Frequently Asked Questions

For advisory and strategy work, we can typically begin within 5-7 business days. Implementation projects depend on current commitments, but we'll give you honest timelines in our first conversation.

You probably need outside help if:

• You're making major technology decisions and unsure which direction to take
• Your IT costs keep rising but you're not sure why
• You've been told you need to upgrade systems but the quotes don't make sense
• You're facing compliance requirements like Cyber Essentials
• You're scaling up and your current IT setup won't cope
• You don't have anyone senior enough to evaluate what vendors are telling you

An outside perspective helps you make better decisions and avoid expensive mistakes.

The first conversation is always free. We'll discuss your challenges and we'll be upfront about whether we can help and what that might look like. No obligation, no sales pressure.

If we're not a fit, we'll often point you toward someone who is.

A fractional IT director is someone who does the job of an IT director, but part-time and shared across multiple companies. You get senior-level strategic thinking: technology roadmaps, vendor management, team oversight, and budget planning, without paying a full-time salary.

Typical arrangements are one or two days a month, depending on your needs. It's for companies that have outgrown ad-hoc IT support but don't need or can't afford a full-time technology leader.

We provide senior-level strategic guidance without the £120k-£180k salary commitment. You get access to enterprise experience across multiple industries and technologies, typically at 20-30% of a full-time hire.

Perfect for scale-ups, transformation projects, or filling gaps while you recruit.

We can do both. Some clients want pure strategy and handle implementation internally or with existing partners. Others prefer we stay involved through delivery, either hands-on or overseeing their team/vendors.

Your choice and we'll be honest about what makes most sense for your business.

Completely independent. We have no vendor tie-ins, no reseller agreements, no referral fees, no sales targets. You're paying for our judgement, not a product list.

When we recommend a solution, it's because it's right for your business and budget, not because we get a commission. If you need to buy hardware or software, we'll tell you what to get and you can buy it direct or through whoever gives you the best price. That's how we stay objective.

Everything is covered under NDA before we start. We work with highly sensitive data regularly (financial services, healthcare, legal) and follow strict confidentiality and data protection protocols.

We're happy to work within your security requirements, including on-premise work if needed.

Yes. Small businesses are often targeted precisely because they have weaker defences. Ransomware doesn't care about company size.

The good news is that most cyber threats can be defended against with straightforward, affordable measures: multi-factor authentication, regular backups, staff training and keeping systems updated. We help you focus on practical steps that actually reduce risk, not expensive security theatre. For many businesses, achieving Cyber Essentials certification is a good starting point.

Cloud makes sense when your on-premise infrastructure is coming up for renewal, you're scaling quickly and need flexibility, you want better disaster recovery, or you're tired of managing physical servers.

It's not always the right answer. Sometimes keeping things on-premise is cheaper or more practical. We help you work out whether cloud genuinely solves your problems, which services to move and which to leave alone. Cloud migration isn't all-or-nothing; hybrid approaches often work best.

It varies. A strategic planning session might be a single day workshop plus a week to write up recommendations. A security assessment could take two to four weeks. A cloud migration plan might take a month to design, then three to six months to execute depending on complexity.

We give you realistic timelines upfront and tell you what's involved at each stage. If you have a hard deadline, we'll tell you whether it's achievable or not.

That's up to you. Some clients need a one-off piece of work and we part ways once it's done. Others want ongoing support through a fractional IT director arrangement to help with implementation and future decisions. We're flexible.

If you want us to stick around, we will. If you just need a clear plan you can execute yourself, that's fine too. There's no pressure to sign up for ongoing services if you don't need them.