NL-05 · full course

IT Business and Managed Services

Set up a small IT service for a local client, deliver it for 30 days and report what you did and found.

about this course

What you will be able to do

L4 Practitioner8 modules · 150 h guidedPractice 70% · Share 20% · Study 10%

Set up a small IT service for a local client, deliver it for 30 days and report what you did and found.

Understand Explain managed service against fix-when-broken.
Apply Onboard a client and run daily service.
Analyse Report tickets, risks and cost.
Create Design a service catalogue.

Task, condition and standard

Task

Deliver a managed IT service to one small client for 30 days and report results.

Condition

About 150 hours over 3 to 6 months. Computer, free tools for tickets and monitoring, a friendly client, mentor and peer circle.

Standard

Service catalogue; onboarding checklist; 30-day ticket log; monthly report; security checks; at least 70% on the check.

Learning only. Follow your local law and get written permission before you work with real customers, premises, data or money.

Requirements: none. Who it is for: learners 16 and over, workers changing field, small-business starters, teams. Currency is shown on every number.

lesson by lesson

8 modules with worked examples (150 h guided)

Module 1 What managed means 8 hUnderstand

A managed service looks after a client's IT every month for an agreed fee, instead of waiting for something to break. This module explains the difference clearly so you can describe your service to a non-technical owner. You also learn why steady cost and fast response are what clients buy.

In a managed service you check updates, backups, security and devices on a schedule, so most problems are prevented before the client notices.
In a break-fix service you act only when called, bill by the hour, and the client carries all the risk of surprise bills and long outages.
Promise response times in writing, for example urgent within 1 hour and normal within 1 working day, because clients judge you by speed and clarity.
Explain value in the client's words, such as fewer lost working hours, rather than in technical words such as patch cycles.
A common mistake is to promise that nothing will ever fail, so promise instead how fast you respond and how you protect data.

Worked example. A 10-person office has 3 call-outs in a month, each taking 2 hours at EUR 70 an hour, so the break-fix bill is 3 x 2 x 70 = EUR 420, and next month it could be EUR 0 or EUR 900. A managed plan costs a fixed EUR 400 and includes help desk, updates and backup checks.

Activity. Write a half-page description of your service in plain words, with one example of a problem you would prevent and one you would respond to.

Standard to meet. Check that a non-technical reader can say back what is included, how fast you respond and what the monthly cost covers.

Module 2 Catalogue and service levels 14 hCreate

A catalogue says exactly what you do, how fast and for how much. Without it, clients assume everything is included and you lose money. In this module you write two or three clear levels and the exclusions that protect you.

Offer two or three levels, such as Basic and Standard, and make each one a clear step up so that a client can choose in a minute.
List inclusions as plain tasks, for example help desk during working hours, monthly updates, weekly backup check and a yearly device review.
Set response targets by priority, such as urgent 1 hour, normal 1 working day and request 3 working days, and state the hours when the clock runs.
List exclusions in writing, such as new hardware purchases, building work, and problems caused by software you did not install.
Show the price per user per month and the minimum number of users, so a client can calculate the monthly total alone.

Worked example. Basic costs EUR 25 per user a month with help desk and updates, and Standard costs EUR 40 with backup checks and a yearly review. For a 10-person office that is 10 x 25 = EUR 250 for Basic or 10 x 40 = EUR 400 for Standard each month.

Activity. Write a one-page catalogue with two levels, response targets, exclusions and a price per user, and test it by asking a stranger to explain it back.

Standard to meet. List inclusions, exclusions, response targets and prices in currency in the catalogue, and check that the stranger can explain the difference between levels.

Module 3 Price and break-even 16 hEvaluate

A good price pays for your time, tools, risk and a profit. Break-even tells you how many clients you need before the business covers its costs. You will build a sheet and test the price with real prospects.

List your fixed monthly costs, such as tools, insurance, phone, training and a fair wage for your time, with the currency on every line.
Work out the margin per client as the monthly fee minus the direct cost of serving that client, such as licences and your hours.
Break-even clients equal fixed costs divided by margin per client, and always round up to a whole client.
Add a one-off onboarding charge or count the extra hours, because the first month takes far more work than later months.
Show your price to two prospects and note their reaction, since a price no one questions is probably too low.

Worked example. Your fixed costs are EUR 900 a month and each client gives a margin of EUR 260, so break-even is 900 / 260 = 3.46, which rounds up to 4 clients. With 6 clients the margin is 6 x 260 = EUR 1560, and the profit is 1560 - 900 = EUR 660.

Activity. Build a break-even sheet with fixed costs, margin per client and break-even clients, and show one profit line for 6 clients.

Standard to meet. Put a currency on every line, round the break-even up correctly, and include in the sheet a profit figure for a chosen number of clients.

Module 4 Agreement and permission 14 hApply

You may only touch a client's systems with written permission. A short, clear agreement protects both sides and sets the rules for data and exit. In this module you draft a one-page agreement and have a qualified adviser review it.

Write the scope in plain words: which devices, accounts and services you will manage and which you will not.
State the price, the billing date, the term and the notice period, for example a monthly term with 30 days' notice by either side.
Say who owns the data, how you handle passwords, and what happens to the client's data and access when the agreement ends.
Keep a change record that lists the date, what you changed and who approved it, so any problem can be traced.
Have a qualified adviser read any template before use and check with your local authority which rules apply to data and contracts.

Worked example. Your one-page agreement lists 12 devices, a fee of EUR 450 a month, a 3-month start term, and 30 days' notice. The adviser's comments add a line that you will not store the client's passwords in plain text.

Activity. Draft a one-page agreement covering scope, price, term, notice, data and exit, and record the adviser's comments and your changes.

Standard to meet. Include all six parts in the agreement, obtain comments from a qualified adviser, and record each comment with the change you made.

Module 5 Onboard the client 30 hApply

The first weeks decide whether a client trusts you. Onboarding builds an inventory and fixes the basics that protect the client straight away. You work from a checklist so that nothing is skipped.

List every device, account, licence and key service in a table, with the owner, age and condition of each item.
Check the basics in this order: working backup, updates switched on, strong unique passwords with a second step at sign-in, and a simple antivirus or protection tool.
Photograph or note the network layout, and record where the router and key switches are.
Give the client a one-page help guide saying how to ask for help, what counts as urgent and what to do while waiting.
A common mistake is to start changing things before a backup exists, so make a tested backup first.

Worked example. The inventory finds 12 devices, of which 3 laptops are over 5 years old, and no backup exists. At 20 minutes per device the inventory takes 12 x 20 = 240 minutes, which is 4 hours, and you set up backup before any update.

Activity. Onboard one client with a written checklist, an inventory table, working basics and a one-page help guide.

Standard to meet. Tick the checklist fully with dates, cover every device in the inventory, and test a backup before any other change.

Module 6 Run 30 days 40 hApply

Managed service is won in daily habits. You log every ticket, apply updates in a planned window and prove that backups can be restored. At the end of the month you have honest data to report.

Log every ticket with the time received, the time first answered, the time solved, the priority and the cause.
Answer within the promised target and tell the client when a fix will take longer than expected.
Apply updates in a planned window outside working hours and tell the client the day before.
Test restoring one file and one full folder from backup during the month, and note how long the restore took.
Keep a short weekly note of what repeated, since repeating faults point to a root cause that you should fix once.

Worked example. In week 2 there were 14 tickets and 12 were answered within target, so 12 / 14 = 86% were on target. The restore test brought back a 2 GB folder in 25 minutes, which you note as proof that the backup works.

Activity. Run the service for 30 days with a ticket log, a weekly note and one proven backup restore.

Standard to meet. List all tickets with times in the log, record the restore test with its duration, and name any repeating problem in the weekly notes.

Module 7 Report 20 hAnalyse

A monthly report shows the client what they received and what to do next. Clear numbers build trust and make renewal easy. You will write a one-page report in plain language.

Show the number of tickets, the share answered within target and the longest outage in hours.
List the top three repeating problems with a cause and a proposed fix for each.
Add a short risk list, such as devices out of support, and the cost of fixing each risk in currency.
End the report with next month's actions, each with an owner and a date.
Keep the report to one page and write it for the owner, not for another technician.

Worked example. You handled 22 tickets and 20 were within target, so 20 / 22 = 91%. One printer caused 5 tickets, so you recommend replacing it for EUR 180 instead of paying about 5 x 20 minutes of repeat help each month.

Activity. Write and present a one-page monthly report with ticket numbers, target rate, top three problems, risks and next actions.

Standard to meet. Match the report's numbers to the ticket log, give each risk a cost, and give every action an owner and a date.

Module 8 Grow 8 hEvaluate

Growth is only good if quality stays high. You find how many clients you can serve with your hours and decide what to automate or stop. A short plan with numbers guides the next quarter.

Measure your hours per client per week from the ticket log, including onboarding and reports.
Divide your productive hours per week, normally about 30 of a 40-hour week, by the hours per client to get capacity.
Choose one tool or template that saves time, such as a standard onboarding checklist, and estimate the hours saved per client.
Decide whether to grow, change prices or stop a service, and write the reason in one sentence with a number.
Set a rule that you stop taking clients when response targets fall below 90 percent.

Worked example. Each client needs 6 hours a week, and you have 30 productive hours, so capacity is 30 / 6 = 5 clients. A template that saves 1 hour per client cuts the need to 5 hours, so capacity rises to 30 / 5 = 6 clients.

Activity. Present a growth plan with your hours per client, your capacity, one time-saving change and a stop rule.

Standard to meet. Show the capacity calculation in the plan, measure one saving in hours, and set a stop rule with a number.

assessment

How you are checked

Evidence: your records, numbers and reflections. Two peers and one mentor mark it with this rubric. Pass: no criterion at "Not yet" and at least 70% on the check.

Marking rubric
Criterion	Not yet	Meets	Exceeds
Evidence quality	Claims without records	Records for most claims	Every claim linked to a dated record
Numbers and units	Missing units or currency	Correct, units shown	Correct, with a check calculation
Rules and safety	Rules ignored	Rules named and followed	Rules checked with the local authority, note kept
User focus	No real user	One real user	Several users, changes made from feedback
Reflection	No lessons written	Three lessons written	Lessons turned into a changed plan with dates

Ten-question check, with model answers

Q1. How does a managed service differ from break-fix in cost, risk and timing?

Model answer: Managed work is preventive, planned and billed at a steady fee, so the client has no surprise costs. Break-fix is reactive, billed by the hour and leaves the client carrying the risk. (Covered in module 1: What managed means. To pass that module: Check that a non-technical reader can say back what is included, how fast you respond and what the monthly cost covers.)

Q2. Why list exclusions, and what three things must each service level state?

Model answer: Exclusions prevent arguments about scope. Each level must state what is included, how fast you respond and what it costs. (Covered in module 2: Catalogue and service levels. To pass that module: List inclusions, exclusions, response targets and prices in currency in the catalogue, and check that the stranger can explain the difference between levels.)

Q3. What is the break-even number of clients for fixed costs of EUR 900 and margin of EUR 260 per client, and why round up?

Model answer: 900 / 260 = 3.46, so you need 4 clients. You round up because you cannot sign part of a client and 3 clients would not cover the costs. (Covered in module 3: Price and break-even. To pass that module: Put a currency on every line, round the break-even up correctly, and include in the sheet a profit figure for a chosen number of clients.)

Q4. Why do you need written permission, and what should happen to data when an agreement ends?

Model answer: Written permission shows the client agreed to your access and protects both sides. At the end, access is removed and the client's data is returned or deleted as agreed. (Covered in module 4: Agreement and permission. To pass that module: Include all six parts in the agreement, obtain comments from a qualified adviser, and record each comment with the change you made.)

Q5. What comes first in onboarding and why?

Model answer: Inventory and a tested backup come first. Without a backup, any later change or update can cause permanent data loss. (Covered in module 5: Onboard the client. To pass that module: Tick the checklist fully with dates, cover every device in the inventory, and test a backup before any other change.)

Q6. Why test a restore and what do you record for every ticket?

Model answer: A backup that cannot be restored gives false safety, so a test proves it works. Each ticket records times received, answered and solved, plus priority and cause. (Covered in module 6: Run 30 days. To pass that module: List all tickets with times in the log, record the restore test with its duration, and name any repeating problem in the weekly notes.)

Q7. What should a monthly report show and who is it written for?

Model answer: It shows ticket numbers, response against target, repeating problems, risks and next actions. It is written for the client owner in plain words. (Covered in module 7: Report. To pass that module: Match the report's numbers to the ticket log, give each risk a cost, and give every action an owner and a date.)

Q8. How do you find how many clients you can serve?

Model answer: Divide your productive weekly hours by the hours each client needs per week, for example 30 / 6 = 5 clients. (Covered in module 8: Grow. To pass that module: Show the capacity calculation in the plan, measure one saving in hours, and set a stop rule with a number.)

Q9. What is the task of this course, in one sentence?

Model answer: Deliver a managed IT service to one small client for 30 days and report results. (Covered in: Task, condition and standard, near the top of this page.)

Q10. What standard must your final evidence meet?

Model answer: Service catalogue; onboarding checklist; 30-day ticket log; monthly report; security checks; at least 70% on the check. (Covered in: Task, condition and standard, near the top of this page.)

where next

Ladder L1 to L7, slide by slide with notes

Slide 1: L1 Basic, First words, tools and safety. Speaker note: Learner can say what IT Business and Managed Services is about and name the safety rule. Use module 1, What managed means, as the first short unit (about 2 to 6 hours). Say this rule aloud: Learning only. Follow your local law and get written permission before you work with real customers, premises, data or money. No record is needed at this level.
Slide 2: L2 Awareness, What the field is and who it serves. Speaker note: Learner explains the idea in plain words: Explain managed service against fix-when-broken. Shared with schools and community groups. Note for the guide: ask one learner to explain it to a neighbour and check the words are right.
Slide 3: L3 Foundation, Guided tasks with a checklist. Speaker note: Learner does guided tasks from the first three modules (What managed means; Catalogue and service levels; Price and break-even) with a checklist. Evidence is a small set of dated records. Note for the guide: sit beside the learner for the first record, then step back.
Slide 4: L4 Practitioner, Run the full task alone (this course). Speaker note: Task: Deliver a managed IT service to one small client for 30 days and report results. Standard: Service catalogue; onboarding checklist; 30-day ticket log; monthly report; security checks; at least 70% on the check. Note for the guide: a mentor reviews the records; two peers mark with the rubric above.
Slide 5: L5 Specialist, One narrow area to depth. Speaker note: Learner picks one area, for example Run 30 days (the longest module at 40 h), and goes deeper than this course asks. Learner then teaches a peer circle of three or four. Note for the guide: check the teaching, not only the work.
Slide 6: L6 Advanced, Lead a team and review evidence. Speaker note: Learner leads a small team or designs a service in this field and marks other people's evidence against the rubric. Roles this points to: IT support technician; Service desk analyst; Small IT business owner. Note for the guide: sample three records from the team and compare marks.
Slide 7: L7 Super expert, Set and audit the standard. Speaker note: Learner writes the method for IT Business and Managed Services as a short guide, audits other learners' evidence, and publishes worked examples back to learners. Note for the guide: worked examples keep currency and units on every number and are checked by a second expert.

Notes: credits stack and you can step in and out. This course is L4. Aligned with, not accredited by, national credit frameworks.

jobs this leads to

Where this takes you

IT support technician
Service desk analyst
Small IT business owner
Systems assistant

ten locations and global

Your place

Local custom changes rules, language, currency and who you practise with. Check each rule with your local authority before you act.

India (Bengaluru)

Language: English, Hindi, Kannada. Currency: INR. Data rule for what you publish: Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023. Skills frame to cite: National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) and the national credit framework.

Netherlands (Eindhoven area)

Language: Dutch, English. Currency: EUR. Data rule for what you publish: EU GDPR (Dutch: AVG), supervised by the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens. Skills frame to cite: the Dutch qualification framework (NLQF) linked to the European Qualifications Framework.

UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi)

Language: Arabic, English. Currency: AED. Data rule for what you publish: Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 (personal data protection). Skills frame to cite: the emirate education and training regulators (for example KHDA in Dubai) and the national qualifications framework.

Brazil (Sao Paulo)

Language: Portuguese (Spanish and English support). Currency: BRL. Data rule for what you publish: LGPD (Lei Geral de Protecao de Dados). Skills frame to cite: the national technical-education catalogue and the national S-system training bodies.

Canada (Toronto)

Language: English, French. Currency: CAD. Data rule for what you publish: PIPEDA, with provincial rules where they apply. Skills frame to cite: the provincial colleges framework and the national credential-recognition guidance.

United States

Language: English, Spanish. Currency: USD. Data rule for what you publish: state privacy laws (for example California), and COPPA for children under 13. Skills frame to cite: state and community-college credit systems.

Singapore

Language: English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil. Currency: SGD. Data rule for what you publish: Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Skills frame to cite: the Singapore national skills frameworks and the national credit system.

Australia

Language: English. Currency: AUD. Data rule for what you publish: the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. Skills frame to cite: the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) levels.

Hong Kong (Eastern Asia)

Language: Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin), English. Currency: HKD. Data rule for what you publish: the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. Skills frame to cite: the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework.

Georgia and Israel (Western Asia)

Language: Georgian, Hebrew, Arabic, English. Currency: GEL or ILS. Data rule for what you publish: the personal data law of the country where the learner lives. Skills frame to cite: the national qualifications framework of that country.

Cayman Islands (Caribbean)

Language: English. Currency: KYD. Data rule for what you publish: the Data Protection Act. Skills frame to cite: the local education and training framework.

Mexico

Language: Spanish, English. Currency: MXN. Data rule for what you publish: the federal law on personal data held by private parties. Skills frame to cite: the national competency certification system and the education ministry levels.

Draft

Draft flagship-depth course. Own wording from the planning booklet; no third-party text. Not live.