Local IT Company in Chattanooga
Small businesses across Chattanooga call us when the Wi-Fi drops, the email stops or the new hire needs a laptop by Monday. You get engineers who live here and a person who answers the phone.
What We Look After
Most of our clients have between 5 and 50 people. We look after all of it, or just the part you're stuck on.
We Live Here, So We Show Up
Ian Fairbairn started the company from a spare room in Red Bank after years of watching local businesses wait days for out-of-town IT help. Today we're a team of engineers who all live within half an hour of downtown. That means when a server needs hands on it, someone can be there the same morning, and the engineer who answers your call has usually been in your office before.
- ✓Every engineer lives locally
- ✓Same-morning on-site visits
- ✓Your setup written down
Questions To Ask Any IT Company
Who answers when I call?
Ask whether it's an engineer or a call center. At Fairbairn a person in Chattanooga picks up, and most problems are fixed on that first call.
How fast will someone start?
Get it in writing. We start on urgent problems within 30 minutes and everyday requests within the same business day.
Can I leave if it isn't working?
Long contracts protect the IT company, not you. Our agreements run month to month with 30 days' notice.
What does it cost, all in?
Ask what's not included: hardware, projects, after-hours visits. We put every one of those in writing before you sign.
Who else do you look after?
Ask for two local references in a business like yours. We're happy to put you in touch.
Will you write down how we're set up?
If your IT company leaves, the knowledge shouldn't leave with it. We document every account, password and device, and it's yours to keep.
What You Get Every Month
Unlimited Help-Desk Calls
Call, email or text as often as you need. No meter running.
On-Site Visits
When it needs hands on it, an engineer comes to you anywhere in the Chattanooga area.
Updates And Antivirus
Installed and checked for you, after hours, so nobody's computer restarts mid-meeting.
Backups We Test
Nightly copies of your files and email, restored on a test run every few months.
New Hires Ready On Day One
Tell us who's starting and we'll have their laptop and logins ready. When someone leaves, their access goes with them.
A Yearly IT Plan
What's getting old, what to budget for next year and what can safely wait.
An Engineer, Not A Salesperson
Tell us what's frustrating you about your IT. An engineer will call back, ask a few questions and tell you honestly whether we're a good fit.
We Handle Phones And Internet
When the internet drops, you shouldn't have to sit on hold with the provider while your customers can't get through. We set up business phones that ring desks and mobiles alike, keep a backup internet line where it matters, and make the provider calls ourselves.
- ✓Desk phones and mobile app on one number
- ✓Backup internet for busy offices
- ✓We call the provider, not you
What Chattanooga Businesses Say
We interviewed three IT companies. Fairbairn was the only one that answered every question straight, including which of our problems they'd fix first and which could wait. Two years in, the same engineer still picks up when we call.
They moved our whole office to Ooltewah over a weekend. Phones, internet, Wi-Fi, printers, all working Monday at eight. I didn't have to call a single vendor.
Our old provider was a call center in another state. Now when something breaks, someone who has actually been in our building fixes it, usually before lunch.
On Site Across Chattanooga
Downtown & North Shore
Usually on site within the hour.
Hixson & Red Bank
Same-morning visits most days.
East Ridge & Ooltewah
Regular visits most weekdays.
Signal & Lookout Mountain
Covered, with remote help first.
Cleveland, TN
Managed clients, by appointment.
North Georgia
Dalton, Fort Oglethorpe and Ringgold, by appointment.
Before You Call
How do I choose an IT company for my small business?
Ask who answers the phone, how fast they start on urgent problems, how long the contract is, what isn't included in the price, whether they document your setup, and for two local references. Any good IT company will answer all six plainly.
What does managed IT cost with Fairbairn?
Most of our small-business clients pay between $120 and $160 per person per month, depending on how much on-site help they need. You get an exact number in writing after our first visit.
Do you work with businesses that only need occasional help?
Yes. If you only need us a few times a year, we'll help by the hour and tell you if a monthly plan would actually save you money.
Can you take over from our current IT provider?
Yes. We handle the handover, collect every password and document, and make sure nothing is lost on the way.
What happens after hours?
Managed clients get an emergency line outside business hours for anything that stops work, like a server down or a suspected break-in.
Do you sell computers and equipment?
We can buy and set up computers, Wi-Fi and phones for you at a price we quote up front, or set up equipment you already have.
Talk To An Engineer
Tell us a little about your business and what's going wrong. An engineer will call you back today.