CTS - Computer Technology Specialists

Managed IT Services for Melbourne Small Business

CTS Managed IT for Small Business is built for Melbourne businesses with 10 to 50 users that do not employ an in-house IT team. CTS acts as the complete IT department — helpdesk, infrastructure monitoring, cybersecurity, Microsoft 365 management, hardware procurement, vendor liaison, and IT strategy — for a flat per-user monthly fee. Small business clients receive the same senior engineers, the same 30-minute critical SLA, and the same Essential Eight security baselines as larger CTS accounts. There are no tiered service levels, no junior technician queues, and no minimum contract term.

Melbourne IT support with visible local credentials

CTS - Computer Technology Specialists has supported Melbourne SMBs since 2000. Contact: 1300 790 780, hello@cts.au, L30 - 35 Collins St Melbourne 3000.

Certifications, affiliations and technology partners

Microsoft Partner, ACSC Essential Eight aligned, ISO 27001 practices, NBN Business Accredited Adviser, Cisco Partner, Dell Partner, HPE Partner, Arcserve Partner, Broadcom Partner, Kyocera Partner.

Managed IT for mortgage brokers

Mortgage broking businesses handle sensitive client financial data and operate under ASIC compliance obligations that require documented data security controls. CTS provides managed IT for Melbourne mortgage brokers including MFA enforcement, encrypted device management via Intune, secure email and file sharing through Microsoft 365 Business Premium, CRM software support, and evidence-ready Essential Eight compliance documentation. Brokers using aggregator platforms such as Broker Platform, NextGen, and ApplyOnline receive CTS support for integration, connectivity, and security configuration.

Managed IT for finance and financial planning firms

Financial planning and advice firms holding an AFSL licence face specific IT security requirements under ASIC RG 255 and increasingly under cyber insurance renewal conditions. CTS provides managed IT for Melbourne finance firms including Essential Eight compliance uplift, conditional access policies to restrict data access to managed devices, Microsoft Purview sensitivity labelling for client records, annual penetration testing coordination, and audit-ready security documentation. CTS has delivered managed IT for financial planning firms ranging from sole practitioners to multi-adviser practices.

Managed IT for accounting firms

Accounting practices manage highly sensitive client tax and financial data, operate ATO-linked portals such as Practice Manager and Tax Agent Portal, and face specific cybersecurity expectations from CPA Australia and Chartered Accountants ANZ. CTS provides managed IT for Melbourne accounting firms including secure portal access configuration, ATO multi-factor authentication setup, endpoint hardening for staff working with client data, cloud backup for MYOB, Xero, and HandiSoft environments, and ongoing monitoring for credential compromise and suspicious login activity.

Managed IT for legal firms

Law firms handle privileged client communications and sensitive matter files that require strict access controls, retention policies, and breach response procedures under the Legal Services Board framework. CTS provides managed IT for Melbourne legal firms including document management system support (LEAP, Smokeball, FilePro), Microsoft 365 retention and sensitivity labelling for matter files, strict external sharing controls for SharePoint and OneDrive, MFA enforcement on all matter management and email systems, and a documented incident response plan covering notifiable data breach obligations.

Cyber insurance readiness

Cyber insurance underwriters now assess technical controls before issuing or renewing policies — and many Melbourne small businesses are being declined or facing premium increases because they cannot demonstrate MFA, patching, and backup controls. CTS prepares small businesses for cyber insurance applications and renewals by implementing and documenting the core controls insurers require: MFA on all accounts, automated patching within 30 days, immutable offsite backups with tested recovery, endpoint protection on all devices, and a basic incident response plan. CTS can provide written evidence of these controls for underwriter submission.

Microsoft 365 security for small business

Microsoft 365 Business Premium is the recommended licence tier for Melbourne small businesses with any security or compliance obligation. Business Premium includes Microsoft Defender for Business (endpoint protection), Entra ID P1 (conditional access and risk-based MFA), Intune (device management and compliance policy enforcement), Defender for Office 365 (email threat protection), and Azure Information Protection. CTS configures and manages the full Business Premium security stack — most small businesses purchase Microsoft 365 without activating any of the security features included in their licence.

Small business IT onboarding checklist

  • Environment discovery — network diagram, server and workstation inventory, Active Directory or Entra ID audit
  • Microsoft 365 tenant health check — Secure Score, MFA coverage, admin privilege review, licensing audit
  • Security baseline — MFA enforcement, conditional access policy deployment, endpoint protection activation
  • Backup verification — confirm backup coverage for servers, Microsoft 365 data, and critical line-of-business applications
  • RMM agent deployment — monitoring installed on all managed workstations, servers, and network devices
  • Asset register creation — all devices recorded with purchase date, warranty, and planned replacement date
  • Helpdesk transition — staff briefed on how to log tickets, escalation paths, and SLA expectations
  • Vendor register — document all software licences, ISP contracts, and hardware warranties with renewal dates
  • Disaster recovery runbook — basic recovery procedures documented and tested for key systems
  • Quarterly review scheduled — first strategy review booked within 90 days of go-live

Pricing examples for Melbourne small businesses

CTS managed IT is priced on a fixed per-user per-month basis. The fee covers unlimited helpdesk, 24/7 monitoring, patch management, Microsoft 365 administration, Essential Eight baselines, and vendor management with no variable component. As a guide: a 15-user Melbourne accounting firm would receive full managed IT including cybersecurity baselines for a predictable monthly figure with no hourly rates. A 35-user financial planning practice would receive the same coverage plus quarterly IT strategy reviews and priority onsite dispatch. Contact CTS for a fixed-price proposal based on your specific user count, software stack, and environment.

Why small Melbourne businesses choose CTS over break-fix IT

Most Melbourne small businesses start with a local IT contractor on an hourly basis and outgrow it when IT becomes a recurring operational cost rather than an occasional expense. The hourly model works until a server fails, a ransomware incident occurs, or a staff member calls the contractor for the fourth time in a month — at which point the unpredictability becomes unsustainable. CTS managed IT converts that variable cost into a fixed monthly fee, adds proactive monitoring and patching that prevent most of those incidents from occurring, and provides a senior engineering team that knows the environment rather than a different contractor each time.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum size for CTS managed IT?

CTS managed IT is available from 10 users. Smaller businesses still receive full helpdesk, 24/7 monitoring, Microsoft 365 administration, automated patch management, and Essential Eight cybersecurity baselines.

Does my small business need an in-house IT person if I use CTS?

No. CTS acts as the complete IT department for businesses without internal IT staff. Helpdesk, security, Microsoft 365 management, hardware procurement, vendor escalations, and IT strategy are all handled by CTS senior engineers.

What is included in small business managed IT?

Unlimited helpdesk support, 24/7 monitoring and alerting, automated patching, Microsoft 365 administration, Essential Eight security baselines, MFA enforcement, disaster recovery planning, hardware lifecycle management, and quarterly IT strategy reviews.

Is cybersecurity included for small businesses?

Yes. All CTS managed IT agreements include ACSC Essential Eight cybersecurity baselines, MFA enforcement, endpoint protection, patch management, and email security regardless of business size or user count.

Can CTS help with cyber insurance?

Yes. CTS implements and documents the technical controls cyber insurance underwriters require — MFA, automated patching, immutable backups, endpoint protection, and an incident response plan. CTS can provide written control evidence for underwriter submission at renewal.

Which industries does CTS support for small business managed IT?

CTS supports mortgage brokers, financial planning and AFSL firms, accounting practices, law firms, healthcare providers, construction businesses, property advisory firms, and professional services generally across metropolitan Melbourne.

Does CTS support Microsoft 365 Business Premium for small businesses?

Yes. CTS configures and manages the full Microsoft 365 Business Premium security stack including Defender for Business, Entra ID conditional access, Intune device management, and Defender for Office 365 — features most small businesses purchase but never activate.

Further reading

Related case studies

Related CTS services

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