Every IT company\u2019s website says proactive, 24/7, and partner. The differences only show up under specific questions. Ask these ten, and listen for the answers described here.
Published July 16, 2026 • Synergy Telecom & Medical Systems, Rome GA
Marketing copy in this industry converged years ago, so brochures cannot tell you who will actually answer at 6:55am when payroll cannot print. Specific questions can, because vague operations cannot survive specific questions.
Ask all ten, in writing where it matters. Good providers enjoy these questions; that reaction is itself a signal.
And what a good answer sounds like:
1. What are your response times, in writing? Good: defined targets by severity, in the agreement. Worrying: "we're usually pretty fast."
2. Exactly what is included, and what bills separately? Good: a written inclusion list. Worrying: "everything's covered" with no document.
3. What security is inside the price? Good: endpoint detection, MFA, email security, patching, named tools. Worrying: "we install antivirus."
4. How are backups tested, and how fast is a restore? Good: scheduled restore tests with reports. Worrying: backups "run nightly" but have never been restored.
5. Where does your nearest engineer physically sit? Good: a straight answer with a drive time to Rome, Cartersville, or wherever you are. Worrying: a national queue and a shipping label.
6. If we leave, what happens to our passwords, documentation, and data? Good: they are yours, handed over, stated in the contract. Worrying: hesitation of any kind.
7. What is the contract term, and how does it end? Good: clear term, clear notice, no hostage clauses. Worrying: auto-renewals discovered later.
8. Will you sign a BAA, and what is your healthcare experience? Essential for practices. Good: yes, with specifics. Worrying: "what's a BAA?"
9. How do you handle our other vendors? Good: they own tickets with the ISP, the EHR, the copier company, and see them through. Worrying: "you'd call them."
10. Can we talk to two clients our size? Good: references arranged promptly. Worrying: excuses.
The last one deserves a highlight: a provider who has not secured their own house holds the keys to yours.
Collect two or three proposals scoped the same way, then line them up on inclusions, security stack, onboarding, term, and exit before price enters the conversation.
The cheapest quote usually earns its price by excluding the security and backup work that mattered most. Our managed IT cost guide shows the published ranges so you know what normal looks like, and the in-house versus MSP comparison covers the cases where hiring beats outsourcing.
We built Synergy Telecom as a technology brokerage: vendor-neutral by structure, paid by whichever vendor or carrier you choose, so the comparison work happens on your side of the table.
Ask us these same ten questions. That is what they are for.
How many quotes should we collect? Two or three, scoped identically so the comparison means something. More than that produces diminishing returns and a spreadsheet nobody finishes.
Should the lowest price win? Only after inclusions, security, and response commitments are equal, which they rarely are. The cheapest proposal usually got there by excluding the backup testing and security tooling you were buying this for in the first place.
We are mid-contract with a provider we have outgrown. Now what? Note the term end and notice window, then start transition planning early: documentation, password inventory, and a parallel-running handoff. Leaving well is a project, and a good incoming provider will manage it.
Do you charge for the first conversation? No. The initial assessment is free, and it is the same assessment we would want in your position before recommending anything.
Interviewing providers now? Contact us and bring the ten questions. We will answer all of them in writing.
Line every proposal up on these before price.
Related reading: Managed IT cost guide • In-house vs MSP