A clear, guided path from first conversation to long-term IT confidence

A proven approach trusted by nearly 100 Canadian SMBs to simplify, secure, and modernize IT. Without surprises.

This page is for growing SMBs (typically 25–150 employees) who have outgrown “basic” IT and now want clarity, accountability, and a partnership that holds steady over time. We work across many industries and are especially familiar with high-trust, regulated environments such as professional services, finance, and non-profits.

TL;DR: what you can expect in 30 days, 90 days, and year 1

In the first 30 days

• You get a clear onboarding plan, a stabilized baseline, and visibility into priorities, risks, and what’s changing.

In the first 90 days

• You feel the difference: fewer fires, stronger security controls, a dedicated team that knows your environment, and an operating rhythm you can count on.

By year 1

• IT becomes a business advantage: lifecycle planning, roadmap alignment, automation opportunities, and continuous improvement that keeps pace with your growth.

If you’ve worked with an MSP before, this might feel familiar

Most SMBs don’t leave their IT provider after one major incident. They leave because uncertainty builds over time.

Common frustrations we hear include:

• “We never know what we’re paying for.”
• “Onboarding felt chaotic.”
• “Everything was fine… until it wasn’t.”
• “Our account manager changed, again.”
• “Renewals came with surprises.”

Third Octet is designed to remove that uncertainty through a straightforward operating rhythm, predictable expectations, and clear accountability.

Our approach to customer experience

Customer experience is not a department at Third Octet. It’s how we operate every day.

We believe great IT partnerships are built on clarity, predictability, and trust, meaning:

• no surprises,
• no vanishing acts, and
• no unnecessary complexity.

Our goal is simple: you should always know what’s happening, why it matters, and who’s responsible.

The Third Octet journey

You’ll see our approach in four phases: Clarity → Confidence → Partnership → Evolution. Each phase includes concrete deliverables and a clear outcome.

Phase 1: Clarity

“Is Third Octet right for us?”

What happens

Discovery and understanding

• Discovery call to understand your business, priorities, and pressure points (technical and non-technical).

Technology and risk assessment

• Review of your environment to uncover risks, gaps, and opportunities.
• A written assessment you can keep, whether we work together or not.

Alignment and decision

• Tailored proposal with clear recommendations and transparent pricing.
• A simple digital agreement to keep momentum high and friction low.

Deliverables you can expect

• Written assessment summary (risks, gaps, quick wins)
• Prioritized recommendations with options and pricing.
• A clear scope summary and agreement.

Outcome

You have clarity, confidence, and no unanswered questions.

Phase 2: Confidence (first 90 days)

“Did we make the right decision?”

This is where we earn trust through execution and communication.

What happens

Onboarding and technical alignment

• We implement the tools, security controls, standards, and processes needed for a stable baseline.
• If you’re switching providers, we manage the handover directly with your outgoing provider to take the friction off your desk.
• We bring a no-blame philosophy that focuses on stabilizing and untangling complexity without disruption.

Clear onboarding timeline

• You know what happens in weeks 1–2, during days 30–60, and by onboarding completion.
• You always know what’s happening, what’s next, and who to contact.

Enablement

• Guided training so tools are adopted and used consistently, not just “rolled out.”
• Handover to your dedicated team (Account Manager + Service Desk) who stay with you long term.

Deliverables you can expect

• Onboarding plan and timeline (with owners and dates).
• Stabilized baseline with documented standards.
• Security controls implemented and verified.
• Practical training and enablement for your team.

Outcome

Your environment is stable, secure, and supported.

 

Phase 3: Partnership

“How do you keep us aligned over time?”

This is where you stop guessing and start operating with a steady rhythm.

What happens

Reliable operations

• Responsive support, consistent standards, and proactive security.
• Clear ownership so you’re not chasing updates.

Regular check-ins and reviews

• We review service performance, risks, and priorities together.
• We bring context and recommendations, not just ticket summaries.

Technology and business reviews

• We revisit goals as your business evolves: growth, staffing, security, compliance, and change.

Deliverables you can expect

• Recurring service reviews and risk check-ins.
• A prioritized “what matters next” list with owners and timelines.
• Documentation that stays current (not a one-time handoff).

Outcome

IT stays aligned with your business, not a source of friction.

Phase 4: Evolution (year 1+)

“How do you help us improve over time, not just maintain the basics?”

Once the baseline is stable, we focus on maturity and momentum.

What happens

Automation and optimization

• We identify ways to reduce manual work, friction, and operational drag.

Strategic guidance

• Budgeting, lifecycle planning, roadmap alignment, and future-state thinking.

Continuous re-onboarding

• As your needs change, we re-align and update standards, training, and priorities.
• We do not upsell for the sake of selling.

Deliverables you can expect

• Quarterly improvement opportunities (with effort and impact estimates),
• Lifecycle and budgeting guidance,
• Updated roadmap that matches your business plan.

Outcome

Your IT matures with your business and keeps pace as your needs evolve.

When we do our best work

The Third Octet journey succeeds when there’s alignment in values. We tend to be the best partner for:

Growth-minded leaders
You view technology as a tool to scale and empower your team, not just an overhead expense.

Predictability seekers
You’re tired of “unforeseen” IT costs and want a stable, manageable budget.

Employee-centric cultures
You want a work-from-anywhere experience that feels seamless and well-supported for your staff.

We may not be the right fit if you:

• want a transactional, break-fix vendor rather than a strategic partnership, or
• prefer to manage IT as a reactive cost centre rather than a proactive business driver.

What working with Third Octet feels like

Not louder IT. Not more tools. Just fewer surprises and better outcomes.

Clients often tell us that working with us feels calm, predictable, and refreshingly human. Instead of chasing updates or worrying about what they don’t know, they feel informed, supported, and in control. IT stops being something they brace for and becomes something we handle quietly and reliably.

Ready for clarity?
Start with a discovery call, and we’ll tell you if we’re a fit. If we’re not, you’ll still leave with clearer next steps.

 

 

Proof Points

Baseline standards

What “proactive” and “security controls” mean in practice

Every environment is different, but our baseline standards typically include the controls and practices below. We confirm scope and timing during onboarding.

Identity and access

• Multi-factor authentication is enforced for key systems.
• Least-privilege access and role-based permissions.
• Joiner/mover/leaver process with clear ownership.
• Risky sign in monitoring 

Endpoint security

• Managed endpoint protection (AV/EDR).
• Device encryption where appropriate.
• Patching policy with defined targets for critical updates and full reporting on deployment rates

Email and collaboration security

• Phishing and spam protections are configured.
• Account takeover protection and alerting on suspicious rule creation
• Safe link and attachment protections where applicable.
• Policies for external sharing and sensitive data handling.

Backups and recovery

• Backup scope documented (what is backed up, how often, retention).
• Restore testing schedule.
• Recovery roles and escalation paths.
• Full backup of All M365 data including OneDrive, Email, Teams, Groups, Planner and Entra.

Monitoring and response

• Alerting and monitoring with triage ownership.
• Incident response workflow (including client communications expectations).
• Recurring risk review.
• Active Secure Score monitoring 

Documentation that stays current

• Environment overview and key systems inventory.
• Network and access documentation as required.
• Vendor and renewal calendar (where Third Octet manages or supports).
• Endpoint lifecycle management

Commercial clarity

How pricing works, what causes changes, and how renewals are handled

We aim for predictability. When pricing changes, it should be explainable, documented, and approved.

How pricing is structured (high level)

• Pricing is tied to the scope of users, devices, locations, and services covered.
• We keep the scope visible and reviewed, not “set and forget.”

What typically causes pricing changes

• Headcount changes (users added or removed).
• Meaningful changes in environment complexity (new sites, major tooling shifts).
• New initiatives you choose to add (projects, upgrades, security enhancements).

“No surprise renewals” in practice

We use scope governance so nothing changes quietly in the background:

• 90 days before renewal: We begin a renewal-readiness review (scope, risks, roadmap).
• As part of Q4 reviews: We align on priorities for the year ahead and review service and pricing alignment to ensure support, investments, and costs still match your business needs.
• 60 days before renewal: We present options and recommendations, with clear pricing impacts.
• 30 days before renewal: Final confirmation and approvals, in writing.
• If pricing changes are required: They are communicated early, well before taking effect, and are based on scope, value delivered, and underlying cost changes — not automatic increases.
• Anytime scope changes mid-term: We document it, review the impact, and get approval before costs change.

If something is not adding value, we will tell you. Even if it means doing less.