"Free IT assessment" can sound like a euphemism for "sales call with extra steps" - and with some providers, it is. A genuine health check is a structured technical review with a real written outcome, whether or not you ever engage the provider afterwards. Here's what that actually looks like in practice.
What a Proper IT Health Check Covers
A health check worth doing isn't a quick look at your computers - it's a structured pass across the areas most likely to cause a costly problem if they're wrong:
- Security and vulnerabilities - endpoint protection status, MFA coverage, firewall configuration, email security, and how current your patching actually is.
- Backup and disaster recovery - whether backups are genuinely running (not just configured), whether an offsite or cloud copy exists, and how long recovery would realistically take.
- Network performance - internet connection quality, Wi-Fi coverage and setup, and anything causing slowdowns your team has just learned to live with.
- General systems - device age and condition, software versions, licensing, and an honest picture of what's actually running across the business.
How It's Actually Run
Most assessments take 45 to 60 minutes and can be done remotely via screen-share or on-site, whichever suits the business better. It typically only needs one person available who knows the general IT setup - you're not expected to prepare documentation or pull reports together beforehand.
What You Walk Away With
A proper health check ends with a written summary of findings, prioritised by risk rather than a wall of technical detail. The good ones are explicit about what's fine as-is, what needs attention soon, and what's urgent - so you can make decisions without needing to be technical yourself.
What to Watch Out For
A few signs a "free assessment" is really just a sales script in disguise:
- No written report - just a verbal pitch for a specific product at the end
- Findings that conveniently all point to the same one or two services being sold
- Pressure to sign on the spot, or claims the offer expires immediately
- No clear explanation of what was actually checked
A genuine assessment should leave you with something useful even if you never engage the provider again - because the whole point is to show competence, not extract a signature.
Is It Worth Doing?
For most Perth businesses, yes - particularly if it's been a while since anyone independently looked at the whole environment rather than just fixing whatever broke that week. It's a low-effort way to find out whether anything significant has been quietly accumulating risk in the background.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a free IT health check actually cover?
A proper health check covers security and vulnerabilities (endpoint protection, MFA coverage, firewall configuration, patching), backup and disaster recovery (whether backups genuinely run and how long recovery would take), network performance, and a general picture of devices, software, and licensing across the business.
How long does an IT health check take?
Most assessments take 45 to 60 minutes and can be done remotely via screen-share or on-site. It typically only needs one person available who knows the general IT setup - no documentation needs to be prepared beforehand.
What do you get at the end of a health check?
A proper health check ends with a written summary of findings, prioritised by risk rather than a wall of technical detail - explicit about what's fine as-is, what needs attention soon, and what's urgent.
How do I know if a free assessment is genuine or just a sales pitch?
Watch out for no written report, findings that conveniently all point to the same one or two services being sold, pressure to sign on the spot, or no clear explanation of what was actually checked. A genuine assessment leaves you with something useful even if you never engage the provider again.
Our free IT health check covers security, backups, network, and systems - with a written report and no obligation either way.
Book a Free Health Check →Haven't had your IT independently reviewed in a while?
Call 0433 087 091 to book your free, no-obligation assessment.
Book a Free ConsultationFor related reading, see our guides to IT Support for Health & Medical Practices in Perth and IT Support for Small Business in Perth.