"Managed IT" can mean anything from a helpdesk phone number to full operational ownership of your environment. Before comparing prices, compare scope.
A practical checklist
A complete service should cover:
- 24×7 monitoring of network, servers, cloud and backups
- Patch management for servers and endpoints
- A service desk with defined response and resolution SLAs
- Security monitoring, not just antivirus
- Asset and licence management
- Monthly reporting and quarterly reviews
Ask for the report
The best indicator of a provider's quality is a sample monthly report. If it's clear, specific and actionable, the service usually is too.