FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about how we work and the services we provide. Can’t find your answer? Ask us directly.
Working with ITCM
- Do you work remotely?
- Yes — we work with clients worldwide, fully remotely.
- How much do your services cost?
- Every service starts from $100, and we always give you a clear, fixed quote before any work begins.
- How do I get started?
- Start with a free website audit or send us a service request with your project details and we will reply quickly, usually within one business day.
- Do you offer ongoing support?
- Yes — we offer maintenance and care plans, plus remote IT support.
About our services
- How long does a website take?
- Most business sites take 2–5 weeks depending on size and content readiness. We give you a clear timeline in the quote.
- Why does my email go to spam?
- Usually missing or wrong SPF/DKIM/DMARC records. We fix these so providers trust your mail.
- Custom app vs off-the-shelf software?
- Custom fits your exact process and removes per-seat fees long term; off-the-shelf is faster to start. We help you decide honestly.
- How much does a custom CRM cost?
- It depends on scope. We scope it into clear stages so you control the investment — book a free consultation for a quote.
- How long does SEO take?
- Branded and long-tail wins come in weeks; competitive terms typically improve over 2–4 months as changes compound.
- Is the audit really free?
- Yes — start with a free instant audit on this site. A deeper manual audit is available as a paid service.
- How is this different from SEO?
- SEO brings visitors; CRO turns more of them into customers. They work best together.
- How fast can you fix it?
- Many issues are resolved same-day once we have access. Urgent problems are prioritised.
- How much faster will my site be?
- Most sites see major load-time improvements and a pass on Core Web Vitals. We show you before/after numbers.
- My site was hacked — can you recover it?
- Yes — we clean the infection, restore functionality and harden it so it does not happen again, on any platform.
- What’s included monthly?
- Updates, backups, monitoring, performance checks and priority support — kept simple and predictable.
- Will a redesign hurt my Google rankings?
- Not when done right. We migrate with proper redirects and on-page SEO so rankings are preserved or improved.
- What does an IT consultancy do?
- We assess your needs, recommend the right systems and tools, help implement them and provide ongoing support.
- How does remote support work?
- With your approval we connect securely (e.g. TeamViewer/AnyDesk), fix the issue and report back — no on-site visit needed.
- How much does custom finance software cost?
- Projects start from $100 and are scoped in clear stages, so you control the investment. Book a free consultation for a quote.
- How much does custom operations software cost?
- Projects start from $100 and are scoped into clear stages so you control the investment. Book a free consultation for a quote.
- What ERP services do you provide?
- Design and implementation, customization, troubleshooting, security hardening, and audits — including financial controls and reporting accuracy.
- What does a network security assessment cover?
- We check firewalls, access controls, segmentation, remote access, exposed services and known vulnerabilities, then give you a prioritised remediation plan.
- Do you manage cloud and on-premise servers?
- Yes — we work with cloud providers (such as AWS, Google Cloud, Azure and common VPS hosts) and on-premise servers.
- What can you secure?
- Websites, custom web apps, source code, servers, networks and data — we tailor the solution to your specific risks.
- What does an operations and cost audit cover?
- Costs, processes, controls and how staff and resources are utilized — across the whole company or a single department.
- Do small businesses really need IT consulting?
- Yes — even basic advice on security, backups and the right tools prevents costly problems and wasted spending later.
- How is this different from a big consulting firm?
- We give the same independent, senior-level analysis without the overhead and inflated fees — remotely, with clear pricing.
- What IT does a startup actually need?
- The essentials done right: secure email and accounts, a fast website, sensible security and backups, and only the custom software you truly need — built to scale.
IT, web & SEO questions
- What is the difference between IT consulting and IT management consulting?
- IT consulting is broad technology advice, often project-based. IT management consulting focuses specifically on how technology is managed, governed and aligned with business goals over time.
- What is the most overlooked IT best practice?
- Tested backups and documentation — both feel low priority until the day they save the business.
- Is IT governance only for regulated industries?
- No — every business benefits from clear ownership and policies, though regulated industries have additional compliance requirements.
- How many IT policies do we need?
- Start with the essentials — access, data, security, backups and acceptable use — rather than a large manual no one reads.
- How can a small business reduce IT costs?
- Prioritise essentials, use cloud and right-sized tools, outsource expertise remotely, and automate manual work.
- Why is my website slow?
- Usually large unoptimised images, too many scripts, no caching, or slow hosting — often several together.
- How often should I audit my website?
- At least once or twice a year, and after any major change, migration or redesign.
- Why do I get impressions but no clicks?
- Usually because you rank too low (page 2+) and/or your title and description don’t earn the click. Improve ranking first, then the listing.
- Custom CRM vs Salesforce or HubSpot?
- Off-the-shelf is faster to start; custom fits your exact process and avoids growing per-seat fees. We help you decide honestly.
- Is custom software more expensive?
- Higher upfront, but it can be cheaper long term by avoiding growing per-seat fees and wasted features.
- How much should a small business website cost?
- It depends on scope. We give a clear fixed quote after a short conversation about your needs — no surprises.
- What is the most important technical SEO factor?
- Making sure your important pages can be crawled and indexed, and that the site is fast on mobile.
- Why does my business email go to spam?
- Usually missing or wrong SPF, DKIM or DMARC records. We configure these so providers trust your mail.
- My site was hacked — what do I do?
- Don’t panic. We clean the infection, restore functionality, find the cause, and harden the site against repeat attacks — on any platform.
- How long does an ERP implementation take?
- It depends on scope, but a phased approach lets you go live on core modules first and add the rest later, rather than waiting for everything.
- Should I pick the cheapest web developer?
- Rarely. The cheapest quote is often a template with no SEO, speed or support — which costs more to fix later. Compare value, not just price.
- Is custom software only for big companies?
- No. Small businesses often get the most value, because a focused custom tool removes the manual admin that holds them back.
- What’s the single most important security step?
- Turn on multi-factor authentication for email and critical accounts. It blocks the majority of account takeovers on its own.
- How do I cut costs without hurting the business?
- Measure first. Remove genuine waste — unused tools, duplicate software, manual admin — rather than cutting blindly across the board.
- My website was hacked — what do I do first?
- Take it offline if it’s serving malware, back up the current state to preserve evidence, then clean it — but don’t skip finding how they got in.
- What does IT stand for?
- IT stands for information technology — the use of computers, software, networks and data to store, process and share information.
- What are the most important IT performance metrics?
- Uptime, time to resolve issues, system speed, and cost per user are the core four. They tell you if IT is reliable, responsive and efficient.
- Can IT really be managed remotely?
- Yes — setup, security, monitoring, fixes, backups and advice are all routinely handled remotely with modern tools. On-site visits are rarely needed.
- What does an IT consultant actually do?
- They assess your technology and goals, then advise and help implement improvements — in security, systems, software, cost or strategy — tied to real business outcomes.
- What is an IT strategy?
- A practical plan that aligns your technology decisions with your business goals — what to keep, improve, retire and in what order.