers and credentials.
Managed IT explained
What managed IT is, what it costs and who it suits.
What is managed IT support?
Managed IT support means a specialist provider looks after your IT for a fixed monthly fee. Instead of waiting for something to break, the provider monitors, patches, secures and backs up your systems every day, and your staff get a helpdesk to call. Our managed IT services also cover cyber security, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace management and IT planning.
What is the difference between managed IT and break-fix IT support?
With break-fix, you call a technician when something goes wrong and pay by the hour, typically $130 to $260 an hour in Australia, and problems usually surface when something breaks. With managed IT, you pay a predictable monthly fee and the provider monitors and maintains your systems so fewer things break in the first place. Businesses that depend on their systems every day usually find the monthly model easier to budget for. Watch our one-minute explainer video.
What is an MSP, and what is an MSSP?
An MSP (managed service provider) runs and supports your IT on an ongoing basis, acting as your outsourced IT department. An MSSP (managed security service provider) focuses on security: watching for threats, detecting attacks and responding to incidents. SEQ IT is both, so one Australian-based team handles your support and your cyber security, with no gaps between two providers.
How much does managed IT support cost in Australia?
Managed IT support in Australia typically costs $120 to $250 per user per month, depending on your headcount, how complex your setup is and what is included. For a 10-person business that is about $1,200 to $2,500 a month. For comparison, an in-house IT person costs $70,000 or more a year before super, leave and training. We give you a fixed monthly price after assessing your environment.
What size businesses does SEQ IT work with?
Small and medium businesses, typically with 5 to 100 staff, from single offices to multi-site operations. We support more than 300 businesses in total. If you rely on technology and have no in-house IT team, or your IT person needs backup on security and cloud, we can help. We can also work alongside an existing IT provider as your security layer.
Response times and where we work
How fast we respond, when we come onsite and how clients log requests.
How quickly does SEQ IT respond to support requests?
Critical issues, such as systems down or a security incident, get a response within 1 business hour. General requests are picked up within 2 to 4 business hours. Once a technician connects, most issues are fixed remotely in under 30 minutes. For anything urgent, call 1300 619 750 instead of emailing, so we can start straight away.
What are your IT support hours?
Our standard support hours are Monday to Friday, business hours. After-hours support is available by arrangement, so talk to us if your business runs outside normal office hours. Requests logged after hours are triaged on the next business day unless you have an after-hours support agreement with us.
Do you provide onsite IT support?
Yes. Our team provides onsite support across South East Queensland, including Brisbane, Ipswich, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast, with same-day visits for critical issues. Most problems are fixed remotely because it is faster, but when something needs hands on the ground, such as a network fault or new equipment, we come to you.
What areas does SEQ IT service?
We provide onsite and remote support across Brisbane, Ipswich, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. Businesses in Sydney and the rest of Australia get remote IT support from the same Australian-based team, with onsite visits arranged when a job needs them. We never outsource or offshore support.
How do existing clients log a support request?
Use the support request page and include as much detail as you can: what happened, when it started, any error message and how many people are affected. If your business can’t operate or you suspect a security incident, call 1300 619 750 instead for the fastest response.
Cyber security for small business
The threats that hit small businesses and the controls that stop them.
Do small businesses really get targeted by cyber attacks?
Yes. The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) received over 84,700 cybercrime reports in 2024-25, about one every six minutes. The average self-reported cost per report was $56,600 for a small business and $97,200 for a medium business. Small businesses hold client records and bank details, and often have fewer protections than large companies, which makes them attractive targets.
What is the Essential Eight?
The Essential Eight is the ASD’s set of eight baseline mitigation strategies: application control, patching applications, configuring Microsoft Office macro settings, user application hardening, restricting administrative privileges, patching operating systems, multi-factor authentication and regular backups. Maturity is measured from Level 0 to 3. In June 2026 the ASD announced it will evolve into a broader Essentials series. See our Essential Eight page.
What is multi-factor authentication (MFA)?
MFA means proving who you are in two ways when you sign in, usually your password plus a code or an approval in an app on your phone. If a criminal steals a password, they still can’t get in without the second step. MFA is one of the Essential Eight strategies and one of the first things cyber insurers ask about. We set it up across Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and your key business apps.
What is business email compromise (BEC)?
Business email compromise is when criminals take over or impersonate a business email account to trick someone into paying money or handing over information. Typical examples are fake supplier invoices with changed bank details and urgent payment requests that appear to come from the director. In 2024-25, email compromise was the most common cybercrime businesses reported to the ASD (19%), followed by BEC fraud with a financial loss (15%).
Can you help us get cyber insurance?
Yes. We bring your security up to the level insurers ask about and help you answer their questionnaire accurately. The controls insurers usually look for, such as MFA, endpoint detection and response (EDR), patching, email security and tested backups, are part of our standard service, and we provide the evidence. No provider can promise approval or a lower premium. See cyber insurance readiness.
What should we do if we think we have been hacked?
Call us on 1300 619 750 straight away instead of logging a ticket. Don’t delete suspicious emails or wipe devices, because they help show what happened. We contain the threat, lock down affected accounts, restore systems from backup where needed, and help you work out whether you must report the breach under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.
Rather ask about your own setup?
Book a free consultation and ask us anything on this page about your business. We’ll give you a straight answer and, if it helps, a fixed monthly price.
Certification, privacy and GRC
Australian certification, the frameworks clients ask about and the rules that apply to personal data.
What is SMB1001?
SMB1001 is an Australian cyber security certification built for small and medium businesses. It was developed by Dynamic Standards International (DSI) and is certified through CyberCert. Its tiers are Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond, with Platinum and Diamond aimed at defence supply chains and critical infrastructure. It is reviewed every year, and the current edition is SMB1001:2026.
How much does SMB1001 certification cost?
There are two parts: the certification fee paid through CyberCert, and the work to put the required controls in place. The second part is usually the bigger cost and depends on your starting point. Many of the controls, such as multi-factor authentication, patching, backups and endpoint protection, are things every business should have anyway. For clients on our managed IT plans, many are already part of the service.
What is CyberCert?
CyberCert is the platform used to register, assess and certify businesses under SMB1001. It issues the certificates and trust marks businesses display to show their tier. SEQ IT is a CyberCert Certification Partner: we do the technical work, prepare the evidence and take clients through certification at Bronze, Silver and Gold. We achieved SMB1001 Gold ourselves. See SMB1001 certification.
How does SMB1001 compare with ISO 27001?
ISO 27001 is an international standard for running an information security management system, with formal risk management, extensive documentation and external audits. Large enterprises and some government contracts ask for it. SMB1001 was designed for small and medium businesses and focuses on practical controls you can put in place and prove. If you need ISO 27001 certification, we refer you to trusted Australian GRC specialists.
Does the Privacy Act apply to my business?
The Privacy Act 1988 and its Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme apply to all health service providers regardless of turnover, to businesses with an annual turnover over $3 million, and to some smaller businesses in specific cases. If it applies, you must protect personal information and report eligible data breaches. We help with the security controls and incident response. See governance and compliance.
Do you offer governance, risk and compliance (GRC) services?
We deliver the operational and compliance foundations: security policies, technical controls, documentation, and evidence for insurers and frameworks such as the Essential Eight and SMB1001. Formal GRC programmes, enterprise risk management and ISO 27001 certification projects are a different kind of work, and we refer those to trusted Australian GRC specialists. Our guide to governance, risk and compliance explains the difference.
Cloud platforms and AI tools
Choosing a platform, moving between them and using AI without leaking data.
Should my business use Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace?
It depends on how your team works. Microsoft 365 suits businesses that rely on desktop Word, Excel and Outlook, or on industry software built around Microsoft. Google Workspace suits teams that work mostly in the browser and want simplicity. We’re a Microsoft Partner and Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) and a Google Cloud Partner, and we support both every day, so we recommend what fits you.
Can you migrate us from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365, or the other way?
Yes. We migrate in both directions, and from older on-premises or hosted email servers. That covers email, calendars, contacts, files and shared drives. We plan the cutover with you so your team keeps working, and we set up security and licences properly on the new platform from day one. See Microsoft 365 support and Google Workspace support.
Is my not-for-profit eligible for free Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace?
Often, yes. Registered charities and eligible not-for-profits can usually get donated or heavily discounted Microsoft 365 licences, and free or discounted Google Workspace through Google for Nonprofits. Eligibility rules and offers change, so we check what your organisation currently qualifies for and help with the application and setup. See not-for-profit IT support.
What are Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini?
Copilot is the AI assistant built into Microsoft 365 apps such as Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams. Gemini is Google’s equivalent inside Google Workspace. Both can draft emails, summarise documents and meetings, and analyse data, working with the files each user already has access to. Because of that, sharing permissions need tidying before you switch them on. We handle the setup, rollout and training.
Is it safe for staff to use ChatGPT or other AI tools?
It can be, with the right setup and rules. The risk is staff pasting client, financial or confidential details into a personal or free AI account, where your business has no control over how that data is kept. We help you choose approved tools, such as ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot or Gemini on business plans, write an AI use policy and train your team. See AI for small business.
How do we get our business ready for AI?
Start with a readiness check: who can see what in your files, where sensitive data sits and whether permissions are tidy. AI assistants surface whatever a user can access, so loose sharing quickly becomes a real problem. Next comes secure setup of the tools you choose, an AI use policy and staff training. We help with each step, for mainstream assistants and industry-specific AI software alike.
Getting started and switching to us
What happens when you sign up, how contracts work and who we are.
How do we get started with SEQ IT?
It starts with a free discovery call about your business, your current setup and what isn’t working. We then assess your environment and send a proposal with a fixed monthly price. If you go ahead, onboarding usually takes 1 to 2 weeks, and from then on we manage your IT day to day. There is no obligation until you decide to proceed.
Do you lock clients into long-term contracts?
No. Our managed services run on month-to-month terms, with no 12, 24 or 36-month lock-in contracts. Projects are quoted before work starts, so there are no surprise invoices. The idea is simple: we keep your business by doing good work, not by holding you to a contract. If we’re not delivering, you can leave.
What happens when we switch from our current IT provider?
We handle the handover. We work with your outgoing provider, or directly with you, to collect admin access, licence details and documentation, then take over monitoring and support with no gap in cover. Most businesses are fully onboarded within 1 to 2 weeks, and you don’t have to manage the conversation between the two providers yourself.
What certifications does SEQ IT hold?
SEQ IT achieved SMB1001 Gold through CyberCert, and as a CyberCert Certification Partner we take clients through certification at Bronze, Silver and Gold. We’re also a Microsoft Partner and Cloud Solution Provider (CSP), which means we supply Microsoft licences directly, and a Google Cloud Partner. Our team brings over 20 years’ experience across support, networks, cloud and security. More on the about page.
What industries do you work with?
We support small and medium businesses in many sectors, including healthcare, accounting and finance, legal and conveyancing, professional services, property and real estate, retail and franchise, wholesale and distribution, and not-for-profits. Each industry page explains the systems, risks and obligations we deal with in that sector.
What is the free cyber security assessment?
It’s a review of your devices, email, accounts and backups, followed by a plain-English report on where you’re exposed and what to fix first. It’s valued at $2,500 and there’s no obligation to buy anything afterwards, which makes it a sensible first step if you’re unsure where you stand. Request your free assessment.
Go deeper on each topic
Every answer above links to a page with the full detail. These are the main ones.
Managed IT services
Helpdesk, monitoring, patching and IT planning for a fixed monthly fee.
Cyber security services
EDR, email and account protection, training and incident response.
Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace migrations
Moving to either platform, or between the two.
Governance and compliance
Policies, controls and evidence for insurers and frameworks.
AI for small business
Readiness checks, secure setup, AI use policies and training.
About SEQ IT
Who we are, what we believe and the credentials we hold.
Still have a question?
Ask us directly. We’ll answer in plain language and, if you’d like, look at your setup and give you a fixed monthly price.
- A straight answer to your question
- Advice based on your actual setup
- No obligation and no lock-in contract
Prefer to talk? Call 1300 619 750, Monday to Friday, or visit our contact page.
Tell us what you need. We’ll get back to you within one business day.