Frequently asked questions

ARC is built for organisations where downtime and uncertainty aren’t acceptable. We work in plain English, take clear ownership, and follow a structured onboarding approach so you always know what happens next - and who is responsible.

ARC specialises in essential services organisations, with a joined-up offer across Print · Store · Secure - designed to reduce supplier complexity and keep day-to-day operations running smoothly.

Yes. Where it makes sense, ARC works in a co-managed model with clear responsibilities, so there’s no finger-pointing and no gaps in ownership.

We listen first. You tell us about your current setup, biggest challenges, and any technical questions you already have - we don’t pitch until we understand. By the end of 30 minutes, you’ll know honestly whether ARC can help and what the next step would be.

Minimal disruption is a core design principle, supported by a structured 40–step IT onboarding process. Every action is sequenced - from initial audit to full handover - to protect your day–to–day operations throughout. Most transitions complete without any downtime to core services. Your dedicated onboarding contact will walk you through the timeline before anything begins, so there are no surprises.

For most essential services organisations, onboarding takes between two and eight weeks - depending on the size of your environment and the services you're taking on. You'll get a clear timeline at the start of the ARC Journey, with milestones you can track and share with your team.

It covers an initial discovery audit, including the current configuration and setup, a formal delivery plan with handover and documented responsibilities. At every stage, you'll know what's happening, who's responsible, and what comes next.

No. Part of ARC's role is to assess your current environment and work with what you have. You don't need a clean slate or a fully documented IT estate before we begin. We'll identify gaps as part of the onboarding audit and address them along the way.

Every ARC onboarding includes a documented rollback plan. If an issue arises during the IT transition, you’ll have a defined escalation path, a clear troubleshooting process, and a clear resolution process. Your dedicated contact remains accountable throughout, not just during setup.

ARC specialises in essential services organisations - including NHS GP practices, pharmacies, dental practices, and education organisations - as well as other governance-heavy environments where downtime and uncertainty aren’t acceptable. Our team includes engineers with NHS backgrounds, and ARC brings 30+ years of sector experience supporting organisations where systems need to work reliably, every day. We’re a plain-English, proactive partner across Print · Store · Secure, with a structured onboarding approach (the ARC Journey) designed to keep transitions calm, responsibilities clear, and delivery predictable.

ARC is G-Cloud approved and holds Cyber Essentials certification. Security, backup, disaster recovery and business continuity (BCDR) are delivered through our Datto partnership.

ARC works with a small set of proven partners including Brother (managed print), Ricoh (A3/high-volume print), Crown Information Management (patient records storage and digitisation), and Datto (security, backup, disaster recovery and business continuity). We keep the ecosystem intentionally small so support stays simple - with ARC accountable end-to-end.

ARC is a managed service provider. We don't just supply hardware or software and walk away. We take ongoing responsibility for the services we deliver - monitoring, maintaining, and improving them as your needs change, with the technical knowledge to support your environment properly.

Our managed print services cover this in detail, but in short: ARC manages your entire print and document workflow - hardware, consumables, maintenance, and support. We monitor usage proactively, resolve issues before they become problems, and give you predictable costs with no surprise callout fees.

ARC’s records management service (ARC Store) is designed to help you reclaim space, find records fast, and move to fully searchable digital records - without your team having to manage a complex project. Delivered in partnership with Crown Information Management (CIM), ARC Store can include secure offsite storage as an immediate first step, followed by end-to-end digitisation when funding allows. For digitisation projects, the delivery process includes collection and preparation, scanning, indexing and QC - aligned to NHS England’s processing specification, with SNOMED coding, barcoded tracking, 10% QA checks on all images, and a certificate of destruction on completion.

ARC's managed cybersecurity services are structured around three phases:

1. Prevent any issues occurring wherever possible
2. Respond quickly if they do
3. Should the worst happen assist in recovery

This includes managed endpoint security, user security, threat monitoring, incident response, and managed backup services - designed to work together as one coherent security posture.

Managed endpoint security means ARC actively monitors and protects every device connected to your network - laptops, desktops, mobile devices, and servers. It also works hand-in-hand with network security controls (like firewalls, web filtering, and network segmentation) to reduce the ways threats can enter and spread. The practical outcome is straightforward: threats are identified and contained before they reach your staff or your data.

User security focuses on helping your people work safely day to day - reducing human risk without slowing productivity. ARC supports this with practical controls and guidance such as security awareness and phishing training, strong password and MFA policies, least-privilege access, secure device and account setup, and clear processes for reporting suspicious activity. The outcome is fewer compromised accounts, fewer successful social-engineering attempts, and safer handling of sensitive data.

ARC handles patient data differently depending on the service. For our Secure and Print services, ARC does not hold patient records in its own infrastructure. Where our services involve systems that may contain patient data, we only access it when necessary to deliver support, and we handle it in line with UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and NHS data handling standards. Where records storage is required, ARC Store is delivered through Crown Information Management, with secure offsite storage, full chain of custody, and alignment to the NHS England processing specification. In all cases ARC operates under a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) that clearly defines roles, responsibilities, and obligations. If you'd like to review the DPA before signing, we'll share it as part of the pre-contract process.

Yes. G–Cloud is the UK government's digital procurement framework that can help public sector organisations buy technology more efficiently. ARC is listed on G–Cloud, which means NHS practices, dental services, and education organisations may be able to engage us through the Crown Commercial Service Digital Marketplace - simplifying procurement and supporting public sector compliance requirements (subject to your organisation’s procurement rules). 

ARC offers flexible contracts, with the right term recommended based on your organisation's size and service scope. We'll always discuss what's right for you before you sign, and the terms are written in plain English so they're easy to understand.

There is no punitive lock–in. If your circumstances change, we handle the process professionally - with the same structured approach we use at onboarding. We'd rather earn your continued business than hold you to a contract.

No. ARC pricing is structured to be predictable. Your quote will include all costs for the agreed scope of service. If your needs change and additional services are required, we'll discuss pricing before anything changes.

Yes. Public sector organisations including NHS practices and education may be able to use the Crown Commercial Service Digital Marketplace to procure ARC services through an approved route - helping simplify procurement. 

ARC services can be taken individually or as a combined package across Print · Store · Secure. Pricing is based on your organisation's size, environment, and service scope. We'll provide a clear, itemised proposal so you know what you're paying for and why.

The co–managed IT services model means ARC works alongside your existing IT resource - whether that's an internal IT lead or an incumbent managed service provider. We take on the services and responsibilities agreed, and your team retains ownership of everything else.

This is defined clearly at onboarding using a co–managed RACI model. Typically, ARC manages proactive monitoring, security services, print infrastructure, records management, and backup. Your internal team retains control of everything else.

Standard support hours are Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:30. For ARC’s security services, 24/7 SOC monitoring runs continuously - so threats and critical issues can be detected and escalated outside business hours as needed. Your service agreement will confirm exactly what applies to your services.

Support requests can be raised by phone, email, or through ARC's ticketing portal. Your team will receive clear guidance on how to log issues during onboarding, including what information to include to speed up resolution. This is where customer service and interpersonal skills matter as much as technical skills - because speed, clarity, and calm communication reduce disruption.

ARC reviews your service scope regularly as part of the ongoing relationship. If your organisation grows, changes systems, or takes on new compliance obligations, we'll work with you to adapt the service. Changes to scope are discussed and agreed before they're implemented.

Yes. ARC provides regular reporting in plain English - and for security services, this includes quarterly service reviews with a security maturity scorecard showing measurable improvement over time (not just operational statistics), plus the next priority hardening actions.