Apple hires...

Make sure you're completely clear exactly what the contract with your supplier is and isn't going to provide. Hidden extras can be expensive.

Check whether you'll receive:

• on-site service calls - a certain number may be included or charged at a reduced rate
• preventative maintenance, eg the use of anti-virus software and firewalls to protect your system
• remote monitoring and diagnosis of system problems - if included, will you have to purchase any extra equipment or communication links?
• telephone support - there may be a limit on the number or length of telephone calls
• warranties - what, if any, are included?
• software upgrades - will upgrades be free, do you have to repurchase the entire package when a new version appears or do you pay an annual software subscription instead of an initial purchase price?
• software support - the ability for you to report problems and receive help, patches and bug fixes
• user training - some suppliers include a limited amount of training in the system's purchase price, but others charge extra from day one
• manuals - you may need them if you end the relationship with your supplier in future

When purchasing IT services you should draw up a service-level agreement (SLA) with the supplier. This is particularly important if you outsource any part of your system.

If possible, the SLA should be linked to the benefits you want from the service, not the technology. For example, you may need to know that a trading website can process a certain number of customer orders per hour, without unacceptable delay. Bits, bytes, bandwidth and engineer response times aren't measures linked to your business' performance.