How quickly can I get pricing?

Much faster than going to vendors one at a time. After a discovery call, we take your requirements to the providers that fit and bring back comparable quotes, so you skip weeks of separate sales cycles and demos. For many services, pricing can come back shortly after that first call. Larger or more complex projects take longer, because we scope them properly before anyone quotes.

How is AGI Beacon compensated?

AGI Beacon is paid by the provider you choose, at the same rate regardless of which provider you select. We earn no extra commission for favoring any provider, we have no sales quotas, and there is no cost to you.

Frequently asked questions

Q: What does AGI Beacon do?

AGI Beacon is an independent technology advisory firm. We help mid-market and enterprise leaders evaluate, select and negotiate technology services across AI, cloud, cybersecurity, managed IT, communications and connectivity. We start by understanding your requirements, then bring you a shortlist of 2-3 vetted providers from our network of 300+, with side-by-side pricing and tradeoffs. We stay involved through implementation and check in after go-live. We have no sales quotas, so our only job is finding the right fit.

Working with AGI Beacon

What does AGI Beacon do?

AGI Beacon helps businesses make informed technology decisions. We work with your team to understand business needs, evaluate solutions and providers, compare options, and support initiatives from provider selection through implementation coordination. Our goal is to help you find the right path forward, not simply sell you another service.

How does AGI Beacon get paid?

AGI Beacon may receive compensation from technology providers when a client enters into an eligible agreement. This can include recurring compensation over the term of a contract. The arrangement depends on the provider and engagement, and we aim to be transparent about relevant incentives. We focus on understanding your needs and evaluating appropriate options, which may include keeping your current provider.

Is AGI Beacon independent of technology providers?

AGI Beacon works across a broad network of technology providers rather than representing just one provider's products. Our role is to help you evaluate options against your business requirements. Because we may receive provider compensation, we believe transparency matters. We explain relevant incentives and help you understand the tradeoffs before making a decision.

Do I need to replace my current IT provider to work with AGI Beacon?

No. We can help you assess your current provider, review service and contract terms, benchmark options, or identify opportunities to improve the existing relationship. If your current provider remains the right fit, replacing them may not make sense.

Why work with AGI Beacon instead of contacting providers directly?

Contacting providers directly can make sense, but each provider naturally presents its own offering. AGI Beacon helps you define requirements, compare relevant alternatives, understand costs and tradeoffs, and coordinate conversations with suitable providers. We help you approach the decision from your business's perspective rather than starting with a vendor's pitch.

What types of businesses does AGI Beacon work with?

We primarily support mid-market businesses, typically those with 50–2,000 employees. We work with business and technology leaders who need help evaluating providers, planning technology initiatives, managing vendor complexity, or accessing specialized expertise.

Does AGI Beacon implement the technology?

AGI Beacon provides advisory, provider selection, and project coordination support. The selected technology provider or implementation partner performs the technical delivery. We can help align stakeholders, coordinate activities, and monitor progress so the project stays connected to your business objectives. The scope of our involvement depends on the engagement.

What happens during an initial conversation?

We'll learn about your business, current technology environment, and priorities. Together, we'll determine whether there's a meaningful area where AGI Beacon can help and agree on a sensible next step if there is. The conversation is an opportunity to explore fit, not a commitment to change providers or purchase a service.

How long does the process take, from the first call to implementation?

It depends on the category, but most engagements follow four stages. Discovery, Research, Side-by-side shortlist, Implementation. Overall, each situation can vary: a phone system change and an MSP transition move at very different speeds, so we set a realistic plan for yours at the start. Renewal dates often set the pace, and starting early gives you more options.

How do you vet providers before they reach a shortlist?

Every provider is checked before it reaches you. We review compliance and security credentials, technical architecture, track record with organizations like yours, and pricing benchmarked against similar deals. We draw on a network of 300+ providers, so your shortlist reflects the market rather than one vendor's pitch. Providers that can't meet your requirements or terms don't make the list.

Why two or three options, and what does a shortlist look like?

Two or three options are enough to compare real trade-offs without wading through a long list. Each shortlist sets the providers side by side: pricing on a comparable basis, fit with your requirements, contract terms and the trade-offs we see. We explain where each option is strongest and where it falls short, so you decide with full information.

I have more projects than budget. Can you help me prioritize them?

Yes. We help you rank the few projects that matter most by risk, cost and business impact. Then we suggest funding smaller, faster wins first, so early results build the case for the larger investments. You end up with a short, defensible sequence instead of a long list of projects competing for the same budget.

Can you help with an upcoming renewal or an end-of-life system?

Yes, and timing matters. Whether it's a firewall reaching end of support, aging network equipment or a phone platform being retired, starting early gives you room to compare options, negotiate and plan the transition without pressure. Waiting until the deadline often leaves you with an auto-renewal or a rushed replacement. Tell us the date and we'll work back from it.

How do you help me avoid lock-in and legacy contract debt?

We review the terms that create lock-in before you sign: term length, auto-renewal clauses, early termination and exit provisions, and who owns the tenant, admin accounts and data. We push for terms that let you leave cleanly if the service doesn't perform. For existing contracts, we map renewal dates and obligations so legacy commitments don't limit your next decision.

How do you validate pricing, and can I use it to make the case to my CFO?

Yes, it's built for that. We benchmark quotes against pricing from our network of 300+ providers and comparable deals, so you know whether an offer is competitive. The shortlist presents each option side by side on a comparable basis, which gives finance leaders the cost, the contract terms and the trade-offs in one place for a clear business case.

How do you help evaluate AI platforms, including data governance and usage costs?

We assess AI platforms on how well they fit your data, security and compliance requirements, not just on features. That includes data governance, access controls, how shadow AI is already being used in your organization, and visibility into token or consumption-based costs so spending stays predictable. You get a clear comparison of options and a realistic view of where AI pays off.

How do you assess a provider's security and compliance posture?

We review each provider's certifications, alignment with your compliance requirements, security controls and track record before it reaches your shortlist, and we look at how protection works in practice rather than on paper. That rigor matters: we helped a DoD contractor move from a stalled CMMC audit to a clean Level 2 pass in ten weeks.

How is our information handled during discovery and vendor outreach?

We share only what providers need to respond accurately, and only with your approval. Details about your environment, contracts and requirements go only to the providers you approve, and only to the extent needed for an accurate quote. If you need an NDA in place before outreach, tell us on the first call.Read our Privacy Policy.

How do you assess vendor viability, such as an acquisition or a provider going under?

We look at each provider's financial stability, ownership and any recent or pending acquisitions, product roadmap and how long key platforms will be supported. We also check exit terms, so you know what happens to your service and data if the provider is sold or fails. A strong product from an unstable company is a risk we flag before you commit.

How often will you check in, and what will I get from those check-ins?

After go-live, we check in on a monthly cadence. If you prefer a shorter cadence we are happy to do that as well. Each check-in reviews performance against the SLAs in your contract, costs against what was quoted, and any open issues or upcoming changes. If something is off, we raise it with the provider and agree on next steps with you. You get a clear picture without having to chase it yourself.

What happens if a provider underperforms after we sign?

We escalate with the provider on your behalf and hold them to the SLAs and commitments in your contract. We document the issues, push for a remediation plan and track whether it is delivered. If performance doesn't recover, we help you plan alternatives and time a move around your contract terms, so you are not stuck with a service that isn't working.

Technology terms

What is UCaaS?

UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) is a cloud platform that combines phone, video meetings, messaging and collaboration in one subscription service. It replaces on-premises phone systems with a platform the provider maintains and updates. The right choice depends on your integrations, call volumes, number of locations and existing tools such as Microsoft Teams.

Learn more about Communications.

What is CCaaS?

CCaaS (Contact Center as a Service) is a cloud contact center platform that manages customer interactions across phone, email, chat, SMS and social channels. It typically includes call routing, IVR, analytics, workforce management and, increasingly, AI tools for agents and self-service. It is often paired with UCaaS so internal and customer communications run on connected systems.

Learn more about Communications.

What is SD-WAN, and does a multi-location business need it?

SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) manages traffic across multiple internet and network connections, sending each application over the best available path. For multi-location businesses, it can improve performance and reliability, simplify network management and make cloud applications easier to reach. Whether it is worth it depends on your number of sites, your applications and your current circuits.

Learn more about Connectivity.

What is a hybrid cloud strategy?

A hybrid cloud strategy combines on-premises or private infrastructure with public cloud services. Organizations keep certain workloads local, often for compliance, performance or existing investments, and run others in the cloud where it offers flexibility or lower cost. The key decisions are which workloads go where, how they connect and how security is managed across both.

Learn more about Cloud & Infrastructure.

What is cloud infrastructure modernization?

Cloud infrastructure modernization means updating legacy systems and applications to use modern cloud capabilities, such as managed services, auto-scaling and containers. The aim is better performance, resilience and agility, with costs that track actual usage. It is usually done in phases, starting with the workloads where the business benefit is clearest and the migration risk is lowest.

Learn more about Cloud & Infrastructure.

What is carrier sourcing?

Carrier sourcing is the process of identifying, evaluating and negotiating with internet, data circuit and telecommunications carriers to get the right mix of service, reliability and cost for each location. It covers availability, bandwidth, redundancy, installation lead times and contract terms. For one wealth advisory firm, it cut internet and phone costs by 40%, saving $42,300 over three years.

Learn more about Connectivity.

What is a technology audit?

A technology audit is a structured review of your current IT infrastructure, services, contracts and spending. It identifies where you are overpaying, where services overlap or go unused, where security or compliance gaps exist and which contracts are coming up for renewal. The result is a clear picture of what to keep, change or renegotiate.

See the solution areas we cover.

What is an MSP evaluation?

An MSP evaluation assesses your managed service provider's performance, costs, SLAs and fit with your business, then compares your current arrangement with market alternatives. It shows whether to keep your provider with an improved agreement or make a change. For one private investment firm, it led to a SOC 2–compliant MSP that closed three gaps, including MFA and MDM, within budget.

Learn more about Managed IT.

What is "checkbox security"?

"Checkbox security" means adopting tools or controls mainly to satisfy a compliance requirement or questionnaire, without confirming they protect against the threats your business actually faces. It can leave real gaps while looking complete on paper. A better approach ties each control to a specific risk and verifies that it works in practice, not just that it exists.

Learn more on our Cybersecurity page.

What is an AI readiness assessment?

An AI readiness assessment evaluates whether your organization is prepared to adopt AI effectively and safely. It reviews data quality and access, security and compliance requirements, governance policies, current AI use and the business processes where AI could deliver value. The outcome is a prioritized view of where to start and what needs to be in place first.

Learn more about AI Assessments.

What is shadow AI?

Shadow AI is the use of AI tools by employees without the knowledge or approval of IT or security teams, such as pasting company data into public chatbots. It can expose sensitive or regulated information and create compliance risk. Addressing it usually means finding out what is already in use, setting clear policies and providing approved tools that meet the need.

Learn more about AI Assessments.