Two ways to work with exQ
Bring us in alongside your IT team, or let us be your IT department. Either way, one team plans, runs and documents the work.
Extra hands for your IT team
For organisations that already have internal IT and need more capacity, specialist skills or delivery for a project.
Specialist skills alongside your in-house IT team, from infrastructure projects to security reviews and managed operations.
Your complete IT department
For growing organisations that want exQ to operate their IT environment, from the helpdesk upwards.
A complete outsourced IT department, from day-to-day helpdesk to cloud, security and networks.
Where to start, by size
Illustrative starting points, not rules. Plenty of small businesses need enterprise-grade care, and the reverse.
Small businesses
Reliable foundations, set up once and looked after.
- Business email and accounts
- Laptop set-up and support
- Wi-Fi and a firewall
- Backups you’ve tested
- Domains and DNS in your name
- Multi-factor sign-in
Growing businesses
The processes that stop growth turning into IT chaos.
- Onboarding and offboarding
- Moving to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace
- A device and licence register
- Network segments for staff, guests and cameras
- Documentation
- A support process with records
Larger organisations
Extra hands and an independent view alongside your IT team.
- Assessments and roadmaps
- Identity and access reviews
- Structured migration projects
- Vendor comparison and coordination
- Technical documentation
- Office moves and expansions
Common situations
Typical combinations of our services for situations that come up again and again. Each is scoped to your organisation; none is a fixed package.
New business IT set-upYou’re starting a business and want IT that works from the first day, set up properly once.
Usually includes
- Business email on your own domain
- Laptops set up and protected
- Internet, Wi-Fi and a firewall
- Multi-factor sign-in and a security baseline
- Domain and DNS in your name
- IT documentation from day one
You receive
- User and device register
- Register of domains and renewal dates
- Configuration records, with every login handed to you
New office set-upYou’re opening or moving into an office, and the network has to work when people arrive.
Usually includes
- Internet line coordinated with the provider
- Cabinet, structured cabling and labels
- Switches, firewall and Wi-Fi
- CCTV and power protection
- Printers and devices connected
- Testing before move-in, and first-day support
You receive
- Network diagram
- Labelled cabling schedule
- IP and VLAN plan
- Device configuration backups and a handover session
Employee onboardingPeople join regularly, and each one should be ready to work on their first morning.
Usually includes
- Laptop prepared, updated and protected
- Email and accounts created
- Access to files and apps by role
- Multi-factor sign-in set up
- Device recorded against the person
You receive
- A starter record for each person
- Joiner, mover and leaver procedure
Employee offboardingSomeone is leaving, and their access, device and files need handling properly on the day.
Usually includes
- Sign-in blocked and sessions ended
- Mailbox and files passed to a manager
- Device recovered, wiped and recorded
- Licences reclaimed
- Shared passwords and access changed
You receive
- Signed-off leaver checklist
- Updated user and licence register
Microsoft 365 migrationEmail and files sit on old servers, personal accounts or another platform, and need to move to Microsoft 365.
Usually includes
- An assessment of what you have today
- A migration plan agreed before anything moves
- Mail, calendars and files moved
- Multi-factor sign-in and a licence clean-up
- Checks after each step, and guidance for staff
You receive
- Migration plan with sign-off
- Tenant configuration record
- User and licence register
- Admin handover
Let’s talkInvolves Cloud & Digital Workplace and Cybersecurity
Google Workspace administrationGoogle Workspace runs your email and files, and it needs someone looking after it.
Usually includes
- Users, groups and organisational units
- Email, aliases and shared addresses
- Shared drives and sharing rules
- 2-step verification and admin roles
- Ongoing administration and staff guidance
You receive
- Configuration record
- User and licence register
Let’s talkInvolves Cloud & Digital Workplace and Cybersecurity
Office network upgradeThe network grew without a plan, and Wi-Fi, speed or security can’t keep up.
Usually includes
- A review of the network as it is
- A firewall and switch plan
- VLANs for staff, guests, voice and cameras
- Wi-Fi coverage plan and access points
- A change plan that avoids downtime
You receive
- Network diagram
- IP and VLAN plan
- Device configuration backups
Let’s talkInvolves Network & Infrastructure and Cybersecurity
Security baseline improvementA client, an insurer or your own team asks how you protect data, and you want a clear answer.
Usually includes
- A security assessment with prioritised risks
- Multi-factor sign-in for every account
- Access and admin account review
- Endpoint protection on laptops and servers
- Mail DNS records and a backup restore test
- Staff awareness guidance
No single measure makes a business completely secure. The baseline closes the gaps that matter most first.
You receive
- Written assessment with prioritised risks
- Remediation record
- Backup restore test report
- Access review
Backup and recovery readinessYou have backups, but you haven’t proved you can recover from them.
Usually includes
- A review of what is backed up, and where
- Gaps closed with backup set-up
- Restore tests
- Recovery steps written down
- Backup checks in the monthly summary
Recovery times are agreed in a written design. We don’t promise zero data loss.
You receive
- Backup restore test report
- Recovery runbook
Let’s talkInvolves Cybersecurity and Managed IT & Support
Website infrastructure migrationYour site, domain or DNS needs to move, and the move can’t take the site or email offline.
Usually includes
- A register of domains, DNS and hosting
- DNS records copied and checked
- New hosting set up and tested
- SSL certificates and HTTPS
- A backup before the switch
- Cut-over at a quiet time
You receive
- Cut-over plan
- Register of domains, DNS, hosting and SSL with renewal dates
- All logins handed to the owner
Let’s talkInvolves Web Infrastructure
IT asset management set-upNobody can say who has which device, and returns are chased from memory.
Usually includes
- An inventory of devices and peripherals
- Asset tags and assignment to people
- Warranty and purchase dates
- Return and retirement steps
- A licence register alongside
You receive
- User and device register
- Licence register
- Joiner, mover and leaver procedure
Let’s talkInvolves Managed IT & Support and IT Consulting & Projects
IT documentation and handoverYour IT knowledge sits with one person or a previous supplier, and you want it written down.
Usually includes
- Network and infrastructure diagrams
- Device, user and licence registers
- Accounts, and who controls each one
- Configuration records
- Day-to-day procedures
You receive
- IT documentation pack
- All logins handed to the owner
Looking for one specific task? See every service, task by task.
How every engagement runs
The same six steps, whichever way you work with us. What we set up or change is written down as we go.
Discover
Understand your business, team and goals.
Assess
Review your current setup and write down what we find.
Design
A plain-language plan and quote with clear priorities.
Implement
Do the work and document everything we touch.
Operate
Run day-to-day support and maintenance, and record every fix.
Optimise
Regular reviews and improvements as you grow.
Example projects
Three typical projects, step by step, each with a record you would keep. Each is an example of the work, not a specific client.
New office network
Example engagement: shows a typical project, not a specific client.
- The situation
- A company moving into a new office needs cabling, Wi-Fi, firewall and CCTV working on day one.
- What exQ does
- Site survey, network design, installation, testing and labelling.
- What you receive
- Network diagram, cabling schedule, configuration backups and a handover session.
Network handover pack
Cabling schedule
Specimen
D-01
- Location
- Reception
- Patch
- PP1-01
- Switch port
- SW1 / 1
- VLAN
- 10 Staff
- Test
- Pass
D-02
- Location
- Reception
- Patch
- PP1-02
- Switch port
- SW1 / 2
- VLAN
- 20 Voice
- Test
- Pass
D-14
- Location
- Meeting room
- Patch
- PP1-14
- Switch port
- SW1 / 14
- VLAN
- 10 Staff
- Test
- Pass
Move to Microsoft 365
Example engagement: shows a typical project, not a specific client.
- The situation
- Email and files are spread across old servers and personal accounts.
- What exQ does
- Migration plan, mail/calendar/file migration, multi-factor sign-in, licence clean-up and staff guidance.
- What you receive
- Migration plan, user and licence register and admin handover.
Microsoft 365 admin handover
User and licence register
Specimen
Finance lead
- Licence
- Business Standard
- Mailbox
- Migrated
- Sign-in
- Multi-factor
Operations coordinator
- Licence
- Business Standard
- Mailbox
- Migrated
- Sign-in
- Multi-factor
Reception
- Licence
- Business Basic
- Mailbox
- Migrated
- Sign-in
- Multi-factor
Security baseline
Example engagement: shows a typical project, not a specific client.
- The situation
- A client asks how the business protects their data, and there is no clear answer.
- What exQ does
- Security assessment, multi-factor sign-in, endpoint protection, access review and a backup restore test.
- What you receive
- Written risk report, remediation record and a tested backup.
Security baseline report
Remediation record
Specimen
Admin accounts without multi-factor sign-in
- Risk
- High
- Action
- Multi-factor sign-in enforced
- Status
- Closed
One shared login for the firewall
- Risk
- High
- Action
- Named accounts; shared login removed
- Status
- Closed
Laptops without endpoint protection
- Risk
- Medium
- Action
- Protection installed and monitored
- Status
- Closed
Try the ideas before you talk to us
The Solutions Lab has six interactive simulations, from working an IT incident to building a technology roadmap, all on fictional examples.
Fictional data, in your browser, with nothing to sign up for.
Alongside your team, or as your IT department.
Tell us how your IT is run today and what you need from it. We reply to every enquiry within one business day.