Break-fix IT means you call a technician when something breaks and pay per incident — reactive,
unpredictable, and expensive during a crisis. Managed IT services means your provider proactively monitors
your systems 24/7, applies patches before vulnerabilities are exploited, and supports your team for a flat
monthly fee. For Melbourne small businesses, the shift to managed IT typically reduces downtime by 60–80%
compared to break-fix arrangements and makes monthly IT spending predictable.

The Essential Eight is the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s baseline framework for protecting businesses from
cyber attacks. While mandatory compliance currently applies mainly to federal government agencies, Melbourne
professional services firms — especially those in finance, mortgage broking, and accounting — are increasingly
expected to meet Essential Eight standards by their clients and insurers. CTS assesses your current maturity
level and builds a roadmap to compliance as part of your managed IT plan.

Most Melbourne MSPs charge between $80–$180 per user per month for fully managed IT, depending on team
size and cybersecurity level. CTS offers flat-rate monthly pricing so Melbourne small businesses always know
their IT cost upfront — no hidden fees, no surprise invoices. For a 10-person office, expect a comprehensive
managed IT package to start from around $1,000–$1,500 per month, covering helpdesk support, monitoring,
backups, and security

Cyber insurance readiness means having the IT security controls in place that insurers require before they’ll issue or renew a cyber policy — and being able to prove it with documentation.

Most insurers now expect multi-factor authentication on all accounts, automated offsite backups with tested recovery procedures, endpoint protection on every device, email filtering and anti-phishing, a documented patching policy, and a written incident response plan.

Insurers have tightened their requirements significantly since 2023. Businesses that self-reported adequate controls without documented evidence are now being asked to prove it — and many can’t. Gaps in MFA coverage and untested backups are the most common reasons for declined renewals.

A good MSP doesn’t just implement the controls — they maintain the documentation insurers ask for at renewal time. That means audit logs, backup test records, patch compliance reports, and MFA enforcement evidence. CTS provides evidence reports specifically formatted for insurer requests, so the renewal conversation is straightforward rather than stressful.

At minimum, annually before your renewal date. CTS reviews cyber insurance compliance quarterly for all managed IT clients.