--- title: "How to Choose the Best IT Company for Your Business | DataRoad" description: "A poorly chosen IT partner costs downtime and a contract that is hard to exit. Ten questions to compare MSP proposals. Request a no-commitment proposal." language: en url: https://www.dataroad-it.com/en/how-to-choose-it-partner-msp-questions/ source: https://www.dataroad-it.com/en/how-to-choose-it-partner-msp-questions/ publisher: DataRoad IT (DataRoad - IT Services and Consulting), Portugal --- > A poorly chosen IT partner costs downtime and a contract that is hard to exit. Ten questions to compare MSP proposals. Request a no-commitment proposal. # How to choose an IT partner: 10 questions before you sign At a glance For decision-makers short on time. - 01 Without a written SLA with fixed response times, there is no way to enforce delivery. - 02 Confirm continuous monitoring, tested backups and out-of-hours cover. - 03 Prefer a provider that works directly with you, without subcontracting. - 04 The lowest price can hide fewer guarantees: ask for references. **A poorly chosen IT partner only shows itself late: the server goes down at seven in the evening and nobody answers, or the backup that should exist does not. DataRoad, one of the reference names in Portugal for managed IT services, headquartered in Alfragide with support across the whole country, sets out here the ten questions that separate a solid contract from a merely cheap proposal.** Use them to compare any MSP proposal, ours included. The right answer to each one should be written into the contract, not just said in the meeting. ## Which questions should I ask before signing? - **SLA**: is it written down, with fixed response times? - **Monitoring**: is the infrastructure watched continuously, or do they only react when someone calls? - **Backups**: who runs them, who tests them and how often? - **Out of hours**: is there cover after the office closes, if your operation requires it? - **Security**: how are access and data protection managed? - **Subcontracting**: is the contract with whoever does the work, or are there third parties in between? - **Critical incident**: on average, how long does the response take? - **Point of contact**: is there a named person, or a different engineer on every call? - **Evolution**: does the contract provide for price or service reviews over time? - **References**: can I speak to current clients? ## How do I confirm the answers are solid? Ask for written proof of each one. The SLA should be in the contract, backup reports should show tested restores and references should be current clients you can contact. At DataRoad, the [IT Unlimited](https://www.dataroad-it.com/en/managed-it-services/) model sets all of this out from the start: an annual contract, automatic renewal and no lock-in. The response times for each plan are in our [service levels (SLA)](https://www.dataroad-it.com/en/managed-it-sla-portugal/). Chosen by respected and international companies ★★★★★ 5,0 · 52 Google reviews ★★★★★ 5,0 · 52 Google reviews ## Frequently asked questions ### Which question matters most when choosing an IT partner? The written SLA is the question that matters most. Without response times fixed in the contract, there is no way to demand that the service is delivered, nor to compare proposals with one another. Also confirm what happens outside business hours: at DataRoad, cover for nights, weekends and public holidays exists only in the Premium 365 plan. ### Can I ask for contacts at other clients? Yes, and you should do so before signing. Asking for references is standard practice, and a provider confident in its work provides them without hesitation. Ask the clients you are given how day-to-day support works, how long responses take and whether the team stays the same over the years. Public Google reviews are a useful second filter. ### What should I ask about security? Ask how access is controlled, how GDPR compliance is ensured and how often backups are made and tested with real restores. Ask for the provider's own track record too, because an IT partner has access to your systems. In 11 years of operation, DataRoad has never suffered a security incident. ### Is the cheapest proposal the best? Rarely, without detailed analysis. The lowest price can mean fewer guarantees: a vague SLA, cover that disappears during holidays and sick leave, on-site visits charged separately or subcontracted engineers. Compare what is included in writing and what an outage costs your operation, not just the monthly fee. ### Does changing IT provider mean downtime? No. With a rigorous survey of the current infrastructure, access rights, licences and backups, the transition is planned without cutting support to the team. The new partner documents what exists before taking over, and the previous provider only steps away once the handover is complete. ### Which companies does DataRoad work with? DataRoad works with companies of more than 10 workstations, always under an IT Unlimited contract and directly with the end client. It does not subcontract or take on one-off jobs. Plans start with Essential, from €395 per month + VAT, with remote and telephone support only; Premium, from €750, includes unlimited on-site support. ## Already have a proposal on the table? We will give you a second opinion, with no commitment. DataRoad has 11 years in the market, 232 clients and the Top 5% SME certification (source: scoring.pt). We work only under contract, directly with the end client, with a written SLA and immediate response times. One Step Ahead of IT. **More than 10 workstations · support contract · remote, on-site and phone support.** +351 211 459 950 * · sales@dataroad.pt **Call to a Portuguese landline.* News ## Projects delivered and news from DataRoad. 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DataRoad's website now speaks the language of th…12 September 2026 · 4 min read](https://www.dataroad-it.com/en/managed-it-services-five-languages/) Numbers you can verify **11** years in business **232** clients **< 10 min** average response time **15+** IT vendor certifications **10+** Countries with clients supported **5.0 ★** 52 Google reviews Transparency ## What many providers hide, we publish. [See plans and prices →](https://www.dataroad-it.com/it-unlimited/) - **Prices upfront** Essential from €395/month + VAT, Premium from €750 and Premium 365 from €1,200. - **No lock-in** Annual contract, no lock-in and no joining fees. - **Everything in writing** What is included, the scope and the price, before you sign. - **Support without counted hours** Remote and phone in every plan; on-site support from Premium. Partners and certifications DataRoad · Managed IT for business ## One StepAhead of IT. Technology that works quietly, so your team works without interruptions. Engineering precision in every request. - **11** years in business, since 2015 - **15+** IT vendor certifications - **Top 5%** SMEs · scoring.pt We do **IT** right. Contact ## An internet outage should not stop your office. Redundant access, automatic failover and continuous monitoring. Phone +351 211 459 950 * *Call to a Portuguese landline Sales email sales@dataroad.pt Headquarters Avenida dos Moinhos 12 B, 2610-119 Alfragide, Portugal More than 10 workstations · support contract · remote, on-site and phone support DataRoad works only for companies under an IT Unlimited contract. We do not take subcontracted work or one-off call-outs. --- Versão HTML desta página: https://www.dataroad-it.com/en/how-to-choose-it-partner-msp-questions/