Harkstone Tech
IT support - 5 min read

What to check before changing IT support provider

A practical checklist for small businesses reviewing support ownership, access, backups, Microsoft 365 and suppliers.

UK small business supportMicrosoft 365 helpWebsites, hosting and carePlain-English technical supportClear scope and no hard sellSupport after launch

Harkstone cockpit

Small business technical status

Website and support board

Tickets, forms, DNS, SSL and care

Support request

Triaged

Website form

Delivering

Microsoft 365

MFA enabled

Care task

Queued

Launch basics

Domain ownership
SSL active
Email records
Backup check
Back to advice hub

Start with ownership, not pricing

Before changing provider, confirm who controls administrator accounts, domains, Microsoft 365, backups, internet supplier details and device records.

A cheap support plan can become expensive quickly if nobody knows where the critical access lives.

Ask for a clean handover

Request documentation, licence lists, backup status, admin accounts, supplier references and known issues. If something is missing, write it down before the move.

  • Microsoft 365 tenant access
  • Domain registrar access
  • Backup status
  • Device list
  • Open supplier tickets

Want help applying this to your business?

Harkstone Tech can review the current setup and suggest a practical next step.