Choosing the right IT support provider in Perth is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your business. The wrong choice means slow response times, costly downtime, and a vendor more interested in selling you hardware than understanding your business. The right choice means technology that just works, staff who can do their jobs without frustration, and an IT partner you trust.

In this guide, we share exactly what to look for when evaluating Perth IT support providers, the questions you must ask before signing a contract, and the red flags that signal a bad partner.

The 6 Most Important Factors When Choosing IT Support in Perth

1. Response Time Guarantees (SLAs)

Your IT support contract should include a Service Level Agreement (SLA) that specifies guaranteed response times. For critical issues — a server down, email not working, staff locked out — you should expect a response within 1 hour. For standard issues, 4 business hours is reasonable. Get this in writing and ask what happens if they miss their SLA targets.

2. Local vs. Remote Support

Many Perth businesses work with interstate IT companies that handle everything remotely. While remote support is efficient for many tasks, there are situations — hardware failures, office relocations, network installations — where you need a technician on site, fast. A local Perth-based team can be at your door in hours, not days.

3. Industry Experience

IT requirements differ significantly between industries. A medical practice has strict data privacy obligations under Australian health legislation. A construction firm may need robust mobile device management for field staff. Ask any prospective provider which industries they specialise in and request references from similar businesses.

4. Proactive vs. Reactive Support

There’s a fundamental difference between an IT company that waits for you to call with problems, and one that monitors your environment 24/7 and fixes issues before they affect your staff. The best Perth IT support providers are proactive — you should be surprised by issues less often over time, not more.

5. Security-First Approach

Cybersecurity is no longer an optional add-on — it’s central to IT support. Your provider should include endpoint protection, email filtering, patch management, and security awareness training as part of their standard offering. If a provider doesn’t mention security unprompted, walk away.

6. Transparent Pricing

IT support in Perth is priced in several ways: per-user monthly plans, per-device plans, or block-hour arrangements. All-inclusive per-user pricing is generally the most transparent and easiest to budget. Watch out for providers who quote low monthly fees but charge extra for after-hours support, project work, or security services.

10 Questions to Ask an IT Support Provider Before You Sign

What are your guaranteed response and resolution times?
Do you have technicians based in Perth who can attend our site?
How do you handle cybersecurity — is it included or an extra cost?
What monitoring tools do you use and what do they cover?
Can we speak with two or three current clients in our industry?
What is your escalation process for critical incidents?
How do you handle after-hours and weekend emergencies?
What reporting do you provide and how often?
What is your staff turnover like — will we always deal with the same people?
What happens if we want to leave — how is offboarding handled?

Red Flags to Watch Out For

No SLA or vague promises like ‘we’ll get to it as soon as we can’
Reluctance to provide client references
Cybersecurity treated as an optional extra
No onboarding process — they just ‘take over’ without a discovery phase
Pressure to sign long contracts (3+ years) with heavy exit penalties
No Perth-based staff — all support handled from interstate or overseas

Why Perth Businesses Choose Royal IT

At Royal IT, we’ve been supporting Perth businesses for over 15 years. We’re local, responsive, and genuinely invested in the success of every client. We back our service with clear SLAs, transparent pricing, and a proactive approach that keeps your technology running smoothly every day.

Explore our IT support packages for Perth businesses, or read what our clients say about us .

🤝 Get a free IT support quote from Royal IT — Perth’s trusted local IT partner.

The 6 Most Important Factors When Choosing IT Support in Perth