Know what is being maintained
Start with an inventory of applications, servers, domains, third-party services and administrative accounts. Identify who owns each part and who can access it. A maintenance provider needs enough context to make changes responsibly and avoid surprises.
Backups need a restore plan
A backup is only useful if the team knows how to restore it. Agree what data is backed up, where it is stored, how long it is retained and how restore checks are performed. Define recovery expectations in terms your business understands.
Define support coverage clearly
Document support hours, communication channels, severity levels and response targets. Response time is different from resolution time. Ask how incidents are escalated and how you will be kept informed while the issue is being investigated.
Make room for ongoing improvement
Routine fixes and new features are different kinds of work. Keep a shared backlog, review recurring problems and agree how improvements are estimated and prioritised. A short, regular review helps the system stay aligned with your business.